Q's for those of you with soft tops. - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

Jason915 · 03-16-2006, 06:01 PM

Those of you with soft tops do you use yours as a daily driver? How bad is it in the winter? How loud is it on the HWY? My Dad had a CJ-5 with a best top when I was a kid and I didn't think it was all that bad at all, I mean sure it flapped a bit on the HWY but it didn't seem cold in the winter with the heat on. But that is a smaller vehicle

VinceY · 03-16-2006, 10:27 PM

I have a best top.My blazer is a daily driver but I don't drive to work so it is just used at night and on weekends. It is garaged when it is not used. I used the soft top on my 72 blazer until December this year. Not because I wanted to but because my hardtop was not ready to go on. Now that I put my hardtop on I have found:
Soft tops leak air and water more than the hardtops.
The soft top was warm enough inside at temperatures just below freezing. I did find I worried about the top on the highway at the freezing temperatures. When I reached up to touch the top it was ice cold. The windows get very fragile at those temperatures so it did not work to use the hatch. Not sure if I would trust any snow load on a soft top.

As far as highway noise, the soft top just makes a different noise than the hardtop makes. Either way you are sitting in a big hollow box.
Any of this help?

Jason915 · 03-17-2006, 04:10 PM

Thanks Vince, that helps alot actually. I like the summer time benifits of a soft top but it sounds like I should keep my hard top in good usable shape for winter and long road trips.

bouncytruck · 03-17-2006, 04:26 PM

I take the soft top off in the winter and put the hard top back on. I've got it, I might as well...

03-16-2006, 06:01 PM	#1
Jason915 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Colorado Springs Posts: 693	Q's for those of you with soft tops. Those of you with soft tops do you use yours as a daily driver? How bad is it in the winter? How loud is it on the HWY? My Dad had a CJ-5 with a best top when I was a kid and I didn't think it was all that bad at all, I mean sure it flapped a bit on the HWY but it didn't seem cold in the winter with the heat on. But that is a smaller vehicle __________________ 1971 GMC K1500 SWB Fleetside, 4" skyjacker softride and, 14 Bolt FF, HD Dana 44 4.10's 1970 K5 TBI conversion lifted etc SOLD 1968 C20 camper truck SOLD “To ban guns because criminals use them is to tell the innocent and law-abiding that their rights and liberties depend not on their own conduct, but on the conduct of the guilty and the lawless.” Jeff Snyder

03-16-2006, 10:27 PM	#2
VinceY Just need a couple more parts. Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada Posts: 470	Re: Q's for those of you with soft tops. I have a best top.My blazer is a daily driver but I don't drive to work so it is just used at night and on weekends. It is garaged when it is not used. I used the soft top on my 72 blazer until December this year. Not because I wanted to but because my hardtop was not ready to go on. Now that I put my hardtop on I have found: Soft tops leak air and water more than the hardtops. The soft top was warm enough inside at temperatures just below freezing. I did find I worried about the top on the highway at the freezing temperatures. When I reached up to touch the top it was ice cold. The windows get very fragile at those temperatures so it did not work to use the hatch. Not sure if I would trust any snow load on a soft top. As far as highway noise, the soft top just makes a different noise than the hardtop makes. Either way you are sitting in a big hollow box. Any of this help? __________________ --------------------------------------------------- 1947 Studebaker M5 project to match the camping trailer. 1950 Chev 4x4 Pickup 1958 Shasta Airflyte Travel trailer (fresh restoration) 1971 C/10 Pickup(Frame off Restoration) 1972 K5 Blazer CST (Daily Driver & My Company Truck) 1976 Honda CB750 Bobber 1988 Jaguar XJ12

03-17-2006, 04:10 PM	#3
Jason915 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Colorado Springs Posts: 693	Re: Q's for those of you with soft tops. Thanks Vince, that helps alot actually. I like the summer time benifits of a soft top but it sounds like I should keep my hard top in good usable shape for winter and long road trips. __________________ 1971 GMC K1500 SWB Fleetside, 4" skyjacker softride and, 14 Bolt FF, HD Dana 44 4.10's 1970 K5 TBI conversion lifted etc SOLD 1968 C20 camper truck SOLD “To ban guns because criminals use them is to tell the innocent and law-abiding that their rights and liberties depend not on their own conduct, but on the conduct of the guilty and the lawless.” Jeff Snyder

03-17-2006, 04:26 PM	#4
bouncytruck SKINNY TIRES RULE! Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Bothell, WA Posts: 11,038	Re: Q's for those of you with soft tops. I take the soft top off in the winter and put the hard top back on. I've got it, I might as well... __________________ bouncytruck 1972 K5 The Hauler 1994 K1500 Suburban The Daily2010 Kia Soul Wife's Ride2014 Fiat 500L

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