When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Not damaged so much as it can shrink slightly and the folds can take a set. If that happens, raise the top partway (until the fabric starts getting taut), stop at that point, and let the fabric stretch back out. Doing this in the sun on a warm / hot day will help.
Not damaged so much as it can shrink slightly and the folds can take a set. If that happens, raise the top partway (until the fabric starts getting taut), stop at that point, and let the fabric stretch back out. Doing this in the sun on a warm / hot day will help.
^^This^^ is absolutely spot-on. Exactly how I managed to keep my 71 CS convertible top in shape.
If that happens, raise the top partway (until the fabric starts getting taut), stop at that point, and let the fabric stretch back out. Doing this in the sun on a warm / hot day will help.
Good and helpful advice Fun71. Question: Will the convertible top remain in a partially closed position allowing the fabric to stretch?
Thanks.
Not to speak for Ken, but, considering it's hydraulic ram driven, it should stay where you leave it. The Ford Skyliner guys would know, as they use that position for car shows.
Don't know about Cutlass's but my 72 D88 top is electric motor/cable driven, it was down 3-4 years while I did some major work, had to replace 2 small arms with ball swivels on them and top is not original but in good shape, I think I had it up 2-3 times briefly over that period, now have the car on the road, had to put top up to wash it and waited for a warm day, left it up for a day or so, all is fine with it, does need some TLC, but it still functions as designed, when I can afford to do all the seals and such I will repair what's needed. This pic is 3 years ago, before renovations. 72 D88 Royale convertible
a warm day or direct sunlight will absolutely help the top stretch and get rid of wrinkles
I usually will leave the top unlatched in the garage to prevent any unnecessary stretching when it is a bit cooler or at night
I think the critical word in your original question is 'prolonged'. What exactly would you consider 'prolonged'? For me, I put the top back up the same day it went down. I'm shocked when I hear people say they leave it down for weeks/months/years at a time. Good luck with that.
I would not say it's junk, but the attachments(s) for the Oldsmobile convertible top covers is close to the worst I've seen in the automotive industry. Yeah you don't "have" to install/use the top cover every time you put the top down. Still, the attachment(s) are garbage, IMO.
What do you mean by the 'top cover'? Are you referring to the boot with the thin plastic 'fingers'? I always thought this was a pretty clever solution. Made for a much cleaner look than all those crappy screwed in metal 'buttons' on the trim.
I have the original boot for my '69 442 but I can honestly say in the almost 40 years I've owned the car, I've never installed it.
What do you mean by the 'top cover'? Are you referring to the boot with the thin plastic 'fingers'? I always thought this was a pretty clever solution. Made for a much cleaner look than all those crappy screwed in metal 'buttons' on the trim.
I have the original boot for my '69 442 but I can honestly say in the almost 40 years I've owned the car, I've never installed it.
Yes the "boot" top cover. The reason you've most likely never experienced the shenanigans associated w/ the "boot" is because you've never used it in 40 years - that's an entirely different ballgame.
Yea my boot won't fit anymore, plastic pieces are getting bad and vinyl has shrunk and won't fit, but believe it is OG, top was replaced at some point before 87 (Michigan car)
Obviously a top up outside would be more detrimental than a down top stored inside, maybe if I would have left top down and boot on the last 3 years it would be ok?
I'm going to end up with a Corvette with both a removable hardtop and a ragtop. It can move with both tops (put the ragtop down, drop the hardtop on and bolt it down. It will come to me this way, but I will have to remove the hard top pronto and put the ragger up quickly.
I’ve had my ‘66 98 for more than 40 years. Default position is up. Especially for long term storage. Keeps out rats and bugs (spiders in my area) better and protects the interior somewhat.
But I’ve definitely left my top down for 2-4 weeks at a time with never a problem like any kind of permanent set. Happens all the time in Summer.
In the old days we used to unzip the rear (glass) window but that was later made uneccessary by the advent of elastic fabric which obviated that need. I still have the zipper in there, but can’t recall the last time I unzipped it. Must have been the 80’s or something.
Warm summer day is the time to let the top lose its wrinkles. Heat helps a lot.
My convertible boot barely fits and usually needs warming up in sunshine before I can stretch it. If I recall it was made for a caddy or other C body of the same vintage, but I adapted it by adding a snap or to and it works fine on the Olds.
My main beef with my Electron (?) replacement top is that it’s about 1-2” too narrow and doesn’t quite come low enough on the top arms to wrap underneath for a good wind/sound seal. I tried another brand from the LA convertible guys in San Gabriel and that fit wasn’t right either. Or maybe it’s just that my top arms are out of adjustment on the wide side.
Yes the "boot" top cover. The reason you've most likely never experienced the shenanigans associated w/ the "boot" is because you've never used it in 40 years - that's an entirely different ballgame.
I think we all need to keep in mind GM never intended us to be using the top boot 50 years down the road! Their design life was likely 3-4 years. The only thing I'll add is that I grew up in a '70 GS Buick convertible on the coast of NJ. In the summer, the top went down a lot but we rarely were tasked with putting the boot cover on. It was stowed in the well area until the top went down and then it got thrown anywhere that was handy. We did install it from time to time so I'm familiar with the tugging and pulling to get the plastic under the stainless trim but the part didn't have 40+ years of shrinkage. I actually learned on this site a couple of years ago that the strip behind the rear seat was intended as a mating feature to capture the front of the boot and it could remain installed like that. We never knew that with the Buick and I've always kept my original Olds boot in the trunk rolled up in its original black plastic bag.
I drive my car. The only reason to put up a top is rain or because you want to be judged in a car show. I could care less about car shows. The only time my top is up for any period of time is in the winter when it's in storage. It's an original top and frame from a 70-72 a-body (a previous owner told me it was from a Skylark, it's definitely not a 68 frame). It's in the same shape as it was 21 years ago when I got the car except I removed the primer overspray that was all over it with Simple Green and steel wool.
And yeah, I have a cheap 69-72 style boot that clips under the pinch weld trim and stays on all the time. It's a 69-72 boot because no one makes the correct clips for the 68 only boot or I'd still have my original boot on too.
Last edited by allyolds68; August 15th, 2024 at 02:10 PM.
I drive my car. The only reason to put up a top is rain or because you want to be judged in a car show. I could care less about car shows. The only time my top is up for any period of time is in the winter when it's in storage. It's an original top and frame from a 70-72 a-body (a previous owner told me it was from a Skylark, it's definitely not a 68 frame). It's in the same shape as it was 21 years ago when I got the car except I removed the primer overspray that was all over it with Simple Green and steel wool.
And yeah, I have a cheap 69-72 style boot that clips under the pinch weld trim and stays on all the time. It's a 69-72 boot because no one makes the correct clips for the 68 only boot or I'd still have my original boot on too.
Nah...you're not alone. My boot stays on the majority of the time throughout the entire summer months unless it's raining. I still don't like the "design" of the boot as those plastic tabs used to secure the boot under the pinch weld trim is a poor design, IMO.
Not alone, that's what I said earlier, going to get a new boot for mine! Have a VW Thing also, (one of the few if only 4 door convertible), top hasn't been up or ON in 20 years, 2 clips and some pull tabs the entire top comes off, rattles too much when down!
August 12th, 2024 | 01:13 PM
