Help with Vert top
03-14-11, 10:13 AM
#26
Regarding the rolling corners: I believe that this is caused by over-tensioning the top. It is a function of install speed.
When I did mine, I did not immediately tension and trim the fabric at the roll bar, because when I did, the corners on the metal forming strip tried to lift. I let the wrinkles relax in the fabric. I let it warm up in the warm garage for a couple of days. This was also before I cut the hole for the rear window. After all the wrinkles were substantially relaxed, I tensioned the top, glued it in and trimmed it.
This would be impossible to do if I was in the business of installing a top and getting it out to a customer right away.
You may be able to release some of the pressure by removing the strip at the upper forming bar. That strip is secured by screws that puncture the top fabric. You could probably ease the fabric by 3/8" or so as long as the screw holes don't end up over the seal of the weather strip.
Question to those with lifting corners: Did your installer replace the seal tape and did he apply any adhesive to the corners, as per the FSM? If not this could contribute. It is also something that can be done any time to help correct the lift.
-Jack
03-14-11, 11:23 AM
#27
Im actually kinda lost as to how the top is put on. I took my whole "roof" off as one big piece and thats easy. I wanna seee some pictures/ documentations/ something to calm my nerves lol. So im gathering, you have to sew something to something? My car never had the metal piece between the car & top. aftermarket tops come with plastic ones that go inbetween? As you can tell im lost lol
03-14-11, 12:23 PM
#28
Im actually kinda lost as to how the top is put on. I took my whole "roof" off as one big piece and thats easy. I wanna seee some pictures/ documentations/ something to calm my nerves lol. So im gathering, you have to sew something to something? My car never had the metal piece between the car & top. aftermarket tops come with plastic ones that go inbetween? As you can tell im lost lol
03-14-11, 02:00 PM
#29
I linked to my album with some pictures but you may need more... The aftermarket top i bought didnt come with a plastic piece so I bought a new metal one from the dealer because my old one was so rusted. I didn't have to sew anything to anything, someone else said they did this to relieve stress on the back corners so they didn't lift up. I guess since I did my top in one weekend and I didn't REALLY take my time it makes sense that the material didn't stretch enough to fit properly... I'll try to get pictures in the next couple days of what I don't like about the way my top sits.
What brand of top? weres the link? i looked in flicker couldnt find it
03-14-11, 04:04 PM
#30
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best choice for replacement top - Robbins
best value for replacement top - Robbins
best quality for a replacement top - Robbins
choice by most auto upholster shops for replacement tops for our cars - Robbins
best value for replacement top - Robbins
best quality for a replacement top - Robbins
choice by most auto upholster shops for replacement tops for our cars - Robbins
03-14-11, 04:33 PM
#32
lol no sorry I linked to it on the first page of this thread.. and I ordered an M&T manufacturing top... same one as vrracing mentioned above but mine wasn't as well built as he said his was... I'll go take some more pictures of mine now actually.
Last edited by CS13B; 03-14-11 at 04:39 PM.
03-14-11, 04:50 PM
#33
k so first off, you can see that both of the corners are lined up properly... pretty hard to **** this part up either the corners of the top match the corners of the top bar or they don't lol. In my case they do.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cspivakphoto/5526957241/http://www.flickr.com/photos/cspivakphoto/5526957241/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/cspivakphoto/, on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cspivakphoto/5526954077/So then because these two corners are lined up properly i never understood why these seams didn't line up with the original Targa portion since I didn't need to replace it.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cspivakphoto/5527544086/http://www.flickr.com/photos/cspivakphoto/5527544086/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/cspivakphoto/, on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cspivakphoto/5527542108/http://www.flickr.com/photos/cspivakphoto/5527542108/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/cspivakphoto/, on Flickr
And the corners didn't seem to want to stay down.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cspivakphoto/5527543308/http://www.flickr.com/photos/cspivakphoto/5527543308/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/cspivakphoto/, on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cspivakphoto/5526949629/http://www.flickr.com/photos/cspivakphoto/5526949629/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/cspivakphoto/, on Flickr
And then not as big of an issue but still disappointing was the seams themselves.. on each side there is a spot where the fold in the seam changes. At first I thought it was on purpose for some reason, but then noticed they weren't even close to the same spot on each side.
