Manufactory for convertible tops in small series, one-off and custom productions with installation.
CK-Cabrio GmbH & Co. KG
Pohlheim-Holzheim · GermanyNew on Amplifa
Manufactory for convertible tops
CK-Cabrio GmbH & Co. KG, based in Pohlheim-Holzheim, is a manufactory for convertible tops with a focus on small series, one-off and custom productions as well as prototype construction. Each top is individually cut and completely finished by hand by an experienced employee, from cutting through sewing and gluing to sealing the seams. The company processes top fabrics such as Sonnenland Classic, Sonnenland A5/TOPLINE 3000, various HAARTZ acoustic fabrics as well as PVC and glass windows, whose reuse is carried out using specially developed bonding techniques. In addition to top assembly, the company offers installation at a fixed price, repair and remanufacturing of frame parts, sandblasting with powder coating, kinematics consulting, CAD-supported prototype development and the patented 'Total Customizing' process for individual coloring of top fabric. Customers are vintage and youngtimer car owners as well as restoration businesses from the automotive industry.
- Site
- Pohlheim-Holzheim
- Processes
- Production of convertible tops (assembly/finishing: cutting, sewing, gluing, sealing of the seams), Repair and remanufacturing of frame parts, Sandblasting with powder coating of components or complete frames, Total Customizing: individually colorable top fabric (patented in-house developed process), Production of convertible tops (small series, one-off and custom productions, prototypes), Installation of the tops at a fixed price (usually within one working day), Repair and restoration work on frames and bodywork, Remanufacturing of frame parts
- Materials
- Sonnenland Classic, Sonnenland A5 / TOPLINE 3000, HAARTZ Acoustic / Acoustic plus, TOPLINE T3000GP30 Acoustic, HAARTZ Stayfast, Sonnenland acoustic fabric, PVC (rear windows with window beading), Polyacrylonitrile (Dralon)
- Certificates
- One-off production with documented material consulting
- Industries
- Automotive supply (convertible tops/retrofitting), Vintage and youngtimer restoration, Upholstery for classics
- 01
Consulting on material and fabric selection
- 02
Cutting of the top cover
- 03
Sewing and gluing (assembly/finishing)
- 04
Sealing of the seams
- 05
Installation of PVC rear windows or reused glass windows
- 06
Installation on the vehicle at a fixed price
- 07
Repair/frame parts as needed (sandblasting, powder coating)
Top fabrics and processes
Sonnenland Classic
Classic top fabric with stretch capability, technically required for many older Mercedes convertibles and similar frame designs.
Sonnenland A5 / TOPLINE 3000
Stiffer, high-speed-rated top fabric material for modern convertibles.
TOPLINE T3000GP30 Acoustic
Top fabric with a foamed intermediate layer for very good sound insulation and excellent folding properties.
HAARTZ Acoustic / Acoustic plus
Acoustic top fabric with reduced wind noise, in use since 2003.
HAARTZ Stayfast
Base material for Color-Line and Total Customizing; used since 1984.
PVC (rear windows)
Material for rear windows with window beading.
Glass (rear window)
Glass windows of modern tops are reused using specially developed bonding techniques.
Polyacrylonitrile (Dralon)
Lightfast top weave of classic Sonnenland top fabrics.
Cotton/Linen
Outer material of the classic top fabric of historic vehicles.
Location
Pohlheim-Holzheim
DEManufactory, administration, sales, installation
- Lot size
- One-off pieces to small series
- Materials
- Sonnenland, HAARTZ and acoustic fabrics, PVC, glass
- Sewing machines
- In-house developed machine for bonding technique on glass windows
- Sandblasting system
- Powder coating system
Convertible tops and components
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Production of convertible tops (assembly/finishing: cutting, sewing, gluing, sealing of the seams)Assembly | – | – | – | 1 piece (one-off production) – Small series, NO volume production | Sonnenland Classic, Sonnenland A5, HAARTZ Stayfast, Sonnenland acoustic fabric, TOPLINE T3000GP30 Acoustic, PVC |
| Assembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Repair and remanufacturing of frame partsAssembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Sandblasting with powder coating of components or complete framesSurface | – | – | – | – | – |
| Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Total Customizing: individually colorable top fabric (patented in-house developed process)Surface | – | – | – | – | HAARTZ Stayfast |
| Joining | – | – | – | – | Glass |
3 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sewing machine | – | – | – | – | Pohlheim-Holzheim |
| Special in-house developed machine for bonding technique on glass windows | CK-Cabrio (in-house development) | 1 | – | – | Pohlheim-Holzheim |
| Sandblasting system / powder coating system | – | – | – | – | Pohlheim-Holzheim |
Additional services
Quality
Quality results from one-off production crafted by hand by long-standing experienced employees; top fabrics are carefully selected according to type suitability and existing seals are reused.
| Evidence | Pohlheim-Holzheim |
|---|---|
| One-off production with documented material consulting |
Company history
- 1974
Start of Clemens Klein's professional work on convertible tops for vintage cars
- 1979
Conversion of a Porsche 911 Targa into a convertible (in-house project before the SC convertible was released)
- 1984
Start of using HAARTZ Stayfast top fabric after contact with the company founder
- 1989
Construction of a very small series of BMW CS convertibles (until 1993, idea: Dipl.-Ing. Jürgen Dreschel)
- 2003
First testing of the Sonnenland acoustic fabric; introduction of the Acoustic Line
- 2010
Introduction of 'Total Customizing' – individually colorable top fabric with a patented process (base material from Q1 2010)