what is a good product to clean and protect my top

[nutz]

was thinking of this the other day
what is the best product to keep the top from drying out
and i don't think it should be shiny (or is it )

 

[RustyRatRod]

What's it made out of?

 

[MoparLeo]

Don't park it outside. Nothing but a solid or UV resistant cover will work.
These cars were only supposed to last for 5 years.

 

[nutz]

Some kind of vinyl I guess
It's in great shape
Never driven with it up yet
My 86 vett still has original top
But being white and plastic back window
It's not looking good
Both don't see much sun

 

[MoparLeo]

I think you got your moneys with, even if they were in a box for 40+ years.
Really ??
To find out what the best chemicals are needed to " preserve" any thing plastic, vinyl etc... you need to really know exactly what you are trying to protect and what from.
The Mopar FSM all have section for cleaning and preserving all interior and exterior materials used. But not for 40 year life. Time ages everything. A 40 year old is still 40 years old.
Everything synthetic will lose elasticity and suppleness over time, Just things like UV especially and remember that UV light is invisible to the naked eye, .
As the years wear on and technology evolves so do the treatments for the current" thing".
And 40 year old things won't heal. You can only slow the degradation down, but everything comes to an end and must die or be replaced.

Living things like peoples skin is still subject to the same thing even though it renews itself often. but time has the same effect on everything. Even rocks.

 

[Dana67Dart]

this is what my top manufacturer (electron) recommended for my Vinyl convertible top

I have had my top on since 2020 and have used it a hand full of times. The top is normally down and the car is garaged. Temperatures in the garage range from 20f to 85f and the humidity range is 10 to 65%

I rarely use it as directed meaning most times I'll use the protectant without first using the cleaner.

the top looks good and is soft and supple

BTW if your top installer says "Oh that wrinkle will come out with heat and time" It won't! it was installed wrong!

 

[RustyRatRod]

Some kind of vinyl I guess
It's in great shape
Never driven with it up yet
My 86 vett still has original top
But being white and plastic back window
It's not looking good
Both don't see much sun

Is it vinyl or does it have more of a fabric texture similar to canvas? I ask because it makes a difference. You don't want to use something for vinyl for something similar to canvas, for example. But Leo is right. There's not "a lot" you can do. There are some products that will slow it down some, but nothing short of climate control can stop it.

 

[nutz]

Don't know how old my dart top is
But looks good want to keep it that way
Thinking vinyl
Not cloth
No weave

 

[Dana67Dart]

Don't know how old my dart top is
But looks good want to keep it that way
Thinking vinyl
Not cloth
No weave

post a CLEAR close up photo

 

[RustyRatRod]

Don't know how old my dart top is
But looks good want to keep it that way
Thinking vinyl
Not cloth
No weave

I was asking because I've never in my life seen a 100% vinyl top. I don't think it would hold up. I've been wrong before.

 

[Johnny Dart]

If it is indeed a vinyl top, 303 works good, and is readily available. I have used it on my vinyl top car, and vinyl top convertible.

 

[Map63Vette]

this is what my top manufacturer (electron) recommended for my Vinyl convertible top

View attachment 1716542834

I have had my top on since 2020 and have used it a hand full of times. The top is normally down and the car is garaged. Temperatures in the garage range from 20f to 85f and the humidity range is 10 to 65%

I rarely use it as directed meaning most times I'll use the protectant without first using the cleaner.

the top looks good and is soft and supple

BTW if your top installer says "Oh that wrinkle will come out with heat and time" It won't! it was installed wrong!

I'll second this stuff. I used the fabric style cleaner on my 04 Viper top (it's more like a canvas material), but it looks brand new after a good scrub. I've tried the protectant to restore the water resistance, but haven't had as much luck with that. Maybe I'm using it wrong or something is just too far gone, but I've never gotten it to bead like it did when I first bought the car. I still think the cleaner is a really nice product though.

 

[Big_John]

was thinking of this the other day
what is the best product to keep the top from drying out
and i don't think it should be shiny (or is it )

I like the Chemical Guys top cleaner. My convertible top doesn't get that dirty, so I only use it once a year or so. The vinyl top on one of my other cars really cleaned up nicely with this and I had tried other products. Also great on my truck tonneau.

I use 303 Aerospace protectant after cleaning, although I might try the Chemical Guys stuff when I need more.

Very likely, it's probably the same stuff (Ragg Top) mentioned above as there's only a few chemical manufacturers of car polishes and the bottles all get filled with the same stuff.

 

[Dana67Dart]

I was asking because I've never in my life seen a 100% vinyl top. I don't think it would hold up. I've been wrong before.

"I get what you're trying to sell here" loose Harley Quinn quote

There are treated woven products but also sheet Vinyl. My new top and the OEM vinyl lasted about 40 years as a dailey driver then got too brittle and too many patched holes BUT neither are a woven product

 

[nutz]

here's a pic
some sort of vinyl

 

[Dana67Dart]

here's a pic
some sort of vinyl

Yep not a woven fabric top

 

[340six]

I think you got your moneys with, even if they were in a box for 40+ years.
Really ??
To find out what the best chemicals are needed to " preserve" any thing plastic, vinyl etc... you need to really know exactly what you are trying to protect and what from.
The Mopar FSM all have section for cleaning and preserving all interior and exterior materials used. But not for 40 year life. Time ages everything. A 40 year old is still 40 years old.
Everything synthetic will lose elasticity and suppleness over time, Just things like UV especially and remember that UV light is invisible to the naked eye, .
As the years wear on and technology evolves so do the treatments for the current" thing".
And 40 year old things won't heal. You can only slow the degradation down, but everything comes to an end and must die or be replaced.

Living things like peoples skin is still subject to the same thing even though it renews itself often. but time has the same effect on everything. Even rocks.

This is all a lie.
I told my wife she looks the same as she did when I met her 40 years ago. And I am sticking to that statement. Made her happy but says a need to go to lens crafters

 

[340six]

The E Body 70-71 tops were like a vinyl. Were much easier to keep clean. A good car cover goes a long way on keeping them nice too even inside.
Long time ago I thought the 1993 Labaron top crap. I gambled and put a new top and glass ( not plastic) aways kept it clean with mild car wash no wax type. And put some stuff from Malco. Seemed to help with UV protection. Saw the car 3 years after we sold it was toasted. So it must have worked.
I think keeping it clean was the key factor. Just as much as protection.
Even if keep clean and use protection.

 

[Johnny Dart]

here's a pic
some sort of vinyl

View attachment 1716544640

Looks dry. Give it the juice !!!!! Should clean up nice !!!!l

 

[RustyRatRod]

If it is vinyl, the one thing I do NOT recommend is Amour All. Son of a Gun has always worked well for me.

 

[nutz]

It's dusty too