I need to get a new top for my 2002. The back window has dropped away. Who makes the best one and what should I expect installation cost to be. I live in Atlanta

 

You could always glue it back in
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-refasten.html

 

I would find a good reputable upholstery shop. I took mine to place in Richmond, VA called L&M auto top. I was thrilled with their work. Plus, the new top came with a lifetime warranty on the rear window! Price all in will be between $950.00 and $1500.00.

 

I like the Robbins top company, although not OEM, it looks the same, uses the same materials if desired, and has a lifetime warranty on the rear window seal.

I have used their product before, they are a long established company that has the capacity to do OEM work. I first used the company long ago when I bought a top out of a sears catalog, when, along with a new top for my car, I also learned to hire the installation out next time, and every time after that.

I also had the common C5 rear window seal fail. Following advice here, I glued the glass back in and was very happy with the completed results. MY top still looks good, but years of the heat expansion and contraction cycle has the seal needing to be redone, so I am replacing the entire top. From the looks of things, I could once again glue the window in, but also know how difficult it will be to get a suitable surface for the glue so that it will stick to the surface it just detached from, so I decided to just it replace after one repair, kind of like I treat kitchen appliances, fix once, replace. I used Rhino glue, and know how those types of adhesives resist gluing on old glue residue. I see below that grinder11 used a dedicated window adhesive, which, had I been aware of, would have used over the thin super glue type stuff recommended in the post I read.

The Robbins web site is very detailed, so much so that a person in the market might gain some product insight by checking it out. In the old days, before they went solely into production, they had the biggest upholstery shop I had ever seen, with multiple, maybe 8-10 work bays, and three or four cars getting tops installed every time I swung by, with the manufacturing done upstairs. .

 

If you can keep the window from coming all the way out, it will make refastening/regluing, and aligning the window to the top easier. Mine did the same thing in Summer of 2014 at the annual "Back to the Bricks" cruise/car show in Flint, Michigan. If you suffer from low blood pressure (I do!), you'll be temporarily cured (I was!) when the wife says 'Oh, Mike, look! The rear window is falling inside the trunk!!' I put the top down immediately to help keep the window in place, and made a beeline for home. I used some suction cups for shower stalls, motorcycle tie downs, and hooked the tiedowns to the ceiling rafters/trusses, and some 3M Window Weld to glue the window to the top fabric. If you use this stuff, have a can of brake parts cleaner close by. It is, beyond any doubt, the stickiest, tarriest (if the word exists?) stuff I've ever used on anything!! BUT-It has been holding almost 8 years now.......

 

I consider the re-gluing of the rear window a maintence issue like I do oil changes, waxing, tire replacement, fluid changes, brakes, etc. Just another C5 anomaly that should not be an issue but is. The re-gluing usually last 18 to 24 months. Not a bother to me but I understand the aggravation of doing it. My top looks like it is new so I can not justify replacing it just for the window issue. But each to their own thoughts on enjoying their car.

 

The link provided by Smoken1 has some really good info pertaining to regluing the window back to the top.

 

I replaced my top about 3 years ago with one made by EZ On tops. They are an oem supplier and the window is not glued in like the original. It has a rubber gasket all around. It is very nice and the light oak color matches the original. My total coat for top and installation was $1,300.