Hi all,
New member here. My brohter and I just picked up a nice 72 conv. Resale red with a white interior and top. The top is a little ragged and we want to replace it. The local trim shop wants around $800 to install a new top with glass window. The aftermarket catalogs sell the tops for around $275.

Question is...How hard is it to replace the top ourselves. We both have decent mechanical skills and a well equipped shop to work in. We've just never done a convertible top to know what we are getting into.

Thanks in advance for hte help.
Ken

I couldn't tell you exactly how hard it is, but if you're in the bottom half of Pennsylvania, could you tell me where the shop is that gave you that price? I'd gladly drive several hours to get that price. Thank you.
Ed.

Ed, The shop is Mike's Custom Upholstery & Tops in Limerick, PA 610-489-4215. He's done an interior for my brothers '68 Firebird and a motorcycle seat for me. Always does nice work at a decent price.
Ken

$800 is the going rate. Thats what I paid. The trim shop did beautiful work, with a waranty too. I first tried to do it myself, and it was pure hell even with an extra set of hands. There's more to it than meets the eye. Wrinkles, and crooked pulls will drive you nuts. Installing a top myself, screwing it up, the frustration, and shooting a stainless steel 1" tack through my thumb was a huge learning experience.

Here's what I learned: If you want a nice straight, tight top, have it done by a pro. It's well worth it. Save your $275. JMO

Sounds like good advice. We'll set it up with Mike's.
Thanks

Make sure your windows fit before the new top is installed.

Have the pro do it. I tried to put a headliner in my 71 coupe and almost drove myself crazy trying to get the wrinkles out of the sail panel area, cant imagine a convertibe top. When it comes time to replace the tops on my 67 and 71 convertibles I`m going with the pro shop

Have the pro do it

That's my advice, too.

Sounds like a unanimous verdict. To the trim shop it goes.

Ken; There is also a shop on valley forge road off of germantown Pike
called barrons tops and upholstery.

Man $800 bucks sounds like a deal to me. I replaced everything includong the well, padding and had the frame painted for $1300. I wish they told me $800 I would,ve done the other stuff myself. They did a great job though. The top looks PERFECT!

I actually did as much as I could myself. I glass bead blasted the top frame, made repairs to rust in the header, replaced all the tack strips minus the well surround tack strip which was in pretty good shape, and installed the well liner. The top, pads, and labor was $823.00.
They (trim shop) had the car for around 7 hours.