Do not buy an Astro Targa top!!

[joshwilson3]

Do not buy a Thompson Astro Top for your Corvette!! I found out my 89 has an Astro targa top on it. Recently I had noticed half of the glass had separated from the base. It had been like that for at least the 2 years I've owned it as the top had always rattled. I figured out it was an Astro top and read all the complaints about them and their junk tops.

Their customer service is a joke. And the owner decided to give me a call just to try and bust my balls over and over because I had informed them about a problem with their product. So, if I can steer someone to a different top company, then maybe there will be less top problems out there.

I've already got new weatherstripping and plan to get it reglued and move on.

And how you can tell it is an Astro top. They use a rubber molding instead of metal on the outside lip:

 

[muddywaters]

Wow,I was considering an Astro top for my 88, in your pics, the top looks shoddy at best. I've haven't heard of Melrose, but we'll give them a look. Thanks

 

[KANE]

Having owned a set of Astro II tops for my 1978 for six years... they worked great. Sure, the acrylic is easy to mar- but they were great. I had no issues. They only warranty their tops for a year, FYI.



Now, with that said... I am NOT taking a side in this one other than yours- but from the perspective of helping you get to a place where you get guidance on what to do to seal it back down.

Your situation is a curious one. How old is your top? I'm wondering if age has more to do with it. I don't think it is unheard of for a top to separate. Besides- you top is between five and 20 years old I think. Perhaps that is where you begin.

I realize you've put a lot of work into the car. I'd also say that a business owner puts a lot of work into their livelihood.

I would recommend calling that gent back and just be honest with him- be pleasant about it. Tell him you love your Vette. Then tell him your emotions run high with the car. You should apologize first- be the bigger person about the escalation of this issue.



This is what I see- you are looking to fix the situation. You bought the car with the top (I think) and you want only to get your car fixed. You are looking for a some guidance on what to do. You aren't looking for a new top.

See if that works.

 

[jrzvette]

My 93 came with the OEM acrylic top when I bought it but I always wanted a solid, fiberglass top. I made the switch and am very happy. I don't intend to go back to an acrylic top but I've always heard good things about Melrose on this and other forums, while the general consensus has been to avoid Astro.

 

[jrzvette]

Wow,I was considering an Astro top for my 88, in your pics, the top looks shoddy at best. I've haven't heard of Melrose, but we'll give them a look. Thanks

Here: Manufacturer of Corvette glass t-tops & transparent roofs GM licensed

 

[KANE]

...The top came with the car. I know it was been bad since I bought the car cause I noticed the top rattled since I had it...

I plan on getting someone to finish seperating the top, clean it up and reglue it. I already have new weatherstripping. If or when it fails or cracks, I'm getting a Melrose top!

Sounds like you were aware of the problem already and you have a good plan.

 

[Joe Deb Vette]

I wish I had known about these issues a year ago. I bought an Astro top, first one was damaged, but they took it back with no issues. Woman who answered the phone was nice enough, I followed up as there was a delay in getting a replacement, but again, she was very courteous.

HOWEVER, the top was different than what I thought. Much heavier, and it really does rattle quite a bit. I keep tightening it, but it's as tight as you can get it, and it really rattles. I should have bought the GM replacement and spent the extra $$. As of now, I may try and find a solid replacement and have it painted to match my Vette. Not sure if anyone knows where I can find one. The rattle annoys me too much. Even hear it over my straight pipes...

 

[chuck121566]

I had to purchase a new acrylic top for my '88 about a year ago due to a crack that had developed. I purchased mine through Eckler's....does anyone know if they source their tops through Astro? So far, all is well with mine.

 

[chuck121566]

I just gave them a call cause I was curious. And they said their C4 tops are made by a company in Illinois. So, I say you got a Melrose top as they are in Illinois. You should be good to go as I hear they are the best. And with a lifetime warranty if the top seperates like my Astro top did.

Thanks, Josh. You really got me thinking on mine so I went out to the shed and looked at mine. It does have metal trim surrounding the "glass" as opposed to the rubber.

 

[Joe Deb Vette]

Yeah, I do find the top really heavy. I just thought that was the way they are, but I guess the Astro tops are heavier than OEM?

Did you check yours to see if it is coming unglued like in the above pics?

Mine is only about a year old. The car is garaged, and the top was off most of the summer as it sat indoors, so no sign of it coming apart, but all this talk has me realizing I probably did not make the right choice. I too was surprised about the rubber around the outside but given the cost savings, I didn't call to complain. Live and learn. Like I said, I may just take the top off, store it, and buy a replacement solid top and have it painted to match. I should have kept the original top, even though it was damaged, but live and learn.

