Liquidating Carl Berry's spare parts stash!

Although, with a little fabrication, that red VW top will make a SWEET top for a Speedster! 

See more:  http://www.volkszone.com/VZi/showthread.php?t=788393

 

More than a "little"!

Bill - That matches the one shown on my car (but doesn't belong to me) and David S's ao it should fit CMC and early IM.  Looks like the plexiglass window is sitting in it too (was it said there was another one in a box too?)  

Sure does. I think this is the only other FG top. The one pic looks like a rear glass sitting on the backside to me.

If I recall there was a thought of incorporating the VW sliding sun roof panel to the fiberglass top.

Bill - Not to discourage you from buying Carl's top but crating for shipping Conn to Hawaii is going to be a pain for his son - plus the shipping cost - so unless you can work a fair price consider the new $1200 ones (+ $100 for extended version) from RustyTubs in NV.  I'm sure they ship such stuff every day and NV is half way to Hawaii. 

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/cl...etail.php?id=1968334

Top won't need to be crated (strapped to a pallet) as it looks to be in rough shape. I am in contact with a company now and waiting on a quote which will dictate the offer...I would never consider Rusty tubs at their prices. Thanks though.

I just checked with Adam at Unobtanium and he feels strongly that the white top that Bill is after is a Plastic Dynamics top.  Plastic Dynamics and Astro both used the same molds, taken from a Mercedes Gullwing and modified for a Speedster - hence, that little area above the rear window for a vent or third stop light.

The black top is a Plastic Dynamics, also, but for a Cabriolet, hence the different design where it meets the windshield frame - it is designed to be pulled snug against the frame with the latches.  It is too long to fit a Speedster, the longer length needed for the rear seat in the Cabriolet.  It attached at the sides behind the doors with turnbuckles.

They also finally found the 912/901 transaxle under a bunch of tarps and it appears to be in great shape.  I can't remember if Carl mentioned this had been rebuilt, so I'll assume not unless someone speaks up.  If you're interested in a 5-speed that'll take your horsepower and fit in your car with a bit of mount modifications (it has a  different mount at the nosecone), contact Matt Berry at the info in Rich Drewek's post up above.

Gordon Nichols posted:

I just checked with Adam at Unobtanium and he feels strongly that the white top that Bill is after is a Plastic Dynamics top.  Plastic Dynamics and Astro both used the same molds, taken from a Mercedes Gullwing and modified for a Speedster - hence, that little area above the rear window for a vent or third stop light.

The black top is a Plastic Dynamics, also, but for a Cabriolet, hence the different design where it meets the windshield frame - it is designed to be pulled snug against the frame with the latches.  It is too long to fit a Speedster, the longer length needed for the rear seat in the Cabriolet.  It attached at the sides behind the doors with turnbuckles.

They also finally found the 912/901 transaxle under a bunch of tarps and it appears to be in great shape.  I can't remember if Carl mentioned this had been rebuilt, so I'll assume not unless someone speaks up.  If you're interested in a 5-speed that'll take your horsepower and fit in your car with a bit of mount modifications (it has a  different mount at the nosecone), contact Matt Berry at the info in Rich Drewek's post up above.

Are you certain the black top is for a Cabriolet?  Based on my research (which is very limited) it is for a Convertible D.   If it was fiberglass, I'd take the chance and have someone modify it if necessary.   But that looks to be plastic.

Well, both the cabriolet and convertible D share the same windshield frame style, so the only way to really tell is to get someone out there to do some measurements on the tops as I outlined up above to tell us what they might fit.  Let me see what we can do...

 

I've sent an email to the sons to see if someone can go measure both tops for us.

I also just re-read the "no comments allowed in Classifieds" thingie at the top of the forum.  Sorry....My Bad.  I'll figure out a good place to move this discussion on tops.

Gordon, the cabriolet and Convertible D have very different windshield frames, and the cabin opening is also significantly different.  The Convertible D frame is removeable, like the Speedster, just taller and slightly differently shaped.

Hope this might help, but my top appears to be the same as those shown previously in this thread for sale by Rusty tubs and it fit pretty well on my older IM.  Not sure what the tops are that are in Carl's estate but they don't really look like mine.  Carl bought two tops out of Cali and had them bubble wrapped and supported a bit with a 2 x 4 screwed in athwartship across the shoulder area and they headed East via Greyhound bus for $150 each. Not sure how Carl figured it out but he sent me the one that was easily fitted to my car. 2 pics here. 

Well, three actually. Carl always liked that pic of my Speedster taken in front of the cow at the Big Texan restaurant in Amarillo, TX on our trip East in 2011. Where'd the time go, eh ? Carl and I became good friends in a short time for too short a time. RIP Amigo. Nice to have known you. You were an inspiration and still are.....

Your rear window sure looks a lot better to me.

Now I need to call a Greyhound to this thing out West.

