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Hard Top repair is it worth it? Opinions needed

Gweiner

Sr. Member
Joined
May 19, 2012
Messages
613
Loc.
Charlotte
My 74 is 85% done getting a body on restore from a reputable local shop that puts out great cars. They have had my Bronco Since April and the bills have been adding up and we are way over budget. It was just painted and polished and is being assembled now but it was way over the original budget and I am feeling like I got taken for a ride.

They haven't touched the hardtop yet and estimate that it needs several hours of Labor to treat the rust, repair a dent, body work and paint to the tune of $4400. Seems like a lot of money to fix and paint a hard top. Question is would you do it?

I see some nice hardtops for $1 -$2K and wondering if I sell mine and just look for one done that will be cheaper but good tops are getting harder and harder to come by these days.

Appreciate the opinions.
 

1strodeo

Squirrel Watcher
Joined
Sep 15, 2016
Messages
3,596
Loc.
Wisconsin
My hardtop and hood were $1500 to prep and paint. Top was covered with surface rust but only a few pinholes and dings, and the hood was brand new. I told them the Bronco had an amateur paint job, so don't make show pieces out of the hood and top. Just a reference, good luck.
 

JCBombardier

Jr. Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2016
Messages
122
My advice would be to hold off and see if you actually have a desire to use the hard top once you start driving it. Depending on your intended use, you may just prefer a soft top or bikini top.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

bronkenn

Contributor
Bronco Guy
Joined
Apr 27, 2017
Messages
2,662
Loc.
Southeast Ohio
They haven't touched the hardtop yet and estimate that it needs several hours of Labor to treat the rust, repair a dent, body work and paint to the tune of $4400.

$4400 seems like a nice round number you could just pull out of the air. I wonder if that is how they priced out the rest of your build. You can find a real nice one for a third of that. Ken
 

spap

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Jan 2, 2010
Messages
2,457
You can get some very cool safari soft tops for much less
I’m not sure what fiberglass hardware tops go for new but that might be another option
 

ObscureMachine

Seatbelt Orifice Officer
Joined
Sep 28, 2006
Messages
3,998
Loc.
World Headquarters
My hardtop was in awful shape and my body guy wouldn't touch it. So I tried to make it into a "Safari" top before I could weld, which worked ok. Now, I've just decided to ignore the hassle and run a soft top all the time.
 

matts460

Sr. Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2013
Messages
581
Ummm for that kind of jam just wait and see what pops up on classifieds here on the forum. That's a lot of gas money to go drive and pick up a good one anywere here in the US! lol A Best Top will be the best option soft top with the least amount of drilling/changing etc.. just to get a top onto the truck until you find what you want.
 

Rustytruck

Bronco Guru
Joined
Feb 24, 2002
Messages
10,875
I guess the body shop likes your money more than you do? for 4400 dollars is this Bronco getting a lifetime paint and body guarantee? Find a shop that doesn't charge 100 bucks an hour, even if you can find someone to do the job.
 

sprdv1

Contributor
REBEL
Joined
Mar 8, 2007
Messages
81,734
Ummm for that kind of jam just wait and see what pops up on classifieds here on the forum. That's a lot of gas money to go drive and pick up a good one anywere here in the US! lol A Best Top will be the best option soft top with the least amount of drilling/changing etc.. just to get a top onto the truck until you find what you want.

X2.... Wait for diff option
 
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