Replace Cab

[norwegianvette]

Any good advices regarding installing a new soft top on a 93 mod. The local shop wants USD 1000 for the job and thats a "no way".

 

[JimBobC4]

Any good advices regarding installing a new soft top on a 93 mod. The local shop wants USD 1000 for the job and thats a "no way".

My advice is it isn't easy. My buddy and I tried to replace one on an earlier C4 at his shop and it was very difficult. In the end, we ripped the top and sent it out to a professional. The shop charged 12 hours of labor to install it. That is where your 1k price comes into play.

I still don't understand how they stretched the canvas that tight. It must require special tools. I'm not real sure it would be possible for a single person to do it.
It's not something I would want to tackle again.

 

[bossvette]

I paid $250 for a soft top install on my 68 but I had the top; the frame was reconditioned with new tack strips etc all the shop had to do was install the top I did all the prep work. My overall cost of the soft top was in the neighborhood of $1200. I had only a hard top and bought most of the parts on Ebay.
I don't think $1000 is out of line if it includes the top and all the labor involved.

 

[norwegianvette]

Soft Top

I guess i have to go for the profesionals. A new top i can get from ecklers for 300 US prox, and the life on these tops is long so thats justify the whole thing.

 

[tonylong]

There's a good write-up here in the form about doing it yourself.

 

[JimBobC4]

There's a good write-up here in the form about doing it yourself.

Can you point me in the right direction ? I did a few searches and couldn't find it. Maybe I'm searching for the wrong wording ?

I will have to replace mine someday as well. If I could save 1000 dollars I would be a happy man.

I did find this quote in one of the post

"First, the GM tops fit the best, but you will need an upholstery steamer and the installation kits for the bow system, and the top stapler. I custom fabricated a stand that holds the bow system once I remove it from the vehicle.
It takes me about 6 hours to do one, its very time consuming and extremely difficult if you do not have the proper tools.
The biggest key is to remove the top as an assembly, as they install it that way at the factory."


Thanks !

 

[tonylong]

Keep lookin here. The link actually pointed to an article on another site - one that has lotsa repair procedures explained in detail. I think there's a section here also, it may not be "searchable" so try to find the actual section.
I do remember that it sounded Ummm, NOT EASY though.
I'd allow 10 - 12 hours to do it yourself, maybe half that for a top or upholstery shop. My top is down most of the time, I don't really care that much about it's appearance. Maybe it might be OK to just tape up any leaky seams in your top and spend time driving and enjoying what there is.
=]

 

[bossvette]

Al Knoch has a video on top installs its about $60

 

[So Bay Vetter]

Jeeze, that sounds like a lot of casheesh! Would a removable hard top be an alternative in the mean time?

 

[norwegianvette]

I have a hardtop i use during the winter and mostly open during the summer. I dont take the car out in rain or foul weather so i really dont need the top but want it to be nice as it goes to shows.