[Kaj Hallstrom]

I reconditioned my black soft top on the Cabriolet about a year ago. It was not leaking when I did it but I thought better safe than sorry. I used a 303 kit and followed instructions carefully. It worked like a charm through this very wet Northern California winter.

So here is the question. When is it time to do it again?....Any experience out there....specially from you out there in wet states.

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[flash]

never would be my answer.  in 40 years of having soft tops, i have NEVER used anything but a mild soap and water, and even then, only sparingly.  most of the time i just use a damp rag.  i'm pretty anal about the tops looking good too.  any conditioner i have ever seen only accelerates wear and/or breaks down any water proofing treatment applied by the manufacturer.  that stuff is all a scam.  i have never had canvas leak on any car.

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[94SilverCab]

I generally only wash my top once a year, and then make sure it has time to fully dry before I attempt to operate.

 

JMHO,

 

Jay

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[flash]

yeah - the one thing i have learned over the years is to avoid disturbing the surface of the canvas as much as possible.  the more aggressive you are in cleaning, the more you expose the fibers.  you also remove any waterproofing the manufacturer used.  much better to use water only if you can, and don't scrub.  definitely do not use a brush.  definitely do not use harsh soaps.  hand soap or a mild liquid soap is best.  car soap is no good.

 

as jay said, allow to dry FULLY before putting down the top.

 

another care note would be to lay a towel down across the window BEFORE putting down the top.  this will prevent the chaffing of the plastic.  take care to ensure that the window does not buckle as it goes down.  also ALWAYS use the boot cover.

 

with proper care, and garage storage, a top should last 20 years.

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[Ryan]

I bought one of the kits with cleaner and  restorer in it. I used as directed and now my top leaks. It did not leak before and the fabric doesn't look much better than before.  Lesson learned

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[williamoss]

Ah the pleasures of owing a COUPE. always in the right spot, never do we have to guess of should I condition it or not. :whine: Just some wax and we are all set.

 

But on a more serious side, how about conditioning the seats, as part of the seat is leather the other is vinyl, Which products are best for the job and any tips on how to do it?

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[jmarten]

What, you mean we shouldn't use automatic car washes on the Cabrio in Seattle? Just kidding. Judd

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[flash]

lol - yeah, but in a coupe you're are stuck in that box, limited to the amount of smiling, and won't get a tan.

 

for the leather, the best product, by far, that i have ever seen or used for leather is leather cpr.  it is way better than lexol, meguiers, the stuff porsche sells, and anything else that i have tried.  that being said, nothing will work if you dye your seats with an oil based dye.

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[ds968]

Ah the pleasures of owing a COUPE. always in the right spot, never do we have to guess of should I condition it or not. :whine: Just some wax and we are all set.

 

But on a more serious side, how about conditioning the seats, as part of the seat is leather the other is vinyl, Which products are best for the job and any tips on how to do it?

Most good leather products will also work great on vynil , but not vice versa so do not use plastics conditioners on leather . " Leather CPR " has always produced great results on the leather component of my car seats . And I highly recommend 303 aerospace protectant products for every plastic , vinyl, and similar synthetic materials.

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[ds968]

Again with the convertible b.s. ? Hey, those of us with coupes, the only " real cars " out there have an immense removable sunroof which gives you essentially 80 % + of what a cab does for you .. and without all the crap and problems and compromises that come with driving a cab. The 968 coupe is basically a Targa once you remove the roof. I think cab drivers are in total denial ; cabs are , and have always been cars made primarily for ladies ( not that there's anything wrong with that ,,) and I get the fact than many men also enjoy driving those , on a nice summer day along the coastline perhaps, but I can't possibly see the appeal of driving a cab ..why not just get a motorcycle if open air rides are your thing , and get the full effect ?!

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[94SilverCab]

What, you mean we shouldn't use automatic car washes on the Cabrio in Seattle? Just kidding. Judd

 

Actually I find that steel wool and Comet cleanser does a great job 

 

Jay

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[flash]

um - cars started out roofless.  only after about 10 years did they start putting roofs on them, and in many, only in the rear areas.  the driver was still roofless.

 

race cars were all roofless for decades, before the marketing guys got involved

 

i'd peg it closer to 50%.  the hardtop version of this car is nowhere near the experience of the convertible.  even with the windows down, and the sunroof out, it pales by comparison to the sheer feel of freedom the lack of a roof gives you.  even my targa was nowhere near a convertible in the feeling of openness.  it was more civilized though

 

motorcycle - yes!  exactly!  nothing like hanging out on the edge of a corner and being able to lick the ground.  hard to carry stuff though, so hence a convertible comes into play.

 

lol - but i understand.  you don't want to mess with your coiffure, and your nannie panties get all in a bunch when you have too much fun.

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[williamoss]

yes but will a cab stand up to all the bottles being thrown at you as you drive by, with those drunken lads in Ireland?

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[Kaj Hallstrom]

A cabriolet is a beautiful car to look at, to sit in and to drive. Nothing like coasting small Northern California coastal roads on a warm summer day. The bonus is that you can drive with the top down 8 month out of the year and you can drive the 968 all 12 months.

 

As I mentioned earlier I conditioned my soft top last year with a 303 kit. I followed the instructions carefully and washed it down with a soft brush very gently. Masked off everything like glass and metal and sprayed the sealer on very carefully not missing any spots. The drying time was followed carefully as well. Looked like new after I finished. We just went through one of the most wet winters on record out here in the west. I drove in pouring rain for days and not a leak was found. No water entered the car anywhere.

You really have to be careful how you do it and also be patient. It was 2 full days of work. The 303 worked for me.

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[flash]

lol - having the top down in ireland and catching those full bottles is the new thing

 

there should never be any reason for a canvas top to leak.  canvas tops don't leak, unless somebody messed with it.  vinyl tops often leak though.

 

i am a fan of 303 products, and i really like their vinyl cleaner, but i would never put anything on canvas, except maybe scotchgard, but even that troubles me, as i have never in 40 years of dealing with over 100 canvas top, had even 1 of them leak through the fabric, so i see no reason to mess with it.  

 

gaskets now are an entirely different animal, and those things can make you crazy

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[MCL968]

I just take a lint roller to mine every time I wash the car and it looks great. It's amazing how it pulls dirt out of the fabric.

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[94SilverCab]

I just take a lint roller to mine every time I wash the car and it looks great. It's amazing how it pulls dirt out of the fabric.

 

Now there's a tip I can use...thanks!

 

Jay

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[Rap]

If you're bald how does one drive in a cab? Isn't there a health issue here. Leather balsam.

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[ds968]

um - cars started out roofless.  only after about 10 years did they start putting roofs on them, .

Um - modern humans started out as neanderthals also .. so what's your point, LOL. ? Those roofless cars also used a manual crank to start them .. every mechanism and all goods for that matter, all started in a primitive form which was subsequently refined, and perfected as time went on, and as wisdom enabled civilization to progress. Same applies to cabs EVOLVING into coupes .. Just sayin'. :-) :-)

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[Kaj Hallstrom]

You guys are too much....remember...God only made a few perfect heads...and then covered the rest up. I put my white Heitz Cellar cap on and the girls loves me.......PS don't tell my wife!!

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