Letters To The Editor - Paper Cuts - March 2007

  |   letters To The Editor March 2007 convertible Truck Blow the Top Off
Hi Mike,
I have a couple of tech questions I hope you can answer. I have an '86 Mazda B2200 that I want to put a hard top convertible kit on. First question: Do you have to brace the inner structure of the cab? It seems as though the cab has a double layer of sheet metal making up the cab. Do I need to, or will it be alright when I cut it? Second question; is the AIM Industries kit the only kit on the market? If not, what other companies carry the kind of kit that was in your November issue? Also, I'm taking a wild guess here, but do you know of anyone who has bought a kit, or decided to install it and wants to sell it? Just trying here, [I'm] doing this on a budget. [I] tried eBay but had no luck, please let me know and thank you for your time and effort.
Chris
Via e-mail Chris thanks for the e-mail regarding convertible tops. Recently a lot of old school tricks and looks have been becoming more popular again. Convertible tops have been popping up more lately-who knows, they might just be coming back in style. As far as doing it yourself, it is very possible with a little work. You are absolutely going to want to brace your truck. I gave Max over at Bio Kustumz a call and asked him about this. He recommended bracing the b-pillars before you start cutting, so that your cab doesn't lose its integrity. Use some 2x2, and do it nice the first time so that you can keep the brace in after you put your new top on. As far as kits that are available, the AIM kit is the only one we know about. Your other choice would be to keep your top after you cut it and make it so it's removable. Of course that's going to require more work on your part. Keep us in the loop and let us know how it turns out.