I just bought an 05 theft recovery and the top on that car was slashed horizontally from passenger side to driver side:
Picture from Auction, Will take a Close-Up tommorrow:


Also have a complete 04 top w/ frame and motors that I removed awhile back from a previous theft recover car I bought, but it has a small hole in it (about 1/2 inch):


My goal is to have a perfect top on the 2005, so whats the easiest/cheapest way to accomplish this???

1. repair the 05 top (don't think its possible with such a large rip)
2. repair the 04 top (if so, how?) and completely remove the 05 top and replace it with the 04
3. repair the 04 top and just replace the top minus frame

Any input would be helpful!

 

Of your options, I'd go with:
There are vinyl repair kits you can buy. Sorry, don't know any sources. Maybe someone else can help you?

As a side note:
I see that the car pictured has the spare on the rear. If the car has been driven too far with that spare on the rear, the LSD may be toast.

 

not sure how far the car was driven with the spare, but doubt it could be that long when they stole it.

so it would be easier to remove the vinyl top from the 04 frame and do the swap it with the 05? i was thinking it might be easier to just remove the entire top with frame from the 05 and bolt on the 04 frame. the instructions i found on swapping just the tops w/o the frame seems to be a pita with all those rivets...

 

Both will be a PITA. Pick the lessor of two evils.