Everybody has a comfort zone when it comes to working on their cars. Many have no issues about turning wrenches, building engines and transmissions, modifying brakes and suspensions, even doing custom engine swaps and programming engine management computers. Some don't even flinch at difficult sheetmetal swaps, narrowed rearends, or installing tubs.
Our fear factor usually goes up as the ability to back up and do it over goes down. This is especially true with something that you can't practice first-where it's all or nothing on the first try.
Installing a vinyl top could be considered an "all the way or nothing" kind of job, especially when it's going on an A12 Six Pack Superbee. We first learned of this car at Muscle Car Restorations (MCR) when we did the framerail swap story in 2007. Now it's ready for a vinyl top, and we wanted to help you add this to the list of things you're not afraid to do. The truth is that installing a vinyl top is not all that difficult once you have a few professional tips to guide you.
MCR doesn't install their YearOne sourced vinyl tops at their shop. They send all their vinyl work to Auto Top Shop in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, where Larry Gabus has been replacing vinyl and convertible tops and doing all types of upholstery work for more than three decades. He's MCR's number one choice for all their restoration projects.
The first step: check to be...
The first step: check to be sure that all the trim fits correctly. Ideally, this should be done before the paint, but at least do it now while it's still possible to make adjustments. with the trim in place, draw a pencil line along the bottom of the trim and then place masking tape about an eighth of an inch up from your line. The tape will mark where to cut the vinyl. The entire roof should be scuffed with a medium Scotch-Brite pad to cut the gloss and to help the contact cement get a good grip.
With the tape in place, you...
With the tape in place, you can also mark the locations of all the trim holes so you can find them after they are covered by the top.
In order to find the emblem...
In order to find the emblem holes after the top is on, use a straight edge to mark their position and distance on the tape before it's installed.
Before you start anything,...
Before you start anything, turn the top over and measure between the parallel seams and draw a line down the exact middle of the top. Do the same on the roof of the car by measuring the center from the drip edges. This will center the top side to the side on the car. Use a regular pencil, not any type of grease pencil. Larry has seen colored grease pencil lines bleed through and discolor the top. White vinyl is especially sensitive to this.
Next, turn the top over and...
Next, turn the top over and roughly position it on the roof. The front corners of the top have welded seams that need to be positioned a few inches down the A-pillar. It is important that the seam is between the window clip locations. More specifically, you don't want the screw that holds the clip to the post to have to pass through the seam itself. This seam should also land in the same position on both sides, but you can't fix it if it's not (short of getting a different top) because if you twist the top you'll angle the roof seams.
Contact cement is normally...
Contact cement is normally very unforgiving. Once you press two pieces together, they are usually stuck for good. The tip here is to fold the top back to reveal the center lines and apply a narrow strip of cement along both the vinyl top and the roof center lines. Now all you need to do is to press the two lines together, and the top will be perfectly centered.
With the center lines glued...
With the center lines glued together, you can double check that the top will look centered by measuring from the edge of the seams to the corner of the roof or the driprail. If need be, you can reposition the top fairly easily since the glue is just a narrow strip . . . if you do it within 5-10 minutes.
A lot of vinyl tops are applied...
A lot of vinyl tops are applied by spraying the glue to both surfaces, but if you don't have the proper spray equipment, then brushing it on is just as good. You'll need about two quarts for a roof this size. Apply the contact cement to both the roof and the top about one third of the way across the roof and all the way from front to back. Spread the cement as thin as possible without leaving any gaps. Definitely no puddling allowed. You'll have about 5-10 minutes to work each area.
This is the part that makes...
This is the part that makes most guys nervous, but it's really not all that hard if you can recruit a couple of helpers. Lift the material up in the center and pull it over towards the edge. Don't try to bring the whole top over, just the middle for now.
Keeping the material tight,...
Keeping the material tight, pull it out and then down onto the roof. Once the two parts come into contact they will not slide, so don't let the top touch the roof until it's in position.
Some incidental contact will...
Some incidental contact will not cause you any trouble, but once you pull it down tight, it's stuck for good. Don't worry about stretching the top out of shape while you are pulling out the wrinkles because this material really doesn't stretch all that much.
With the middle in position,...
With the middle in position, just move to either the front or the back and repeat; only this time you will also pull a little towards the front and the back. Remember, you are only gluing one-third of the way at a time. If you've got a couple of helpers, they can hold the front and rear corners up and away from the roof while you are pulling at the center. Once you have the top pulled into place, press it down firmly with your open hand. Then, fold the top back again and brush more cement over the next third of the way and repeat the process until you get to the edge.