Making And Installing A Vinyl Top

Making and installing a vinyl top for your car can be considered a job that requires a lot of dedication and effort from the car owner who will make the process. As you know, vinyl top or vinyl roof is vinyl covering for your auto’s top that is originally produced in the market for the purpose of car upholstery. Vinyl tops are used to provide your auto a distinctive appearance as a way of styling cars. Actually, making and installing a vinyl top is not that hard thing to do when you already have an idea about this matter. Or if not, chances are, you may want to follow these simple instructions in making and installing a vinyl top.

Before anything else, you need to know that making and installing a vinyl top does not actually mean that you are about to produce literally your own vinyl top. The process is all about how you to install a vinyl top and how to make it more personal just like your own creation. Here is a list of the needed materials for your vinyl top installation.

1. At least 3 or 4 cans of Contact Cement (Spray Trim Adhesive)
2. Straight Edge
3. Felt tip marker
4. Razor Blades
5. Scissors
6. Measuring Tape
7. Tucking tool
8. Screw drivers – Phillips and Flat tip

Here are the steps for your vinyl top installation:

1. Detach the window moldings and the vinyl top side moldings.

2. Take away the old top of your car.

3. Remove the top of your auto, from the old glue, pillar post and valance using a grease remover.

4. Remove the old glue from the top of your auto through scrapping it with razor blade.

5. After the removal of old glue, clean the top of your car with cleaning solution or simply soap with hot water, and then wipe it after.

6. Measure the width of your roof using the measuring tape and then divide the total measurement of it by two. By doing this you will be able to determine the center of your car’s roof.

7. Measure the distance of the center deck width between the two point of your new vinyl top.

8. Right after then, measure from the top centerline in order to determine the right placement location of the seams. Use these points to draw straight line on your car’s roof from the front edge and parallel to the centerline.

9. Before you apply the adhesive, check first if your new vinyl top will fit perfectly on the roof. Do it by placing the new vinyl top at the top of your car’s roof.

10. Carefully apply the adhesive to the first seam of your vinyl top and also to your car’s roof along the straight line. After locating one seam on the roof, hold the front edge going down on the seam line and then pull with light tension at the rear. Compress the entire seam using your hand so that the material will stick effectively on the roof. However, you need to remember that you use only the right amount of spray glue, also it should not be wet to touch but not completely dry.

11. Spray the glue to the entire surface of the center deck of vinyl top encompassing both seams. Do the same method at the center deck of your car’s roof.

12. Pull the tension along the other seam and align the second seam and press down the center deck including the second seam. The vinyl top must be already attached seam-to-seam and front to rear.

13. If your car has a rear window valance, spray the glue and attach the valance area under.

14. Spray the adhesive and attach the sides of the new vinyl top to your auto’s roof from every seam outward. Right after then, spray and attach the pillar posts.

15. If there’s excess, then cut the excess vinyl properly. Leave about two inches of material all throughout the rear window and secure them properly.

Making and installing a vinyl top would be faster if you ask some help from other people. You may want to ask your friend, older brother, uncle or anybody so that you will find the job easier. Aside from that, making and installing a vinyl top with someone will not only make you to become convenient in the process, the fact is it can provide you a great bonding together with that person. So, the next time you plan to replace your vinyl roof, invite your friend to help you out in the job, surely both of you will be thrilled and will get fun.