pluto6

Peter - I am thinking that I may need a new top. I am no where near NJ - I am in Pensacola. However - I don't have $2000, and so am DIY. I may have to bite at some point, but I can't right now, and my rear window is literally just hanging in the window. So there is a reasonable amount of wear to the top as you mentioned. I am sure that someone would suggest replacement, but that is not an option for me. I am hoping that you will help with some advise, since you do this at your shop. The cables to the roof look to be riveted in at one point. Drilling them out is the only way to remove right? Also, the screws that hold the cable down at the bottom seem to be frozen, and also somewhat stripped the head anyways - so I am looking at drilling this out too, unless you have a better suggestion? Where do you get the 2 sided foam / tape that is used where the rain gutters are held down? What sort of glue do you use to attach the fabric to the metal areas? Hopefully if I encounter some other sticking points you will help with some answers? Thanks in advance. Aron - as you can see, this is a pretty major project, and probably best left to the pros from what I am encountering. But, I really don't have the money. If you can afford it, I would do what Peter is recommending. There is a lot of wear on my top, and taking it apart is proving to be difficult, and I am sure putting it back together will also be fun. I am hoping that once I get the top completely off, the guy I spoke with will sew the window in, he may tell me it is not worth it. There is a lot of wear that you don't see once you take the top down, and start removing things.

Aron, and others - My window is not really in bad shape, just the thread is pulling out. I don't really care about having the whole thing heat sealed, and so am not going to go through getting an OEM window. I have seen ads for good flexible windows out there, and there are people that sell the plastic portion for about $100. I just want to have the window professionally sewn back in place. I realize that it will not be as weatherproof as the $1000 job, but I don't need that or can afford it. I just need the window not blowing in the breeze as it is now. My plan is to have the shop use the existing window, and sew it back in place, since the plastic is not cracked, and is barely yellowing. It is not brittle, or anything that makes me think that the repair will fail immediately. Also, if the shop says the window is no good, then I will get one of the aftermarket plastic windows like is used for the Boxster. I am not sure on sizes, but I have to believe that one can find something larger and trim it down, or the shop that does the repairs can probably help me find something. See this link as an example... http://www.emiata.com/BoxsterWindow.htm

I may be able to update people in the next few weeks. I am going to be attempting to take off the top off my 1995 to get the window re-sewn back on. They charge about $500 to take off the top to do this. I am not sure what I am really getting into, but I will find out. I figure as long as I don't break anything, I can always take it in, and have the shop fix it. With the engine and brakes and tires, I can't afford lots of money on cosmetics... I will let this forum know how it goes, although I may be working on it for a few weekends... I also have found nothing online regarding replacing the top. A few places discuss replacing just the window (they say it only takes a couple of hours doing the sewing by hand... I found it to be extremely more difficult than that, and after getting about 4" after 2 hours, I figured it would easier to take the top off, and get it professionally sewn (the auto top place here will do the sewing for about $50 for just the sewing). Paul