What is the Correct Conv Top Mat'l / Boot top

[Mark Evans]

Time to buy a new Conv Top and make a new Boot
What is the correct type of Vinyl Mat'l and Grain Pattern( If Any) for the Top. I am going for a White top
Who is the Best Source?

Does anybody have a few photos of a Original or correct repo of a Boot cover
Thanks Mark

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

Mark, I have no clue what style I chose for my top, my local shop suggested it and it worked out well. It was not the cheapest but not the most expensive either. I will see what style he used when I see him Friday, I am going to be having the same shop make me a white convert top boot soon. Gary Goers does make them, but on a recent purchase this year by the Dutch wonder kid Matthew, his turned out with the snaps on the rear seat back being wrong and the location of the interior pocket panel being off a bit.

I am going to order the same white material (grain and sheen) as was used on my seats for the boot cover to keep the shades and style the same. Just need to figure out how many yards to order from SMS. They have my style recorded so it should be easy to do. I guess 4 yards but that is why I am going to the upholstery shop on friday to see how much to order out for that shop to make me a matching boot cover.

The location of SS trip around the top well is consistent on all our cars since there is no way to change those locations. My used Aqua top, seems to fit all my snap points but would caution that once the top is made, have your local shop or yourself do the rear seat back snaps and pocket panel to fit your location.

That will help me order the right material lengths for Matthew's convertible and have the guy make up two at one time.

John Q.

[rogerh]

This was interesting to me, John. I DO recall Matthew reporting "issues" with his boot cover this past summer?, but I assumed he was dealing with the boot cover I sold him, which I knew was wrong.
For backround information, I had my car seats, door panels, boot cover and top fabricated at a shop here in Western Washington. The door panels and seats came out great. I gave them an original but terribly shrunken and dried up boot cover to copy, if possible. They had enough of the car's interior vinyl left over to make this cover.
My car's cvt top frame would not fold all the way down as original, thus the boot they made was necessarily "one of a kind". Additionally, they erred in the areas where the cover snapped to the pocket panels.
I did NOT provide them with photos of a "correct" boot cover.
After I sold the car to the Keij family, Matthew was able to get the cvt frame to fold down properly, and thus needed a better fitting cover. Apparently he got a new cover from Gary Goers which also had problems.
As for the top material, my shop recommended a certain brand of top, with zippered plastic back window. Modern tops come in "kit" form-- each gets cut and fit to the specific car. I went with the shop's recommendation, the brand of which I have long forgotten.
Yes, you need to get some photos of an original or faithful copy of boot cover and top. I am sure there are photos in the SF archives, but maybe someone will be kind enough to post a direct link.
-Roger-

[Mark Evans]

Thanks for the replies

I Searched the Forum last night and found a few Different Boot tops designs. They are all Cut and Stitched a bit different.
If anybody has an Original ,I could use a few Photos to copy. My local shop will make it fit .
Vinyl has different grains patterns , Anybody have a piece of an original top to match the Grain?
Mark

[Denver 59 Fin Convert]

This was interesting to me, John. I DO recall Matthew reporting "issues" with his boot cover this past summer?, but I assumed he was dealing with the boot cover I sold him, which I knew was wrong.
For backround information, I had my car seats, door panels, boot cover and top fabricated at a shop here in Western Washington. The door panels and seats came out great. I gave them an original but terribly shrunken and dried up boot cover to copy, if possible. They had enough of the car's interior vinyl left over to make this cover.
My car's cvt frame would not fold all the way down as original, thus the boot they made was necessarily "one of a kind". Additionally, they erred in the areas where the cover snapped to the pocket panels.
I did NOT provide them with photos of a "correct" boot cover.
After I sold the car to the Keij family, Matthew was able to get the cvt frame to fold down properly, and thus needed a better fitting cover. Apparently he got a new cover from Gary Goers which also had problems.
As for the top material, my shop recommended a certain brand of top, with zippered plastic back window. Modern tops come in "kit" form-- each gets cut and fit to the specific car. I went with the shop's recommendation, the brand of which I have long forgotten.
Yes, you need to get some photos of an original or faithful copy of boot cover and top. I am sure there are photos in the SF archives, but maybe someone will be kind enough to post a direct link.
-Roger-

Roger, the top that I had ordered last summer for Matthew from Gary Goers came in was shipped to Holland but Matthew said there was snap issues and was returned to Goers for full credit.
I have your old/nice red boot cover at my house as Matthew shipped to me a couple months ago. You are right about the snaps at the pocket panels. It ws also missing the snap at the center of the Stainless Steel trim around the boot area. Kinda just skipped over the one place.

John Q.


John Q.

[tomf]

Hi Mark,

Examples of a cover made from an original would be Wil Eichelberg's SF in the Showcase and my Belvedere at Carlisle under Events. The same upholstery shop made both of them from Wil's original.

Tom Fox

[Mark Evans]

Tom

Thanks , This is all I needed
Will go this way
Mark

[rogerh]

Real nice to hear comment from you again, Tom! I assumed you had let your membership lapse.
What answers do you have for Mark regarding top material and its graining?
I think I was clear in stating my belief that you can't get a factory-original top, whatever that might have been, and it's perfectly acceptable to buy a modern-day, high quality "kit" having a zippered plastic back window.

[rogerh]

My apologies...folks are calling boot covers "tops", and I got tripped up.
Mark, I hope you got the answer you needed for cvt top material.
As for the boot cover, it should match your upholstery vinyl, both in color and grain ( called Bison Grain).
All I know of our cars I learned from Tom!
Thanks a million, Tom!