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Crack in canvas top in '88 Mustang

Hey all! Back in Feb I bought a sweet 88 5.0 Lx. I drive it once a week or so and now that its summer I've been putting the top down of course. The top is a couple years old and back towards the back of the top but before it slants down to the window there is a small crack in the canvas. It is over on the passenger side and its probably .5 inches long. I have checked and its not coming from the metal frame of the top poking out, its just where the top folds as it goes down.

So my two questions are: What can I seal this crack up with so that it wont get bigger and water wont leak through? What can I put on the canvas top to soften it up so that it will not be so brittle that it will crack in other places?

If possible I would like to get items locally. I have walmarts, autozones, advance auto, oriely, napa, pep boys, etc.

Thanks for any input!

--Cameron

Reply to
Cameron
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Hey Cameron.

My guess would be that the top is older than just a couple of years BUT if you by some stroke of luck can prove that it is only a couple of years old it MAY be still covered under warranty. The top only, not the cost to install a replacement.

If not, repairing it so that it will stay, is nearly impossible. There are companies that do vinyl repair and it will look great for a few times that the top goes up and down but a stress crack WILL crack again and WILL continue to grow.

The reality is, you need to start planning for a new top. Depending on where you get it, you may get a deal, you may get screwed so do your homework. There are good brands and there are junk dealers and sometimes it's hard to tell the difference.

Some of the guys in here have older cars and they can steer you towards reputable top people.

One other thing, you will want a pro to install it and when you DO get a new one NEVER put it up and down when it's cold outside, that's the fastest way to create stress cracks.

If you try to repair it with one of those DIY kits, the probability that it will look like crap is in the 98%.

Good Luck to you

Kate

Reply to
Kate

How about if I fill in the gap with a large amount of super glue?

Is there anything I can put on the top to soften it up?

Reply to
Cameron

I used matching color (black) high quality Duct Tape (Speed Tape) on mine for a couple of seasons until replacing it.

Not that I know of

Howard

Reply to
Howard Nelson

Vinyl is unfortunately not like leather. You cannot really 'condition' it. It never really absorbs anything and reconditioning it is pretty much impossible. With time it simply degrades.

If you fill the gap with superglue, the glue itself will be brittle. More so than the vinyl itself. Superglue is quite brittle when dry.

Personally I know of no way to repair it so it will stay any length of time. You should check the phone book.

If it were me, and MY car, I would save up for a new top (went through that twice with my Stangs)

You MIGHT try this: Go to a fabric store, get some FABRIC glue, ask the crafty ladies there for some. Get a small bit of fabric and glue it on the back from the underside. Maybe something like a bit of vinyl backed cloth that is thin. You can reach your hand in there with the top part way down. You will need to apply preddure while it's drying to achieve a good seal.

Ask the ladies at the fabric store if they have a fabric adhesive that remains flexible. Ask if they have any better ideas too, they may have resources that will amaze you.

PRACTISE on another piece first so you know what will happen and if the results are what you want. Cut a little slit in a bit of thick cloth and then try it. It might be a really bad idea. it is ONLY an idea, I have never tried it.

Best of luck to you Cameron.

Kate

Reply to
Kate

I had a top with four or five tears in it once and an uphosterer patched it with some top canvas and contact adheasive that they install the tops with. He glued a larger patch on the inside and a smaller less noticable patch over the tears on the outside overlaping the tears by about an inch all around. This lasted the six months till I could get my new top installed and didn't show any signs of coming loose and may have lasted another six months.

Reply to
/\rtful ])odger

Wow thanks for all the responses. In general how much does it cost for a new top plus installation?

Reply to
Cameron

My last top cost me about $1,000 all said and done. this time (different car) I am supplying the top which I am getting here........

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?item_no=ET-CTK-IT1%20%20%20%20%201&comp=LRS And I made a deal with the upholsterer that I would strip the old top and get it ready for him so he agreed to install the new top for $250 but that took persuasion and allot of shopping around. I decided to get the "New top kit" because the last time there were unforeseen problems and I ended up buying most of all this stuff individually by the end of the project which added to the cost. You might want to get new cables also if the old ones are frayed.

It's worth doing right....it sure makes your car look good with a new top stretched on and you can bounce quarters off it without them falling through. :)

Reply to
/\rtful ])odger

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