Shoot... The black top won't fit a cabriolet. 

Actually, Jethro, I'm not convinced of that.  We'll know better once we can get some measurements AND get some photos, especially of the top, front lip s you can see what it is.  Adam, at Unobtanium, seems to think the black one is a Plastic Dynamics top for a Cabriolet.

Stay tuned...I'm trying to get measurements and photos.  Wish I lived closer.

Gordon Nichols posted:

Actually, Jethro, I'm not convinced of that.  We'll know better once we can get some measurements AND get some photos, especially of the top, front lip s you can see what it is.  Adam, at Unobtanium, seems to think the black one is a Plastic Dynamics top for a Cabriolet.

Stay tuned...I'm trying to get measurements and photos.  Wish I lived closer.

I need dimensions too for shipping quote. LMK when you can.

I'll happily buy it if it is for a cabriolet.   But all of my research points toward a roadster / Convertible D, especially since Matt told me his Dad had a roadster at one point.

Off on a different topic for a second, I remembered this morning that I saw a twin-grill engine cover, if anyone wants to look like a rare, twin-grill 356 A (they only made 42 of them), plus, have better engine cooling.....

Just contact Matt Berry.

If anyone is interested in attending the Dad's Estate Sale it will be held on July 1 & 2 at the house, 7 Putnam Park Road, Bethel, CT 06801 by Houserecycled. Their website is http://houserecycled.com

Matt - Their site says 8 & 9 July?

http://houserecycled.com/2017/...re-finder-june-2017/

I'd love to have the towel rack front and rear bumpers!  They appear to be fiberglass replicas (which is good if they are going on a replica).  

Are the pencil/ink drawing by Carl?

They must have just changed the date because it was set for the 1st & 2nd even late yesterday when I looked at it, I will try to contact them to verify.
Most of the artwork pictured is not Dad's and I think the pencil/ink drawings are from one of his oldest friends Pat DeSantis out of Maine.
Sounds like you are interested in the bumpers, what are they worth and would you be able to make it to Bethel or would you need them shipped?
Thanks,
Matt Berry
--------------------------------------------

WOLFGANG posted:

Matt - Their site says 8 & 9 July?

http://houserecycled.com/2017/...re-finder-june-2017/

I'd love to have the towel rack front and rear bumpers!  They appear to be fiberglass replicas (which is good if they are going on a replica).  

Are the pencil/ink drawing by Carl?

Gregg?

Verified yesterday that the estate sale is being held July 8 & 9.

@Matt Berry Did the measurement of the black plastic top indicate that it was for a Cabriolet or for the Roadster / Convertible D?

The Black Top measurements that have been sent to me(I did not measure myself) are:

1) Across width of car from door to door: 50-51 inches

2) From center front to horizontal door line: 23-24 inches

3) From center front to rear lip: 51-52 inches

Thanks, Matt.  I'll take some measurements this evening.

In the meantime, if anyone out there with a roadster or Convertible D can measure the height of their windshield frame, I would greatly appreciate it.

My windshield is 15 inches tall from the door line, and from the top middle of the windshield to the back of cockpit is 54 inches.  So I do not believe it will fit a cabriolet.

OK, does anyone have an idea of which vehicle it will fit?

I may have missed it but is there a picture of the front of the top where it meets the windshield?  The Speedster, Roadster, and Cabriolet all have frames of different shapes.  A picture would let us provide our "expert opinion".

I do not have a good picture looking at the front of the top but there a a few pictures on the estate companys website with one from the underside of it, the site is http://.houserecycled.com/2017...re-finder-june-2017/

I believe it is for the Roadster / Convertible D.

Matt, If I remember correctly you said your dad had a Roadster at one point.

 

And I think the height would be ~14", not 24"

The white one is definitely for a Speedster.  The black one looks to be for something British or Italian, I think.

Lane Anderson posted:

The white one is definitely for a Speedster.  The black one looks to be for something British or Italian, I think.

You may be onto something, there.   If the height from door line to top of front is really 24" it's not for a 356.

Would that black top be for a Datsun 1600 roadster?  No... Now that I see it next to the speedster top I realise its waaaay tonbig for a Datsun.

Dad did have a 1961 Roadster S90 when I was a kid but he never had a hard top for it, this is something he picked up at some point in the last 5 to 6 years.

You know Ted, the side window shape does seem to look like a Datsun.  You could be right.

I wonder why there was no attempt to fit these over the past few years, or was there?

I know Dad's VS was down for the last year or so with the engine backfire so he would have had time but he never mentioned anything about fitting a hard top to me.

Matt Berry posted:

I know Dad's VS was down for the last year or so with the engine backfire so he would have had time but he never mentioned anything about fitting a hard top to me.

He just may have not felt the need as the soft top is quit convenient to put up and down.

Anyway, I'm waiting on the shipping quote. I hope those measurements are accurate on the + side vs the - side...