So the cloth top on my Miata is starting to show some wear and close to getting a small hole on the outside in one spot, and the inside has a few wear spots near the folds. What can I do to prevent them from going all the way through that will look nice? It is a very nice top and the window is still in excellent condition. The top was on the car when I bought it.
Thanks!
Phil
not what i was expecting. i imagine at least one Hong will say the same.
The only way to prevent the wear is to not put the top up and down. I suggest leaving it down. :D
Iron on patch?
In reply to dollraves:
Rain sucks and cops don't buy the "I'm driving fast to keep from getting rained on" excuse 
Its top down whenever feasible.
In reply to mr2peak:
I've thought of that, but since the wear marks are at a flex point, I'm afraid of the patch not adhering that well.
My robbins came with a couple of pieces of stick-on velcro (fuzzy side) that I put on the inside of the top where there are corners that seem sort of pokey. They've been good for a couple years now. I know you can get stick on velcro at hobby lobby, etc.
This is probably really silly but I saw a commercial for this spray on sealer the other night. good for gutters roofs etc. something like 19.95 for two cans. I was actually wondering if it could be used to coat a convertible soft top. Giving it a rubberized coating. I have no idea about adhesion when it flexes but hay some one with a trashed soft top should try it.
Paint it with a little liquid latex maybe? Flexible, yet durable.
Hit the craft store (Michael's, AC Moore, etc) and see what they have.
I have had good success using Marine "Goop" to fix tears on my Miata's top. I stitched the tear, then took a piece of fabric from a window cut-out that came with another top that I had purchased , and glued the patch to the inside of the top using the goop. Then I put a layer of the Goop on the outside of the top to seal the outside surface of the repair. I doesn't look too bad but it isn't a concourse repair. It is on a high stress area of the top and has held up for 2 years. It is a good way to extend the life of a top, and I only care how the car looks with the top down.
If the hole isn't large or all the way through, you could just put the patch on the inside and it may prevent it from getting worse.
dean1484 wrote:This is probably really silly but I saw a commercial for this spray on sealer the other night. good for gutters roofs etc. something like 19.95 for two cans. I was actually wondering if it could be used to coat a convertible soft top. Giving it a rubberized coating. I have no idea about adhesion when it flexes but hay some one with a trashed soft top should try it.
I've thought that, too! That stuff looks amazing!
Anyways, my vinyl top had a split on a seam/stress point.
I used VLC adhesive and a vinyl patch on the inside. It's been bone dry since, and shows no signs of letting up.
Be careful with the VLC, though... that is some NASTY stuff.
I've found the best way to avoid wear is to keep the top maintained so the vinyl doesn't dry out. Keep the top treated with whatever you find works best (I really like Mothers Back to Black) and the vinyl will be more supple and flexible.
When I bought my 96 the top was dry and crappy looking. It absorbed almost an entire bottle of back to black and looks/feels great now.
This is a cloth top. I keep it treated with 303.
Thanks for the advice so far. Keep it coming!
Oh cloth is even easier then! iron-on patch.
