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Old Jun 17, 2015 | 08:41 PM
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Default Hard Top Question

I hope I am not breaking any forum rules by asking this question. Has anyone out there had any dealings with a company named Smooth Line Hardtops. I am thinking about getting a hard top for my 75 convertible and they seem to have a fair price on a new top. It seems like I can get a new top for the same or less than an original top and I am not concerned about keeping it original.

Looking forward to hearing back.
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Old Jun 17, 2015 | 08:58 PM
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From: Eustis ( Area 51 Bat Cave ) Fl
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Originally Posted by LRB
I hope I am not breaking any forum rules by asking this question. Has anyone out there had any dealings with a company named Smooth Line Hardtops. I am thinking about getting a hard top for my 75 convertible and they seem to have a fair price on a new top. It seems like I can get a new top for the same or less than an original top and I am not concerned about keeping it original.

Looking forward to hearing back.
If you haunt craigslist crawl the net for deals daily etc like I do you will see real, original GM hardtops in good shape can be had for far less than the new ones from ssmoothline...

I have owned several c3 convertibles and one c2 and I basically never really used the hard top,
This time around with my 69 I plan to have a wussy electric hoist that I can park uner that will lift or lower the top...but think about will you really use it all that much....
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Old Jun 17, 2015 | 11:41 PM
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With the convertible top off, look at the top of the windshield...see those fittings at the extreme left and right of the upper windshield frame that have the holes for the convertible/hard top to fit in? On my 68, body flex caused the hardtop to rip those holes open. To replace them, I had to remove (smash) the windshield...$$$$$ to replace the windshield. The hardtop also, in flexing around caused the weatherstripping screws to contact and chip the passengers and drivers side windows. This was another $1000 for parts and labor to repair. There are only two good things I can say about the hard top is that (1) on an absolutely smooth road, with no body flexing, it made the interior quieter, and (2) I thought the car looked a lot better with the hardtop. In the last years of the convertibles, GM made the bodies with less body flex an improved the rear mounting of the hardtop from two mounting pins to three mounting pins. Maybe for these latter years, a hardtop is a good option.

BTW. My LeMans Blue 68 can with a black vinyl hardtop. I thought this was ugly. I had the vinyl removed and painted the hardtop to match the body. I don't use the hardtop since it was stolen.
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