i must call false (rt soft top in 2 mins?)

[eucharistos]

i read the old and recent threads about assembling the (gen ii) soft top, some saying 2-4 mins once out of the trunk

so y'all inspired me to try again (assembled it once since owning the car and swore i'd never use the monstrosity)

i do consider myself handy with things like this, but 15 mins of sweaty squishiness later, 'bout to roll it up and put it back on the shelf

pls post up a vid, secret how tos, pics etc

(do these things - the canvas - shrink? i know tight is good once assembled, but this is ridiculous)

tia

 

[eucharistos]

update

15 more mins and success

debating if i should leave well enough alone or do it again for the learning curve thingy

......

 

[01 RT SNAKE]

My average is about 5 minutes or so. Yes, it's a pain in the rear and it's ugly as sin.

Mike

 

[Warfang]

you gen1-ers are so cute

....actually hoping to have a mint gen1 to collect one of these days

 

[VENOMAHOLIC]

I just leave the top assembled and leave it in the garage. If I leave for more than a few hours, I put it on unless the weather is exceptional.

 

[v10nut]

Its easier when the top is warm. You can set it out in the sun for a few minutes and that seems to help.

 

[jdeft1]

you gen1-ers are so cute

....actually hoping to have a mint gen1 to collect one of these days

I agree. I'm cute too!!

The gen 1 IS the VIPER!!!!!!... all else is a cop-out..... windows for a car?? roof??? who needs 'em??............ Our cars were built for speed, not comfort.... We want fun and open air!!!!!! Our cars are a throw-back for sure but we love 'em...


gen 1 tops are for emergencies.. like the windows... bring it if you want but know that rain happens....

 

[JonB]

At VOI-1 there was a threatening rain shower just before the Group Photo.

If you live in the Pacif-NW, you KNOW how to pop a top fast. "Viper Pete" Agalzoff and John Somoza and I installed about 15 tops in about 20 minutes! Guys were waving 20-dollar bills like we was lap-dancers! They were timing us at the end, and we were at 2.5 minutes once out of the bag.....

 

[Warfang]

I agree. I'm cute too!!

The gen 1 IS the VIPER!!!!!!... all else is a cop-out..... windows for a car?? roof??? who needs 'em??............ Our cars were built for speed, not comfort.... We want fun and open air!!!!!! Our cars are a throw-back for sure but we love 'em...


gen 1 tops are for emergencies.. like the windows... bring it if you want but know that rain happens....

Totally agree... I'm just a wuss for AC.

 

[jdeft1]

Disclamer: My soft top has never been used (any of 'em)... I use a hard top for long trips..and V-mania windows (but I'd suggest the Northwind sliders...).

The viper is still in my memory as a "basic" sports car!! I love it as is, with no top or windows!!! There is NOTHING like a ******* car

I love it and all of you should too!! hahahaha If I wanted one I could buy a more modern viper but WHY?? !!

= J

 

[sdaddy]

It took me more than 15 minutes to figure our how to break it down last time I took it off the car. Yes, the fabric is extremely tight and seems to get moreso the older it gets!

 

[01sapphirebob]

You just have to put it together a few times to figure it out. The first time I put mine together it took me over 45 min. but I knew I had to get it together because I was going to VOI. 9 and had to have some protection for the car during transit but when I got to vegas I wanted an easy removal so the soft top had to be used. Just put it together a few times and you'll get the hang of it. Once you get the side rails in it's all down hill from there.

 

[dave6666]

Totally agree... I'm just a wuss for AC.

AC???



*** is that for?!?

 

[eliems]

Step One: Get wife to figure soft top out.

Step two: Get wife to show you how to do it.

Step three: Do it your self.

 

[BullRider]

3 piece hard top is the only way to go. Assembly/disassembly is less than 3 minutes, and I've done it far faster than that. AND you take it with you wherever you go! AND it looks about four thousand percent better than the OEM hardtop or the softtop.

You must be registered for see images

 

[eucharistos]

thanks all for the replies

At VOI-1 there was a threatening rain shower just before the Group Photo.

If you live in the Pacif-NW, you KNOW how to pop a top fast. "Viper Pete" Agalzoff and John Somoza and I installed about 15 tops in about 20 minutes! Guys were waving 20-dollar bills like we was lap-dancers! They were timing us at the end, and we were at 2.5 minutes once out of the bag.....

impending rain, a 20 spot sounds like a good deal

3 piece hard top is the only way to go. Assembly/disassembly is less than 3 minutes, and I've done it far faster than that. AND you take it with you wherever you go! AND it looks about four thousand percent better than the OEM hardtop or the softtop.

