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Help my fly is open!

Discussion in 'Early CJ5 and CJ6 Tech' started by Ppilotmike, Oct 21, 2004.

  1. Oct 21, 2004
    Ppilotmike

    Ppilotmike old JEEPer

    Oscoda Mi
    Joined:
    Oct 24, 2003
    Messages:
    142
    Yesterday during the torrent of rain we had I tried to get my window closed fast. End result was I screwed up the zipper. The local upolstery lady wants $70 to fix it and said I better not screw up her sewing machine by bringing it in dirty? Does this seem fair or must I go off the mountain to get it fixed? Mike
     
  2. Oct 21, 2004
    oakesmi2

    oakesmi2 New Member

    Flagstaff, AZ
    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2002
    Messages:
    48
    I would go to a place that make boat tops.
     
  3. Oct 21, 2004
    Mcruff

    Mcruff Earlycj5 Machinist

    Albertville, AL
    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2002
    Messages:
    5,349
    To be quite honest that is probably a good going rate, it will probably take the lady close to 2 hours to remove the old zipper and install a new one. My dad made our boat top for our 24' boat because nobody made one that would fit the hull in the style he wanted (full curtain). Three companies locally in Florida that would make these tops (custom) specifically for boats wanted way more than a $1000 for a complete top to fit this boat, my dad purchased the material from an upholstery company (marine Grade) and spent about $125 on an old industrial sewing machine and aluminum tubing and my mom and him made it complete with vinyl windows and all, all in all he had a bout $500 total in it and then sold the sewing machine to recoup some of the money on it, this was all in about 1982, so you can imagine what it cost for a top of this magnitude today probably closer to $2000 nowadays. I don't think she is trying to screw you its just the top was production made and she can't do it that way to fix it so it cost more.
     
  4. Oct 21, 2004
    jd7

    jd7 Sponsor

    Nacogdoches,Texas
    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2004
    Messages:
    1,745
    Mike your probably right, I recently tried to get a top made with my old one as a pattern. No one would touch it. Said I couln't afford it. I just wish the folks you take this stuff to that do it for a living weren't so dam* rude to potential customers. I've recently been thinking about doing what your dad did just for my own stuff. Not only would I save a bundle but I might enjoy it, and I wouln't have to deal with some as$&*^e that doesn't seem to want my business. Excuse me, rant over.
     
  5. Oct 22, 2004
    66cj5

    66cj5 Jeep with no name

    NorthWest Indiana
    Joined:
    Sep 10, 2003
    Messages:
    2,084
    try a tarp repair place.
     
  6. Oct 22, 2004
    Hill

    Hill Member

    Colorado
    Joined:
    Mar 7, 2004
    Messages:
    142
    You have to have a special sewing machine for this stuff. Plus you have to know how to use it. Otherwise it would have to be done by hand! Now we begin to see why NEW tops cost a fortune!
    Good luck! -Hill
     
  7. Oct 22, 2004
    Boyink

    Boyink Super Moderator Staff Member

    Tulsa, OK
    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2002
    Messages:
    6,193
    I've had tops repaired at a local shoe repair place ("If I can get it on my machine I can fix it") - but it wasn't a zipper repair either.

    I also had a self-employed guy who does boat work patch up my Supertop after the rollover...but again it wasn't zipper repair. Zipper repair would be about the toughest to do, I think.

    Even my Dutch "really good seamstress" mom (made most of our clothes up until High School) would avoid repairing clothes with broken zippers, so it must be hard...;)
     
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