How to make a Volga convertible step-by-step instruction. Preparing for the summer: a convertible from the sedan with his own hands

If you run through the history of the car, it will become noticeable that people from the highest society have convertibles - elite. The car with a folded ride was considered luxury, as they prices were significantly higher than on a car with a roof. But this does not mean at all that it is impossible to have a convertible, not being the son of a businessman. In the presence of tools and certain skills, you can make such a car with your own hands. It all depends on the possibilities of creative thoughts, as well as a certain amount of money. If there is a desire, the convertible is not a problem from the old Volga. However, the operation should be started long before the summer season - work on the alteration is to have a lot.

About the types of body

Information about the first convertibles is dated by the beginning of the nineteenth century - then the light roof of which was folding began to appear in France. One horse was harnessed into this wagon. Then, as the technical progress develops, the cabrioles called passenger cars, designed for two or four places with folding riding. A modern convertible is equipped with soft vinyl or tissue materials stretched on a light frame, or rigid folding roof types. Such cars have two or four doors. Body - often sedans, less often - hatchbacks.

There are other bodies, on the basis of which converts were created. For example, Phaeton. Such is called a car with an open body with an upper part of soft materials. At the beginning of the 20th century, the main manufacturers of cars of this type were Skoda, Horch, Pacard. Targa is one of the varieties of double roadster, where the roof is removable, there is a rear window, as well as safety arc.

Why exactly "Volga"?

Now in fashion tuning classic cars, especially Soviet production. They are attributed to both "Volga". But unlike "Zhiguli", "Volzhanka" may look like Lowerider. Simply put, she has more opportunities for tuning.

It can be both show car and the car on the "ease." What a "Volga Victory" looks like a convertible can be seen in the photo, which is presented in our article.

How to make a cabrio with your own hands

Before starting to cut the "Volga", you need to know that a convertible is not just a car without a roof that twisted or cut off. The process of rework requires a serious change in the structure of the body.

At the same time, special requirements must be applied to security. It is necessary to seriously treat this issue if the work is carried out in the garage or private workshops.

What do you need for the operation?

There is a suitable car, tools, as well as a garage. How to make a convertible from "Volga"? To begin with, you should find or develop drawings and cut molds. And after that you can closely engage in alterations. We also need a welding machine and Bulgarian with a corresponding disc. Do not forget about the means of protection - glasses, gloves, etc.

Cut up too much

So, now we need to mark places on the body that you need to cut. These will be central doors racks, as well as the place of connecting the rear rack with a part of the body (which goes to the trunk). It is better to celebrate a bright marker - so that the place of sleep is clearly visible in a bright day. It is also necessary to disassemble the interior and glass (everything except the frontal). On the door you can do everything "at the place", without parsing.

Next, we include our Bulgarian and begin to cut all unnecessary. In height, all racks should be at the same level with the body line. Try to cut the metal as soon as possible, otherwise you will then have to attach a lot of putty. Leave a small podium on the rear rack (as in the photo above). This will allow to hide the constructive disadvantages.

Body strengthening

In addition to protecting passengers and driver from nature whims, the roof of the car provides a certain rigidity. Simple spilling roof, make a convertible from the "Volga". If you just cut off an excess, you can significantly worsen the body strength. Here it is necessary to carry out a certain work aimed at enhancing the body.

How to make a car "Volga" convertible? First of all, it is necessary to make a reinforced frame based on two powerful spars. They are welded in parallel to the bottom of the car. Instead of the spars, you can use the motor mounting sites and the floor with steel pipe with a cross section of 20 millimeters, where the wall thickness is 3 millimeters. Thri thick pipes are connected by the floor and trunk. Approximate scope of work is indicated in the photo below.

Next, it is necessary to strengthen the frame of the windshield. Then rear doors are then enhanced (if a two-door "Volga-3110" convertible is planned). After that, the body welds a rigid partition. It will divide the trunk and the rest of the body. Then enhance the thresholds, and also set additional tubes that go from the windshield frame to the bottom. The front doors should also be strengthened. Finally, they put a durable beam that will ribbon seats.