 

[joshwilson3]

Mine is only about a year old. The car is garaged, and the top was off most of the summer as it sat indoors, so no sign of it coming apart, but all this talk has me realizing I probably did not make the right choice. I too was surprised about the rubber around the outside but given the cost savings, I didn't call to complain. Live and learn. Like I said, I may just take the top off, store it, and buy a replacement solid top and have it painted to match. I should have kept the original top, even though it was damaged, but live and learn.

I'd just use it till it crapped out. Then trade it in for a Melrose top. By the way, when you check it out again. Can you see if they glued the ends of the weatherstripping down with that thick glue like in the first pic? You might not be able to tell though. It was easy to see after I ripped the weatherstripping out.

It looks like to me with that much build up of the thick glue, that could cause a place for a water leak since the ends of the weatherstripping aren't sitting flush with the top. But instead are sticking out because so much glue is behind it.

That might of been from the guy who built the tops for that day, or how they do all of them.

 

[muddywaters]

Aaah, Ain't that America, A place where we sell things better than we make them....

 

[Joe Deb Vette]

I'd just use it till it crapped out. Then trade it in for a Melrose top. By the way, when you check it out again. Can you see if they glued the ends of the weatherstripping down with that thick glue like in the first pic? You might not be able to tell though. It was easy to see after I ripped the weatherstripping out.

It looks like to me with that much build up of the thick glue, that could cause a place for a water leak since the ends of the weatherstripping aren't sitting flush with the top. But instead are sticking out because so much glue is behind it.

That might of been from the guy who built the tops for that day, or how they do all of them.

Not sure about the glue, but the top seems to sit higher than the original? Does that make sense? Meaning, it just seems to sit taller than the original... I dunno, was never really pleased with the top, but given the cost, I just assumed I got what I paid for....but I still want to replace it, as the rattles do bother me a great deal....any idea where I can purchase a solid original top? Does not have to be a glass top of course....

 

[jrose7004]

I sold them a targa once and they were easy to deal with and fast pay.

 

[WhalePirot]

thanks for the notice

I may be in the market for a new top before long and appreciate your passing this on. It surely sounds like the QC at Allstar is lacking and they know it, based upon the heated response from the owner.

I am willing to pay more for quality and my Dad taught me it is cheaper in the long run. After decades of buying things the world over, I learned that we get what we pay for, IF we're lucky (or a smart buyer). Higher price usually, but not always indicates higher quality of material and construction standards.

 

[gmjunkie]

I did hear about someone going through a few tops that were bad and were GM.

I'd guess that would be a under statement,:L:L:LI've got 4 bad ones in the last year!! Paul Higg has got 3 bad ones in the last 6 months!!

 

[jrose7004]

How did you package the top? Did they send you a box to ship it in?

That is the one thing I was worried about shipping the top. As my shipper says for the insurance you have to have 2 inches of packing, etc. Though, the dealer had a top boxed up to go back as a core to Astro. And there wasn't any packing. The top was just sitting the the box.

If I remember right they did send me a box and a pre paid UPS shipping label. I took the box with a top in it to UPS and they filled it with shipping peanuts and away it went.

 

[air1jpg]

Not sure about the glue, but the top seems to sit higher than the original? Does that make sense? Meaning, it just seems to sit taller than the original... I dunno, was never really pleased with the top, but given the cost, I just assumed I got what I paid for....but I still want to replace it, as the rattles do bother me a great deal....any idea where I can purchase a solid original top? Does not have to be a glass top of course....

The buyavette dealership in Atlanta sells the solid and transperent tops. They also take the trade-in tops. www.buyavette.net

 

[jrzvette]

I As of now, I may try and find a solid replacement and have it painted to match my Vette. Not sure if anyone knows where I can find one.

Your best bet is either the "parts for sale" section of this or other forums, a swap meet or a Corvette salvage yard like Vette2Vette. (Surprisingly very few Corvettes roll over in an accident so a fiberglass top may be one of the few body panels to survive an accident).

I foud a brand new Dark Red Metallic fiberglass top at a Corvette show and had it repainted to match my black car. (Much cheaper than having the car repainted to match the top ).

 

[CorvetteArchives]

I've been badmouthing them evertime someone asks as well. They also put a decal on above the mirror area that looks like $%^& and that when you take it off the paint comes off!
They also dont tint/blackout the rear edge so until you do it yourself you can see the brackets and bolts.
I had an old one that was slightly chipped on the edge but still was watertight and the glued part didnt look too bad. I'm sorry I did trade it as a core and stupidly didnt keep the metal trim edge either. I HATE the POS rubber one Astro uses. It does NOT fit in the earlier roof brackets without distorting the rubber. I had to upgrade to the later style brackets just to store it in the hatch area.
I bought the Astro one year at Carlisle and the owner promised to give me $200 for my old one the next year. When I brought it back he seemed really slimy and told me it was only worth $50. I told him he said $200 when I bought the one from him. Hi gave me the $200 when I pulled out the receipt in front of half a dozen prospective customers and realized I was getting pissed enough to make a scene!