soft top installation cost??
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,259
Likes: 18
From: Dixon California
soft top installation cost??
ok boys..
I am going to buy a complete soft top kit w/ all the stuff...best price 577.00 delivered to me..
Now the cost to install? what is a resonable cost..??
How much per hour do top installers get and how many hours does it take??
Bluzrocker
I am going to buy a complete soft top kit w/ all the stuff...best price 577.00 delivered to me..
Now the cost to install? what is a resonable cost..??
How much per hour do top installers get and how many hours does it take??
Bluzrocker
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 4,270
Likes: 561
From: Macedonia Ohio
$577.00 seems a little high unless it includes a weatherstrip kit. You want an Al Know kit. Wilcox has a sale going on and I thought it was $210.00
I install a lot of tops on midyears. Muchdepends on what has to be done as far as tack strip, alignment or dealing with rust. (under the canvas on the header). But I would say $400-450 would be a good range to budget for.
Larry
I install a lot of tops on midyears. Muchdepends on what has to be done as far as tack strip, alignment or dealing with rust. (under the canvas on the header). But I would say $400-450 would be a good range to budget for.
Larry
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,259
Likes: 18
From: Dixon California
Thanks for the reply..I did check out Willcox sale and $210 is correct..but when you add pad@45,tack strip@45,straps@15,tip and screws @10,and weather srtipping @231..
it adds up to 577.00 w/ shipping...
Some shop here in CAL quoted 1700.00 to install it w/ me providing all the material...so 400.00-500.00 is low end reasonable?
Bluzrocker....anyone else want to jump in??
it adds up to 577.00 w/ shipping...
Some shop here in CAL quoted 1700.00 to install it w/ me providing all the material...so 400.00-500.00 is low end reasonable?
Bluzrocker....anyone else want to jump in??
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 5,347
Likes: 36
From: San Clemente CA
Thanks for the reply..I did check out Willcox sale and $210 is correct..but when you add pad@45,tack strip@45,straps@15,tip and screws @10,and weather srtipping @231..
it adds up to 577.00 w/ shipping...
Some shop here in CAL quoted 1700.00 to install it w/ me providing all the material...so 400.00-500.00 is low end reasonable?
Bluzrocker....anyone else want to jump in??
it adds up to 577.00 w/ shipping...
Some shop here in CAL quoted 1700.00 to install it w/ me providing all the material...so 400.00-500.00 is low end reasonable?
Bluzrocker....anyone else want to jump in??
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 4,761
Likes: 138
From: Clinton Township MI
Cruise-In III Veteran
bluzrocker,
Here's what lightened my back pocket last year. I went with a Hartz Stayfast top in black:
Top: $325.00
Pads: 39.00
W/Strip Kit 210.00
Tack Strip 18.00
Top Installation Labor 325.00
Header Bar 390.00 (mine was rusted out...this is Sully's replacement)
Now here's where she
jumped.....
R & I the top frame
Repair Intermediate bows
Replace tack strips
Install frame
Replace W/Strip
Adjust top frame to fit glass
Replace Header bar 630.00
Total $1,937.00
Obviously, if your top frame header bar is in good shape, you're going to be $390.00 ahead of my final number. It's like the man said when the monkey **ssed into the cash register, it runs into money...LOL!
Good luck!
Jim
In God We Trust!
Here's what lightened my back pocket last year. I went with a Hartz Stayfast top in black:
Top: $325.00
Pads: 39.00
W/Strip Kit 210.00
Tack Strip 18.00
Top Installation Labor 325.00
Header Bar 390.00 (mine was rusted out...this is Sully's replacement)
Now here's where she
jumped.....
R & I the top frame
Repair Intermediate bows
Replace tack strips
Install frame
Replace W/Strip
Adjust top frame to fit glass
Replace Header bar 630.00
Total $1,937.00
Obviously, if your top frame header bar is in good shape, you're going to be $390.00 ahead of my final number. It's like the man said when the monkey **ssed into the cash register, it runs into money...LOL!
Good luck!
Jim
In God We Trust!
