OK. I think this is the summer of installing the convertible top. I have owned the car over a decade, no top and have probably driven it 30 times.

If I say I want to replace "everything" except hydraulics (I already did that) does that make sense to a convertible parts supplier?

I want pads, cables, top, glass, weatherstrip, what else?

The top works good, so I will probably not remove it, I will paint it in place.

It looks like it is doable at home over a weekend, if you do not get frustrated tacking the top in place.

So, an adventure worth taking and what about the parts list? anyone done it?

Thanks

I wouldn't try it. But I paid $1500 for mine to have "professionally" installed.. After a year it already had the frame push thru with mini tears on both sides and it is way too tight to latch without going thru histrionics. Total bummer. Looks good down!

couple of old articles
there was a magazine that did step by step on a cuda or something, but I cannot find it right now.

http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/paint-body/mopp-0105-how-to-install-a-convertible-top-on-a-cuda/

http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/paint-body/mopp-0310-replace-convertible-top/


http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/interior-electrical/mopp-1209-convertible-top-replacement-swap/

My dad did his a few years ago. Just had to take it to a place to get it tightened completely on the frame.
Picks it up later that week and they managed to scrape huge pieces of paint off the quarter panel. Do you want that places number?? haha

I did one on a 65 GTO and my wife's 76 Beetle. The GTO was tough because someone had already removed the top and didn't note the location of the moveable bow. The Beetle top went great but I bought a good installation manual that made it possible. In my opinion if you don't have a good instruction manual i would farm it out. It is true it is not that hard to do but what you need to know is what steps to take and when. Like marking where the old top attaches to the tack strips etc.

I think you had it in your post - it's a job that requires lots of patience and you need to be methodical. I've done it twice on my Challenger. the first one lasted well over ten years and was still absolutely fine but I changed it for a black one after the car was repainted. I've looked at a lot of professional installs over the years and to be honest I've seen many that were worse than mine. Not particularly down to my skill but having the time to be patient - tack it up, take 'em out, readjust, tack it again, etc. If your frame needs a lot of adjustment then that would add a lot to the difficulty/level of expertise.
Make sure you have the measurement from the rear bow to the rear deck, that's a critical measurement, once you remove the old top it all sags down and you need to have that to know where to install the new top.

So, it's definitely doable, and also saves a lot of money. Be prepared that yes it could take a weekend, or could take a month of spare time.....

I replaced the top on my '70 Coronet. I used the Bolig article mentioned above. Worked out well. It is time consuming and you definitely need patience. I would post a pic but haven't figured out how.