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Moss vs. VB Robbins Tops

Posted by b33b 
b33b Avatar
Cal Y
Maine - Texas, USA   usa
I have read some of the recent frustration with VB but their catalog shows a Robbins Everflex top in Biscuit, with zippered rear window for $339.95.

Moss wants $597.95 for their Robbins Everflex in Black 242-657 with zippered window What am I missing??? I know that some of the list's vendors pass on a Moss discount, but not enough to close this large a gap.

I prefer the biscuit top to start the transition of a BRG 70B from black interior to a biscuit or tan interior.

Any reason not to get the VB top?

Cal

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gooser Avatar
Drake Myers
Danville Va, USA   usa
i do know that moss periodically runs sales on their upholstery items and when they do it'll narrow the gap. if you go with vb know all the answers to your questions before you call.
rggavmge Avatar
roy gavilan
Williamsburg, Virginia, USA   usa
1965 MG MGB "My Baby"
1974 MG MGB MkIII "Ruby"
I would check out what Little British Car Company sells the top for....just search using the Moss part #. They are a Moss reseller.
LBCC



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/21/2012 11:44AM by rggavmge.

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JohnTF Avatar
John F
Northeastern Ohio, USA   usa
1970 MG MGB
1970 MG MGB
My trim shop ordered a Robbins top for my car, the better material, five? year warranty, wholesale I believe was $300, installation $200, though I think he did not know how easy it was going to be for him, he did not have to move a snap or clip, one day service and I think he had a lot of time left over. ;-)

30 years experience of doing tops.

John
Bob Agar Avatar
Robert Agar
Green Valley, AZ, USA   usa
1953 MG TD "Myrtle Anne"
1957 MG MGA 1500 Coupe "Miss Scarlett" ~ For Sale ! ~
1974 MG MGB "The Mistress"
Same top mfg. Different dealers. Go for the price.



1974.5 MBG Tourer with Weber 32/36 mod and AC.
1957 MGA 1500 Coupe - Stock and original except paint
1953 MG TD - Original car with no mods

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bradyg Avatar
Brady Gier
Lafayette, Louisiana, USA   usa
1979 MG MGB "Ms. Gibson"
I recently get a robbins top from moss, and Im happy with it, except one part. I feel like theres too large of a gapbetween the tops of my windows and the top. I get a little water in from time to time.
cfrench Avatar
Carl W. French
Alfred, Maine, USA   usa
I was very happy with the top I got from Jeff at LBC. He has his own source of tops and he was able to get me a grey stow away top with a zip out rear window for the 67. I ordered another one after a winter mouse mishap. This one I ordered from Prestige and it was a much heavier material which I guess is good in one way but it does not go on as easily as the LBC one. The material LBC has is much closer to the original as well.
FWIW My $.02



Carl W. French
Alfred, Maine
Southern Maine LBC welfare shelter
67B will be in our will
73BGT Daily driver
73BGT Wife's car
Many more that change often

http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y183/leylandauto/



b33b Avatar
Cal Y
Maine - Texas, USA   usa
Thanks for the suggestions. LBC is $447 for an Everflex with zippered window, not sure of their difference between tan and sand. The Robbins sites shows tan and bisque but not sand or biscuit.

I have replaced a Fiat 124 top and plan to do the B's top myself.

Cal
JohnTF Avatar
John F
Northeastern Ohio, USA   usa
1970 MG MGB
1970 MG MGB
I called my insurance after the squirrels nested and ate my top, was pleasantly surprised when they paid for an entire new top with installation, zero deductible. They said they covered mice too.

I thought Robbins made a more traditional top, and one with a bit heavier material.

I opted for the more durable top, looks very good, IMO.

Regards, John

Greg Clifft
Dardenne Prairie, MO, USA   usa
1974 MG MGB
I have been using RockAuto for parts for some of my other cars and they just started selling Robbins tops.

They list a black EverFlex top for my 74B at $361.79
DrewM Avatar
Drew Maddock
74 MGB roadster, Southern California, USA   usa
The heavier Robbins material seems like a good idea . . . until you have to put the top down and fold it over on itself. It's a lot more difficult to fold away than the previous top I had on the car which had thinner but perfectly good vinyl. The Robbins top is very difficult to fold without getting the windows involved. There was nothing wrong with that older top other than that it didn't have a zip out window. I am very happy I got the zip out window on the new top, but not so thrilled that the vinyl is so stiff and heavy. Tops last for years, and they're not that expensive to replace, so thicker really isn't necessary in my opinion. I'd rather my new top was a little more flexible to fold. Next time, I'll get a less expensive non-Robbins vinyl top to make the folding process a good deal easier. Of course, with the Robbins top it will probably last for decades and I'll never get to replace it as I struggle to fold it.



