Convertible Tops
Thread Starter
4th Gear
Joined: Mar 2017
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Convertible Tops
Hi all,
I am looking to buy a replacement convertible top for my Father's 1972 Stingray as a gift. I was hoping folks here might be able to recommend a quality product with good OE fit/finish characteristics.... unfortunately the market is flooded with crap from China. I would be very grateful for any replacement top recommendations!
- Mark
I am looking to buy a replacement convertible top for my Father's 1972 Stingray as a gift. I was hoping folks here might be able to recommend a quality product with good OE fit/finish characteristics.... unfortunately the market is flooded with crap from China. I would be very grateful for any replacement top recommendations!
- Mark
Team Owner
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Safety Car
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From: Austin Texas
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These 2 seem to be the best available,
can any one comment on the difference between Robbins, and Al Knock's
tops ? Quality, fit, instructions, Installation ?
can any one comment on the difference between Robbins, and Al Knock's
tops ? Quality, fit, instructions, Installation ?
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,814
Likes: 414
From: Pittsburgh suburbs Pa.
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Thread Starter
4th Gear
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Hi, would you be able to redirect me to that post, Id like to give it a read, but cant quite find it.
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From: Grapevine Tx
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The upholsterer I talked to here buys from Robbins. He said Al Knock stuff ain't what it used to be and won't buy from them. He's been in the business for 20+ years.
Race Director
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From: Eustis ( Area 51 Bat Cave ) Fl
As you well know some brands are untoucable on the forum as being the end all to be all,
i did my own thinking my own homework and have come to the conclusion that knoch was once the go to name for tops, but sadly like with many great names it has slipped,
I have no doubts he still gives his special customers special treatment, not what i got when i called about having them do mine at a ncrs meet a couple years ago, so its not a hard reach when a shop doing tops all day says they dont use a brand anymore there is a good reason....
i did my own thinking my own homework and have come to the conclusion that knoch was once the go to name for tops, but sadly like with many great names it has slipped,
I have no doubts he still gives his special customers special treatment, not what i got when i called about having them do mine at a ncrs meet a couple years ago, so its not a hard reach when a shop doing tops all day says they dont use a brand anymore there is a good reason....
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,111
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From: Damascus MD
Top
Hi all,
I am looking to buy a replacement convertible top for my Father's 1972 Stingray as a gift. I was hoping folks here might be able to recommend a quality product with good OE fit/finish characteristics.... unfortunately the market is flooded with crap from China. I would be very grateful for any replacement top recommendations!
- Mark
I am looking to buy a replacement convertible top for my Father's 1972 Stingray as a gift. I was hoping folks here might be able to recommend a quality product with good OE fit/finish characteristics.... unfortunately the market is flooded with crap from China. I would be very grateful for any replacement top recommendations!
- Mark
If just a driver the cloth tops look really nice. I have no experience with Robbins.
Kind Regards,
Bill
Thread Starter
4th Gear
Joined: Mar 2017
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HI Bill, it's a 72 restored to LT-1 specs... took a while to get the correct parts. I suppose he'd appreciate a "more correct" top, but hey... it is a driver. So AL Knoch has multiple tops available? NCRS grade and a more generic top? Hmm...
Last edited by Corvette_Mark; Mar 13, 2017 at 07:56 PM.
Team Owner
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From: Orange Park Florida
Fair warning to you, I bought a top for my '72 some years ago, and the installer said it would not fit, with one glance, and damn if he wasn't correct.....the sins were the side windows were severely shrouded by the overhang vertically and also the side wrapped around too far forward, so the window would catch and door not close with window up....this on the top/rear corner area.....I dunno who I got if from, much less who made it....I had it installed anyway because I had cut the old top off already....
the second top is just recently, and it's a Robbins...and fits much better....I got from Tops Online.com
the prime points to measure are the vertical area near the side window.... should be 11" tall on the rear/vertical edge, anything less and return the top......
another bitch to my install was that rear deck gasket, I finally gave the hell up and cut some pipe wrap, and glued it into place, the heavy rubber piece that was on the car was/IS in great shape, just can not get the damn thing into the slot on the steel bow....
another trick spot is that damn rear bow where the wrapping goes around.....
the second top is just recently, and it's a Robbins...and fits much better....I got from Tops Online.com
the prime points to measure are the vertical area near the side window.... should be 11" tall on the rear/vertical edge, anything less and return the top......
another bitch to my install was that rear deck gasket, I finally gave the hell up and cut some pipe wrap, and glued it into place, the heavy rubber piece that was on the car was/IS in great shape, just can not get the damn thing into the slot on the steel bow....
another trick spot is that damn rear bow where the wrapping goes around.....
Last edited by mrvette; Mar 13, 2017 at 08:47 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,111
Likes: 32
From: Damascus MD
AK Top
AK has the correct parts.
Below are pictures of a correct top and in this case an original top. This is not my Corvette but they are very nice reference photos.
Kind Regards,
Bill
Last edited by 1974ta; Mar 13, 2017 at 09:36 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
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From: Pittsburgh suburbs Pa.
Thats what I have been trying to say for a long time. Al Knoch used to be a name you could count on . Not anymore. A local upholsterer says the same thing about his tops . He will not touch them and he is someone that knows tops , he makes a lot of custom tops for hot rods. I personally install Robbins and have had bad experiences with a couple tops bought in recent years from Knoch . Never had one problem with Robbins.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
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From: Pittsburgh suburbs Pa.