I have been slowly bringing my Bullitt back to life (thread here). I recently reacquired another Mustang I owned previously, my first Mustang a 2001 GT convertible 5-speed. Some of the mods that I did on that car will be making their way onto the Bullitt and then I will be selling the car.
One of the big issues with the car was that someone broke into it several years ago by slashing the convertible top. The car sat in the former owner's garage for a long time and was only driven on nice days and only for brief trips when the top could be left down. Replacing the tops was the first thing to do on the car, so it could be parked outside my house and I wouldn't have to worry about the interior getting soaked in our very wet winter we are having here.
I purchased a Kee convertible top kit and headliner from LRM. The convertible top is 2 piece and made of the same sail cloth material as the factory top. It features a glass rear window and defroster, just like the original top in the car.
Here's a few photos of the process. When I first put the top down, it wouldn't go back up. First step was to address any problems with the system. I had to remove the rear seat for access to the pump. I also removed the rear interior panels to verify everything with the top cylinders were in good working order. Because it had sat for so long, only the pump needed to have the fluid topped off. Once topped up, everything worked great.
The top removed and just the bare frame. Everything had a thick layer of dirt/dust on it from many years of use. Took the opportunity to clean everything. After inspecting the convertible padding (black cloth strips from the front header to the rear bow), these looked to be in pretty good shape so I chose not to replace them.
First the headliner goes in. Then the rear window. Then the top.
FINISHED!
For my skill set, it was challenging because I was doing things I hadn't ever done before. It took me about 3 hours to remove everything, taking photos along the way to ensure that I knew how things went back together. I'd say I probably have about 6-8 hours into the installation of the top and reassembling the entire rear interior. If it is something you are wanting to attempt, definitely watch those tutorials I posted above.
One of the big issues with the car was that someone broke into it several years ago by slashing the convertible top. The car sat in the former owner's garage for a long time and was only driven on nice days and only for brief trips when the top could be left down. Replacing the tops was the first thing to do on the car, so it could be parked outside my house and I wouldn't have to worry about the interior getting soaked in our very wet winter we are having here.
I purchased a Kee convertible top kit and headliner from LRM. The convertible top is 2 piece and made of the same sail cloth material as the factory top. It features a glass rear window and defroster, just like the original top in the car.
- Kee convertible top kit: https://lmr.com/item/LRS-0289DF09-K/kee-mustang-convertible-top-kit-w-defrost-black-95-04
- Headliner: https://lmr.com/item/AAH-9498HL/94-98-Mustang-Black-Convertible-Headliner
- Removal of Convertible top (1 of 3):
View: https://youtu.be/BdHK6E9bvv0 - Preparation for installation (2 of 3):
View: https://youtu.be/lkXjhooJLWQ - Installation of Headliner and Top (3 of 3):
View: https://youtu.be/HLv5ls3rHys
Here's a few photos of the process. When I first put the top down, it wouldn't go back up. First step was to address any problems with the system. I had to remove the rear seat for access to the pump. I also removed the rear interior panels to verify everything with the top cylinders were in good working order. Because it had sat for so long, only the pump needed to have the fluid topped off. Once topped up, everything worked great.
The top removed and just the bare frame. Everything had a thick layer of dirt/dust on it from many years of use. Took the opportunity to clean everything. After inspecting the convertible padding (black cloth strips from the front header to the rear bow), these looked to be in pretty good shape so I chose not to replace them.
First the headliner goes in. Then the rear window. Then the top.
FINISHED!
For my skill set, it was challenging because I was doing things I hadn't ever done before. It took me about 3 hours to remove everything, taking photos along the way to ensure that I knew how things went back together. I'd say I probably have about 6-8 hours into the installation of the top and reassembling the entire rear interior. If it is something you are wanting to attempt, definitely watch those tutorials I posted above.
