[allen smith]

Any recommendations going from a black to dark green vinyl top? Could not find the correct dark green top so we installed a black without the padding or fuzzy material on the back. I assume exterior vinyl top dye is different than interior dye? SEMs products?

[Greg Reid]

I can't help with the dye but I'm curious as to why you used a vinyl with no backing?

[Half-Inch Stud]

My vinyl top installation is a strong data point to either doing the install perfectly on the 1st contact, or removing the backing to allow for ideal tensions. See i leftthe backing on and that caused the drip rail edges to pull the backing off the vinyl. Once pulled, the backing allows bubbles.

I shoulda removed thebacking, or attain perfect installer skills.

[Greg Reid]

I wasn't aware of any of that. I'm considering doing my own...I'll have to look into it.

[allen smith]

I paid way over 200. just for the top...originals had no fuzzy backing.

[Greg Reid]

How would you remove the backing without damaging the top HIS?
Sorry Allen, I still don't know much about the dye...but I would think that it wouldn't be a whole lot different than dyeing a dashpad?......So, SEM would be my guess. Maybe contact their tech support.

[Half-Inch Stud]

Sem would be my guess also. Durability is the issue: i wouldn't rub the top on a hot day.


The backing will probably peel apart, leaving half the backing on the vinyl. There is risk that the half-peeled backing won't lay flat and smooth. So, take an excess material section and practice peeling to see how it peels. Could practice gluing that piece down and see how it lays.

Remember, if the entire top is going on with the as-delivered backing, then you only get 1 attempt at 'contacting' that backing to the roof. Even a local peel-back will pull the backing and cause you to get upset.

Process:
Remember to line-up the top on the roof, put soft weigh-down on it, then fold-back the top to allow your applying thecontact cement (glue) along the roof middle. Work toward the windshield(s). Then work the front center-toedges. Thenworkthefrontedges-toreal sail curve-downs, then work therear-center to sail curve-downs. Work the sail sides and conclude at the 1/4 window forward.

I recall the rear window lower swath to be a separate piece that allows you to reuse a seamtoseam center swath, to go over the top-tails from each side. That lower window swath really pretty easy for a high quality result. Needs black weatherstrip adhesive(for black tops).

[Greg Reid]

Thanks HIS. I'll add this advice to my other sources of future references.

[Rob B]

The new repo tops are of a soft vinyl that has the fuzzy crap on the back. Those are the ones you can buy for around $150 or less. IMHO, they look like crap and you get what you pay for. I went thru this 4 years ago when I was putting the top on my 70 GTO. It was the dark green top. I ordered one from SMS in Oregon. It took about 3-4 weeks to get it at a cost of $350 shipped. It was made from the original GM material and worth every penny spent on it. It was a little trickier to put on since it wasn't as pliable as the cheap ones, that was my only complaint about it.
If your spending all this time and money in restoring a car, don't go cheap on the top over a couple hundred bucks, if its not in the budget, wait until it can be. You'll be so much happier in the end. Same can be said on headliners also.

If your ever at cruise in or car show, look at the majority of the black vinyl tops on most cars. If you look close enough, you can see patterns, lines or little roller style marks in the vinyl as it is manufactured, thats how you can tell the cheap vinyl tops from the good ones. Plus the grain and sheen is normally wrong also. My 2 cents.

[Greg Reid]

I'm with you on the SMS products. I got a sample sent to me for my turquoise headliner and it was a spot-on perfect match for my original.

[Rob B]

Originally Posted by Greg Reid

I'm with you on the SMS products. I got a sample sent to me for my turquoise headliner and it was a spot-on perfect match for my original.

When I was finishing up the 70 GTO. SMS was $250 shipped on the correct material headliner, not vinyl like all the repo's. I opted for the PUI kit (which should be renamed as POS) headliner for around $100. The thing fit like chit, some of the stitching was even off. Just 1 thread will screw up your stretching. Plus the sail panels are already separating so guess what I did? I ordered the one I should of bought in the first place from SMS. Since I've been spending all my time on another project, I haven't put it in yet but just looking at the new headliner from them is no comparison to the PUI POS.

[allen smith]

Correct Rob B, now that I think about it, I did pay 350. for my top....I would think going from black to the `70 dark green would not take a lot of spray to get to that shade. Getting ready to call my trim shop and get their opinion, they've been in business 50+ yrs and will have experience.

[Rob B]

Originally Posted by allen smith

Correct Rob B, now that I think about it, I did pay 350. for my top....I would think going from black to the `70 dark green would not take a lot of spray to get to that shade. Getting ready to call my trim shop and get their opinion, they've been in business 50+ yrs and will have experience.

Did you buy it from SMS? They should have had the correct colored material.

here is a thread I started back in 09. Is this the color of your top?
http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=606050

[Greg Reid]

You did a darned good job on that top Rob. I'm debating trying it myself.

[Rob B]

Originally Posted by Greg Reid

You did a darned good job on that top Rob. I'm debating trying it myself.

Take your time, measure and re-measure and you"ll do just fine.
Been almost 3 years since I did mine and still looks great. I've had to go back and "inject" a little glue in a couple of very small bubbles that popped up and thats it.

[Greg Reid]

I hope to get it painted this fall then maybe do the top and maybe a headliner when the weather gets hot again. I'm thinking the heat will make it a bit more forgiving.
Got your thread bookmarked and may have a few questions when I get to it.

[Rob B]

Originally Posted by Greg Reid

I hope to get it painted this fall then maybe do the top and maybe a headliner when the weather gets hot again. I'm thinking the heat will make it a bit more forgiving.
Got your thread bookmarked and may have a few questions when I get to it.

Ask anytime!

[allen smith]

SMS? What is the name and address of this vendor, Rob?

[Rob B]

Originally Posted by allen smith

SMS? What is the name and address of this vendor, Rob?

http://www.smsautofabrics.com/