Painted Top Questions

[Alberta_ZR1]

My Z originally came with a painted top back in the day, but it doesn't have one now. I've always wanted to get one because I love the look of the cars with a painted top. So I've got a line on a complete good used one for $650.00 including shipping. Unfortunately it is silver so I will need to paint it.

Couple questions - 1.) was the inside color of the painted tops the interior trim colors or black? 2.) What do you think of that price?

Cheers!

Tyler

[hiperf406]

1 My painted top(Arctic white/ Red interior) inside liner is black.
2 Price doesn't seem too bad since includes shipping.

lorne #1748

[KILLSHOTS]

My Z originally came with a painted top back in the day, but it doesn't have one now. I've always wanted to get one because I love the look of the cars with a painted top. So I've got a line on a complete good used one for $650.00 including shipping. Unfortunately it is silver so I will need to paint it.

Couple questions - 1.) was the inside color of the painted tops the interior trim colors or black? 2.) What do you think of that price?

Cheers!

Tyler
1) black

2) Only you can say what it's worth. That said, your Z is rare Polo, not red, so you have a significantly diminished chance of finding one that DOESN'T need to be painted. My advice is to cast a wider net...any later C4 top will fit. My 1990 tops have the VIN stamped on them, but I believe GM stopped that in '91 or '92, IIRC.

Best of luck. Beautiful color!
Chris

[KILLSHOTS]

Sorry, entering shipping across the border into the equation probably changes things somewhat. Should have taken that into account.

Hey Lorne, looking forward to seeing you and Marianne again soon!

[Alberta_ZR1]

Sorry, entering shipping across the border into the equation probably changes things somewhat. Should have taken that into account.

Oh yeah, Canadian shipping is crazy. But there is a shipping house that I use in Montana to capitalize on the lower 48 shipping rates. Then I just drive down and pick up my goods...pay my tax and then home.

I'll have to throw up an WTB post and see if anyone has one they would like to part with.

[KILLSHOTS]

Yeah, great idea. Try that on the other forum (CF) too. You might even be able to find a Polo top that way, which would be a huge bonus. If I'm not mistaken, '88-'96 tops fit our cars, but confirm before you search. There are also some salvage yards around (such as 20thstreetauto.com here in PHX) that specialize in Corvettes...might be a good source. Best of luck!!

[Alberta_ZR1]

Awesome! Thanks a bunch!

[WVZR-1]

My Z originally came with a painted top back in the day, but it doesn't have one now. I've always wanted to get one because I love the look of the cars with a painted top. So I've got a line on a complete good used one for $650.00 including shipping. Unfortunately it is silver so I will need to paint it.

Couple questions - 1.) was the inside color of the painted tops the interior trim colors or black? 2.) What do you think of that price?

Cheers!

Tyler

Interior headlining on all is black.

Painted top fit is '89 to end of production.


What year top were you told it was? You mentioned "silver" and the only "silver" that would be considered a fit would be a '96 CE top. There were gray '89 cars but you mentioned "silver". You need snapshots of the front mounting points.

The greatest issue is shipping. A C4 top doesn't ship well and probably 30% are received damaged and there's little chance of recovery of funds because packaging is generally the issue. In this case it's usually not the handling.

I'd maybe try to shop a correct color top but I believe I'd consider a top of the incorrect color if I could do one local and priced right. The headliners are nearly all loose and will require replacement, that is NOT an issue.

I'd do the WTB for sure here and also the CF. I would think a "local" isn't out of the question and you get to check weather-strip condition and headliner. I'd consider paying more for a local I could put my hands on.

LOCAL - LOCAL - LOCAL or "know the shipper/packager". No exceptions. I've shipped several but I had a carton I used and part of the sale was the agreement that it would be returned and I charged for the return ship in the price. I never had an issue. The last time I used it the buyer paid for the box just to have it.

$650 is pretty steep for used unless very nice with "no issues". I did one the correct color that had been in the closet since new for not much more than that.

Use this for pricing comparisons and maybe call a local salvage yard. Use the drop-downs and select roof, it will give you options:

http://car-part.com/

[mike100]

I recently found an arctic white top for my C6 for $300 so deals are out there, but most people don't advertise well because they don't know how to ship one.

Anyways, as a person who has received hammered targa tops before, I just bought an empty top box that Melrose T-Tops uses to ship their work. I paid for an empty and had it shipped to the man with the top. He packed it and it arrived unharmed. It will add $80 to the tab as UPS still charges a hefty fee for a dimensionally oversized package (even empty ones).

Their box has inserts which keep the top well away from the outer box edge. it doesn't take much of a drop against a curb or the back of the truck to knife edge a dent in the edge of the roof lid.

[WVZR-1]

I recently found an arctic white top for my C6 for $300 so deals are out there, but most people don't advertise well because they don't know how to ship one.

Anyways, as a person who has received hammered targa tops before, I just bought an empty top box that Melrose T-Tops uses to ship their work. I paid for an empty and had it shipped to the man with the top. He packed it and it arrived unharmed. It will add $80 to the tab as UPS still charges a hefty fee for a dimensionally oversized package (even empty ones).

Their box has inserts which keep the top well away from the outer box edge. it doesn't take much of a drop against a curb or the back of the truck to knife edge a dent in the edge of the roof lid.

