Re: 1955 Caribbean top material

Posted by ewrecks On 2021/2/2 20:33:22

I went through the convertible top replacement for the Caribbean several years ago. I posted my “ solution” but cannot find the link in my history.
I originally purchased a top from Klass collections at the suggestion of the late president of the packard Museum in Dayton where I bought the project car.
Suffice it to say that was a mistake..the top had a sewn in cloth lining which would never have worked. The top was not cut properly and the installer ruined it while trying to make it fit.and Klass had ceased making tops.
I was able to secure 10 yards of the pinpoint white vinyl through Superior tops( they only deal with professional installers):which had the tan interior color vs the Black which was all I could find elsewhere.
A company in .California makes a water based dye which they color matched to the lighter green of the interior. I have the name in an archive folder and it should be in my post.
I sprayed the inside of the fabric and shipped it to Superior who produced the top .
There are a few shots of the color coordinated top on a subsequent post where I screwed up and broke the top frame of my car( the fitting at the top of the cylinder was positioned to the inside rather than facing forward...contacted the wheel well).
The too looks fine but it is not the original Orlon which , if the late Bill Hirsch is to be believed , is fortunate since it tended to schrink and needed replaced within a short time.
Hope this helps.
I believe the material can be secured with the tan interior and sprayed as I did. I have stumbled into several suplliers since who offer dyes that seem durable enough for the inside of a top. There are still upholsterers who can produce a top and pads but the seams would probably leak....but who drives a Caribbean in the rain?
I am not sure .Superior would afford the same service or even if they are still in business.