REPLACING TOP...CLOTH OR VINYL??

[Spidey23]

So I have finally got my 78 Spider pretty road worthy by replacing virtually all the steering, suspension, brake parts, plus rebuilt trans. Body repair/restoration & new maroon paint ( a Jaguar color ). Old convertible top is rotted & need a replacement....should I go w/ vinyl which is cheaper or cloth which is a lot more money? What are the pros & cons and your opinions & experiences, as I really value everyone on this forum's input? Thanks......Ken

[v6spider]

Ken:

Here's a big discussion about that i believe:
http://www.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopic ... 15&t=11967

Cheers!
Rob

[Spidey23]

Thanks...read it all & decided to go w/ black vinyl EZ On Top from TopsOnLine for $209 + shipping.

[blurple124]

I was thinking about going through them for my top, how do you like it? And the service?

[WYSpider]

Germanex is another source for tops.

Here is picture of one installed. I purchased one but haven't installed yet. My understanding is that Robbins was the OEM top for Fiats.

[grittracing]

well only two ways to think about ?

1.
What can you afford (if you cant afford vinyl than clothe would be the answer
2
do you mind the heat? You have to be a big fan of the vintage vinyl look to not mind the warm seats in the summer that leave your burnt skin on the seat and ice cold seats in the winter. And if these bother you than you will cover them with some kind of clothe anyway.
Personally i love my vinyl ! No matter what ! Classic style and look

[wikkid]

Gritt, he was asking about the top, not seat covers, I believe.

[124ADDHE]

I just installed a top from Diamondmall, ebay seller. It fits very tight, you could not install on a cold day, you need a heat gun or preferably the sun...mine still needs to stretch a bit more as the rear bar it @ its max up position to the point where I can just see daylight! So yes. a bit small. Its well enough made and looks great, seals much better on the windows and overhangs the windows a bit more also, requiring less of the padded vinyl-window seal. I was dissapointed that they did not offer the velcro portion that glues to the top frame...this actually really pissed me off, how can you give a guy 1/2 of the velcro?

anyways, I would probably go with the Germanex or world upholstery (I bought their seat upholstery, it was great), the Diamondmall top is the cheapest and I heard it was good but there are a couple issues.

[AndyS]

the heavy Vinyl tops JC Whitney sells are great. one of the best tops I ever had on a 124--didn't leak a drop, and the fit was perfect. I have a cloth top on my car now, and I swear there is more noise at freeway speeds than with the heavy vinyl top I used to have from JC Whitney.

http://www.jcwhitney.com/convertible-to ... 570y1971j1

[wikkid]

Cloth tops might require more care. Let one dry before taking the top down again, if you pulled it up for rain.
303 products makes a great vinyl care preservative and cleaner line. Treating vinyl that way to inhibit UV degradation will help preserve the life of the top. With either material, the towel and a foam tube (like a swimming pool "noodle" will help keep the back window from getting scratched up when down.
I'm generally a traditionalist, so I am always tempted by cloth tops, but when it comes time to buy a top, mine will be vinyl, and I'll just try to keep it in good shape for as long as possible, and hope for good weather for as many days per year as possible.

[RRoller123]

Just had a new Vinyl Top installed today. It was purchased from EZ-On Tops in SC, and installed by my local Auto Upholsery expert, Mark's Auto Upholstery here in Foxboro, MA. Price was good, $280 top, $180 installation. I am very happy with both the top and the installation, and the look really enhances the car. He mentioned that new vinyl tops should not be taken down for at least 72 hours after installation. It is so damned cold here now that there is very little risk of that! Probably won't be opened up now until March. Just for reference, the existing top lasted at least 12 years (that was how long PO had the car) and maybe longer. It worked ok for me until the weather got cool (not cold), and then it failed quickly. It had become quite brittle, especially around the rear window area.

This is the old top, tan with a badly torn rear window and a pretty ragged stretched fit:

http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb4 ... OLDTOP.jpg

http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb4 ... WINDOW.jpg

Here is the new Black top, installed today:

http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb4 ... CF3181.jpg

http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb4 ... CF3182.jpg