Cleaning the soft top window?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 470
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Cleaning the soft top window?
We have the soft top up and latched in place but the rear window is about the color of lightly brewed tea. Is there a way to clean the plastic? I haven't tried it but I wonder if a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser would do anything... 
Any ideas that might help?
Any ideas that might help?
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: Duvall, WA
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
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From: Lincoln, CA
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2014
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The Novus 1 should clean the oxidation off, which is what is causes the yellowing. My TR6's rear window was discolored and after using this on the inside and outside, it came back to clear. I bought it on Amazon.com, here, but I bet you could find it at most auto parts stores.
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Racer
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Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 40,365
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From: Redondo Beach, California
At some time, you have to throw in the rag. Had my original soft top replaced by Al Knoch. Replacement was a virtual duplicate of the factory. The original soft top frame had not been exactly installed at the factory. Al's installers adjusted the soft top frame...it's something I don't think I could have done. This was all done at one of Al's visits to Pomona, California (Fairplex) My rear window on the original top was so fogged, I just cut it out with a razor blade to safely drive to Pomona. To bad, these tops were designed before convertible tops were designed to use real glass.
................
FYI: To remove an old soft top, Al's first line approach is just to razor blade them off. When I said it was an original May 1968 Convertible soft top, the top was painstakingly removed. This increased the time to replace my top!! It was removed as to destroy as little as necessary (not withstanding that I had already razor bladed out the plastic rear window). Al said it would be documented for his business with the NCRS people. For example, if someone said his tops didn't have the correct factory stitching, he could show photographs from my top, etc.
................
FYI: To remove an old soft top, Al's first line approach is just to razor blade them off. When I said it was an original May 1968 Convertible soft top, the top was painstakingly removed. This increased the time to replace my top!! It was removed as to destroy as little as necessary (not withstanding that I had already razor bladed out the plastic rear window). Al said it would be documented for his business with the NCRS people. For example, if someone said his tops didn't have the correct factory stitching, he could show photographs from my top, etc.
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 470
Likes: 0
At some time, you have to throw in the rag. Had my original soft top replaced by Al Knoch. Replacement was a virtual duplicate of the factory. The original soft top frame had not been exactly installed at the factory. Al's installers adjusted the soft top frame...it's something I don't think I could have done. This was all done at one of Al's visits to Pomona, California (Fairplex) My rear window on the original top was so fogged, I just cut it out with a razor blade to safely drive to Pomona. To bad, these tops were designed before convertible tops were designed to use real glass.
................
FYI: To remove an old soft top, Al's first line approach is just to razor blade them off. When I said it was an original May 1968 Convertible soft top, the top was painstakingly removed. This increased the time to replace my top!! It was removed as to destroy as little as necessary (not withstanding that I had already razor bladed out the plastic rear window). Al said it would be documented for his business with the NCRS people. For example, if someone said his tops didn't have the correct factory stitching, he could show photographs from my top, etc.
................
FYI: To remove an old soft top, Al's first line approach is just to razor blade them off. When I said it was an original May 1968 Convertible soft top, the top was painstakingly removed. This increased the time to replace my top!! It was removed as to destroy as little as necessary (not withstanding that I had already razor bladed out the plastic rear window). Al said it would be documented for his business with the NCRS people. For example, if someone said his tops didn't have the correct factory stitching, he could show photographs from my top, etc.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,186
Likes: 41
From: Pinecrest FL
2015 C3 of the Year Finalist
You can try white wall tire cleaner on the white canvas itself. Might be able to get it to come back to a closer shade of white.
Is that the original dated top? Check the rear window for date code. If it is the original top and it is not too badly worn, I would consider leaving it on the car.
My 63 still has its original top, it has a few holes in the vinyl that I will eventually have someone try to fix, but the top fits like a glove and I barely have the car out of the garage in weather that the top would be needed.
Gary
Is that the original dated top? Check the rear window for date code. If it is the original top and it is not too badly worn, I would consider leaving it on the car.
My 63 still has its original top, it has a few holes in the vinyl that I will eventually have someone try to fix, but the top fits like a glove and I barely have the car out of the garage in weather that the top would be needed.
Gary
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 470
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You can try white wall tire cleaner on the white canvas itself. Might be able to get it to come back to a closer shade of white.
Is that the original dated top? Check the rear window for date code. If it is the original top and it is not too badly worn, I would consider leaving it on the car.
My 63 still has its original top, it has a few holes in the vinyl that I will eventually have someone try to fix, but the top fits like a glove and I barely have the car out of the garage in weather that the top would be needed.
Gary
Is that the original dated top? Check the rear window for date code. If it is the original top and it is not too badly worn, I would consider leaving it on the car.
My 63 still has its original top, it has a few holes in the vinyl that I will eventually have someone try to fix, but the top fits like a glove and I barely have the car out of the garage in weather that the top would be needed.
Gary
Last edited by CAN-AM69; Apr 24, 2014 at 03:45 PM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 470
Likes: 0
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 470
Likes: 0
Checked the date code in the soft top window today and it is 369 so March of '69.....it's the original top.
I also bought the Novus cleaner kit (bought it at the Harley dealership) and took it to the detail shop. I could see it was taking some off but I don't have much strength so Kevin is going to finish it for me, he couldn't believe it was removing anything from the surface after he had already tried.
We also dropped the hard top off at the upholstery shop to have the new vinyl installed and that should be done next week. I always wondered why the vinyl was missing since the tank sticker said it came with it but we found out today, you could actually see an edge of black vinyl next to the trim where the former owner simply cut the vinyl off of the hard top. Hopefully it will look like new when we pick it up next week.
I also bought the Novus cleaner kit (bought it at the Harley dealership) and took it to the detail shop. I could see it was taking some off but I don't have much strength so Kevin is going to finish it for me, he couldn't believe it was removing anything from the surface after he had already tried.
We also dropped the hard top off at the upholstery shop to have the new vinyl installed and that should be done next week. I always wondered why the vinyl was missing since the tank sticker said it came with it but we found out today, you could actually see an edge of black vinyl next to the trim where the former owner simply cut the vinyl off of the hard top. Hopefully it will look like new when we pick it up next week.