Uh, so where did you guys order your softtop from again?

[71 Blazer CST man]

I'm SURE you've noticed i HAVE NOT been posting nearly as often. Got a pretty good payying, ass busting job working crush here in wine country were i live. So im going to have so cash to put into the truck again. In a month or less the 1st rains will be pooring down on us no doubt, and i need to get something to cover up my blazer. My hard top is a double wall and weighs to freekin much. Plus, just because rain is coming, doesnt mean it wont poor 3", and not at all untill late november or so....Being stuck with my pig hard top on in summer conditions in Nor-cal stinks! Not nearly as cool as say...safari-top-mode? Etc. So, i have a couple sites online but was wondering where some of you guys with your soft tops got them?? Well thanks so much, i want to get this thing sent and on its way to my house, with enough time to put on, before i'm SOL. Thanks again fellows.


ps. still not sure which of the two types i want, fasttrack or snap

Oh yea, i'd search the subject but, we all know that's not possible.

[jakeslim]

Would you be interested in selling your hardtop? I'm located in Napa. This could offset your soft top cost. Let me know

[Yukon Jack]

OffRoad Design has the best price that I have seen on the Fastrack soft top.

[bouncytruck]

I ordered mine through OffCamber - the same guy who runs ColoradoK5.com because:

1 ) I got a discount for being a CK5 member (still more expensive than Offroad Design)

2 ) Steve gave me excellent customer service, and I figured that was worth the price difference

3 ) I enjoy the CK5 board so I figured I'd support it.

[71 Blazer CST man]

Local guy quoted me $80/Hour. He does custom soft tops. Before i got a chance to, once he heard "1st gen blazer", he said "kayline or best top". He said they're great and he's done them on broncos . He also said to expect a little dripping at the window corners as usual, none more so then the hard top. The guy said at longest if he ran into problems, 6 hours. That's before i told him i planned on going with the rail system (fasttrac). He said in that case it should be a breeze, and that those are the best systems. He then said 3-4 hours TOPS. So i'm going to think about it. There are a couple other guys in the local phone book, there adds arent as flashy as this guys though, maybe a good thing however? Well, i'll ask around at some autobody ppl i know and see what they have to say. Like i THINK i'v said, my main thing is i'm busting my behind working crush(winecountry) and dont have the time or energey to do this myself (or tools..). I'm definetly NOT putting my top back on either, and the rains are on their way. This sunday it's sposed to rain, so maybe the 'blazer will be confined to the garage

[bouncytruck]

does his quote include materials? If he is going to make it just like the Specialty Top Co tops, why not just buy one of those?

[71 Blazer CST man]

You don't understand me, i wasnt clear enough the first time. This is to have a kayline fasttrac top installed, because i dont have the time to before it starts to rain!!! I was talking about having the fellow mentioned
(a local custom soft top maker etc.) install the top for me. He said it shouldnt take more then 4 hours, at longest, to install a fasttrac top, which he's installed before on broncos (he's got a clue what he's doing, more so then me!). He said he works for $80 an hour including materials (dont even know what he'd have to use? Not much, i think the top comes with pretty much everything needed, correct me if i'm wrong). So it looks like that, plus "'69 to '72 K5 Fasttrac top with dark tint windows - #551-319-xx $599.00" <- that, are where i stand at the moment, vs. putting my clunky hard top back on (UGH)

[bouncytruck]

Ahhh, I understand now. I probably should have looked for someone to install my top too. I never got around to installing my brand new top. Part of my problem is removing the hard top and finding a place to store it. My garage is full-o-junk so I'll need to clean it out and then build a hoist system like BobbyK did. \

Let us know how the install goes... By the way, my in-laws went to Sonoma last weekend to help out with a bottling at some small vineyard. Do you work for a particular vineyard?

[71 Blazer CST man]

What a small world. I'm from Healdsburg. I'm sure your in laws were in anywhere from, Santa Rosa, Windsor,(healdsburg, where i live!), Guyserville, maybe as far up north to Cloverdale, if they were in Sonoma. There are only about 213481293.7 winerys in Sonoma! I work for Forchini Vineyard Management, and Winery.

This bottle smells REAL yummy!


There are a couple other shops in town that do soft top work, i plan on giving them a ring and asking some more questions before I commit.

The current guy i'm thinking about going to says the fasttrac will install much quicker, so even though its more $$$, in the long run, after $80/H labor, the fasttrac top looks like the best choice. Plus those zip-out windows look choice.

Oh yea, bouncy, how long did it take to get to your house? and where did you order yours from again? I think you said where in one of these posts someplace, i'll start looking, thanks again!

[keota]

I got mine from BESTOP and it ripped by the back window after only being installed a couple of months. BESTOP stood behind it and sent me a new one at no charge. I would become a COLORADOK5 member to buy one if Iwas looking again......plus their located in COLORADO. I think KAYLINE was bought out and no longer in business.

[71 Blazer CST man]

STC makes the kayline top now...kaylinetops.com

[bouncytruck]

I ordered my top from Offcamber. It's run by the same guy that runs the CK5.com web site. They aren't the cheapest, but he was very helpful in my decision. He sent out material swatches so I could decide what color. It took almost exactly 4 weeks from order to delivery. My understanding is that STC makes the tops to order so the delivery times may vary depending on the backlog.

[71 Blazer CST man]

Gave offroaddesign a call today about the soft tops they have. They said the fasttrac will be a 2.5 week wait give or take, on top of which there prices went up $40 since what's said on there web page. I think i'll instead be ordering directly from the manufacturer (kaylinetops.com). the price is the same, and maybe this way it will be sent to me a little quicker, this is important.

This morning at around 6AM was the 1st rain of the season - good thing the garage was cleared out. I got woken up around that time by my wonderfull girlfriend informing me of the situation. Ran out and parked the blazer in the garage....the seats were dry by this afternoon. It was just a sprinkle and by no means is my truck flooded! I really got to get my butt in action though considering my blazer IS my daily driver.

[moodyholler]

Installed in 3 hours. Could one now in two, Probably. moodyholler

[71 Blazer CST man]

well i just checked out http://www.central4wd.com/store/itemdetail.asp?ID=8512 , they have the snaptop you said for $639.00, before shipping and tax i imagine. I just as soon spend that same ammount for a top that doesnt need snaps all over my truck. Thanks for the other option though, you're the 1st to throw out that site. Give us some pics to look at too if ya get around to it!