I modeled mine after the Melrose inside but added 3/4" Styrofoam on all six sides and did cardboard framing and strapped that for the final "protection".

I have a C6 top removed the day of delivery for a transparent 6/3/11 build, sonic blue needs hardware and weather-strips. Those were transferred to a new transparent.

[WARP TEN]

I actually got a transparent top from Melrose T-Tops (815-758-2783) or www.melrosecorvette.com (http://www.melrosecorvette.com). I am happy with it--just like the original. I presume he sells painted ones (or ones for painting). You might call Dave and ask what he would charge for one including shipping, and or whether he had any advice for you on shipping. Since I live fairly close to them I was a able to go down and pick it up and got a discount for doing so. I got mine because the one that came with my 2-top car was a Lexan replacement and was delaminating. He said that is common for those tops. Original tops are not Lexan. Note that original top frames came with the car's VIN on them so you may get one with a different VIN or none at all if it is a replacement frame. Mine has no VIN (nor did the one I got with the car) and it is illegal to either remove, change or add a VIN to anything. --Bob

[hiperf406]

1) black

2) Only you can say what it's worth. That said, your Z is rare Polo, not red, so you have a significantly diminished chance of finding one that DOESN'T need to be painted. My advice is to cast a wider net...any later C4 top will fit. My 1990 tops have the VIN stamped on them, but I believe GM stopped that in '91 or '92, IIRC.

Best of luck. Beautiful color!
Chris

Sorry, entering shipping across the border into the equation probably changes things somewhat. Should
have taken that into account.

Hey Lorne, looking forward to seeing you and Marianne again soon!

Hey Chris how's the car doing? We are planning to be there late Aug so hope to see you at some shows.
lorne

[PhillipsLT5]

Sorry, entering shipping across the border into the equation probably changes things somewhat. Should have taken that into account.

Hey Lorne, looking forward to seeing you and Marianne again soon!

Its only 105 today in Phx

[Mr Blue]

I bought a fiberglass top from T. Curtner last year $380 shipped. He packed it bubble wrap placed in guitar boxes and closed cell foam reinforcements. It arrived unscathed. If you have the shipper wrap the top in plastic they could us expanding foam insulating material( Great Stuff etc...) to take up the void in the box. That should protect it. Good luck. There are tops for sale on Craigslist, at good prices, from time to time. BTW the top I got was Polo Green, and I needed Steel Blue, go figure.

David

[Vetman]

I just paid 950 shipped for a black solid top that had been stored in a Chevy dealership for years, but it is in pristine condition. In fact I think it may have never been used. Paint on hardware , bolts etc had no scratches. My z is black so if felt it was a good buy for me. ��

[csavaglio]

Out of curiosity, where is the VIN located on the tops? I've owned 8 C-4s that run the range of years, including a couple low mileage ones that I have not reason to believe had replacement tops.

C

[KILLSHOTS]

Hey Chris how's the car doing? We are planning to be there late Aug so hope to see you at some shows.
lorne
Doing great, Lorne..lots of mods. See you soon!

[WVZR-1]

Out of curiosity, where is the VIN located on the tops? I've owned 8 C-4s that run the range of years, including a couple low mileage ones that I have not reason to believe had replacement tops.

C

Front of LH rail. Top needs to be removed for it to be seen.

[Alberta_ZR1]

Interior headlining on all is black.

Painted top fit is '89 to end of production.


What year top were you told it was? You mentioned "silver" and the only "silver" that would be considered a fit would be a '96 CE top. There were gray '89 cars but you mentioned "silver". You need snapshots of the front mounting points.

The greatest issue is shipping. A C4 top doesn't ship well and probably 30% are received damaged and there's little chance of recovery of funds because packaging is generally the issue. In this case it's usually not the handling.

I'd maybe try to shop a correct color top but I believe I'd consider a top of the incorrect color if I could do one local and priced right. The headliners are nearly all loose and will require replacement, that is NOT an issue.

I'd do the WTB for sure here and also the CF. I would think a "local" isn't out of the question and you get to check weather-strip condition and headliner. I'd consider paying more for a local I could put my hands on.

LOCAL - LOCAL - LOCAL or "know the shipper/packager". No exceptions. I've shipped several but I had a carton I used and part of the sale was the agreement that it would be returned and I charged for the return ship in the price. I never had an issue. The last time I used it the buyer paid for the box just to have it.

$650 is pretty steep for used unless very nice with "no issues". I did one the correct color that had been in the closet since new for not much more than that.

Use this for pricing comparisons and maybe call a local salvage yard. Use the drop-downs and select roof, it will give you options:

http://car-part.com/

Great! Thanks for the advice on this one. I haven't gone out hard to look, this one had popped up while cruising the Canadian section of another forum. I'll post a local ad and see what I can find!!


I bought a fiberglass top from T. Curtner last year $380 shipped. He packed it bubble wrap placed in guitar boxes and closed cell foam reinforcements. It arrived unscathed. If you have the shipper wrap the top in plastic they could us expanding foam insulating material( Great Stuff etc...) to take up the void in the box. That should protect it. Good luck. There are tops for sale on Craigslist, at good prices, from time to time. BTW the top I got was Polo Green, and I needed Steel Blue, go figure.

David

Isn't that the way it always goes??