Re: Anyone know where to fine replacement vinyl for a 1956 Caribbean

Posted by Owen_Dyneto On 2013/8/21 15:15:33

Pretty easy to get a proper-fitting white top with a more-or-less correct leather grain pattern, most all of the major top makers have the patterns. Bill Hirsch sells them as do others. Mine was made by EZ in Georgia, purchased thru Hirsch, and has a black interior, tan also available. I was totally satisfied with top, the fit was perfect and it's now 10 years old and still looks new. But that said, the real problem is getting a top with correctly colored underside to match the middle body color on tri-color Caribbeans. Kepich has long advertised such tops for 56 Caribbeans with the color-matched underside - I've heard good and no so good comments on them.

Years back many folks tried dying the underside to the correct color - these attempts were generally very unsuccessful, problems like color bleeding into the white, etc. I don't recommend this approach. Others have used a correctly colored flannel or cotton sheet between the top and the bows to give the appearance of a colored underside - this can be made to look OK but can cause real problems with folding the top - just too much bulk. If you want a top that's correct fit and exterior, try Hirsch but you'll have to settle for an incorrect undersize. If you insist on an underside color-matched to the tri-color, I don't know of any alternative to Kepich.