It should be understood that these refinement will significantly increase the weight of the car. This will affect the characteristics of the speakers and speed. It is important to pay special attention to the body. In places of welds, there should be no corrosion. If you do from the "Volga-24" convertible with your own hands, it is recommended to make a good anti-corrosion processing.

Strengthening

Windshield and frame will remain in factory state. You can shorten it, but it is very difficult. After all, the new windshield must be made according to its own sizes. This will significantly reflect the rework on the budget. The most basic is the safety arcs. They are installed behind the rear sofa or behind the front chairs.

Roof decay mechanism

They sew awning from leather, waterproof canvas or vinyl. Then it is installed on the folding frame and hide in the place of the rear rack of the roof, in front of the trunk. Making a convertible from the "Volga" with their own hands, you can not make the installation of the declined roof. Some after the cutting of the roof and enhance the frame, begin to ride "and so." But in this case, the cabriolet can only be used in a sunny and warm day.

Salon assembly

And if you can ride without a folding roof, it will not work without the interior. Often, for such copies, a custom interior is manufactured. The leather or Alcantara is used as the finishing material. As for the color scheme, the salon must be classic. It is unacceptable to use bright and sporty colors. Avoid bright red, yellow, blue and other shades. The easiest and most popular option is a white salon. It looks spectacular and expensive, at the same time does not spoil the classic, discreet view of the cabriolet. If the windshield racks are cut, you need to shorten the side windows. This can be done in a specialized workshop. Door cards and floor are assembled in reverse order. It is advisable to update the pistons on which cards are attached. When assembling the cabin, it is important to hide all the shortcomings and shortcomings. After all, now the interior will be viewed by everyone. In this regard, the owners of the entirely transform the salon, also mask the places of cutting racks. It can be done by applying a lung layer of putty with further color.

Conclusion

So, we found out how to make an independent convertible from the Soviet Volga. It is worth noting that the budget of work can differ significantly. If you save on everything, this figure will be about 50 thousand rubles, taking into account the complete binding of the body. But if the work concerns and the cabin, the digit will double. But this is not the limit. In addition, you can install bright, American discs, hydraulic suspension and high-quality audio system. It all depends on the wishes of the car owner. There are no cases when the budget alterations increased from one hundred per million rubles. After all, after music and disks, you can go and engine. This list can continue infinitely. Therefore, before starting work, you need to count on all articles of the wretched. Otherwise, the Volga will remain unfinished project, which was frozen due to the lack of money, or his own time.

Today, buy a convertible is no work if there is money in your pocket. But even if there is not enough savings on a new car without a roof, you can go along the way "blinded from that it was." That was what the authors of this project were admitted. They bought a rusty old, released from 1973 and made it just a fantastic car.

The first thing was decided to make rid of the roof. It was not as easy because I had to strengthen the body so that the car could ride the Russian, not always perfect, roads. This problem was solved by resorting to welding work.

Painted a convertible into a rich black color, and so that the car does not look mourningly, on the sides of the body struck airography.

A minimalist dashboard and a stylish type of purple seating appeared in the cabin.

The appearance of this car on urban roads has become a real event. Paschers sought to take pictures on the background of the wonders, the bloggers arranged photo shoots. The man-made even starred in the video clip!

From a long time, it happened that convertibles are predominantly cars for the rich. At the dawn of the domestic and foreign car industry, the car in the body "Cabrio" were not only rare, but for the majority and. As a rule, they were produced by limited parties and cost significantly more than the same car brands in the body of the sedan or Hatchback. In Russia, the first convertibles were manufactured in a very small amount, and most often with high-ranking persons were used, for example, during parades, well, or other important state events. It is worth remembering the "victory" (GAZ-M20) of 1949, "seagull" (gas 13b, 14b) or gas 21, 24 "Volga", which were modified under the convertible and were often used on parades.

