I really like quick and easy tasks, and installing a new Supertop from Bestop is almost as easy as changing a tire. Bestop’s well-written and complete installation instructions say to plan on three hours, but I think that’s strictly for first timers. If you’ve ever installed a soft top before, you can cut that time in half or more. In our case, since the Jeep had had a Supertop on it before this (the top had not been on the Jeep since we moved to Arizona from Colorado in 2003), it only took us an hour for this installation.
Bestop’s Supertops (PN 51603) have become the standard against which all other soft tops are measured, offering the highest quality in function, fit, and style. Supertops are available for Jeep model years 1955-2008, and the kits include hardware, soft top fabric, windows, and printed instructions. Kit number 51603 includes two-piece soft doors as well, and uses the Jeep’s hard door strikers. An attachment system called Belt-Rail enables this fast and easy installation. And a tailgate bar allows the CJ-7’s tailgate to open without having to open the rear window for trouble-free access. Bestop also backs each Supertop with a two-year limited warranty.
Over the five decades that I’ve been four wheeling, I’ve installed soft tops on nearly every model of Jeep—starting with a ’46 CJ-2a and going on to an ’07 Rubicon Unlimited—early model Broncos, and International Harvester Scout IIs, and in many different colors. With every new design, installation becomes easier and quicker.
When I decided that I wanted a new top for my venerable CJ-7, I initially looked for a white top, due to the Arizona weather and my preference, but I found that white is no longer a favorite choice. Color choices are almost as varied as color choices were for Ford’s Model T—“any color you want as long as it’s black”—although (depending on the model of soft top) charcoal and spice (my choice) are available. Check Bestop or Summit Racing’s site for up-to-the-minute information on color availability and prices.
Once I had the top in hand, I had to wait for late spring. I live in Kingman, Arizona, which is about 3,500 feet in altitude. This means we have cooler weather for longer, so I had to wait until daytime temperatures were consistently above 72 degrees F. I also made sure to leave the cloth portions of the top in the sun while we were installing the hardware. This allows them to be slightly larger and much more pliable, which in turn makes it easier to be certain the top is stretched tight when the installation is complete.
Source List:
Bestop
http://www.bestop.com/
Summit Racing
http://www.summitracing.com/