Convertible Top replacement

Ex0r · 12-10-2008, 06:47 AM

Anyone here ever replaced a convertible top on a 94 mustang? The seam at the back window is coming apart and water is rushing into the car when it rains! I took it to an upholstery shop and they want 3000 to replace it. I looked online and found the factory replacement top for $250.

How hard is it to replace it? Does it require special tools, etc? I couldn't see a shop charging THAT much money in extra labor unless it was a tedious task, but if it's not really that hard of a job I don't mind doing it myself.

Anyone have instructions for doing it specific to this model and year? If i'm going to do it myself I want to make sure I do it right and not end up spending more money having to have somebody fix it.

I looked at how the current one is on, and it looks like its just screwed on with torx screws. Doesn't seem like it would be that hard to replace the old one with a new one, except for stretching the material out.

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ryan1994mustang · 12-10-2008, 09:50 PM

i replaced the top on my 94 and it was a hassle. i got a quote of like $750 for a shop to do it and i would have def paid that to have it done. dont know why your quote is so high. maybe check around and see what other quotes you can get. if they charged me $3k then i would def do it myself again, but less than $1k and id prob just pay for it to be done. I just had some basic instructions on the install though, not mustang specific. i think i remember seeing a video for sale somewhere that was mustang specific though so you might want to check that out. if anything, pay the $20 for the video and see if its something you think you want to get yourself into.

Ex0r · 12-11-2008, 06:06 AM

did it require any special tools? I don't mind it taking a few days to do as long as the parts i have now are reusable. The next closest shop is 54 miles away from me, so i'm pretty much stuck with a 3k bill if I want somebody else to do it.

What was the biggest challenge? Seems it would be stretching the fabric over the frame. All I can think though is there is like a little tensioner that pulls the cable holding the canvas tight so that you dont have to manually do it. Would I be right assuming so?

Do you know where this video was? I just tried googling and cant find anything related to it for the 94 mustang, they've all been for older cars.

ryan1994mustang · 12-13-2008, 12:18 AM

if i remember correctly, about the only tool you need is a heavy duty staple gun. that is what the top is held on with in pretty much every spot. the tensioner cable is for the frame, not the top. to stretch it out you basically let the frame a little loose and put the top on and when you latch the frame back, it will stretch the top out. it isnt a very hard task, just extremely tedious and tiring to remove/replace staples. and go to www.mustangsunlimited.com and search for convertible video and it should bring it up.

gec · 12-13-2008, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ex0r

I took it to an upholstery shop and they want 3000 to replace it.

That's so friggin ridiculous. You should make an appointment get them all excited for the good payday then don't show up. When you get the where are u phone call say OH man I was gonna come in today but I forgot that I had an appointment with my tattooist to have sucker tattooed on my forehead...He straight insulted you with quoting that my friend.

To put that top on takes about 4 hours. A novice about double that. So 8 hours max... You are only looking for labor so fair price for a professional to do it would be $75/hr. $300-$600. Where do you live? Take it to an auto or boat top guy he'll bang that out np.

buster · 12-13-2008, 02:02 PM

as far as something as expensive as this goes, and as easy to screw it up, I'd just pay a pro. My father had his Sebring done in the spring for $800. You could probably do it your self, but if you mess up, another $800 (or so). Good luck.

Ex0r · 12-14-2008, 07:20 PM

buster, you missed the convo. The only place within 45 miles of me wants 3000 in labor to do it, and I am NOT paying that to get the top replaced. They can kiss my ass.

I looked at that video, 40 bucks for a vhs top, up surd. Sure, it's made from a single person but I mean come on, 40 bucks for a vhs tape? I dont even have a vcr to play the damn thing in, and they want another 20 for dvd.

I really don't have much of a choice but to do it myself. I won't pay 3000 to get it done, there's no sense to it being that high. As far as driving 45 miles away to get it done. Well, that's not really an option for me either, i'd like to keep it local in case something happens mid-way, I don't have to travel another hour away just to talk to them person to person, you understand ?

I am going to have to see if I can find a cheaper resource online that shows how to do it. Probably won't be mustang specific, but if it's close I shouldn't have a problem. I don't have an industrial stapler, but I have a pneumatic stapler that should work the same. it has attachments for many different sized staples.

Now that I am thinking about it though, there is this one custom upholstery place in town that is ran out of a garage. he does awesome work (helped me do a custom job on an old car of mine), and I could see what he'll charge for just labor to put it on. I'm sure it won't be anywhere near the price that other place wants.

gec · 12-14-2008, 07:57 PM

Where u from EXOR?

Ex0r · 12-14-2008, 08:03 PM

lansing/jackson michigan area. The place I talked to originally is called Blair's. They do really good work, but I am not paying that much money to have it done.

buster · 12-16-2008, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ex0r

buster, you missed the convo. The only place within 45 miles of me wants 3000 in labor to do it, and I am NOT paying that to get the top replaced. They can kiss my ass.

I looked at that video, 40 bucks for a vhs top, up surd. Sure, it's made from a single person but I mean come on, 40 bucks for a vhs tape? I dont even have a vcr to play the damn thing in, and they want another 20 for dvd.

I really don't have much of a choice but to do it myself. I won't pay 3000 to get it done, there's no sense to it being that high. As far as driving 45 miles away to get it done. Well, that's not really an option for me either, i'd like to keep it local in case something happens mid-way, I don't have to travel another hour away just to talk to them person to person, you understand ?

I am going to have to see if I can find a cheaper resource online that shows how to do it. Probably won't be mustang specific, but if it's close I shouldn't have a problem. I don't have an industrial stapler, but I have a pneumatic stapler that should work the same. it has attachments for many different sized staples.

Now that I am thinking about it though, there is this one custom upholstery place in town that is ran out of a garage. he does awesome work (helped me do a custom job on an old car of mine), and I could see what he'll charge for just labor to put it on. I'm sure it won't be anywhere near the price that other place wants.

Sounds like highway robbery to me. Good luck with it though