Vinyl Top Adhesive

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George R

George R

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What is the "latest & greatest" vinyl top adhesive? My buddy is going to install a new vinyl top on his car (not a Mopar) and asked me about the adhesive.
What should I recommend he use?
Any install tips I could pass along?
Thanks in advance.

George
 
As far as over the counter spray can adhesive goes its 3M Super Trim Adhesive #8090. Autozone, napa, etc sell it for around $20 a can. I used 2 cans on my Duster top. Mopar Muscle did several articles on v top installs, try a google search.
In a nutshell:
Mask off the car to avoid overspray.
Find & mark the center of the roof an top front and rear, I drew a line down the top & car
Trim SOME of the excess material off.
Once the center is marked start with gluing one strip down the center approx 4"
Then roll out the top and check to make sure its centered. I used the v top seams to the drip rail distance on mine.
Start gluing one side at a time. Its best to have 2 people, 1 to pull the ends tight and the other to roll the material down. The sides take some stretching to avoid wrinkles.
Find something dull and rounded that can go in the drip rail seams, I used scissor handles on mine to press the top into the groove.
Measure 3x's cut once. Trim slowly. Get new razor blades. Do it in the sun makes it easier to work with
 
^^^^ Good advice, but around the edges I've never used spray tack, simply because of the "spray" aspect of it. I've always used a brush on vinyl top adhesive. For the bulk of the roof spray tack is fine.

In your case, George, you should be able to get hooked up with a local upholstery shop who can sell it to you by the pint or quart. Mine has it in the five gallon drum and is more than willing to share.

The biggest thing is just like women's stockings of yore: make sure the seams are straight.
 
I have installed several tops on Mopars and Fords and I always use plain old contact cement from True Value Hardware Stores, it is a brush on and it works great with no mess or overspray issues. Mark the center of your windshield and the center of your rear window, find center of you V top and fold the top in half, align the V top center to the windshield and rear window center marks, brush glue on V top and on 1/2 side of the roof except where it comes down behind the quarter windows, let glue on both pieces set until it is not tacky, about 10 min depending on temp, fold top over onto glued roof and smooth out any wrinkles which is very few if any, I then do the same on the other side, once both sides are glued down then I do the area from the roof down to the quarter panel, I do not cut any material until the V top is completely glued down and dried. Seriously this job is way easier than what you think it might be.




ramenth said:
^^^^ Good advice, but around the edges I've never used spray tack, simply because of the "spray" aspect of it. I've always used a brush on vinyl top adhesive. For the bulk of the roof spray tack is fine.

In your case, George, you should be able to get hooked up with a local upholstery shop who can sell it to you by the pint or quart. Mine has it in the five gallon drum and is more than willing to share.

The biggest thing is just like women's stockings of yore: make sure the seams are straight.
Click to expand...
 
is there no issues with lines or bulges from spraying/spreading on the glue?

i mean from it being slightly un-even... or after you stretch it out it all goes away??
 
805moparkid said:
is there no issues with lines or bulges from spraying/spreading on the glue?

i mean from it being slightly un-even... or after you stretch it out it all goes away??
Click to expand...

Not that I've ever had.

If you have the top laid out right, the spray tack and brush on adhesive on right, the material has enough bulk that all you really have to do is smooth it out with the palm of your hand. Very little force and it'll lay down smooth to start with. Around the drip edge you'll have to "fold" a bit with your fingers, but again, if the top is made right it'll lay right in.

As mentioned above, it's really not a big deal to do it yourself. There's no magic to it. Just a bit of patience and some common sense.
 
I recently had to glue a carpet into a car. If you are looking for a good glue use a solvent based contact cement and not a water based product. Brush on to both sides and wait 10 minutes before installing. Commercial carpet supply stores will carry the good stuff.
 
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