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Vinyl top installer in NJ .. who makes house calls? #2744931
02/20/20 01:31 PM
02/20/20 01:31 PM
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New Jersey
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mrlee Offline OP
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New Jersey
I have an NOS gator grain top for my car that needs to be installed. I've never installed a vinyl top before so I don't want to chance messin' it up. I've been calling around and haven't yet found anyone who makes house calls. Anyone know of someone in NJ who can do this? I have a heated garage & an air compressor.

The car is not roadworthy yet. No glass in the car. No interior. So I can't drive it anywhere and would rather not spend $100 each way for a flatbed just to have the top put on.

I can take it a number of places after the car is done and the glass is in... but I am a little weary of them having to cut around all those molding clips. I think that would greatly increase the chances of a mistake (cutting too much material off). A new repro top is $1,300. I know the vinyl top is typically installed before the glass and molding clips so I'd like to do it that way if possible.


'70 Challenger R/T 383
F4 light green metallic
Gator Grain top
Re: Vinyl top installer in NJ .. who makes house calls? [Re: mrlee] #2744936
02/20/20 01:57 PM
02/20/20 01:57 PM
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Kirkland, Washington
Pacnorthcuda Offline
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I did mine myself with the extra hands of my wife and daughter....it’s really not that hard.

Re: Vinyl top installer in NJ .. who makes house calls? [Re: Pacnorthcuda] #2744938
02/20/20 02:08 PM
02/20/20 02:08 PM
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Florida
BDW Offline
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Florida
Take to installer without the glass.

Re: Vinyl top installer in NJ .. who makes house calls? [Re: Pacnorthcuda] #2745005
02/20/20 05:34 PM
02/20/20 05:34 PM
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Sobieski Wi
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bee1971 Offline
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Originally Posted by Pacnorthcuda
I did mine myself with the extra hands of my wife and daughter....it’s really not that hard.


Same here , minus the daughter part

First time installer - Measure ten times , double check your clips and trim pieces on/off while installing Vinyl and Then glueing, proper marking before making all cuts

For me it wasn’t about the install quotes locally - It was about , sure drop the car off and we will get to it when we have time
Really ???

I figured I could destroy about 4 or 5 from Legendary Auto on the labor quotes I was getting


Must not bee a popular thing to do - Number one question I get at all the car shows I go to locally

Who installed your vinyl top ?

Still looks Awesome twenty years later

I am sure the NOS VINYL would add a little more STRESS / ANXIETY to the install , I get that part versus a $200 Repo from Year One


From what I remember , the headliner was much more difficult to install

Last edited by bee1971; 02/20/20 05:41 PM.

1971 Dodge Charger Superbee
2011 Ram Sport 1500 Quad Cab Deep Water Blue Loaded
Siberian Huskies
Re: Vinyl top installer in NJ .. who makes house calls? [Re: bee1971] #2745014
02/20/20 06:03 PM
02/20/20 06:03 PM
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Posts: 2,997
Long Island, NY
shakerjoe Offline
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Long Island, NY
I’d give Bill Rolik (member/parts distributor here) or his friend Bill Meerholz a email or call, they might be able to give you someone? Understand not wanting to mess with the NOS stuff👍

Re: Vinyl top installer in NJ .. who makes house calls? [Re: shakerjoe] #2745024
02/20/20 07:03 PM
02/20/20 07:03 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,642
So Near, Yet So Far
topside Offline
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Check with local body shops and see who they use.
Probably not a lot of VT business nowadays, so I'd be looking for someone who's been around for a long time.

Re: Vinyl top installer in NJ .. who makes house calls? [Re: topside] #2745026
02/20/20 07:22 PM
02/20/20 07:22 PM
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Eagle, Idaho
Neil Offline
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Eagle, Idaho
Member Dayclona on here did a nice how-to write up on doing this yourself.

Main thing is to go slow and don't pull on the vinyl too much. You see YouTube vids where guys are pulling on the top material way too much.

Re: Vinyl top installer in NJ .. who makes house calls? [Re: Neil] #2745033
02/20/20 07:53 PM
02/20/20 07:53 PM
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Canada -- Posts: 4034 -Registe...
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5thAve Offline
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Call up some independent glass shops. They usually also do upholstery work and tops etc.

You're probably better off paying the money to get it towed there. At least at their shop they have everything they need and the proper space to do it in. Someone doing a house call for something like that usually charges extra so one way or another you'll probably spend anything you save on towing anyway.

Re: Vinyl top installer in NJ .. who makes house calls? [Re: 5thAve] #2745047
02/20/20 08:41 PM
02/20/20 08:41 PM
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 38
New Jersey
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mrlee Offline OP
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New Jersey
Thanks for the input guys. Yeah if it was a $200 top I would surely give it a go. But I'm pretty sure there ain't no more NOS gator tops out there so this is one thing I'd feel better about just letting a pro do.
I actually did find someone today (referral from another mopar guy) who travels and has 40 yrs experience so I am gonna let him go to it.
Hoping to get the car done in time to make it to Carlisle this year. Will be the first time the car has seen the road in 28 years.


'70 Challenger R/T 383
F4 light green metallic
Gator Grain top
Re: Vinyl top installer in NJ .. who makes house calls? [Re: mrlee] #2745604
02/22/20 09:07 PM
02/22/20 09:07 PM
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Posts: 356
Greenwood Lake, NY
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fuelishnsilly Offline
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Greenwood Lake, NY
There is a guy named Bill or Billy in northern NJ that comes to your house. His number is 973-978-9044.


inherited a 69 roadrunner from my grand pop.
Re: Vinyl top installer in NJ .. who makes house calls? [Re: fuelishnsilly] #2745989
02/24/20 08:53 AM
02/24/20 08:53 AM
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 38
New Jersey
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mrlee Offline OP
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New Jersey
That is actually the same guy that someone else referred to me on ebodies.org : )
Thank you!


'70 Challenger R/T 383
F4 light green metallic
Gator Grain top






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