Abroad, such cars are slightly more common. These were in our time Phaetons (released Skoda, Horch, Packard) or Targa cars are a kind of roadster with removable top. Today, models with twisted riding are present in the model range of many foreign manufacturers. The most famous models are Honda S2000, Peugeot 206 CC, Mercedes-Benz SL-Class, Buick Cascada, Lexus SC 430 and many others.

However, over time, almost nothing has changed. Converts and today remain a class due to their significant cost. After all, on the market, such auto-domestic production is practically absent, and for a foreign brand will have to lay out a sufficiently round sum.

But for our craftsmen who want to have a stylish and beautiful car with a folding riding in their garage, it did not become a barrier. Given the limited resources, but at the same time rich fantasy and very skilled hands, domestic motorists by the method of trial and errors still invented a way to make a convertible with their own hands from the ordinary car.

What brands are suitable for tuning under "Cabrio"?

In order to redo the car, make a convertible from an ordinary machine, insufficiently cut the roof. After all, in all brands of cars, the roof is not only an element of decor or protection against rain, snow, wind. It serves as a powerful power element that does not allow the car to turn in half. It is precisely because when choosing a car, it is preferable to carry a car with a strengthened body. For example, the UAZ-3151 1995 in order to redo it under a convertible (remove the roof), it will take about about an hour and a set of wrench keys.

You can also make a cabriolet from the sedan, or from a hatchback, but it will be necessary to further enhance the body. For these purposes, almost any car will suit. From domestic - Zhiguli, Volga and even Zaporozhets. From the imported most popular among Cleells (MONZA, ASCONA, MANTA) and AUDI (C2, Coupe).

How to modify the car?

Before proceeding directly to the alteration of the car, you must be prepared for the fact that it will take quite a lot of time and money. Among other things, you should get a garage, patterns for tuning and tool. Well, of course, you will need a car. If you have no one and you are going to buy it, pay attention to the body to be in a normal condition, because there is a number of complex work on its modification. And rusty body is unlikely to stand.

Before you begin to work, you will need to remove the entire skin inside the cabin. Only after that you can proceed directly to strengthening the body of the car. For such purposes, metal pipes with 3-millimeter walls with a diameter of 2 cm are suitable. They must be welded in parallel to each other, thus connecting the bottom and motor mounting nodes. Continue connecting the bottom with the luggage compartment. There will be thicker and powerful tubes, with a wall thickness of 4 mm. After that, the frame of the side glass is strengthened, rear doors are brewed and enhanced. If you decide to leave 4 doors, you need to thoroughly strengthen the back door. Next, amplify. It will not hurt the installation of an additional partition between the body and the trunk, as well as vertical tubes from the windshield frame to the bottom of the car. You should also strengthen the front doors. You can do this with a solid frame. Well, the last element of amplification is the installation of a metal beam, which will ribbon the seats of the car.

To make a convertible car from the car, you need to cut the roof. Here you can make at your discretion: either dirty completely, or the sidewalls are left.

After the roof is dismantled, it is necessary to make the manufacture of a new roof, removable, from waterproof tissue or awning. After all, you are going to ride not only in warm sunny weather. And accordingly, protection against wind, rain or snow is needed.

First, the template is developed, steel arcs are made (it turns out something similar to the folding visor in the baby carriage). You can additionally build a mechanism for automatic folding-laying of the roof so that in the case of a sudden rain not to stop the machine and not lay the roof manually.

Do not forget that after a number of welding, it will take to repaint the body of the car. And this means that you will additionally have to spend time on alignment, stripping, grinding, putty. Well, directly, applying the layers of paint and varnish.

The last step is to update the cabin. After all, now the cabin of your car is visible to everyone, and, accordingly, it should be done beautiful and at the same time resistant to the Sun, moisture, dust. For the trim, it is best formed high-quality leathes or leather. They burn less, it is easier to clean and dry faster in case of wetting. How best to issue everything is to decide only you. Here you can do almost everything that is enough for your imagination and money.

