Jim:

I took some pix with the top popped and with it almost
closed.  Pictures are worth a 1000 words--plus, I didn't
remember very well how the rail was installed.  I would
have said the flange was up, not down!

At the rear, when the top is closed, the flange of the
rail is right behind the rubber of the seal.  Farther
forward, I think it is just above the rubber.  It comes
down at the rear end, I think, because of the poptop
hinge, or maybe it is just the shape of the roof.

See:
http://jones.colorado.edu/jones/VWAwningRail
for the five pix.

To answer an unask question:  I had my Carefree Sidewinder
on my '81 and just moved it to the Syncro.  If I had not had
the Sidewinder, I would have explored using the awning rail.

Richard
Boulder