Vinyl Top Installation - Vinyl Vindication

Before you move down the pillar and glue it fast, lay it out and mark...

around the area you need to keep so you can trim off the excess.

It will make it much easier to handle the material.

After trimming, roughly position the top on the quarter-panel, roll it back, and mark where the vinyl will be cut so you know how far to spread the glue. Spreading the glue past where the top will end only makes a mess.

Apply the vinyl top material to the rear pillar in sections just like you did the roof, but don't wrap it around into the window channel or the driprail just yet. Leave glue out of those areas for now.

There is a piece of trim that fits over the driprails, so it's important that the vinyl material get all the way to the bottom of the rail or it will prevent the trim from fitting correctly. Because the cement will stick to whatever it touches first, you'll need to roll the material into the driprail so it touches the bottom of the rail first. Make relief cuts in the vinyl as needed, then wrap the material around the rail.

When trimming the material, don't push the razor blade through the vinyl as you drag the blade along. You'll cut into the paint and possibly give moisture a chance to cause bubbles that could end up showing below your trim. Instead, hold the blade steady and pull the material back against the blade. You'll get an easy clean and accurate cut.

When you get to the rear end of the driprail stainless-even though there is a trim piece that covers this area-fold the material over and glue it in place under where the trim piece goes.

The window channel is a little easier. Push the vinyl down into the corner and draw a line. Then simply cut off the material with scissors and glue in place.

If you mark the position of the window trim clip holes in advance, you'll save a lot of time and frustration locating them after the vinyl is fully installed.

Using the marks you made earlier...

...locate the trim mounting holes with an awl and poke them through.