Would you apply protectant to 26 year old vinyl top?

[SANTA3013]

That's right. I recently purchased this 1990 Miata from the original owner. During my pre inspection he told me this is the original top. I just put the top up to clean (ONR since it wasn't really dirty) it and apply some protectant but now I'm having second thoughts.

i messaged the original owner to verify that it is the original top and asked if he ever used any product on the top and he said no. He just told me that it stayed garaged it's entire life and I believe it. Still I've never seen a 26 year old top look this good. So, what would you do?

 

[Eldorado2k]

Looks like fabric to me...

 

[SANTA3013]

It may appear to be fabric however unless I'm mistaken, Mazda used vinyl on their Miata convertible tops from 1989-1999 when fabric became an option.

 

[Eldorado2k]

Nevermind what Mazda used on their cars until 1999... What does the material feel like to you in person? Is it vinyl, or fabric?

 

[SANTA3013]

Vinyl

 

[Eldorado2k]

That's odd... I showed your pic to several people and they all thought it was fabric.

 

[Eldorado2k]

Your "vinyl" top looks just like my fabric top.

View attachment 47168

 

[FUNX650]

Cool aquisition!! rops:

I've never seen a 26 year old top look this good.
So, what would you do?

That's a tough call to make.

I'm facing a similar conundrum with a
1973 Corvette Roadster that has the
43 years old original vinyl top—also in
like new condition!!

So far...I've held off applying any
type of a protectant.


Bob

 

[BadgerRivFan]

Why would you have any hesitation to clean and protect the top?

It would seem to me that would be the best way to preserve an important original feature of a vintage convertible.

I own a 1984 Buick Riviera Convertible that I purchased from the original owner which still has the original top. It remains in excellent condition (if I do say so myself), because I keep it clean and protected.

My products of choice are from RaggTopp... which are recommended by Haartz who is the original manufacturer of the top...

http://www.autogeek.net/vinyl-convertible-top-care-kit.html

http://www.autogeek.net/fabric-convertible-top-care-kit.html

 

[SANTA3013]

Thanks Bob. Yesterday the weather was nice and I could not come up with a reason NOT to treat the top so I applied the Areospace 303 protectant per instructions on the bottle. After doing so the top looks much better and I do feel like it is better protected.

 

[FUNX650]

Why would you have any hesitation
to clean and protect the top?

Thanks Bob.
Yesterday the weather was nice

and I could not come up with a
reason NOT to treat the top

so I applied the Areospace 303
protectant per instructions on
the bottle.

After doing so the top looks much
better and I do feel like it is
better protected.

Perhaps my reluctance to butt heads with
the axiom: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"!...
is just an echoing of the stodgy(dodgy?)
logic of (so-called) conventional wisdom...

Which, after careful consideration:
could actually turn out to be nearly
useless as an educational tool.


Bob

 

[AGOatemywallet]

Cool aquisition!! rops:


.

I'm facing a similar conundrum with a
1973 Corvette Roadster that has the
43 years old original vinyl top—also in
like new condition!!

So far...I've held off applying any
type of a protectant.


Bob

Looking forward to the Before & After pictures

 

[BadgerRivFan]

Perhaps my reluctance to butt heads with
the axiom: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"!...
is just an echoing of the stodgy(dodgy?)
logic of (so-called) conventional wisdom...

Which, after careful consideration:
could actually turn out to be nearly
useless as an educational tool.


Bob

You my friend have a very quirky (and often entertaining) mind .

 

[SANTA3013]

Before applying 303

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Applied 303 per instructions inside garage and then moved outside to dry/cure.

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[zx10r Elle]

Mr ezriderga,


303 seems to be one of the 'safer' protectants to apply with the caveat of a fairly short lifespan.

I have noted with extended use ( approximately 15 months ) 303 Aerospace Protectant has made the vinyl seats on my vehicle very supple and elastic.

I do hope 303 will be beneficial for your aged top. 2 other options may be Marine 31 Vinyl Protectant with Sunblock, or perhaps Lexol Vinylex. Neither of those have I sampled yet so I cannot vouch for their behavior or longevity but both according to research appear promising for a longer surface life and equal or superior protection to 303, at least on a DD that stays outdoors.


Steve