My 1969 Cutlass S top needs replacement and I’m looking for advice on where to buy the best factory matching top at a reasonable price.
Appreciate any suggestions….

 

Are you installing the top yourself?

If it were me, I'd take the car to a good convertible top shop near me and have them do it with whatever top they can get that best matches what's on the car.

 

If you are having an upholsterer install it, go with their recommendation. There are certain brands of tops that some upholsterers won't work with at all. When I had my '68 done, the man that did it preferred the Kee brand of top.

Randy C.

 

Thanks for your feedback…after a horrible body shop experience last year (vehicle flooded and almost totaled), I am very cautious about finding anyone that knows what they are doing.
🤞

 

That's a different question. You initially asked where to get the best top. Now you're apparently asking what's the best shop.

Whatever happened to that shop you mention is not common among body shops and convertible top shops. I wouldn't let that stop you from using a shop to do it. If you don't know how to do it yourself or don't want to, having a shop do it is probably your only choice unless you've got a friend that can do it in his garage (or yours).

 

I’ve always wanted to have a professional do it, but after many disappointments, I am cautious.
Thought by ordering the top myself at least it would reduce the chances of getting the wrong top.
I have 2 appointments on Thursday and will ask them if they want me to order the top….
I’d rather have cavities filled without novacaine.

 

Kee and Robbins are two good brands. There are probably others that I am not familiar with. And be sure to get a glass rear window.

 

Find the installer first and use what they want

I bought a kee top and my installer doesn't like them due to their lack of customer service to him

He still installed it and now having issues and he is fighting me on it

He loves the ez-on tops.

Good luck

 

Thanks, good point

 

https://www.hydroe.com/

Hydro-Electric - right here in FL and well respected for all things convertible

 

 

Great idea, I’ve used them for parts in the past.

 

Most likely you will need more items than just the top proper. I am referring to items like pads, seals, etc.


Get the installer who is a dealer for Electron or Robbins to provide the top. Those brands are top of the line. Forget the cheaper brands. The fit and finish of lesser brands are apparent. Do not buy and provide the top yourself. You will just cause yourself unneeded warranty service issues. A dealer can buy the same top for less than you can. The out the door price installed is what counts. I like Electron myself.

 

Hydro-E-Lectric is certainly a good place for convertible top PARTS, so you can get pumps and cables and brackets and all the rest, but I don't think they actually sell convertible TOPS themselves. At least, I don't see them on their site for the couple of searches I did.

 

 

So that includes the top as well? Cool. But it's from an outside source, apparently. Still, nice that you can get everything in one place.

 

 

Find a quality shop that has experience installing convertible tops and ask them which brands they work with and prefer. A quality installer will tell you that they won't work with a top you purchase off the internet. Why? Because they're cheap crap. You get what you pay for. My guy had experience with Electron. I did my own research and was very happy that's who he would use. Top quality. Results? Fantastic and no issues.

 

I don't think this is exactly why shops don't want to install a top you don't buy through them. Yes, they have control over where the top comes from and can make sure to get a decent one, but an individual can also find tops on the internet that are not crap if they want to install it themselves, which some people do. The main reason installers want you to buy the top through them is because they can make money on the sale of the top itself just like they make a little money on each of the parts they need to complete the job. You're paying for all of the clips and cables and pumps and brackets as well. They buy the top and parts at wholesale and sell them to you at retail, making a bit of money on each one of them.

 

Calm down everyone…I always planned to ask the shop what they would prefer.
one of them asked over the phone if I would order the top, so I was looking for recommendations on who makes quality products.

Thanks for all the feedback.

Successful projects are those where people work with each other for mutual benefit.

Make it a great day.

 

I think we've been quite calm.

Interesting that one of the shops will let you bring your own top. That can be risky for them because, if you start having trouble with the top, where do you go? Is it a problem with the top or with the installation? Each could start blaming the other. The top manufacturer could say that the installer caused the problem, and the installer could say the top was poorly made or something like that. Why risk being in the middle of that? If it were me, I'd buy everything through the shop. Then the shop is responsible for everything, and THEY deal with the manufacturer if the top has problems. There can be no passing of the buck.

Yes, successful projects happen when people work together. Milk and cookies and peace on earth and all that as well. But the wise person recognizes where there might be pitfalls, human nature being what it is, and works to avoid or prevent them.

 

i got a robbins for my 64 starfire..one thing is every top i have seen lately use a foam pad which i think are junk.so if your top is still pretty well intact whoever does the top make sure they reuse the cotton pads..

 

Finally found a great guy with over 25 years in business installing convertible tops. He exclusively uses Robbins tops and does so due to their quality and great warranty support if needed.
He's so good that he is backlogged for 6 weeks, but I’m more than willing to wait.

Think I’m gonna sleep well tonight….thanks to all for advice.

 

Quick one, do the glass windows all come in a tint that matches (or closely matches) the factor tint? or is this an option for the manufacturer's? i looked at a few sites and some dont seem to give an option. Thanks!

 

My Robbins and Kee rear windows were not tinted.