Fading soft top help

mhill · Postby **mhill** » Sat Nov 30, 2013 6:05 pm

Hi there, I have a nb2, it has a black soft top that is starting to fade. Is there anything on the market that I can get to bring the material back to it's former glory. My hope is that there is something out there I could use to "paint" it with.

Also, with tyre black paint, how much of the tyre do I cover - Silly question I know, but sometimes I really am that dumb. :p

Thanks in advance.

AntHarmer · Postby **AntHarmer** » Sat Nov 30, 2013 6:10 pm

Meguiars do both a cleaner and a treatment. Using them both yields good results in my experience and brings back the colour, similar to Armoralls effect on black trim. Supercheap don't stock them however, I bought mine from Autobarn.

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AntHarmer · Postby **AntHarmer** » Sat Nov 30, 2013 6:11 pm

Tyre black paint should be applied in a very thin layer with a suitable foam applicator and should be left to fully dry before drying to avoid "slinging"

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hks_kansei · Postby **hks_kansei** » Sat Nov 30, 2013 7:26 pm

mhill wrote:Also, with tyre black paint, how much of the tyre do I cover - Silly question I know, but sometimes I really am that dumb. :p

Only up to where the tread starts.

If you use the tyre shine on the tread it can make it very slippery, which isn't safe.
Plus it's a waste anyway since after the first 5mins of driving the road will have worn off the shine.

Basically, don't put any on parts of the tyre that touch the road.

Also be careful to not spray it onto the brakes (if it's a spray on one), same reason, it's slippery and the brakes may not work the first few presses.

tescoking · Postby **tescoking** » Sat Nov 30, 2013 8:50 pm

is your soft top vinly, cloth or mohair?

mhill · Postby **mhill** » Sun Dec 01, 2013 11:39 am

Thanks. It is a vinyl soft top.

lizard · Postby **lizard** » Sun Dec 01, 2013 11:50 am

Nothing else comes near this stuff :wink:

http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/ ... and-guide/

Mr Morlock · Postby **Mr Morlock** » Sun Dec 01, 2013 3:02 pm

You can try something like 303 but if it really is losing colour the right product I would say is a colour dye via spray can e.g. VHT. I have seen interiors done with great results. It will need to be impeccably clean and you will need to mask off the windows body etc and do it in as clean an environment as possible and I would also wear a mask- preferably a proper one not a nuisance mask. Top up of course so its tight. Tyre paint - black iI do not think is the right product esp as the old ones often were flat and essentially intended for rubber. The pressure pack tyre dressings are not going to last long on vinyl. If you are fussy - do what they say on the can- try it on a small area first eg tonneau. You can read the tins etc to get the right advice but essentially the vinyl dye is intended for vinyl refurb.

tescoking · Postby **tescoking** » Sun Dec 01, 2013 4:22 pm

I used to have the OEM vinly softtop and I have the exact same problem. I did repaint the top with black colour spray, it helps for a while, a couple weeks may be, but then it will fade and the colour will comes off by time. So I just changed the whole top to mohair, last much longer and looks much nicer. Fit by yourselt, the top cost less than $300.

mhill · Postby **mhill** » Mon Dec 02, 2013 5:44 pm

What about this stuff? Is it available here in Melbourne or Geelong?

http://www.autogeek.net/convertible-top-dye.html

And thanks to all posters, very grateful for your advice.