A little hard to see in the picture but basically the seam goes from a nice flat glued down seam to a rolled edge as though someone pulled it up a little before the glue dried. You get the idea.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cspivakphoto/5526954781/http://www.flickr.com/photos/cspivakphoto/5526954781/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/cspivakphoto/, on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cspivakphoto/5526956375/
Overall, the top doesnt leak which was my biggest concern, so I didn't bother complaining to the company seeing as it was half the price of the alternative OEM.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cspivakphoto/5526957241/http://www.flickr.com/photos/cspivakphoto/5526957241/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/cspivakphoto/, on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cspivakphoto/5526954077/So then because these two corners are lined up properly i never understood why these seams didn't line up with the original Targa portion since I didn't need to replace it.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cspivakphoto/5527544086/http://www.flickr.com/photos/cspivakphoto/5527544086/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/cspivakphoto/, on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cspivakphoto/5527542108/http://www.flickr.com/photos/cspivakphoto/5527542108/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/cspivakphoto/, on Flickr
And the corners didn't seem to want to stay down.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cspivakphoto/5527543308/http://www.flickr.com/photos/cspivakphoto/5527543308/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/cspivakphoto/, on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cspivakphoto/5526949629/http://www.flickr.com/photos/cspivakphoto/5526949629/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/cspivakphoto/, on Flickr
And then not as big of an issue but still disappointing was the seams themselves.. on each side there is a spot where the fold in the seam changes. At first I thought it was on purpose for some reason, but then noticed they weren't even close to the same spot on each side.
A little hard to see in the picture but basically the seam goes from a nice flat glued down seam to a rolled edge as though someone pulled it up a little before the glue dried. You get the idea.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cspivakphoto/5526954781/http://www.flickr.com/photos/cspivakphoto/5526954781/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/cspivakphoto/, on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cspivakphoto/5526956375/
Overall, the top doesnt leak which was my biggest concern, so I didn't bother complaining to the company seeing as it was half the price of the alternative OEM.
Last edited by CS13B; 03-14-11 at 04:52 PM.
03-15-11, 09:22 AM
#37
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I concur with the others, Ive had my vert since 2005, and bought it with a tear in the roof.
First thing I did was replace the top with one from convertibletopguys iirc. I had a shop here in town install it and it began to leak after about 6 mos. Water would come in and puddle behind the seats.
Finally went ahead and ordered a Robbins top and had one of their preferred installers do the install and have been happy since.
First thing I did was replace the top with one from convertibletopguys iirc. I had a shop here in town install it and it began to leak after about 6 mos. Water would come in and puddle behind the seats.
Finally went ahead and ordered a Robbins top and had one of their preferred installers do the install and have been happy since.
03-16-11, 10:31 AM
#38
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Guys i cant thank you enough. i really like the robbins tops but when looking at them they dont offer the rain guards...but not sure what they are lol.
and gambolt do you recall how much it was to install the robbins top?
and gambolt do you recall how much it was to install the robbins top?
03-16-11, 10:44 AM
#39
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Is there any way to know what brand of top I have? The previous owner replaced it, and it's great. My corners aren't lifted liked the ones I'm seeing in this thread. Only leaks I've had are from the door seals (unrelated to the top).
03-16-11, 01:07 PM
#40
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total for mine was around 1100, that included the back part of the top and the targa also installed. My headliner was still good to reuse along with the window seal.
Rainguards are the folds on top of the targa top that keeps the rain from flowing down the door windows, It channels the water back. It doesnt show them for the 88, but you can just get the later type its the same top
Rainguards are the folds on top of the targa top that keeps the rain from flowing down the door windows, It channels the water back. It doesnt show them for the 88, but you can just get the later type its the same top
03-16-11, 02:05 PM
#42
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A bit off topic, but:
I had rats nest inside my headliner. They came in through the truck. How would I clean that out? All the stuff is above the rear window, so I can't vacuum it out. Would it be a hassle for a shop that does tops to cut out the headliner, clean it out, and reinstall the headliner somehow? Like I said, my top is in great shape, I'd hate to have to take it apart.
I had rats nest inside my headliner. They came in through the truck. How would I clean that out? All the stuff is above the rear window, so I can't vacuum it out. Would it be a hassle for a shop that does tops to cut out the headliner, clean it out, and reinstall the headliner somehow? Like I said, my top is in great shape, I'd hate to have to take it apart.
03-16-11, 02:08 PM
#43
^ it doesnt need to be cut out... if you take out the spare tire cover from behind the seats, as well as loosen out the side panels, you can remove all the clips along the rear bottom edge of the headliner and then clean inside that way. Check out the FSM in the convertible roof section I think it's there as part of the top removal steps
All we need is the down time...
03-18-11, 03:05 AM
#47
hm, i like that "if you have to ask about top replacement, probably better to have a pro do it", although i partially disagree with that, body stuff is the only stuff i dont do, as well as vert tops.
but, i guess i should learn at some point, but, not on my 7.
im going to have a very good local shop do mine, and im going to have them use the robins top
my top is in **** shape to say the least, its going to need the inside AND outside, and i have to fix the defroster grid.........
Lloyd
but, i guess i should learn at some point, but, not on my 7.
im going to have a very good local shop do mine, and im going to have them use the robins top
my top is in **** shape to say the least, its going to need the inside AND outside, and i have to fix the defroster grid.........
Lloyd
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