How much did you pay for it. It was a zip in for a 1.9, yes?
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On a scale of 1-10 (BMW Z3 rear screen change)
- Thread starter bruce&kim
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Mine was a zip in for a 3.0L which was £80 from Germany on eBay
Vintage42, contrary to what you think, if the material of your top (hood) is still good they or you can remove it and have another window stiched in. I suspect that the top you tried zipping was either not original or your frame was ascue. HTH, JIM
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- Dec 24, 2013
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Not hard at all...
Just don't fiddle with the fabric tab so many times that it frays.
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- Dec 24, 2013
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My top was original and frame perfect. The car was a garage queen with 32,000 miles. I ruined the fabric zipper tabs on two OEM windows, fraying with with repeated attempts to insert them into the zipper pull tool. Eventually I also frayed the fabric tab on the zipper on the top itself, which doomed it.
I have not heard of removing a top to have a window stitched in. I don't think the skill exists in the US.
Always looks easy when it's done by professionals... I rarely get the same result or at least not as quickly !
Will have to do mine as some stage and not particularly looking forward to it.
Here's the window after some "emergency" repair...
Will have to do mine as some stage and not particularly looking forward to it.
Here's the window after some "emergency" repair...
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The glue on the canvas may make it impossible to insert it into the rubber channel trim on a new OE top, and in any case, will show around the edge of the trim. For that reason you might consider the cheaper Emiata top, which uses a canvas edge trim that covers the mess.
But the stitching around the window is also coming out. It would be hard to re-stitch even the few inches shown, but the rest of the stitching is probably about to let go, too.
I would consider a new top, which will come with an integral window.
But the stitching around the window is also coming out. It would be hard to re-stitch even the few inches shown, but the rest of the stitching is probably about to let go, too.
I would consider a new top, which will come with an integral window.
Once the top is removed it's a simply matter for a shop to stich in a new window, either with a zipper or without. Cabriolets years ago didn't have zips or plastic windows but glass and they got broken frequently. Find an old-timer to take care of the problem. My friend does this all the time but he's got 50 years experience. JIM
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True, but removing and reinstalling the top to stitch the plastic window may not be cost effective. That gets into the sealing frame, the butyl tape, and many hours of labor, not including the window. My new top cost $500, but the labor to tear off the old top and put on the new was another $1000. Had the old top been reused, the removal would have been more time consuming.