anybody install your own vinyl top ?

340doc · May 12, 2010

How hard is it? thinking of trying to install my top myself. What kind of glue should I use. Looking for any tips... Thanks!!

dustermaniac · May 12, 2010

Welcome to FABO!!!!!! I would be interested in the answers to this question myself. Great Question!!!!!

homecloned · May 13, 2010

I will be doing mine in the next few weeks. There are some good articles in Mopar Muscle Magazine you can search online. It doesn't look to hard to do. You need to find the center of the roof and the center of the vinyl top and mark those areas. Lay top in the sun to get plyable and smooth out rinkles. Lay top on roof of car so center marks are lined up. Flip one side over and do one side at a time. Use spray adhesive on the roof and top and slowley lay it down while smoothing out with hand and burnishing tool. Now flip the other side over the side you just finished and do the same. Finish the edges, install trim and trim any excess vinyl. This is a short description of what needs to be done. I have never done it but am not affraid to try it myself.

HemiPar · May 13, 2010

There are a few threads here about this. Maybe do a search. I will try to find one for you. I plan on doing mine if the car ever gets painted that is.

justin hughes · May 13, 2010

ive done a couple.its not hard, the worst part is putting the chrome back on. use 3m spray adhesive and follow directions on the can. basically, i first would do this on a warm sunny day. lay out the vinyl, measure and eyeball where you want it (pay close attention to the ribs in the vinyl so that they run evenly over the roof. tape one side in place just to keep it from sliding. fold the vinyl over in half. start at the center of the roof and work your way to the side doing about 6 inch sections at a time. remember with the adhesive you need to spray both the vinyl and the metal and let them tack up before folding the vinyl onto the roof firmly pull the vinyl and push down with other hand smoothing any wrinkles.once you are happy , then go around and do the same to the other side of the car. roughly trim excess vinyl leaving a couple extra inches around the channels. put car out in the direct sun and let the sun shrink it down for a day or two before you trim around all your clips. the sun will pull the top tightly down onto the roof , the material will shrink, that is why you need to wait to do a final trimming before installing chrome.it may wrinkle slightly in spots (around pillars) , just keep working any wrinkles as they appear. thats how i do it. its easier with 2 people but you can do it with one. once you start , you will see how easy it really is. remember, measure and eyeball the lines in the vinyl while looking at the car front to back and back to front.

challengergary · May 13, 2010

justin pretty much got it right.

One other thing - do not think that more is necessarily better when it come to the adhesive - especially in Sunny South Florida. If you use too much adhesive the sun can cause it to reactivate and you'll end up with some unwanted wrinkles on really hot sunny days. It's not a huge, big deal especially since they go away when it cools down but it is something to keep in mind in your climate - I learned that lesson the hard way

homecloned · May 13, 2010

challengergary said:
justin pretty much got it right.

One other thing - do not think that more is necessarily better when it come to the adhesive - especially in Sunny South Florida. If you use too much adhesive the sun can cause it to reactivate and you'll end up with some unwanted wrinkles on really hot sunny days. It's not a huge, big deal especially since they go away when it cools down but it is something to keep in mind in your climate - I learned that lesson the hard way

Thanks for the tip Gary.