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 4,270
Likes: 561
From: Macedonia Ohio
I buy the Al Knox top KIT. It has the pads, straps, windless, wire on binding and top. I thought that is what Wilcox had on sale. If it is not then it is a really misleading add as you need all this stuff to do the job right. The rest sounds about right. You can get into a lot of $ dealing with the header even if you don't have to replace it. Rust will wipe out the tabs that hold the tack strip and make holes under it. You can't see it with the canvas still on the frame. As Jim can attest to. It will take me 15 to 20 hours to install a midyear top.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
5 Best & 5 Worst Corvette Daily Drivers
Joe Kucinski
The Headlights of Every Corvette Generation Explained
Joe Kucinski
5 Best & 5 Most Overrated Corvette Track Packages of All Time!
Joe Kucinski
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained
Joe Kucinski
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Verdad Gallardo
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 5,297
Likes: 3
From: Carlisle PA
PA Events Coordinator
I buy the Al Knox top KIT. It has the pads, straps, windless, wire on binding and top. I thought that is what Wilcox had on sale. If it is not then it is a really misleading add as you need all this stuff to do the job right. The rest sounds about right. You can get into a lot of $ dealing with the header even if you don't have to replace it. Rust will wipe out the tabs that hold the tack strip and make holes under it. You can't see it with the canvas still on the frame. As Jim can attest to. It will take me 15 to 20 hours to install a midyear top.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c1-a...68-1975-a.html
The only thing not in it is tack strips.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 13,891
Likes: 1,874
From: Birmingham Mi
Replaced my top approx 5 years ago and I stripped the old top off, cleaned out the old tack strip and painted the frame, so it was ready for the installer. Saved a lot of money that way, something to consider. Even for the Left Coast, $1700 seems awful high.
Rick
Rick
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,548
Likes: 36
From: Location, Location QC,NY
I think the ST sale Wilcox has going on includes all that.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c1-a...68-1975-a.html
The only thing not in it is tack strips.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c1-a...68-1975-a.html
The only thing not in it is tack strips.
Paul
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 6,005
Likes: 1,510
From: Prescott Arizona
Unless the OP intends on traveling out of state for the soft top installation, he'll wind up dealing with the shops around his area and just as Real Estate prices vary around the country, labor rates can be also be an eye-opener depending on location. I got two soft top labor estimates from shops here in Sonoma County about a year and a half ago and one was $1K and the other was $1200.
Mike T.
Mike T.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 12,142
Likes: 54
From: Taylor Michigan
Al Knoch gets $525.00 to install 'his' tops....there isn`t any one in the country that can do a better job..and in the mood does several a day....I mention this because others have attempted to install the tops and will compare or use Al`s prices...and it could be a idiot installing the tops... A trick 'PRO' installer that had never done a Vette and shall remain nameless, recently took 3 days fuking the top up in the process did a lousy job and then charged Al`s prices .Many here on the forum have installed tops and did a great job,..{no wrinkles or too tight} and they look as good as Al`s
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 5,215
Likes: 447
From: NJ Hockey beer league
Each top is different depending the degree of restoration/ repair your frame needs and how much work Bubba did to it.. $500 would be a bare bones price to just install the new top and would not include removal of the frame, cleaning, painting, and repair as needed first. I did mine myself in the 90's with an Al Knock top and new W/S and it still looks great. 
Pilot Dan
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 7,370
Likes: 875
From: Norcal CA
2018 C1 of Year Finalist
You might want to check Sullys tops in Fresno. I know a guy in reddng who could do it or at least give you a contact. I would definitely do all of the prep work first myself and leave just the canvas for the installer.
Last edited by jimh_1962; Feb 15, 2011 at 01:14 AM.
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 157
Likes: 0
Each top is different depending the degree of restoration/ repair your frame needs and how much work Bubba did to it.. $500 would be a bare bones price to just install the new top and would not include removal of the frame, cleaning, painting, and repair as needed first. I did mine myself in the 90's with an Al Knock top and new W/S and it still looks great. Pilot Dan Couldn´t agree more!, I have done 2 on the C3 cars and it did took me around 25 hours to complete. (each) Both had fairly good frames not needing any rust repair but still alot of cleaning/ painting and rust prevention. I cant even say i´m a slow worker !.Have another frame i need to get a new top on and that frame needs alot of rust-repair and i will be putting a weeks labour on that one without hesitation.
For $400-500 you could only get the actual assembly of the top, correct? (frame already done). Othervise i think it sounds way to cheap.