Early A-Body Convertible Top Replacement
Our '64 Dart's soft top has a couple of small rips and one larger one (about 6") and I think they need to be addressed soon. I've never done a convertible top replacement, so I'm interested in thoughts on doing one of these. What are some best practices and good things to know before diving into a top replacement? Any product or vendor recommendations?
The technical service manual has decent instructions, and there are online resources that go through the process.
Both of the mopars I put tops on, I paid an upholsterer shop to install them. He had better top, back window and parts prices than I could find online and did it right the first time. They also have the specialty tools, deep experience, better adhesive than the spray can stuff. When done it didn't have the ripples around the sides and backs like so many self installed tops.
At the time top wells weren't available for early A's and they made one of those for me as well. I did the welding on the bows, header bow needed sheet metal, third bow was broke on one side, and one of the aluminum knuckles was cracked that had to be tig welded.
The top, 23 years later looks almost new, no frays or ripples to this day. The back window plastic cracked and broke about 4 years after moving to Vegas. Still haven't replaced it to wait for the repeat of that.
The 68 GTX I had done, my upholsterer had recently had back surgery, so he guided me on tightening the top as it requires laying in the trunk and numerous adjustments to get the right stretch.