You must be registered for see images

got a pic of it (them) in the trunk?, does it bang around when spirited driving (side to side)?

tia

 

[eucharistos]

update

put the soft top on for the 1st time

i like the way it looks and i seem to get more looks than with the hard top or ******* - possibly b/c of the color difference

also much less rattling (less weight and cloth)

heavy and only slightly easier to handle than hard top (will still scratch car if not careful)

tip: when assembling, visualize that the top is not flat when assembled, so put it together "curved" and the parts go together a little easier - instead of assembling flat on the ground, i held it up and got the side rails into the header that way, not easy but faster....

more tips as they occur

 

[1994viper]

I can get my soft top and soft windows installed in under 3min on my Gen I. I’ll try to get a Video online one of those days. That would be a great competition gig at car shows or Viper meets.

 

[01sapphirebob]

Have you tried putting it together on the car per the instructions? Maybe I missed that post of you did. Thats where I out mine together.

update

put the soft top on for the 1st time

i like the way it looks and i seem to get more looks than with the hard top or ******* - possibly b/c of the color difference

also much less rattling (less weight and cloth)

heavy and only slightly easier to handle than hard top (will still scratch car if not careful)

tip: when assembling, visualize that the top is not flat when assembled, so put it together "curved" and the parts go together a little easier - instead of assembling flat on the ground, i held it up and got the side rails into the header that way, not easy but faster....

more tips as they occur

 

[Nitro187]

Obviously the 1st gen soft top is different from the 2nd gen? I say this, because I'm able to remove from trunk... assemble... attach, detach, dis-assemble, and re-store in trunk in less than 2 minutes start to finish.... I know this, because I put it on, then realised (screw it, i'll put it on later) as the sun was shining. Literally less than 120 seconds.... and I wasn't rushing.

 

[JonB]

Obviously the 1st gen soft top is different from the 2nd gen? I say this, because I'm able to remove from trunk... assemble... attach, detach, dis-assemble, and re-store in trunk in less than 2 minutes start to finish.... I know this, because I put it on, then realised (screw it, i'll put it on later) as the sun was shining. Literally less than 120 seconds.... and I wasn't rushing.

$10 says ya cant !

 

[Nitro187]

$10 says ya cant !

Want me to upload a youtube video?

 

[eucharistos]

2 pts

are the gen 1 & gen 2 tops different enough to make a difference?

and, if they are not different, yes, pls do as i'd love to know how

 

[1994viper]

120 seconds for on a and off. Would like to see that. I thought I was quick

 

[CitySnake]

- instead of assembling flat on the ground, i held it up and got the side rails into the header that way, not easy but faster....

If memory serves, the best way to build was to lay it out upside down across the top of the car supported by the sport bar and the windshield top. This was a Wizard tip.

 

[eucharistos]

Have you tried putting it together on the car per the instructions? Maybe I missed that post of you did. Thats where I out mine together.

If memory serves, the best way to build was to lay it out upside down across the top of the car supported by the sport bar and the windshield top. This was a Wizard tip.

i was putting it together in the house (ac you know)

i saw the "on the car technique in the instructions but thought it might scratch, i will do a test run that way soon

thanks for the suggestions

 

[slaughterj]

If memory serves, the best way to build was to lay it out upside down across the top of the car supported by the sport bar and the windshield top. This was a Wizard tip.

That's the way I always did it, didn't know it was a Wizard tip though. I'm sure I could remove from the trunk, assemble, and install in less than 2 minutes since with 80k miles I did it with some regularity. Note, I didn't bother with the plastic ribs along the sides that you are supposed to tuck in, never seemed necessary (especially when you are getting rained on). A common problem with quick installation is removing it from the trunk (it seemed to only pull out one way and not the other, though the sides seemed the same)!

 

[Nitro187]

BTW, I'm going to do this either today or tomorrow morning... and record it... then upload a video. I may even show you two ways to do this.

 

[Nitro187]

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=583_PXBRh1o[/media]

How's this? Feedback would be nice. hahaha.

$10 says ya cant !

Oh yeah, want my paypal account?

 

[CitySnake]

I haven't done this in quite a while (and I'm in no way trying to dimish your speed rating), but it would appear that the top was not fully dis-assembled when you began. The cross pieces were already engaged. Am I mistaken?