convertible top replacement ... done!

[Mark_T]

Finally got my new top installed yesterday It was a ******************** of a job, but it works, it doesn't leak, and there are no wrinkles. Woot!

It took about 3 hours to get the old top off and the parts cleaned up. Once the canvas was off we found a broken pushrod and some damaged plastic bits, so we had to stop and wait for parts, and now I'm driving the car around with no top.

Four weeks later, new parts in hand, we tackled the installation. Of course, our memory of how everything went together had faded substantially (age is a terrible thing!), but we bashed away at it for about 6 hours and finally got it all re-assembled. Now I don't have to check the weather reports and the sky before I venture out for a drive. You tend to take a roof for granted until you don't have one.

The new top came from Prestige Auto Trim in the UK, and the quality and fit were absolutely perfect - no issues with it at all. I thought it was a nice touch that they supplied new clamping rails with the top. It cost about $500 shipped. That's a lot less than their regular web price, but they had an Ebay deal going and for once I was in the right place at the right time

Many thanks to Mike and Wayne for their excellent tutorials, and to the people on this board and Renntech that took the time to answer my many questions.