After all of the above is done, your car is fully ready for use.

And finally

All of the above-described body changes are greatly growing your car, which can directly affect its speed. However, they are needed, because the roof that we removed, played a very important force and protective role. If you want to have high-speed indicators of the already converted auto, then you can enjoy the improvement of its engine. True, in this matter, it is still better to specialists from the workshop.

If you take the entire history of cars, it will become obvious that only people from the highest society managed convertibles. The car is without a roof and is now valued very high, compared with the ordinary type machines. Many Russian people wish to own such a car. Therefore, collect information, the necessary tools and materials in order to make an elite class from a regular car.

This looks like a convertible made from a classic Volga GAZ-24

Option Painting Cabriolet Volga

This dream pursues many, knowing that from the Soviet car you can make a luxurious convertible. GAZ-24 Convertible is highly appreciated by the great "connoisseurs" and lovers of Russian classics.
In order to get a machine of this type, you need to do a lot. For this, preparatory work when measuring all the necessary should be started in the fall, in order for the next year the car appeared on the streets of the city and at the auto exhibitions.

Cabriolete gas finishing option 24

The first cabriolets appeared long before the cars. Cares with a folding roof began to appear in Europe. Only one horse was burned to such carriages. After there are cars-convertibles. 2-4 people were placed in them. Now, a cabriolet is a folding top of the car, a modern design, a cozy salon.

An example of an external finishing and convertible Volga design

Basically in such cars 3 doors, but there are other types. The body also has great differences. Most of the cabriolets are sedans. Occasionally, hatchbacks can meet.

To date, many people are engaged in styling precisely Soviet cars. Beautiful car, with a rich past, excellent external data.

Classic Classic Salon Volga

Before making a gas-24 convertible, you need to know the basic rule, the long process of creating a convertible requires serious body moderation.

An example of the design and design of the convertible with their own hands

Beginning of work

To start work, it is necessary to note on the body of the Volga site where it is necessary to cut out unnecessary for the convertible:

• Main door racks;
• It should be noted the rear rack reunification point with the trunk.

• Remove all the windows other than the frontal;
• Disassemble the salon. Pull seats, remove the trim.

After these work done, the grinder go through the places where there were marks. All sites other than the front should be one level with the body.

Example of arrangement of racks in GAZ 24

Cut is required carefully and as soon as possible, then not to spend precious time on alignment. The rear stand must be cut off a bit above the body level. Then it will be visible - why.

Body strengthening

The roof of the car protects the passengers and the driver from the "whims" of nature and from the cold. Among other things, it is excellent protection in winter from the cold. For the car, the roof plays the role of stiffness. When the roof machine is deprived, you can deprive the entire car strength. To enhance the body GAZ-24, a special frame is needed. For her, two large spars are needed. They are installed on the bottom of the car using the welding machine.

The process of gaining the body of the Volga

The connecting pipe must be steel, with a diameter of 20 mm, the wall must be 3 mm, then there is another pipe. It should also be made of steel, but more in size. It is installed on the floor through the entire car in length, to the trunk inclusive. Then you need to strengthen the windshield racks.

Your bold dreams need to be implemented. The path to their accomplishment makes us stronger, and achieving a cherished goal in general happier. Alexey Coptev from Krasnoyarsk, from childhood, admired Volga, especially 24th, and she simpatized. Once, Alexey originated a dream to build a custom convertible from the legendary gas 24. So a few aspirations of Alexei began to materialize in one object.

We all know how beautiful the 24th and as much on our land admirers of this body. Alexey shares the general point of view on the feature of GAZ 24: "The 24th Volga has laconic and self-sufficient forms that needed only to emphasize that in the end to obtain the required result. In addition, this is almost the only Soviet car, which has such rapid forms that the convertible is so harmoniously look in the body.

