How to repair small tear in convertible top?

[TheFleshRocket]

I've got about a 1" tear in the top on my Stang. It's not on a stressed part of the top so it's not going to tear any more, but I'd like to fix it up. Anyone know of a convertible top repair kit, or some other good way to cover up this tear so it doesn't look like it's there?

 

[ironmedic]

duct tape

 

[v8only]

sew it up, rtv it to hold the stitches and then put a patch on it, or no patch.

Unless something cut through the top, a small rip is a first sign of your top aging. your top is going out. Mine started with a small rip, then rips started coming everywhere. You can try and bandaid it, but the real fix will be to save your $ for a new top.

 

[5.0Droptop]

duct tape

I was gonna say that. Take it to a chop top and have them sew it.

 

[TheFleshRocket]

I found a repair kit from Jegs here: http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/ProductDisplay/c-10101/s-10101/p-170101/mediaCode-ZX/appId-384644

But I am more comfortable with having a professional repair it.

My top wasn't going down all the way on the driver's side (it would stop a couple inches higher than the passenger's side) so I decided to try pushing it down a little bit. I only put a bit of pressure on it, but that was enough to cause the rip. Then I tried it again later and made the second rip. :dumbass:

After doing a closer inspection, the staples that hold the top to the bar right above the driver's side have come loose, which is probably why the top isn't settling down properly. (This was probably caused by doing several 140+mph runs with the top up. Ooops.) So I'm going to have the tears repaired and then the top restapled, and hopefully that will keep the problem from recurring.

Also, this top is at most a year or two old, so the tears are not due to the material just being worn.

 

[mousetrapcar]

take it to a upholstery shop and ask them to patch it up. they'll put a patch on from under with glue. it only cost me about $15

 

[ironmedic]

buy some duct tape and paint it to match the color

 

[travaler]

Hmmm . . . tried duct tape: good thought, but doesn't stick in high winds (over 35 mph). Upholstery companies won't touch it--worried about the stretching causing the repair to tear out
How about someone inventing a flexible tape that really sticks. That'll take care of the stretching problem, and keep the top waterproof. Any suggestions about a tape that will really stick?

 

[snowman23]

I had a small (about 1/2 inch or even a little less) tear in mine when i bought it. I put a tiny dab of superglue on each side of the tear from the inside and then covered it with a small piece of white duct tape (the color of the top). I put a tiny bit of glue on the ductape too so that it would stay when folded up and down. This has held up for 5 years now.
I also LIGHTLY touched up the outside on the seam of the tear with touch up paint that I found that matches the color of my (older) white top almost exactly. This masked it fairly well. I can find it, but don't notice it.
Good luck.

 

[djh3_88]

My old 89 GT had a top that started to get a couple of small tears by the bows. I bought some "marine" type glue/adheisve. It was made or right next to the "goop" type glues. Anyways like someone said I stiched up the tear while not rying to pull the thread thruogh and rip it again. Then I took some black nagahide I had and glued it over and then "sealed" the edges. I got pretty good and stopped sewing the rips after about the 3rd one. Top was getting old and I had a new one on order but had to make the time to get it in the shop. lol

 

[derrick gil]

I had a small tear on my last top, which was white. I duct taped it from underneath, and then used white silicone on top. It worked really well until I got a new top put on.

 

[August]

All you need to do is to apply a repair patch to the tear. I suggest that you use the repair tape brand called "fixmytear" since it is super strong and lasts a long time. Cheaper than paying for it to be sewn back together professionally when more tears will eventually pop up anyway. Good luck.
Amazon product ASIN B01MA5HSNCView: https://www.amazon.com/Fixmytear-Magic-Repair-Tape-33ft/dp/B01MA5HSNC

Amazon product ASIN B016M1S1GUView: https://www.amazon.com/fixmytear-Magic-Repair-Tape-Kit/dp/B016M1S1GU

 

[Mstng93SSP]

The post is from 2008. That top is probably beyond repair by now.

 

[billison]

Since we are bringing back old posts. On one of my old verts that had tears in the seam towards the back. What I found worked well and was both cheap and easy was flex steel. The spray stuff with the funny ads. I cleaned the area real well, masked off the area around it, then masked almost up to the tear. The spots over empty space got stitches. Sprayed it into the damage to make sure it was sealed then feathered it out so it wasn’t as visible.

Then to make it really good, I scubbed the whol top with an sos pad, washed and dried, then died it back black with vinyle die from the parts store. 3 cans did it. Looked great.