OK! I read enough about how stupid the Westfalia OE seal is. What is
wrong with the seal design? Just one thing. The cost constraint of using
spring steel instead say stainless steel. They should at least apply a
heavy galvanized coating. Why they didn't use aluminum? Aluminum does
not make good spring. When have you see aluminum being used for spring?
Have you read about folks who replace the OE seal with after market only
to find the seal does not stay put. Someone's AM seal sticks to the roof
and he wrote that he will wax the roof to solve the problem.

The pros of the OE seal are: 1) double-lip design for keeping wind noise
down. 2) 1-piece pre-glued to the leading edge flat seal. 3) Spring
steel for good retention force to the fiberglass top.

There is only one drawback with the OE seal: They should have use
stainless steel, or spring steel with heavy-duty galvanized coating.

One of my luggage carrier tie down now rust profusely. The cause is what
I found out the hard way. I use West Marine's bungee cord which has
stainless steel hooks and left it Pacific NW's rainny winter for months.
Stainless steel hook is less reactive than the zinc coating on the tie
down (which is cast iron underneath) so the tie down begins to rust when
the zinc is consumed as a sacrificial donor.

When I replace the OE seal I plan to apply paint with rust inhibitor to
the steel clips to slow down the corrosion progress.

- Vince

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
Of Melvin Mudgett-Price
Sent: Monday, July 19, 2004 11:12 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: OEM Pop Top Seals

>Even the venerable engineers at VW or Westfalia come up with a stupid
idea now and then, and this one takes the cake.

The above reference was about OEM pop top seals. I think while the
design is bad I know of another part that REAlLY takes the cake and that
is:

The rubber mat over the driver and passenger steps.

In case you've never had the pleasure of removing one, try looking at
yours from under the step. The mat is held in place by 5 rubber
protrusions on the mat that VW accommodates by drilling 5 holes in the
step. These holes are right in front of the wheel arch so the holes can
be kept constantly wet just in case they don't rust out quick enough
without the road spray application. I've just had to have two metal
plates welded in place as the steps were rotting away.

This total overkill is done to keep a little piece of rubber in place
and it really takes the cake...unless you know better!

Melvin