Any suggestions on how to repair or patch a small tear in a convertable top?

I plan to get it reupulstered down the road.

 

yeah get some silicone from your local hardware store...worked fine for me. but that is only in certain areas of the soft top. if it is torn near a spot that always bends or has a lot of stress, then the seal will not be very durable and will probably break again.

Fred :P
88 vert
87 TII
91 vert
86 N/A
90 vert

 

Did you replace any of your tops on your verts? If so, what did it run you? And what kind of top did you use?

 

I would recommend 3m 5200 marine grade sealant. It's chemical resistant, flexible and much more durable than silicone. It comes in black and white. The black stuff is does not clean up very easily, so be careful. A small tube is about $5
Lars

 

where'd you get the 3M 5200 marine grade sealant? i used silicone and it worked fine for 3months and one side ripped again.. i want to use a stronger seal.

 

Thanks gentlemen and my vert thanks you as well, cause tape was not gonna cut it.

JJS

 

Sew the damaged area together first.
You don't have to do a neat job, becuse the silicone will hide it.
My repair works so well that I have delayed putting my new top on for the last 6 months.

 

If you have a marine supply store near you, they will definitely have it. If not, you can order it online from www.westmarine.com. The Home Depot near me carries it, but only the white stuff.
Lars

 

I am a bit concerned about sewing the vert top. What if it rips more because it is weak and brittle in the area?

 

If you don't sew it, the silicone will not hold it together.
Go to a boat supply store (or canvas shop??) and get a big curved needle and nylon thread.
Don't pull any one loop too tight and you won't rip it. Just put lots of stitches, and not all in the same place in the fabric.

 

yes marine sealant is good as well...they are usually located in same area of your local hardware store. you can use bicycle tire repair patches for the inside of top to patch the rip and hold the ripped pieces together...but you would still need to use the silicone or marine sealants. hope it helps.

As for replacing convertible tops..i am in the process of replacing mine and i am getting a "Robbins" cloth top. i hear great things about them as far as other rx-7 owners. check with your local upholstery shops they may be able to get great discount on the tops...installed. mine costs 950.00 but there are cheaper ones made by robbins...depends on what you want done and kind of material.

Fred

 

I got a Robbins Top and all told, installed , tax ,etc came to $750. Not sure of you're local but I got it installed at Airport Vinyl Tops in Tukwila

 

Rip top in front pannel. I used 5200 and a non-stick fabric from West Epoxy which made indents/impressions similar to the stock top pattern. Put 5200 under cut then fabric, then a brick on top. Let 5200 cure one day. Be clean! 5200 will not come off.

 

I had some f**ker cut my top trying to break in. I ended up using some heavy duty tape from my work to hold the 2 peices together on the inside (the tape kind of looked like CF). Then I used a needle and some heavy black thread to sew it together. I put the stiches about 1/8" - 3/16 away from the rip, and didn't pull them super tight. Then I used a vinyl repair kit I bought from the local auto parts store, und used it on the rip and stiches. You can't really tell unless you're standing right next to the car.
I got a quote from a good shop for $1200 for the OE top, and $1600 for the nice cloth top (like on BMWs).
Now I need to replace the top, I've got the common rip right on the back of that pocket.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by larsyoung
[B]I would recommend 3m 5200 marine grade sealant. It's chemical resistant, flexible and much more durable than silicone. It comes in black and white. The black stuff is does not clean up very easily, so be careful. A small tube is about $5
Thanks for the great imfo _ it worked great!!!!!

 

man I wish I had 5 rx7s badboy. I think after this winter I'll trade in my Accord and get a small loan for a really nice 91vert.

 

If area receives a lot of stress, patch the inside of the top with Cordura material which you can find at camping/"army surplus" stores. I used nylon thread to hold the tear together while the sealer I used to secure the patch cured. I couldn't thread the nylon too tight because the thread wanted to tear right through the vinyl. I stitched 3/16" to 1/4" in from the tear. I then used the 3M 5200 marine sealer that I secured the patch with to cover the remaining gap and exposed threads. The repair has held up since July and looks OK. One word of caution, make the patch only as big as you think you need it. The patch telegraphs through the top - you can see where it is.

 

Bump for a great thread! I am going to repair 2 small tears in my vert top within the next few weeks. Looks like I'll be visiting a bike store and a marine store

 

1600 for a vert top? Damn run from that shop. I am on my 3rd top so I went with a custom color this time. Anyways the complete top is about 500 for the best german cloth and install should be around 400 because its a pain in the ***.