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Convertible top replacement difficulty ?

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Old Mar 10, 2012 | 05:36 PM
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Default Convertible top replacement difficulty ?

Hi, I've searched through the threads but can't seem to find one on replacing the top on a '90 convertible? Just wondering how difficult it is ? I've heard it's pretty hard. There was a partial video on Utube, but it didn''t show much.
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Old Mar 10, 2012 | 09:06 PM
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Did my 87 last summer. I bought a Stayfast Cloth top that came with the full length You Tube installation video which cover all C4 tops. I followed the instructions to a T and took my time over a weekend and was very happy with the results. The shops around here wanted $1000 just for labor so it was well worth the effort. Don't be afraid because it's not that bad of a job......
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Old Mar 10, 2012 | 10:10 PM
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Thanks, maybe give it a try. they want the same herer.
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Old Mar 11, 2012 | 12:23 AM
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Default new top

I did mine last year over a weekend. It was a lot of steps, but Corvette Fever had a detailed set of instructions that kept me on track.

I don't have any 'before' pics of the ratty tan top, but here's the new black top after installation- no leaks and looks 100% better:


I needed help for about 15 minutes during the install. My daughter kept the top still when I had to make sure that it was centered along the centerline of the car.
Weather's getting just right for such a project.

You can do it!!
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Old Mar 11, 2012 | 06:42 AM
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Looks good, Thanks for the reply. Would you have any suggestions about where to buy one ? There's a ton of them on the internet & Ebay, I want a good top, but don't necessarily want to pay through the nose. I've heard there's some crappy ones out there.
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Old Mar 11, 2012 | 10:26 AM
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I bought mine from a company called Autotops on Ebay.
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Old Mar 11, 2012 | 02:01 PM
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Unless the C4 top s a lot easier to install then either a C2 or C3 I;d pay to have it installed by a pro...

I did my own on a C2 ..and while it looked good from 10 foeet away It was not nearly as good as it could have been...when I did my C3 I paid to have the job done and I paid to have another top put on my C2 a few years later..

CLOTH however should be easier then thee Vinyl used onthe C2 and C3 vettes...its all about being TIGHT and wrinkle free..

That said I sure have never paid anywhere close to $1000 in labor... I realize it been 10 to 15 years ago but labor was only 2 maybe 3 hundred bucks...

Bob G.
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Old Mar 11, 2012 | 04:26 PM
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helphos
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From: Olney MD
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Originally Posted by martyp
Looks good, Thanks for the reply. Would you have any suggestions about where to buy one ? There's a ton of them on the internet & Ebay, I want a good top, but don't necessarily want to pay through the nose. I've heard there's some crappy ones out there.
I got mine from a trim shop- They put an ad on Craigslist. Somebody had ordered a Haartz Stayfast top (from Easy-On, I think) and put a deposit down and never came back to have them install it. It's black cloth and stays really dry inside even when it's raining hard. I try to keep out of the rain, though! My AC is non functioning and the windows get fogged up when it rains.

Here's the link to the Corvette Fever Article I used:
http://www.corvettefever.com/techart...t/viewall.html

Don't forget to buy weatherstrip- It's not cheap and gets destroyed when you take your old top off. Wilcox sells it as a 7 piece kit.

I'm happy with Wilcox' quality weatherstrip and the StayFast Haartz top.

One tip- I took a shoebox and punched several rows of holes in it and poked screws in that to keep from losing them or getting them disorganized. When I removed the front bow screws for example, I put the first screw from the drivers side in the first (left hand) hole of the first row of the shoebox, and so on. That way different length screws don't get mixed up.
You'll be amazed at how many screws there are!! But this makes it easy to keep organized.
Read through the article several times to visualize the steps. I believe you can do as well as a professional if you take your time.

Good luck!
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Old Mar 11, 2012 | 06:15 PM
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Thanks for all the responses so far. This site seems OK. Other sites I've been to for other cars don't even respond !
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