My local upholsterer took one look at changing the top on my cab and said" I dont want to do it ". After much grovelling and promising of refreshment he has agreed to have a go if I can find some info on how to do this. Did a search but couldn't find a step by step procedure. Is there a laid down idiots guide on how to do this does anyone know ??

thanks in advance:

 

Are there no other installers in your area? Are you sure you want to have him "reluctantly" replace the top? I know these tops are tricky to get everything right.

 

Indeed. Not sure I would want to give him the job with that mindset. That is a tough assignment, might be worth the drive to the next city to get it done by an experienced shop.

 

I replaced my top a year ago and took photos of all the steps. The plan was to post as a complete package but it sounds like you need it now. The key to putting the new top on is lining up the back and sides and stretching it farther than what seems right. Overall not a bad project- took about 20 hours for me.

 

That would be really good if you could post up how you did it and some photos, got a new hood but can't find anyone id trust to do it, so was going to fit it myself
Regards

 

Here it goes, I'll try to make the directions concise with limited photos.

1. With the bolts loosened to lower the top manually remove the pins and metal cover over the locking motors.
2. The old top is secured with contact cement and will peal off with some force. You may need pliers to get some of the material to loosen.
3. Remove the door window weather stripping by finger prying it out of the groove and removing the phillips screws. The screws were easily striped on mine, so be careful. Also remove the metal rain channel with phillips screws.
4. The headliner and top material is glued here also. Peal away carefully.
5. Remove the exterior boot fasteners and save to reuse. Note where they are so they can be located in the same place on the new top.
6. lift the top material to expose a hex head bolt on both sides and remove.
7. Remove the three sets of nuts along the back of the top inside behind the rear seats. The carpet cover pulls forward and folds in half to remove so you can get to the nuts. No screws held mine in.
8. Remove the lock nut and bolt that holds the tensioning cable. The cable will then slide out of the top and remain on the frame. Check the cable for any wear and replace if necessary. The spring remains intact.
9. The top is ready to be lifted off. Use two people for this. The metal frame will lift off with the top material.
10. I laid the top out upside down on a 4x8 table to remove and install the new material. The rubber weather strip pulls off and can be reused. It is spring metal covered with plastic and rubber so be careful to keep it's shape.
11. The new top material is cut very close to perfect and will wrap around the frame. The material edge sits about 1" below the frame. This keeps the water running off the car - not into it! I used my old top material to check the overhang amount before gluing the new one. Find the exact center of the new top below the window and glue it to the frame with yellow weather strip glue or a high tack spray adhesive.
12. Check the zipper that goes around the back window. My headliner was in good shape but the zipper was backwards and had to be removed and flipped. In hindsight I would have bought a new headliner with the top. Also check the zipper to the wind deflector.
13. Stretch the material in both directions around the frame and secure with glue and clamps. The scissor clamps work great. Important to get the material stretched so the window glass stays taught when the top is put back on the car.
14. Take a break and let the glue set up before installing the weather strip. Again find the middle and start there. Gently pull on the weather stripping as you push it onto the frame. The weather strip holds the material on also.
15. Install the velcro that holds the headliner to the frame.
16. Ready to put the top back on the car. Lift the whole assembly onto the car, be careful not to scratch the finish. The frame has sharp edges and will bow easily.
17. Loosely install the nuts and hex screws. Later the screws will allow the top slack to tighten up.
18. The frame has a bar that folds the top as it is lowered. The bar is pulled back with elastic. The elastic needs replaced or the top gets stuck in the positioning pegs that put two holes in the top. If you are using your old headliner the elastic can be sewn in.
19. With the top frame lowered stretch the side material around the pillars and clamp. This was the hardest part of the project. Stretch the material around and line the bottom up with the bottom of the pillar. Raise the top and check the placement to get this part perfect before glueing. Again, take a break to let the glue set up before proceeding.
20. Feed the tensioning cables through the new top and secure with the bolt and nuts.
21. With the frame opened pul the material over the front of the frame and secure with clamps. Again check the alignment before gluing. I used spray glue on the entire front section of the frame and stretched the top and clamped. Make sure you stretch the material out to the sides of the frame and forward. This will help keep the window flat and smooth. I needed to stretch mine a second time to get some of the slack out.
22. Fasten the headliner in with new pop rivits, glue and the zipper around the rear window.
23. Cut the material to expose the weather stripping screw holes and install the weather stripping and rain channel.
24. Measure the placement of the boot fasteners and install. The same holes in the rear frame will work if you can locate them.
25. With the top locket in the up position tighten the hex screws and bolts to tension the back of the top.
26. Follow the owners manual to tighten the bolts for the electric top or leave them loose and lower the top manually.

The back window photo is before I pulled the door post material a second time. Now the back window is flat and smooth.
I hope the photos and directions help. I looked everywhere for instructions and finally just jumped in. Even the factory instructions were not much help. If anyone gets stuck post a question.

 

wow...
thanks for posting all that.
I've wanted to give this a try but after my experience with the 80's era targa top I'm too scared.

 

Thanks, posting this was on my to do list for a year. This was the first top I put on. The photos and instructs would have made the job much easier.

 

993_TJC - You're car looks Polar Silver and it came with a green top from the factory? If so, that would be the only 993 factory green top I've ever seen and not the paint color I would think it would be ordered with .....

 

I think it was a grey top that was an aftermarket, the green tint was strange to me also. It was faded and had the holes in each side so I got a good deal on the car. What do you think of the navy color?

 

Yeah, it looks like Neophrite Green to me .. I've seen the canvas, just never actually on a car before. It would look cool with Arctic Silver, not so much on Polar.
Yes, the Navy blue looks awesome because Polar silver has a blue tint to it. Good choice!

 

wow thanks for that TJC, nice work. Do you want a holiday in Cairns and help me fix mine ?? Thanks for posting

 

993 TJC - Great job and thanks for the instructions and photos!!!

I am overdue and ready to tackle this in the spring........if you could provide where you sourced the top, that would be helpful.....Is it the original German canvas ? Thanks for any info........cheers.......

 

Nice write up. I'd appreciate it even more if I had a cab.

 

Are you trying to tell us , you would appreciate your 993 more if it was a cab ?

Cheers Guy