Is it hard to install a new convertible top?

[njoutlaw88]

I found a convertible top on ebay for 300.00 I would like to buy it but I don't have the money to install it. Can I install it my self? Please give me some tips.

[allen85t]

I found a convertible top on ebay for 300.00 I would like to buy it but I don't have the money to install it. Can I install it my self? Please give me some tips.

First the disclaimer. It's not easy, and no, I don't recommend anyone do this -- simply because it's a bigtime pain in the rear, and you're honestly better off having it done if you can.

That said, I replaced the convertable top on a car last summer by myself, and it only took an afternoon. It's not hard because it's complicated, it's hard because it's simply a lot of work, a lot of minor adjusting, and so on. As far as complication goes, it's really pretty easy.

Make absolutely CERTAIN you have the right top. If you rip the old one off and the new one isn't the right one, you're going to be in pretty dire shape.

All told it took me about 8 hours to do by myself, I waited for a beautiful day, and I was sunburned terribly by the end of it.

Make sure you have all the stuff you're going to need handy. In addition to your normal tools, you're going to need:
1. A staple gun and a ton of staples. Get a mix of the 1/4 and 1/2 inch ones.
2. Some good glue type substance, like rubber cement.
3. A fabric hole punch. The kind used for punching out leather works great.

The replacement is a "simple" to explain process. You put the roof about halfway up, rip out the front bow header strip and then the roof (stapled to the seal). From here the roof will start to "peel" back.

At each bow, there is a "loop" of roof material that attaches it to the bow. In my case (a 93 lebaron) the bow was fastened to the roof bows by the following procedure:
1. A sort of "rod" is pushed through the roof fabric loop.
2. This rod, wrapped in roof fabric, is pushed down into the bow, which is "U" shaped.
3. Screws come up through the bow from underneath, penetrate the fabric, and screw into the rod through holes in the bottom of the bow -- this holds the roof in place at that bow.

Getting the roof undone from the bows, unless you're very nimble and thin, will require you to remove the headliner from inside the car to get at the screws, since they are between the headliner and the roof bow itself.

In the rear of the car, the roof comes down under the car frame itself, and is then held in place by many bolts in a semicircle pattern around the car. You'll have to get into the back seat (or perhaps through the trunk) toremove all of these bolts.

This is a two-piece setup like the bows -- there is a big metal strip that fastens to the roof, which is then bolted to the car itself. BE CAREFUL REMOVING THIS or you'll end up with scratches all over the trunk of your car. Don't pull this out until the roof is ready to come off completely, so you don't have to rest them on the car and do more work -- this is the voice of experience :/

Before getting to the back though, along the sides of the car, especially in the veils for the rear windows, there will likely be more roof material that folds in and goes between the bow and the weather stripping. You'll want to replace this weather stripping with brand new stuff -- the seals that come out will be so mangled, that you'll never get them back in properly, and they won't be watertight.

Putting the roof on is basically the same process in reverse.

Again, make absolutely sure you have the correct:
1. Roof. Duh. If you have a coupe and get a sedan roof, or you have a glass rear window and get a replacement roof with a plastic one, you'll be very sorry.
2. "roof material safe" sealant. Don't use anything that's going to attack the roof material. Better to not use any and live with some leaks than put something on that's going to dissolve the roof.
3. Seals / Weatherstripping for side windows.
4. A new bow header strip -- this probably won't come with the roof, but you need it. It's the seal at the front where the roof meets the windshield.
5. Great weather. You'll make a trip or two in the car to the hardware store with no roof on it, be prepared.
6. A friend or two would help out a LOT in getting the roof pulled tight enough. I ended up with some wrinkles that don't affect anything, but don't look very nice either.


Afterwards, be prepared to adjust your bow tension, since the old roof and new roof will not be using the same amount, and you'll end up with leaks or a roof that's impossible to close.

All in all, I really recommend going to a good soft-top shop and just having it done.

[dwsscs]

That said, I heard that its easier to replace the top on domestic vehicles than foreign ones. I got a email from a guy who said it took him about 50 hours and sent me a ton of pics. My uphostery shop said 14 hours and they are very good. They do the local bmw's dealer warranty repairs.

[allen85t]

That said, I heard that its easier to replace the top on domestic vehicles than foreign ones. I got a email from a guy who said it took him about 50 hours and sent me a ton of pics. My uphostery shop said 14 hours and they are very good. They do the local bmw's dealer warranty repairs.

In that case, I'll re-emphasize that.. you should probably just take it somewhere and have it done.. :)

[njoutlaw88]

Ok. How much does it usually cost to have it installed? Without the price of the top.

[allen85t]

Ok. How much does it usually cost to have it installed? Without the price of the top.

It shouldn't cost more than 300-500 I'd guess, depending on where you take it. A place that specializes in it will charge less than a general purpose auto shop.. since your location mentions Florida, I bet you can probably find one of these shops pretty easy.

Check www.davisseatcovers.com they have a pretty good reputation, amongst the very short list (read: 2) of people I know down there with drop tops. They'll do the whole thing, including the new top and glass, for about a grand.