convertable top replacement
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Joined: Jun 2008
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From: AUGUSTA GEORGIA
convertable top replacement
Want to know if anybody has replaced their own canvas convertable top???** If so how long did it take you?* any advice or information to help?? Where you bought your top? canvas or vinyl? and how much did you pay?* If you had your top installed by a shop what priced did you pay?**** Thanks.* David* 
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,409
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From: St. Louis Missouri
From everything I have read on this Forum, replacing the Convertible Top is not a very easy DIY task and most have a professional do the job. I recently had one installed and it was $420.00 in Labor and I supplied the Top. I got a Robbins Top in Twillfast material which was used in the later C5's. The Top was $650.00 plus tax from a local wholesaler. Not a bad deal considering every installer I called quoted me around $1450 if they supplied the Top. Everything went very smooth, but latching the Top at first was very tight. The material is starting to stretch a little and becoming easier to latch now.
Don't do it yourself. even top istallers say its a pain and they know what they're doing.
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Joined: Jun 2009
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From: Tampa FL
I did a little research on this. Apparently the best top for vettes is made by Robbins and they make a top for is specifically for the C5, but you can't buy directly from them. There are other tops out there, but the general consensus was that Robbins was the best.
I think the top in Ecklers is a Robbins. It's about $550. Go ahead and buy it if you are going that route. Then either install it yourself or have an upholsterer install it. I was quoted $400 for the install by a Vette shop here in Tampa.
When I visited a lot of upholstery shops, I realized many actually make the top but I was a little skeptical of that. I've seen a lot of Vettes with ill-fitting tops and I was wondering if that was from people doing it themselves or it was a custom-made top that didn't fit that well.
In any event, if the upholsterly shop buys the top for you and puts it on, they may be going with a cheaper product.
And always stay away from a dealership when it comes to something like this. One poster said she got an estimate of $5,000 for a new top when the back window fell out of hers.
My back window fell out and I put it back in for $200.
When it comes time for a top, I am going with a Robbins.
I think the top in Ecklers is a Robbins. It's about $550. Go ahead and buy it if you are going that route. Then either install it yourself or have an upholsterer install it. I was quoted $400 for the install by a Vette shop here in Tampa.
When I visited a lot of upholstery shops, I realized many actually make the top but I was a little skeptical of that. I've seen a lot of Vettes with ill-fitting tops and I was wondering if that was from people doing it themselves or it was a custom-made top that didn't fit that well.
In any event, if the upholsterly shop buys the top for you and puts it on, they may be going with a cheaper product.
And always stay away from a dealership when it comes to something like this. One poster said she got an estimate of $5,000 for a new top when the back window fell out of hers.
My back window fell out and I put it back in for $200.
When it comes time for a top, I am going with a Robbins.
augusta, convertable, convertible, corvette, fl, ga, install, installers, louis, missouri, repair, replacement, shop, st, top
