johnny71
Newbie
Help iam looking for information on what happened to STC. I know they are out of business and they never shipped me my top that I already paid for from way back in May of 06. Any information will be helpful Thanks, John.
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Cpecality Top Company information?
- Thread starter johnny71
- Start date
AFUFO
1/2 ton status
http://www.specialtytopco.com/
The same? Wow i didnt know they were out of buisness...youd think they would shut the site down. I wanted one of their tops!
The same? Wow i didnt know they were out of buisness...youd think they would shut the site down. I wanted one of their tops!
last I heard they were in process of selling and working on a new buyer and not building anything during that time. I got my money back right after I heard the rumours. I have heard some people still have money invested in them on tops. I got a like new never outside STC fast track on ebay for $400 though
AFUFO
1/2 ton status
Tried emailing them..
This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification
Delivery to the following recipient failed permanently:
[email protected]
Technical details of permanent failure:
PERM_FAILURE: SMTP Error (state 9): 550 [email protected]...Due to extended inactivity new mail is not currently being accepted for this mailbox.
This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification
Delivery to the following recipient failed permanently:
[email protected]
Technical details of permanent failure:
PERM_FAILURE: SMTP Error (state 9): 550 [email protected]...Due to extended inactivity new mail is not currently being accepted for this mailbox.
I came across their website a couple of weeks back, if the same company. They are leaving the website up and basically providing a "Not Responsible" clause and under new management statement. The website goes on to say that they are not currently offering or fullfilling any orders.
I'll try to find the link and post up.
I'll try to find the link and post up.
This is what I was referring to: http://www.thejeep.com/stc/
GMCJason
1/2 ton status
It is interesting, though, that the newest issue of 4-Wheel & Off-Road has an article on them putting a STC soft-top on a Blazer. They mention it's the "new" Specialty Top Company, which is a brand of products created from the old Kayline stuff.
I'd guess they were up and running normally from the article.
I'd guess they were up and running normally from the article.
AFUFO
1/2 ton status
Well all of their emails down i havent tried the phone yet they have a toll free number... anyone want to try it?
BL1TZKRIEG
1/2 ton status
god I hope they come back 
badmix
1/2 ton status
So, does anyone know for sure what the deal is? Are they up and running and taking orders?
They are not up and running.
They are dead.
Out of Business.
Rumor has it, there was a new buyer, but if that was true, it seems he would have surfaced somewhere to tell the world he's coming soon with the tops.
Personally, I hope it's true, but the realist in me says we won't see this company or these tops again. The guy has had STC up in a Denver business's for sale thing, for, I think it was like $350,000 for the business. Not including any actual real esate.
Seems a tad high for no materials, a few simple tools, and some patterns. It's been in there for 2 years or so now. I don't see it there anymore, at least I can't find it now.
All phone numbers and email address have been disconnected, and have been since January. No one's answered that phone since Late november anyway. Basically, the only thing left is the website with the installation manuals. My guess is, he forgot about it, or it's part of his regular internet service he gets for personal use.
The mag article is funny. Just goes to show those articles and their info are quite old. In this case, at least 6months. I think there was one report of a top delivery in october, that was the last time I heard someone actually recieved a top from STC.
I hear lots of horror stories on people that paid their good money and havn't gotten anything. One person even said he talked with the guy and he told him sorry, take it up with your credit card company.
I talked with him last fall about 'the business', my mother-in-law used to sew seats for an OEM supplier, she'd be happy if I employed her, but I wasn't about to pay $350k for the biz, 35k would have been more like it.
They are dead.
Out of Business.
Rumor has it, there was a new buyer, but if that was true, it seems he would have surfaced somewhere to tell the world he's coming soon with the tops.
Personally, I hope it's true, but the realist in me says we won't see this company or these tops again. The guy has had STC up in a Denver business's for sale thing, for, I think it was like $350,000 for the business. Not including any actual real esate.
Seems a tad high for no materials, a few simple tools, and some patterns. It's been in there for 2 years or so now. I don't see it there anymore, at least I can't find it now.
All phone numbers and email address have been disconnected, and have been since January. No one's answered that phone since Late november anyway. Basically, the only thing left is the website with the installation manuals. My guess is, he forgot about it, or it's part of his regular internet service he gets for personal use.
The mag article is funny. Just goes to show those articles and their info are quite old. In this case, at least 6months. I think there was one report of a top delivery in october, that was the last time I heard someone actually recieved a top from STC.
I hear lots of horror stories on people that paid their good money and havn't gotten anything. One person even said he talked with the guy and he told him sorry, take it up with your credit card company.
I talked with him last fall about 'the business', my mother-in-law used to sew seats for an OEM supplier, she'd be happy if I employed her, but I wasn't about to pay $350k for the biz, 35k would have been more like it.
So I was digging around a little more today and found this from a 1997 article, it's just interesting:
When I talked with the guy last fall,they weren't doing near that kind of business.
http://www.jasneek.com/jobseekers/beware_of_bad_benefitsat_small_e.asp said:
When I talked with the guy last fall,they weren't doing near that kind of business.
That article appears to be insult to injury. Doesn't seem much to ask to have a soft top option for these trucks. This may actually be the first time, in all my automotive history (which stretches over a nearly a dozen different project vehicles of various types) that the aftermarket hasn't been able to deliver something I really wanted.
Sucks.
d
Sucks.
d
dbozman said:
Well, the kicker is they're pricey, and there's not THAT much market for the dang things. And the Kayline ones fit like crap ... I had one, got rid of it.
And Bestop makes them still, as long as you like black.
http://www.bestop.com/index.php?s=6
-- A
Well, I really liked my old Kayline, but it was 15 years old, and the original owner beat the tar out of it.
The problem with the Bestop versions is they want you to drill all the snap holes for the front right into the windshield frame. That kinda blows. Doesn't make for easy swapping back to the hardtop, for those of use who like to run Soft in summer, hard in winter. I got a fiberglass body too, so each time I screw those in, the hole is gonna get womped out some more. The kayline version had a nice rail for the windshield frame that was easily modified to hook the oem 73-75 mount tabs.
Anyhow, more digging...
From what I can find, the owner of Kayline and the owner of Speciality Top Co are one in the same, or Father and son. There only 2 names I can produce that are affiliated to either of these companies (Kayline or Speciality Top Company) they both have the same last name.
Looking at the Real Estate listing for the property, looks like they never changed their sign from Kayline when then went to "Speciality Top Company'
Real Esate Listing
I know Kayline used to be big back in the 70's, I think they even supplied some OEM's with tops for some vehicles for a short while.
The problem with the Bestop versions is they want you to drill all the snap holes for the front right into the windshield frame. That kinda blows. Doesn't make for easy swapping back to the hardtop, for those of use who like to run Soft in summer, hard in winter. I got a fiberglass body too, so each time I screw those in, the hole is gonna get womped out some more. The kayline version had a nice rail for the windshield frame that was easily modified to hook the oem 73-75 mount tabs.
Anyhow, more digging...
From what I can find, the owner of Kayline and the owner of Speciality Top Co are one in the same, or Father and son. There only 2 names I can produce that are affiliated to either of these companies (Kayline or Speciality Top Company) they both have the same last name.
Looking at the Real Estate listing for the property, looks like they never changed their sign from Kayline when then went to "Speciality Top Company'
Real Esate Listing
I know Kayline used to be big back in the 70's, I think they even supplied some OEM's with tops for some vehicles for a short while.
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