I am considering installing my own top on my 1971 Skylark. I have searched the threads & haven't found a real step by step guide. I have the body manual on the way but I would like to get some feedback from people who had never done before but did their own so I can decide whether I am up to the task. Also I see that Robbins & Electron. If I decide to do it myself where can I purchase them? Thanks.
very very very very very very hard to get it to look right :shock: you can do it but to have it look right thats the trick :idea2: I did my own 63 wild cat and well lets say it was not as nice as if i paid some one and it took me a long time as well go for it but ..... be sure you have a great deal of confidence Ken
Well, I did two of them....never got either perfectly tight (no creases/wrinkles) and.......will never do that again. Local top-man I use here in FL charges $650 including rear glass, pads and Easy-On top....great quality top. Add up the cost of materials and then figure out what your time and aggravation is worth......I think you will find out....better off to let a pro do it since they know the tricks and techniques to get a "perfect" top installation. :TU:
I did one on an MGB quite some time ago. I don't know if it's the same animal... probably is, more or less. It turned out ok. But like most things I do, it wasn't perfect. Of course the things that weren't perfect about it bothered me for awhile. This is the reason I could never finish those plastic car models when I was a kid... Probably depends on your personality as much as your skills whether you'll be happy with it or not.
An Electron top and rear glass will run you $494.00 . Top and curtain will run you about $325.00 all plus shipping of course . Then you have pads and cables and possibly tack strips . Those items can run about $125.00 . Now would be the time to replace the well $135.00 . Labor in my shop to install these items is $1,300.00-$1,500.00 provided there are no other issues like rust or cleaning and painting the frame or motor / cylinder or hydraulic problems. I have sold tops to people and also sold them a convertible top install manual and they have had success installing it themselves. The manual is $22.95 . Dave "Stitcher" Bennett www.bennettsupholstery.com
I replaced one once.. I will NEVER do it by myself again. I was never happy with how it turned out. This is one of the few things I suggest letting someone else do.
On top of it not being cheap here in SC, the shop didn't use stainless steel staples. Some is starting to come out. LESS THAN ONE F****** year! they supposedly replaced the tack strips (supplied from year none). This just this past weekend. One unhappy camper here. Glad I didn't use them for my GS, or I would be REAL po'd.
I thought about it:eek2: asked 2 guys who did there own , they both said the same thing , never, never again , they spent a lot of time on them but were never happy with the way they looked, and if they are not done right they wont last .. i had everything replaced ,pads, cables, top , hard back glass that zips down,all the tack strip,, all new seals ,, spent 2300.00 it looks awsome
I worked in a muscle car auto upholstery shop out of high school. I was lucky to work with a guy who was "the master" You name it and it came through the doors. Considering he was "the master" and the effort he exerted to get those car's tops right, and having a full dedicated shop with ALL the tools and steam pot etc, I know I would not take it on myself expecting to be happy with the outcome. Save money and pay a good shop to do the job. You will get what you pay for.
You can pull up directions all day using google, anyone selling you a top should also have one. It's not rocket science.If you have patience and can read a tape, follow instructions it's doable. Pick up a powered staple gun, replace everything and have at it. I couldn't see giving $1000.00 for a days work. Some guys build with a check book, I like the do it yourself satisfaction. But to each his own.
I am self employed for over a decade. I do manual work for people who can't. My time is valuable. I love working on my cars but learned a long time ago that some things are actually cheaper if you let a professional do it. Get it done right the first time. I make more money going to work than I save by working on my car myself. For me that is a very simple no-brainer. It does not mean that I do not do my own work, just not all of it. Here's my recently installed convertible top. It cost plenty but I do not regret it for an instant. I will enjoy it for at least a decade before it needs to be replaced. Spread the cost out over 10 years - it is chump change. http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?t=210179 :beer
I have to agree with DeeVeeEight; I'm as "do it yourselfer" as well, but know when I've met my match. I had my top replaced professionally, it was expensive, but it fits, and hopefully I'll never have to do anything with it except clean it for the next ten or so years.
With no experience, I installed my convertible top in 2003. I rented a video from Hydro-Electric ( who made tops and top parts) copied it after several views and returned it to them. It really helped give me a "feel" for the job at hand. Then I purchased a Kee top from Year One, bought new pads, cables, stainless steel staples and a staple gun from Lowes, and a rubber tack strip from a local upholstery shop. My total materials cost was around 300.00. The Kee top was a very good piece, BTW. One last must have was a 9/16 ratcheting combo wrench so you can easily remove and tighten the nut on each side that holds the rail the top is attached to. I could not have done the job without that wrench. A hot day is crucial as I let the top sit in the sun long enough to get really hot and pliable. After stapling the top ( remember to stretch it) it shrunk a bit as it colled down and I have no wrinkles. Sure I would recommend a Pro if you have a Concours car but if it is a daily driver there is no reason you cannot do this yourself. Russell :3gears:
Its not as big a deal as some folks make it sound. The first time I replaced a top it took me 2 days of cursing and bitching now after 7 installs I knock them out in a day .In NYC area they want $1500 or so $500 is the material and $1000 the labor.Kees makes a lighter material top that is easier to stretch and fold etc The Electrons are of a heavier material and harder to install but will probably last longer .Get a factory GM chassis manual and every step is there from beginning to end .Biggest hassle I have found is that the rear bow tack strip is usually shot and will need to get a new surface the staples can tack to. Its a pain in the ass chiseling out the paper machete material and riveting in a new tack strip...I use door wheatear stripping.Dont think the pros just slap the canvas on the frame the first shot they also have to mess with it and remove it few times to get it right . Take your time read everything twice and a weekend should get it done.
I guess labor rates vary a lot across the country. Shop rates around here exceed $80 an hour, then again our cost of living ain't cheap either.
http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/ccrp_0712_install_convertible_top/index.html Good article here on top install on a 71 Skylark.
I did it myself, with NO experience. Everyone that sees it says it looks Great. What I did that is critical is rent a video from Hydro-Electric ( who sells tops and parts for tops) copy it, and return it. It provided valuable info for me and I could always return to it when I felt uncomfortable. ( Which I did a few times) Here is the list of items needed to do it RIGHT... New cables, pads, tack material and a top Stainless steel staples ( Lowes) and a stapler 9/16" ratcheting combo wrench ( must have!) With the body manual you have and that video, you cannot go wrong. I want to add that you'll need heat from some source ( I used GA sunlight in July) to make the top pliable, and one must be able to work lying on their back in the trunk removing the drip rail and top frame... Any questions? Just e-mail me... Russell 1970 Skylark Convertible 455
