Dull Rag Top, any ideas?

I have a dull rag top that is in good condition but should be black and is more often looking grey.. what do you all suggest.. Coloring, Amour all, etc.. Please any insight is welcomed here..

Speedster "D"

David I have an amazing convertible top cleaner by Maguires it is amazing. Cleans and brings a new shine to the top. Then you add a spray coat of canvas weather guard. You'll be amazed.

Well? what is its name of it.. or do I just go by the vendor.. :-) I am sure Maguiers will have it in our local shop I will look this weekend.. Thanks Mike... I love this site! :-)

Speedster "D"

If, by any chance, that doesn't work maybe you can re-dye it black.

David, It's always hard to tell from a photo, but I think you're right. Yours does look pretty faded. You may want to inquire with the builder, but my guess is it would take a dye job pretty well. Although of McGuiars (sp?) makes a product, you can usually bet your bottom, that it's a good one.
Luke

I used to use POR-15 product called POR GLO. It worked great for vinyl tops...
http://www.por15.com/PRODUCTS/ACCESSORIESSPECIALTY/PORGLOVINYLREJUVENATOR/tabid/91/Default.aspx

David's top looks to be Stayfast canvas; I guess the best bet would be to re-dye it black.

Correct Ricardo... It's not a vinyl top... I tried the Maguers cleaner and it worked well, but I was thinking because of my outstanding paint job (Deep black shine), any decent top would look pretty faded. I may just have to dye it later and see it's effects. but for now I am a happy camper!

Thank's guys..

Speedster "D"

the $1 per tub hand cleaner. NOT the kind with pumis. The kind with lanolin. apply it with a terrycloth towel, very liberally. You will be amazed. degreaser cleans. lanolin restores. and it's cheap. auto detailers adn car show buff know it.

Jack are you serious? Hand cleaner.... Hummm that sounds very interesting. I can see where the moisture can help the top, but do you have a history of using this product before a car show or something? Does it restore the shine too? How's the color after you do something like that and does it hurt the condition of the top itself?

Please advise,

Speedster "D"

www.eastwood.com has RAGGTOPP Vinyl Care Kit that is tested and endorsed by HAARTZ. I think I'd try that first. AVOID silicone and petroleum based products.

True but my top is a canvas material not vinyl.. HAARTZ isn't that a Dog Collar company? I agree about the silicone material thing too, but lanolin is more of a mosture replacement product, than that of a silicone based product. Won't the Lanolin dry out too, and if so will that not adversrely affect my top?

This is getting "Deep"

Speedster "D"

The canvas looking material is called Haartz cloth. Its not really just canvas fabric --- its PVC and fabric combined to be waterproof and durable. Boy Scouts (before nylon tents) used to love to rub wet canvas on tents over the scout master when it rained --- yup, tent leaked like a big hole in it! So your's isn't just canvas --- the good stuff (Sta-fast?, German Sonnendeck (Porsche OEM), Haartz or Happich (both used on MB)) are three layers - the center one is(was)rubber or now PVC (vinyl). Try www.haartz.com. So the Eastwood stuff is what you should use.

I have Raggtop here and have used it with good results on my Sta-fast top. You can also get it at Mid America Motorworks and I believe they have a big sale going on....

Thanks for the clairification there Wolfgang... I will look into that product and report back to you here..

Speedster "D"

I recently purchased a soft top restoration kit from Renovo International. I had to order it from the internet because the company is in England. The process took only a few hours (spread over two days) but the top looks great. I had many fade marks and uneven sun damage and now it looks new. I would recommend it 100%. It is designed for canvas tops. Definately worth the price.

I checked the website and there's a link for their website in the US; it's www.renovousa.com. Their Fabric Soft Top Reviver in Black for $24.95 looks like the ticket. Quoting the website "Soft Top Reviver will make old, faded, fabric convertible tops, RV and boat covers look like new."

Hey Guys!

I wonder if that stuff will work on my head?!

Well I am sure it will make it shine more! Good work Ricardo.. I shall check out this US site and order it. then get back with everyone here. The funny thing is that it rained in Cali today and know I have Amour all all over the paint and have to wash the car again! LOL...

Just to avoid this kind of anxiety and time consuming activities, I just never put the top up for the last five years.

On the vinyl, the handcleaner cannot be beat. period. yes, all the old car buffs use it. have for years. I've been driving convertibles since 1978. Put on a ton of tops, and maintained them. It is just hard to beat the lanoline, non pumis hand cleaner. Put it on liberally with a terry cloth towel or wash cloth. It will deep clean and condition your old, dull vinyl top. You can spend a lot more on special products, but if you just use the $1 a tub lanoline handcleaner, you can use it every time you detail your car because it is so cheap. It will truly change your approch to cleaning and detialing your top. I don't even buy the Hartz tops for my cars because I learned about handcleaner back with a 1969 Cutlass S convertible. My son's hot rod Camaro has a Hartz top, and it looks good and correct on that car. A Hartz top looks good on Mercedes and some other cars. Even a Speedster, but the vinyl top, clean and maintained looks correct and great on a speedster. Depends on the look you want. But really guys, try the hand cleaner on those vinyl tops. Paul used it on his Hartz, a nd it was too brite and clean for the material type. I thought it was fine, but he quite using it on Hartz.
Jack. Old convertible guy. I'd never pay another man to put a top on one of my cars because I'd go home and refit it once a week for the next two months.

Jack

Thanks Jack, you put up a convincing point. Plus you can't beat the price.. :-)


Speedster "D"

Well I gotta tell ya I tried the Hand Cleaner method and OMG it looks great.... the top had restored color and feel to it too! For a buck 98 and all this in return... My only problem is that every time I go by the car in the garage I get this urge to wipe my hands all over the car! :-)

Speedster "D"