In 2011, Alexey has introduced a good opportunity to acquire a 24th year of 1983, which became the basis for the project. "The main aspect was the search for the net 24th Volga without alterations and the seemingly of its former owner. Also excluded a model range of 2410 in mind the terrible type of panel and door handles. Still, the classic should remain a classic. The donor found himself, before that, the truth was tried to look at the pair of scrap metal on wheels, but managed to stumble upon the appropriate option. At first glance, it became clear that she would even go. " Alexey sought to show people how the Soviet car could look like with due diligence, and at the same time make an original cabriolet for summer walks for himself.

Work boiled immediately after the purchase. Fully all work on the car Alexey produced his own hands in his own small garage, quite unprepared for such works on the car. For the conversion of the sedan, the gas 24 in the convertible was done a lot of work on iron. First, the body was strengthened in several places, so that the overall rigidity of the design was not lost after the roof spill. Secondly, the main, the roof was removed. The top of the doors and the rear shelf were redone to impart the smoothness of the forms after removing the roof. The frame of the windshield was divided into 10 centimeters.

Of course, on the way to the goal of Alexey faced with difficulties. I had to learn to work with iron. "It was difficult to come up with and carry out the strengthening of the car, as we were not able to consult at that time with anyone. Of course, at that time, the projects of convertibles from the Volga existed, but there was no one to explain or the strengthening did not inspire confidence and was decided to do in their own way. The second difficult moment was a tin, because at such a scale had to beat new forms of elements such as the top of the door, the windshield frame, the rear shelf, the front and rear wings. In general, all that it was necessary to change to achieve the integrity and completion of the image of the car ".

In addition, Alexey knew that the roof removal is not enough, so he worked on the details of the project, so the front wings and the hood were extended, the new radiator grille was made, and the bumper was made a little style adjustment. The experts of Soviet cars immediately noticed the changed shape of the rear wings, so Alexey stylized them under the popular in the circles of hot rowers Chevrolet Nova. Naturally, such a stylish car could not do without a small understatement.

Before Alexey stood only the goal of creating a style, he did not change the technical filling of the car. Chassis and 2.5-liter engine with a capacity of 76 hp remained stock. At the stylish convertible, I absolutely do not want to rush.

The salon is now an open Volga fully overcame. The former seats were decided to remove, in their place to install the front from Toyota Crown, and the rear sofa moved from GAZ-29. From the salon also removed the handles of the windows and armrests. Only devices were stopped on the panel. After the body was painted in black, Alexey, being an aerographic artist, inflicted against him in style in his workshop Kairbrush.

Moved from the rusty body to its perfect idea, the concept of the car several times was adjusted in the head of Alexey: "Many ideas in the process have undergone changes, but most likely in view of the technical adaptation of the real car. In fact, the project stepped much further than the plank for which it was originally focused on, but in the process of construction, it became clearer with each day that it was more than just a pellery and a car worthy of more competent technical and stylistic solutions, rather planned at the beginning of the road. "

The reaction of people at the sight of such a car is very diverse, but in general is positive. Most of course a convertible causes admiration, but there are also ill-wishers, but there are not many of them. More than all Alexey affects how the older generation people react to the car, because for them the 24th Volga then was a dream and ideal. "When such people at the sight of cars hise the hand and say that this is a delightful idea and it is truly beautiful, then it takes pride for not in vain the time spent. It was also the case when the company went past the car in a terrible mood. But after seeing the car and making a couple of photos with him, they went further with smiles on the face and leaving the phrase: Thank you for the excellent mood, without your car it was neither to hell ".

There are also people who hurt that their steep expensive car does not attract so much attention as this amazing Volga without a roof.

As soon as all work on the machine was fully completed, Alexey decided to part with the convertible. The car found a new owner in the north and went from Krasnoyarsk to St. Petersburg. "This project is no longer waiting for nothing, besides the rich events of life, since he became a complete embodiment of the venture and in it as a word in the song will not throw out".