What's the Latest in Temporary Repairs for Torn/Ripped Top?

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dibbons

dibbons

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This regards a '65 Signet convertible. The first repair was to a section about 3-4 inches long. I had an upholsterer "sew" it closed and I glued on some kind of patch over that. Well, the stitches for some reason fell out or rotted and I peeled off the half-*** glued-on patch. Now the damage has spread to about 12 inches long. Is there any hope of stopping this monster? Thank you.
 
It's time to admit defeat.

My origional top hand more patches than top. So I had to bite the bullet and have it replaced.

Iron on patches held up for a while on mine.
 
It went up and down but each time was hard on the top and patches.

My top was brittle, I accidentally tore a 12 inch long slit just trying to latch the top latches.
 
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Was gonna say flex seal over some mesh but you beat me to the tape.
 
I used the gorilla glue version of flex tape on mine, and it works fine... The only issue has been with the heat the tape has softened a little and slid out 1/16" on each side but for $10 how much can you ask of it? It keeps water out of the car :D
 
Last August I had my 64 parked outside under a pop-up shade cover. A freak storm came up when nobody was home and destroyed the cover putting a pole thtough my original top. The tear was about 12" long. I bought some flex tape and put a strip over the tear and backed it up with a piece on the inside. (White tape on white top) It keeps the weather out and is holding up pretty well. Just one edge is starting to curl up.

I had no intentions of replacing the top because I liked the originality but a new top Is now going to happen.
 
are tops ridiculously expensive for these cars? I have a Fox body Mustang convertible and have gotten pretty good at replacing it.
 
Dartswinger70 said:
are tops ridiculously expensive for these cars? I have a Fox body Mustang convertible and have gotten pretty good at replacing it.
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Eh its like 5-600 vs 10 for my car and personally not replacing mine immediately because there is so much else to do already. My Dart was parked for like 10 years and its REAL original so itll get replaced once its daily driver status. No point in having a new top on a car that needs floorboards or wont start first try, imo...
 
FixItAll said:
Eh its like 5-600 vs 10 for my car and personally not replacing mine immediately because there is so much else to do already. My Dart was parked for like 10 years and its REAL original so itll get replaced once its daily driver status. No point in having a new top on a car that needs floorboards or wont start first try, imo...
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True, unless they are garage kept a top lasts 5-7 years its routine maintenance so they say. I tend to shy away from verts after owning my Fox Mustang,as in I see a car for sale see its a vert and say to myself..ehh... yeah convertibles are a way of life with the maintenance. they stay you should also ajust the windows and frame etc with every top change or check them anyway.
 
Try eternabond tape. raise the top on a nice hot day and pull it together as close as you can, then apply eternabond tape to it, I've seen it last a year or 2 but it sure does look ugly.
 
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