Drew Maddock
Pasadena, California

JohnTF Avatar
John F
Northeastern Ohio, USA   usa
1970 MG MGB
1970 MG MGB
My Robbins top does not seem more difficult to fold, however, stretching it to those last snaps is not what my hands seem made for.

I have also heard that the side windows make it harder to fold.

I probably would opt for a standard OEM top with the zip down window if I were doing it again, but as you said, it will probably last a decade or more, especially if we get some more summers as we have seen this year, unless the squirrels decide to come for a winter visit?

The first year I had the new top on, I left up, in the sun, etc. to try and fit it better, but have come to the conclusion that it well may not matter, once fitted, it is what it is.

I seem to recall they offered more than one grade of vinyl?

Regards, John
Jack Morris
Chattanooga, TN, USA   usa
Kinda what Drew said. If you're doing a show car, then the Robbins is the way to go. But if it's a driver, go for the cheapest top out there. Even the expensive ones start to look tatty after about 5 years. I haven't had mine up in about 2 years. So why bother with the expensive ones?

chris Avatar
Chris Roop
Pendleton, OR, USA   usa
If you want to go for cheap, Moss has their budget top offering. I tried one years ago. It was on a car that saw desert heat, and had a foot or better of snow on it during the winter. It sold on the second summer, but the top looked and functioned as new. It had the thinnest top vinyl the upholsterer had ever seen, but that didn't seem to be an issue. Now maybe if a tree branch was being shoved through it, things would be different.
Roop's MG   – Pendleton, OR USA Check out the Vendors' Deals page for the clutch, brake, and water pump sale. Please email me at the business address for business concerns.
b33b Avatar
Cal Y
Maine - Texas, USA   usa
I was using Everflex as a constant comparison across sellers. Moss has a crushed grain top that is $430 for a black stow away with zippered window and $347 for a black folding frame, black top with zippered window. Is this the inexpensive line at Moss?

Car is a driver, a mess of POs wiring and body fixes. A summer car for me with the saving grace of starting everytime I turn the key - and it has always brought me home, unlike my brothers TR6. Read enough top comments to prefer Robbins to E Z tops.

I appreciate all the ideas as I circle the wagons before spending the bucks.

Cal
chris Avatar
Chris Roop
Pendleton, OR, USA   usa
I was actually thinking of 242-685 that comes in black only, but it lists for $479.95. The Robbins 242-295 is tan and lists at $347, a better deal!
Roop's MG   – Pendleton, OR USA Check out the Vendors' Deals page for the clutch, brake, and water pump sale. Please email me at the business address for business concerns.
JohnTF Avatar
John F
Northeastern Ohio, USA   usa
1970 MG MGB
1970 MG MGB
$479? My trim shop will have a Robbins top on in one day for that price--

Regards, John

chris Avatar
Chris Roop
Pendleton, OR, USA   usa
Which flavor??
Roop's MG   – Pendleton, OR USA Check out the Vendors' Deals page for the clutch, brake, and water pump sale. Please email me at the business address for business concerns.
JohnTF Avatar
John F
Northeastern Ohio, USA   usa
1970 MG MGB
1970 MG MGB
In reply to # 2126700 by chris Which flavor??

Not OEM, the heavier material, he gets a discount, and he makes his money off of the labor. I believe it has a decent warranty on the material, I seem to recall three or five year?

John
Frank Marousek
Purchase, USA   usa
I HAVE A ROBBINS AND YES, IT IS A MORE SUBSTANTIAL THAN THE LESS EXPENSIVE TOPS. HOWEVER IT DOES TAKE MORE TIME TO ADEQUATELY FOLD TO AVOID BREAKING THE ZIP OUT REAR WINDOWS AND SIDE WINDOWS AND DOES NOT FOLD A SMALL AS THE VINYL TOPS. THE ZIP OUT REAR WINDOW IS FANTASTIC AND PROVIDES MORE THAN AMPLE CIRCULATION. THE REAL BENEFIT IS THE LOOK. IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS OF ATTENDING VARIOUS CRUSES AND REGIONAL CAR SHOW EVERYONE COMMENTS ON THE BRILLIANT LOOK OF THE TOP. IF AND WHEN IF NEEDS TO BE CHANGED I'LL DEFINITELY GET ANOTHER.

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