bluzrocker

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

woodsdesign

$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

bluzrocker

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??

5thvet

Look elsewhere! $1700 for labor to install a softop is a little ridiculous.

6T5RUSH

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!

vetteride4u

Larry

you will be doing mine this fall!

woodsdesign

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.

Frankie the Fink

Anything over $500-$600 in labor for a very good installer is robbery -- assuming frame, etc.. is in good shape...

woodsdesign

Look forward to doing vetteride4u's top. Love working on Midyears

GreaseMonkey

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.

ricks327

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

bluzrocker

Thank you all for the views now.
I can go into this with some confidence and base line for installation cost...you are all fantastic.
Bluzrocker

Fawndeuce

Yup, they list all that's included in the detailed description.



Paul

Jeff Garner

I've had a couple done recently. $300-$400 for labor.

Vet65te

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.

GreaseMonkey

Great place to be isn't it

Ironcross

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

Pilot Dan

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

jimh_1962

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.

AnTra

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.