dsmyth

Due to a broken zipper on an aging top I need to make a replacement purchase next week. One online top seller has a German material replacement for $500.00. A dismantler sells a german material top for $1000. with a claim to watchout for foreign tops that have a plastic backing unlike their rubber backing material. Has anyone recently gone through this and have an opinion on the different products being offered. Thanks Doug

LUCKe27

Doug, I hope you get some responses to this, as I'll be getting a new top eventually. I have a power top; so, I'm not sure if I can only buy a specific kind of top. I've read that you can spend up to $2k; so, if someone is willing to pay that vs the $500 on eBay, it makes me wonder why. Best, Kevin

3.2SLANTNOSE

I replaced my top in 2002. I now know why the shops wanted so much money to replace it. It almost drove me insane. A LOT of fitting, trimming, gluing, and adjusting to get it just right, a major PITA. I am glad that I did do it, but I don't think that I will ever replace another one of them. My top still looks great. I would try to get the best quality top that could be found for it. This is one item that you certainly don't want to do on the cheap. You will spend some serious $$$ for a good quality top, and $$$ for a shop that knows what they are doing. I have seen where some people have paid in the thousands, for a really nice replacement top and installation. Find out as much as you can about the installers. I guess it would depend heavily on how much money you want to spend. This is an item that can be one of the ones that you get what you paid for, hopefully. Good luck!!

dsmyth

Thanks for your input slantnose, I am going to try and put it on myself. I have heard that 20 or 30 hours carefully spent should do the trick. The issue as you say is to buy the best top you can without wasting your money. I like the sounds of what I hear fom a company in R.I. , they even have an installation guide for $10.00. The price they sell for is $585 ,slightly more than the $450-$500 that others are charging(I think they actually manufacture them). I just wonder what the $1000.00 one that the dismantler people are selling is all about. I will keep you posted Kevin on my findings. Doug

84_Carrera

Where in RI, I can swing down & check out the top & compare to my 84's.

3.2SLANTNOSE

Doug, where are you located, and what year is your car? The reason I ask about the car info, there are a couple of things that differ between some of the tops, even being the same year and model. If I remember correctly, there was a top that had drip rails, and the other did not. I believe that these were only on the manual tops that started when the Cabriolets came back into production in 1983. Yes it does take many hours to do correctly. If I can be of assistance when you do your top, feel free to contact me and I will try to help, Tony.

LUCKe27

Definitely do some thread searches on the Pelican forums, as it is very active.

dsmyth

my investigation today uncovered the original cover as being made of a german sonnerland cloth which is 3 ply rubber center material. The Rhode Island mfg uses this material for $585. and makes a 83-85 specific version. Mine is an 85 widebody ( It should be the same as non widebody??) Doug

84_Carrera

Would THIS be the place?

http://www.convertibletopguys.com/cg...at.cgi?cat=900

dsmyth

yes Fred they are in South Kingstown and it is called M&T manufacturing . If you are really close It is a nice offer as I am in the frozen north (Ottawa Ontario) If you are not close I will probably wing it . Thanks Doug

LUCKe27

I think I sent an e-mail to these folks to ask them if it mattered that I have a power top (and never got a response). I'll try again. I would still suggest searching the Pelican forums. I'm an over-researcher.

84_Carrera

Doug, about an hour cruise south of me, not a huge thing schedule allowing. I Google Map'd the address, looks like someone's house.

dsmyth

Kevin They told me that the powered roof takes a different top. It may have a different window size as well is it possible that yours is one piece?

Fred, I will check with them tomorrow and see if they have my top at their location , if they manufacture it themselves and if they operate out of a house. I thought on the website they said they had a large plant and dedicated a full page on the website to the location?? It is nice of you to offer, I will pm you after I talk to them again thanks Doug

v8_ranch

Sub'd. I need to replace mine as well. I was going to try it myself, but at this point, I had so much negative feedback from those like slantnose that did it and swore off ever doing another, that I had decided to hrie it out. I talked to a guy from OK City, OK who restores clssics cars, including several 911's and he told me who he uses. The price is rigth as well and he uses only the original german top material that Porsche uses, apparently. All this for $1300 I think he said. Hard to beat, other than having to do a road trip to OK from west Tennessee. This would add $300-400 in cost, but who knows...

Slant, you are in Hattiesburg... hmmmm? you like barbecue? steak? I am in Jackson, TN

3.2SLANTNOSE

Hi Shane, I have been to Jackson, TN. many times. I used to get there more often when a close friend lived in Memphis. As far as steaks and such, YES. I am originally from Houston, had great Bar-B-Que and mexican food. As far as the top goes, I am really glad that I actually did it myself, but like I said, I don't think that I would ever want to do it again. It really was a task, and trying to get things back together, that don't seem like there is no way it can be done. A one piece top might be easier to do, because one part that was extremely difficult to do, was where the rear and front piece meet, just above the rear window. You actually have to trim and glue and install the metal band that completes the joint where the two meet, but you have to install the rear portion first and have it glued to the band, and it has to dry, then you have to remove it in order to get the front part in the same seam, then glue it and then re-install the band along with the rear fabric with the rear window. It is very time consuming work, but I guess that someone that worked in a specialized shop that did convertible tops all the time it would not be as bad. I did learn a lot of things from doing mine. ONE VERY IMPORTANT THING TO DO IS TAKE MANY PICTURES, INSIDE AND OUTSIDE, BECAUSE YOU WILL BE HAVING TO USE THEM AS A GUIDE TO INSTALL THE NEW TOP, AND THE LOCATION OF A $HIT LOAD OF FASTENERS, SEALS, ETC. I CAN'T STRESS IT ENOUGH ABOUT THE PICTURES!!! Feel free to contact me if you like. Good luck!!