My Boot Cover Saga

[DUCeditor]

Like so many Spider owners I almost always keep the top down and when I do I much prefer the look of the car with the boot cover installed.

When I bought my `77 back in `88 I found a boot coarsely stuffed into a corner of the trunk, missing most of its hardware. One rear "fish bracket" (as IAP calls it) was there but nothing else. I made my own replacement bracket (I.e., the part that has the loop that goes over the metal hook on the car's rear deck) and designed my own reasonably effective Velcro system to hold on the rest. With a little cleanup and care that old boot cover did the job for over twenty years.

Over time, of course, it started to show wear and eventually became downright unsightly. Last summer for the first time I drove without a boot cover at all. That definitely was not to my liking.

Thus when International Auto Parts had their big winter sale I took advantage of it, not only to get a replacement for my weeping gas tank and a new top for the car, but a new boot cover as well.

At the time they did not have the ones that come (supposedly) with all the hardware in place so I bought the one that comes sans hardware and also bought two of the front hooks. Between that and the salvageable hardware from my old one I expected to be all set. Nope.

When I opened the package fully this Spring I found that the little hardware pieces that were supposedly attached to the top (they are in IAP's photo) -- the snaps and the straps with hooks -- were packaged loose in the box. I called IAP and asked what they expected a buyer to do about that. "Go to an auto upholstery shop and have them installed" was the unsatisfactory answer. Instead I inquired whether they now had the ones in stock that come with all the hardware. When I was told "yes" I ordered this and arranged to return the other. That seemed a satisfactory solution.

Alas it was less satisfactory than it appeared. For when the new one arrived it, too, had the hardware uninstalled and packed separately. Once again I called IAP and was told to go to an upholstery shop and have them installed. Grrr! They knew that requirement was why I returned the other one! Worse the 2nd one - the one that was supposed to be complete with hardware came with the straps stapled on (office grade staples) and without any hooks. (BTW, the site has since been updated with the additional phrase "Some assembly required." Indeed!)

Needless to say I was not pleased. And to make matters worse instead of refunding the cost of the first boot IAP sent me a "Gift Certificate" for an amount that was $30+ short of what I was owed. Double grrrr! Only after a series of phone calls was I able to get that corrected.

So apart from revealing that I was/am sorely disappointing (read: "pissed") with IAP where do I stand.

Well this morning I started the required "assembly", measuring and carefully cutting the opening in the vinyl cover for the hooks of the "fish bracket" to come through. I also installed the snaps and once everything appeared to line up I glued the vinyl around the brackets with "Shoe Goo" and affixed the plastic front hooks with double faced tape so they won't fall out of the pockets that hold them.

Once that 'goo' has sufficiently hardened I still need to attach the front straps and hooks (using the hooks from the old cover).

As to the quality of the cover itself I am well pleased. Why IAP sells them 'unassembled' I have no idea. Certainly the high price does not justify it.

I'll post pics once the project is complete.

-Don

[baltobernie]

My IAP cover took quite a bit of work, too. I think all of the ones sold today fit more loosely than the originals. Scroll about halfway down for my mods. http://www.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopic ... 30&t=13997

[DUCeditor]

My IAP cover took quite a bit of work, too. I think all of the ones sold today fit more loosely than the originals. Scroll about halfway down for my mods. http://www.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopic ... 30&t=13997

Wow, what you had to do is worse (so far!) than my own experience.

And indeed that may be why the parts don't come attached. By placing the snaps, strap and hooks and even the "fish bracket" based on the fit of the actual cover (as I have done) perhaps I will be able to avoid the flapping problem.

Only time will tell. But certainly 1) it seems tight with the hardware attached as I have it, and 2) when I measured the hook straps (not yet attached) they had to me MUCH shorter than the originals in order for there to be some tension on the cover.

Hope for the best. Be prepared for the worst. Eh?



-Don

[DUCeditor]

Finished the project today. After some thought I decided to attach the hookstraps with snaps, affixed to the underside, as this will allow for adding tension easily should it ever be found necessary.

So far it is not. At least at speeds up to about 60mph - the fastest I generally go on the back roads I drive -- there is no flapping.

In the end it was a lot of hassle but worth it. The car definitely looks better with a boot cover and especially a nice new one.

-Don

[courtenay]

I'm not sure what the hookstraps are. How's chances of seeing a picture of the finished product. It sounds interesting.

[DUCeditor]

I'm not sure what the hookstraps are. How's chances of seeing a picture of the finished product. It sounds interesting.

The hookstraps affix the valance on the boot (The part that drapes down over the rear seat's vertical cushion) to the lower side panel and keep tension on the cover.

I didn't post pix because I realized there was really nothing special to show. Mine looks like any other cover. The only difference is that instead of sewing or riveting on the straps with the hook I put a male snap on the strap and a female on the rear of the cover to attach it.

I will post pix with a detail of the above.

-Don

[courtenay]

Don't worry about the pics - I now understand what you did. good idea!