Summer top loops

My SOR Summer Top arrived late last week. The top came with footman loops that are intended to be bolted to the quarter panel upper support channels. I decided to look for an alternative way to secure the straps in the rear to avoid drilling any unnecessary holes in the body.



I thought I might be able to use the included footman loops with the existing bolt holes, but SOR isn't quite that clever. They are a little too big.



So, I wandered the aisles at Lowe's for a little while and came up with this solution: using a few inches of vinyl-coated steel cable, several copper lugs, and tools I found in the cable/chain aisle, I made some "loops." The entire time I was constructing these things (at Lowe's)- using the cable cutter marked "For employee use only," and the big crimping tool- I didn't get a single offer for help from an employee, which was fine with me, but surprising.



These made a pretty nice substitute for the footman loops, and I was able to attach them to the backside of existing holes for the door hinges.



Can't wait to get rid of that rust.



The fenders are coming along nicely. I'm really anxious to get them back on the truck, though- I've been driving the Beetle for more than a week. The undersides have been sprayed with 3M Rubberized undercoating over the factory primer, and I primed the tops with rattle cans. I'm getting better at this as I go along. I'll get pics of the undercoating tomorrow- it looks and feels pretty tough.



The fender was inside because I was doing more paint removal with the grinder and abrasive wheel in the garage, and didn't want to risk contaminating the primer before it dried.