Convertible top advice

Hack

15 Year Member

Mar 23, 2004

1,945

13

69

Minneapolis

Apr 15, 2007

#1

• Apr 15, 2007

• #1

I'm thinking about replacing the soft top on my '70.

Any recommendations on a good place to buy it? I'm thinking about getting the plastic window to save money, any thoughts?

Also, does anyone have tips or links to good sites, books to reference for doing this? I'm a little more intimidated by doing a top than most of the other mechanical/electrical stuff.

 

Hack

15 Year Member

Mar 23, 2004

1,945

13

69

Minneapolis

Apr 17, 2007

#2

• Apr 17, 2007

• #2

TTT - evidently not too many have done this?

 

6

67&05STANGS

Member

Apr 4, 2005

54

1

6

Dearborn Michigan

Apr 18, 2007

#3

• Apr 18, 2007

• #3

Hack,
Replacing the Convertible Top on my 67 Mustang was the only thing I paid to have done. I have seen too many nice cars with wrinkled and ill-fitted tops because someone wanted to save a few bucks. I had mine done five years ago and the shop wanted $1000 which included the top and soft glass. I had a new top from Larry's Mustang and Thunderbird plus I picked up the glass window and new weatherstripping from NPD. Shop installed the top for about $700 which included all the extra little things needed to do the top correctly. My top still looks like new and I have had a lot of compliments on how good it looks. My advice is to get the glass window and have everything done at a shop.

 

S

scouttrooper

New Member

May 6, 2006

35

0

0

Apr 18, 2007

#4

• Apr 18, 2007

• #4

I paid to have it done too...

There isn't much I chickened out on, but replacement of the top had too many unknowns for me. I even painted my car in my garage with a PVC and plastic tent. But when it was time for the top, I felt too ignorant to tackle it without at least one good, experienced resource from which to draw. I went with a glass window and have no regrets. As penny-pinching as I am, I feel it was money well spent.

 

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Hack

15 Year Member

Mar 23, 2004

1,945

13

69

Minneapolis

Apr 18, 2007

#5

• Apr 18, 2007

• #5

Thanks for the advice.

I understand that knowing when not to do it yourself is key!

I will hire someone.

 

Pakrat

Founding Member

Aug 6, 2000

3,843

0

56

Currently: NH Originally: Rhode Island (and all po

Apr 18, 2007

#6

• Apr 18, 2007

• #6

I'm determined to tackle this part on my car myself just as everything else buying a tack gun for my compressor as a bonus. There are some video tapes out there but I found that the Mustang Restoration Handbook has a very good procedure walk thru and paper patterns with dimensions to cut some bow alignment jigs out of 1/2" plywood. This is key to a good DIY job and I'm going for it.

 

Hack

15 Year Member

Mar 23, 2004

1,945

13

69

Minneapolis

Apr 19, 2007

#7

• Apr 19, 2007

• #7

Pakrat said:

I'm determined to tackle this part on my car myself just as everything else buying a tack gun for my compressor as a bonus. There are some video tapes out there but I found that the Mustang Restoration Handbook has a very good procedure walk thru and paper patterns with dimensions to cut some bow alignment jigs out of 1/2" plywood. This is key to a good DIY job and I'm going for it.

Click to expand...

Who is the Handbook written by? Do you have any good videos you can recommend? I will do this if I get good enough info on how to do it and it doesn't look too bad.

I have a book called Mustang 641/2-70 Restoration Guide by Tom Corcoran and Earl Davis which has a lot of good information. Is this what you are referring to?

 

1320stang

Founding Member

Nov 13, 1998

4,329

23

89

Edmond, Oklahoma

Apr 19, 2007

#8

• Apr 19, 2007

• #8

whwright on herre did his '72 top himself. You might find it in the archives or PM him. He's left my work and moved on, don't know if his Stangnet email address is his old work address or not. If you can't get ahold of him, PM or Email me and I'll give you his email address.

 

Pakrat

Founding Member

Aug 6, 2000

3,843

0

56

Currently: NH Originally: Rhode Island (and all po

Apr 19, 2007

#9

• Apr 19, 2007

• #9

Hack said:

Who is the Handbook written by? Do you have any good videos you can recommend? I will do this if I get good enough info on how to do it and it doesn't look too bad.

I have a book called Mustang 641/2-70 Restoration Guide by Tom Corcoran and Earl Davis which has a lot of good information. Is this what you are referring to?

Click to expand...

No, the one I have is by Don Taylor & Tom Wilson. My father in-law had picked it up somewhere and gave it to me as a gift. It's a fairly general guide but covers everything from picking out a car to wrapping up all the finish details.