The ‘69 Toronado I just bought has a part of the vinyl top right above the passenger window that looks great. The rest of it looks a bit faded and chalky. I don’t know why that one section looks so much better. What can I use on the rest of the top to make it look as good?

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Looks like you are going to have to re-dye it.

 

Harley Davidson makes a product that is very good at reviving black vinyl tops. Don't remember the exact name of the product but it is something like "cleaner and conditioner". It might have the word restorer in the name too. If I find the bottle I will edit my post.

 

I talked to a detailer, and he suggested cleaning the top thoroughly and then using 303 Aerospace protectant. That's what he uses. I'm going to give that a try.

 

I've often wondered if shoe polish would restore the faded color while helping to weather proof it. I've tried many different things over the years and none of them seem to truly restore the color and end up fading back to grey-ish, especially in the "valleys" of the grain (where it is most difficult to get cleaner / restorer down into). Shoe polish is applied w/ a brush that would get down into the grain better than any terry-cloth type applicator, and the color is not limited to black. Thoughts?

 

I think I would be very reluctant to use shoe polish. Shoe polish fades easily. I can polish my shoes and three days later they need it again. Plus, shoe polish would be a total PITA to get off.

 

x2

You can use neutral shoe polish if you can't find it in green.



First use saddle soap and then apply the shoe polish. The shoe polish can also be removed easily with saddle soap.

 

Will the neutral shoe polish restore the color?

 

It may. I would use it before buying expensive detailing chemicals. You can buy the products I linked at any Wal Mart or Target in the nation.

 

Sun will melt the shoe polish.

 

That would be a consideration, for sure. I'd be pretty bummed if I came out after a day's work sitting in the sun and had black streaks all down the sides of the car.

Its been awhile since I've actually used shoe polish, dad owned a shoe store and it was routine to use shoe polish all the time on our shoes as we were growing up. He retired back in the '80s, and modern shoes aren't built well enough to waste shoe polish on (which is why its been awhile since I've used it). In any case, the polish is applied w/ a cloth (not a brush like I mentioned earlier), and then it is buffed-into the leather w/ a soft brush, which helped work it into any texture or micro-cracks the leather may have, and bought the surface to a nice shine w/ minimal build-up of excess polish.

If a quality polish is used, I think it could last for quite awhile. Other than continuous sun exposure (8+ hours on a summer day sitting at work), my shoes are exposed to much worse "stuff" and abrasion than my vinyl top would ever be. So I'm kind of skeptical of the "fades easily" claim.

 

I don't think one would have to worry about the sun melting the shoe polish. After applying the shoe polish with a damp cloth the excess should be buffed off with a horse hair brush. There won't be enough polish left on the vinyl top to melt and streak.

 

Have any of you guys actually tried shoe polish on a vinyl top to see if it melts or are you just speculating? If there is enough shoe polish left on the top to change the color then there is enough left to melt. I remember when I was in the USAF and spit shined my dress shoes for a parade. The looked like paten leather until stood out in the summer sun in Texas and the polish melted and turned dull. That was in 1967. Maybe they have different shoe polish now.

 

Jon,

Try the Link below, this is what I did on mine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jbda...M#action=share

Thanks,

 

In the heyday of vinyl tops there were various products to take the fade from the sun away and recolor, turtle wax had a black vinyl top wax that was similar to shoe polish that you put on and used a brush to buff out and lastly a buffing towel that would make it shine, mid 70's to mid 80's Tim

 

I've used that Turtlewax product in the past and it did work pretty good, better than the Maguires Mothers Back to Black that I've tried most recently IMO. I've not seen the Tutlewax stuff on the shelf for decades though.

 

One thought might be to use a tire shine product. Just a thought. I remember using the Turtle Wax product on my 78 Delta. It was good stuff.

 

Jon, let us know what you try. We look forward to seeing more pics.

 

My 70 Cutlass W-31 white top was real bad and I changed to black and the interior to black too. Funny thing at a car show this guy asked me how I got my top to look new. I said NEW TOP.
Gerald

 

Fiebing's Acrylic Resolene Leather Finish Protectant

Works excellent on vinyl tops.

 

I bought some 303 Aerospace Protectant and also some 303 cleaner. My plan is to scrub down the top this weekend and apply the protectant according to the detailer's recommendations. I'll post the results.

 

Those 303 products are very good I have used them for several years.

 

Well, I feel like a bit of an idiot. The dark spot on the top was a shadow from the garage door opener. Since the rest of my cars do not have vinyl tops, this is the first one to show the shadow. At any rate, I scrubbed the top down with 303 cleaner, then gave it two treatments of 303 Aerospace Protectant. Looks pretty darn good now.

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Honestly it sure the hell looked like a shadow the first time I viewed it.

 

The only unknown now is how it will look after a drive in the rain or a wash. Looks really good at this point though.

 

Lookin' good!