Anyone know how to put on a convertable top?, convertable top Options

[toyo6gc]

Ok first im sorry if i posted this in the wrong spot and second im sorry if this is a repost but i couldn't find it any where. Im gettin a new black top really soon and i want to put it on myself because i dont have the money to fork out for a shop to do it but i need the new top ASAP because the one i have now is about to go it is leaking bad. I was just wondering if there was anyone who has done this them self or have any tips before i get started that could help. Thanks for you help

[shaunrichard]

It's no help to you at all, but I gave up half way through my top replacement. However, as I had my own top and had already taken my old one off, the shop I ended up going to only charged me $300. The only sources I found when I looked for how-to's on the subject were the Chilton's manual and instructions that came with my top, which I bought new from convertible top guys. (Edited: I had the supplier wrong - originally listed Tops 4 Less, but that was where I got my headliner)

But if you have patience and any talent at all with upholstery, you may be able to manage on your own. It just ended up being a more complicated job than I had realized.

This post has been edited by shaunrichard: Jul 10, 2008 - 8:30 AM

[toyo6gc]

It's no help to you at all, but I gave up half way through my top replacement. However, as I had my own top and had already taken my old one off, the shop I ended up going to only charged me $300. The only sources I found when I looked for how-to's on the subject were the Chilton's manual and instructions that came with my top, which I bought new from Tops 4 Less.

But if you have patience and any talent at all with upholstery, you may be able to manage on your own. It just ended up being a more complicated job than I had realized.

well theres gunna be a couple of us doing it, i really have no car exprience what so ever so im really in it just for the learning. But one of my friends works at a body shop and he put a top on a car the other week, but he also had alot of help from co workers. But were gunna give it a shop. Thanks for your help

[njccmd2002]

i would help yopu, but never done it. I dont have oney to get a new top, its at the bottom of my list. so. But chilton is ok. Go for it and make a how to.

[Mickey]

I'm getting my top replaced right now (should be done by EOD). After speaking with a bunch of upholstery shops........I was convinced that i do not have the skills/tools to successfully install this top. I finally gave up and paid someone to install it.

Here is what I found out:


Our verts were converted (they did not start out as verts off the factory line) by ASC not by Toyota and hence the tops are not as straight forward as other native verts top's would be.

It will take an exp 8-10 hours to install the new top (I've stopped by the shop during the process and the number of hours make sense)

Most shops preferred robbins and ezon brand tops for their quality and ease to install

Depending on where you are and what shop you go to it can cost you between $400-700 in labor costs for the installation

Hope this helps

[Velliety]

My husband and I did my top ourselves, and we said that next time, we'll have it done at the shop no matter what it costs.
The tricky part is the rear window and how the rear-most bow has to be lined up. And we couldn't get the guide wires off to replace them because they're riveted in and we couldn't locate any of the right size rivets in our time frame. Luckily they weren't too bad, and we were able to keep the originals on.
Ours actually came out nice, but it took two days to do it. Actually it took about 12 hours to do it, then another 4 to undo it, then another 6 do it so that the rear bow was right. I bought my top from Robbins - they are the nicest ones that I found. They're about $80-90 more than the others, but I decided that I didn't want to cheap out on something that took that much time to do. I thought about making a how to, but we were both so pissed off at the car (and each other) by the time we really got into it, we stopped taking pictures.

Samantha

[njccmd2002]

where did you buy the top. I need a custom color.

[6gcelikas]

I have tan top for $288 shipped....with 60 K miles

[toyo6gc]

Thanks guys for all ur informations and help so far.

few things

ive check a couple of shops around here and most want 1200-1500 to do it and i dont have that kind of money im 19 and my job sucks so there is no way i can do that.

also i would just hold out on the top if it wasnt a must need but the back window is only being held on by like 3 or 4 inchs of material so thats not good and it leaks really bad.

so im just gunna pay 400 for a new black top and try and put it on.

thanks again guys

[Velliety]

Toyo- I know it's not the color you wanted, but you might want to consider 6gcelikas used top. The advantage to a used top is that the holes are already poked in the correct place in the rear window panel - it should be a snap to install one that's already been installed. Just a thought.

njcc - I got my top from www.convertibletopguys.com. The Haartz stayfast canvas tops they sell are Robbins tops. They also have cheaper options like vinyl and a plastic rear window option if you are on a budget. I don't know if they do custom colors - it's worth an email asking them.

Also, at convertibletop guys, they include a step by step instruction guide. I found it to be better than the information in the shop manual, but it still leaves some room for error.

Samantha

This post has been edited by Velliety: Jul 10, 2008 - 6:10 AM

[njccmd2002]

they do!!

[shaunrichard]

Convertible Top Guys was good to me. Good prices, all colors you could ever need, and they not only corrected a shipping error, but knocked a little off the price for me to make it up. Good experience with them overall.

[nitemare]

I replaced my top about 3 years ago. I forgot the cost, but it was quite expensive - about $600 or so. Also, the glass window had to go. It was more $$ to install with glass. Oh, thats another thing. The glass window broke when the top was going down. Oh man, Ill tell ya, this car had so many issues I was so glad to sell it.

So, Ive had a new top with a plastic window. Probably a year later, it began to leak in the back - by the plastic window. It just never ended.

Never again would I buy a car with a top that was chopped off and later converted. Only problems. Too bad, the car was nice when it ran.