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The new hood blues!

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bugimike

bugimike

Yoda
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Some time ago I purchased a hood from JC Witless, primarily because I needed a new top, the price was right for my budget at the time and it had a "lifetime warranty". It was a decent top, fit well and lasted me for about four years before the stitching started to deteriorate. The vinyl was and still is just fine, it's just coming apart at the seams! So I call JC Witless with all the original order information, warranty card etc. (which I had, amazingly for me, managed to retain).
They were very good about it saying they would process the warranty claim and get back to me. Months later I get a call informing me that the original vendor was no longer a supplier of theirs but they could get me one from their new supplier but the original warranty would be voided and the new top would be guaranteed for 5 years. Sounded good to me so I said go for it. More months went by without a word (or a top arriving) so I called again asking for the girl who had helped me before by name. She was no longer there and no-one could find anything on it, so I started the whole claim procedure again. A week ago I got a call to confirm that I had placed a "cancel order" request (which I had not...I want a new top!). I assured the young lady that called that no such cancellation had been requested and she said "OK, we will ship it right out!"

Today I came home from work and there was the box I had been anxiously awaiting, woohoo!! I opened it up and inside was a beautiful top! I mean it was quite superior to the one I had originally ordered as far as quality of materials, stitching etc. One problem...the leading edge where it attaches to the windscreen is wrong! The sleeve the retaining bar runs in (this is for a later BE)is about 1 1/4"s too wide! Now I have to go through getting a return authorization and who knows how long a wait until I get some kind of resolution!!! :wall: :wall: I just had to vent!!
 
Mike, could your local top man stich it smaller?
 
Good idea Jack, never thought about a local guy fixing the problem! Befre I do though I will be sure to take the old top off and lay that new one down on top of it to make sure the dimensions are dead on too!!
 
Good idea Jack, never thought about a local guy fixing the problem! Befre I do though I will be sure to take the old top off and lay that new one down on top of it to make sure the dimensions are dead on too!! :wink:
 
Well Mike at least you are getting somewhere. The new top I just received has a manufacturing defect that the company will not even acknowledge. From their e-mail......



Thank you for the photographs.

I have been informed that the top is symmetrical;it is cut using a computer controlled cutting machine to the original patterns.

The problem is most likely due to the age of the frame. The frame can become worn out and out of line over time,especially as the car is 48 years old. The darts have no bearing on the size of the top and appear to be out of line due to the fit on the frame and is not down to the symmetry of the top.

I can only suggest trying to alter the position of the frame to fit.

Kind regards,

Gina Trimble
(Sales Director)

It is just a shame that the bow is in perfect condition and not bent. And a sham that they cannot even look at the pictures I sent showing the problem. Stevie Wonder could look at the pictures and see where the problem lies.

Good luck with your problem.
 
Come to think about it, the top that this new one is replacing had to be returned too before I was satisfied with it, and my problem with that one was in the same area as this new one, except that when I got the older one, the leading edge had not even been finished at all...just a raw vinyl edge!!!! (They HAD to aknowledge that one!!) Ah well... what you have to go through trying to save a buck I guess!!
 
bugimike said:
Come to think about it, the top that this new one is replacing had to be returned too before I was satisfied with it, and my problem with that one was in the same area as this new one, except that when I got the older one, the leading edge had not even been finished at all...just a raw vinyl edge!!!! (They HAD to aknowledge that one!!) Ah well... what you have to go through trying to save a buck I guess!!
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure my leading edge isn't finished either - I assumed it was to fit the top tightly and then trim
 
I think I got my last one through whitney but that was 10 years ago. It fit well and I still have the same top though it has been inside all these years and has shrunk a little. I figure sooner or later it will rip and I will have to buy another one. I keep a special roll of black duct tape
 
Like I said above, Kim, the original top lasted really well (even the windows have not yellowed or fogged up after over 6 years of Florida sun!!) except for the fact that all the stitching just started to disintegrate! The new top I just received is really much nicer than the one I was real happy with until the stitching problem!

John, I would assume that would be true for a later top too, but on a BE the way it attaches to the windscreen should not require trimming, just the proper design for the front metal strip to be installed!
 
Lifetime warranty is lifetime warranty reguardless of the vendor. If you have an attorney friend, I'd look into making them honor the warranty for "life".
 
You guys, take your tops to the local guy and have them restitched if that is all that is needed.
 
The top on mine is in decent enough shape, but the window split :frown:. Duct tape it is! The top's rarely up anyways, and never when I am driving.
 
So, take it to the local top guy and have a new window put in. Not a big deal.
 
If I had that problem, Kevin, I would do as Jack says and have one put in that zips out!!! :wink: :thumbsup:
 
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