[1987 Avanti Convertible top replacement]

I don't own an '87 convert, but that was my impression as well. Why not email the guy to see if the '87 top he carries is different from the '88 & '89. Chances are the top mechanism may actually be from some other car manufactured in the early 70's, like a Chevy Camaro or Chrysler. Too bad there aren't folks on these forums who used to work at Avanti Motors and could answer questions like this one.

My guess is that a good upholstery shop might be able to make one from the pattern afforded by your old one after it's removed.

I found this bit of information on Bob Johnstons Avanti Page

1-800-272-2394 from Convertible Tops, at the cost of about $450.00 for the custom made top. The

cost then to install the top has been estimated at $300 - $1,000.

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The (87) convertible top was custom made according to my conversation with Mike Kelly. It was not

until they moved the gas tank to be slung under the frame that they were able to fit a LeBaron top

to the 88s and up as they had enough room in the top well to use a plexiglass rear window. Yours

should have a vinyl rear window, yes?

Contact Dan & Betty Booth at Nostalgic for the side rubbers. Dan has the A-pillar seals but as Avanti

Motors was custom fabricating as they went along he needs your originals to match up and cut to size.

"87-89 convertible roof rail weatherseal is carried by Steele Rubber out of Denver, NC on

their P/N 70-1035-99.

Their website is at http://www.steelerubber.com/ and the contact is Karen Campbell or you

can email her at kcampbell@steelerubber.com . Phone is 704-483-9343 or toll free 800-447-0849. Price

quoted to me was $4.50 USD plus S&H. You can order any quantity you need."

I believe the top hold-down handles are from a Renault convertible IIRC. If you need a new top, take

the old one off and have the upholstery shop cut to match with a little extra on the sides to cover

the rails and weatherseals.

Brooksie (May 2009)

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[1987 Avanti Convertible top replacement]

I need a new top for my 1987 Avanti Convertible. I looked around on the internet and found this website.

http://allencarswell.com/estore/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=388

Now I was always under the impression that the 1987 convertible had a different top than both the 1988 and 1989 so

I am concern that I might end up with the wrong top. Has anyone every purchase a 1987 top from this vendor or other vendor

[1987 Avanti Convertible Top Switch.]

Last week I took the car out for a spin. When I got home the top would not go up. My son and I managed to get the top up by hand, it was very difficult. Dropped the car off at my mechanic, for him it seems to have worked. He may not have taken the top down all the way. This morning same thing. Top won't go up. I have to think the switch is bad. Has anyone had the same problem? Where can you get one of these switch? I was going to take the car to the Atlantic Zone Meet on July 14, but not without the top working. Could the power window switch replace the convertible top switch?

[89convertable top replacement]

looking for a replacement top for 89 convert

I am looking for a replacement for an 1987 top. You can just about bet that the 89 top and the 87 top are different. I was thinking of simply taking it to an uphostery shop, and seeing if they can make a top using the old top as a pattern.

[DERALICT]

I am new to Avanti...but am a 50 year hot rodder....I am currently watching a darelict Avanti and trying to find the owner.....It appears to be restoreable, not wrecked but in bad shape. The vin is: 12aav1230j1000251 It has a chevy motor with 4 center bolt valve covers and wire wheels, and 34k orig. miles...... I have zero, zip, nada information on this car but it could be an interesting long term project.....Any info would be helpful in making a decision to make an offer if it becomes available. please contact Bill 352-475-3190 or wildfelr@copper.net or here for everyone to enjoy.Thanks ....Bill

There is nothing more expensive than a cheap Avanti. An item you probably are not aware of that should be a concern is the torque boxes(hog trough). These are the connection between the frame and the fiberglass body. Do a google search on Avanti + torque boxes.

[Another extension for Mike Kelly]

looks like another extension for Mr. Kelly. I'm still waiting to hear the final disposition of Avanti Motors - and the parts ( luckily Ford had a replacement side-view mirror when my wife ripped one off her car backing out of the garage!)

http://www.lesliestipek.com/michaelekelly.asp

Bernie Madoff's 50 billion dollar ponzi scheme makes Michael Kelly look like a piker. Bernie is out on bail, and under house arrest. Maybe we should start a "FREE MICHAEL KELLY MOVEMENT". Then Avanti might rise up again like a Phoneix. I think I would like to see a 2010 Avanti. How about you.

[convertible top]

The brushes in the motor were bad. I had them replaced, everything seems to be fine.

[convertible top]

Had my 87 Avanti out today for a little test run before Lancaster. Got home and the top won't go up. I am hoping it is only a fuse. I got my owner's manual out and for a change it had the information I thought I needed. It clearly stated that the top was controled by a 30 amp fuse in slot number 14. I went out immediately, crawled under the car cover, pulled the fuse from slot 14. It was certainly the largest fuse in the panel, it is not a amber or red color like the other fuses, instead it is in a metal casing. Inscribe on the fuse is GTE 20A-12V. So now what do I do. Do a get a 30 amp fuse as the owners manual calls for, or do a get a fuse exactly like the one I removed. Furthermore, it might not even be the fuse. It could be the switch, it could be the pump. For now I am hoping it is the fuse. But which one should I go with????

[tilt wheel in an 1987 convertible, and transmission cable]

Two questions

1. In my 1987 Avanti convertible the steering wheel's normal position is OK, when I go to use the tilt wheel it only goes down lower and lower and lower. Is this normal, or did someone install the tilt wheel incorrectly.

2. What brand of cable connect the gear shift to the automatic transmission, is it from an 1987 Monte Carlo, the car barely goes into drive and I can not get into the lower gears because I am at the very back of the console slot.

I am not a mechanic, I hope I have explained my problems well enough.

Thanks Bill Donnelly

Well when my mechanic opened up the consoled and took the gear shift lever out, a prior owner apparently fixed the problem by welding a washer as described in some of the responses. I told my mechanic that the consensus was that this is the proper fix. He however disagreed. He claimed that the origins of the problems was a bad transmission mount, causing the transmission to drop a bit, which caused the cable to stretch. His fix was

1. replace the transmission mount.

2. remove the washer putting the gear shift lever back to its orignal configuration

3. put in a new cable from a 1987 Monte Carlo

4. charge me $844

I hope his fix is right???

Thank you all for your help.

Bill Donnelly

[master cylinder]

I have a 1987 Avanti convertible. The master cylinder needed replaced, so I purchased a 1987 Monte Carlo master cylinder. It was not the same set up as the master cylinder on the car. What master cylinder would a 1987 Avanti take?