A plastic convertible rear window looks like glass until you try to clean it, and that gap between expectation and reality is where most damage happens. The panel is a thin, flexible sheet of clear plastic — usually PVC or polycarbonate — that oxidises, yellows and scratches far more readily than the laminated glass it … Read more
Yes. Light to moderate scratches come out of a convertible plastic window with a plastic-specific polish, worked by hand or by machine. Deep grooves and tears do not, and no product on the shelf will change that. Scratch removal on clear plastic is not a filling exercise. It is a levelling one. A mild abrasive … Read more
Store your convertible with the top fully up, the latches secured, the fabric clean and bone dry, a protectant applied, and a breathable cover on top. If you learn how to store a convertible top in winter correctly, a five or six month sleep should cost you nothing more than a few hours of autumn … Read more
Clear vinyl and acrylic rear windows take a permanent set when they are held in a sharp fold under sustained pressure. To fold a soft top without creasing the window, release every latch, popper and Velcro attachment first, seat each bow flat against the bow in front of it so no fabric is pinched, and … Read more
Convertible top tension is set by hand, not by the top motor. You adjust it at the cable tensioner blocks, the elastic hold-down straps or stud nuts, and the frame mounting bolts: loosen the fasteners a quarter turn, cycle the top so the fabric re-seats on the frame, then tighten in small increments working from … Read more
To lubricate a convertible top frame, open the top fully, disconnect the battery, clean each pivot joint and guide rail with degreaser, then apply a small amount of white lithium grease or waterproof bearing grease to every pivot, and a PTFE or silicone spray to the guide rails. Run the top through two full cycles, … Read more
Replacing a hood stick cover takes under an hour on most classic soft-top cars. Identify how the new cover fastens, put two Lift-The-Dot studs on the rear deck, pull the cover over the folded sticks, tuck the inner edge under the top bows and snap it home. That single line hides the one question that … Read more
Fitting a tonneau cover to a classic car is a two-afternoon job that most owners underestimate once and then never think about again. The cover stretches over the rear deck and holds its shape at a series of anchor points: lift dot studs across the bulkhead behind the windscreen, retainers on the rear scuttle, side … Read more
A half hood is a shortened convertible top that covers roughly the front half of an open cockpit instead of the whole seating area. You fit one to a roadster, hot rod or kit sports car when you want sun and weather protection over the windscreen and the driver without the weight and stowed bulk … Read more
Choosing a convertible top material usually comes down to one comparison: duck cloth versus PVC vinyl. The two look and behave nothing alike, and the right pick depends on where the car lives, how often the roof goes down, and how much maintenance you actually enjoy. I have spent in the convertible top and trim … Read more