Convertible Top ???
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 2,619
Likes: 1
From: Whidbey Island Washington
Convertible Top ???
One of out Vette club members has an '88 roadster with a vinyl top. He needs a new top and would like to replace it with a cloth top like another member has on his '93 roasdster. Was the vinyl top factory stock on the 88 MY roadsters or is his an after market. Can a cloth top like on the '93 be installed on his car? Any NCRS guys around that can help?Thanks in advance for your help, Bill 
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 10,691
Likes: 71
From: Phoenix Arizona
All C-4's came with the cloth. When you replace the top you usually have the choice over which one you choose, there is no difference as to which can be installed. The reasons for vinyl is cost, the reasons for cloth is everything else.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 34,873
Likes: 487
From: Lacey WA RVN 68-69
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Only the white C4 convertible tops were vinyl. The others were "StayFast" cloth in various colors. GM's reasoning was that white cloth would have been a big cleaning issue for owners. Vinyl is much easier to keep clean and you can use harsher chemicals on it compared to the cloth material.A good shop should be able to install a vinyl top on the car, but it's hard to say if replacement tops made from vinyl will look exactly the same as the factory top.
While he's at it, he should consider installing a glass rear window. There are conversion kits available for installation and it solves the problem of keeping the clear plastic from scratching. The glass window will fold into place easily.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 16,475
Likes: 270
From: Kingman AZ
Cruise-In VII Veteran
Cruise-In VIII
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
There is a nice article in the latest (March 07) Corvette Fever on installing a new top yourself.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 953
Likes: 0
From: Wesley Chapel FL
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 46,295
Likes: 2,596
From: Northern, VA
St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
If I were at it again with a plastic rear window, I'd beat up a very high quality towel, wash the heck out of it to make it soft (and rinse it completely so it has nothing left in it) and use it to prevent the plastic-to-plastic contact that causes much of the scratches.
In seven years of folding up and down that top, I couldn't notice any appreciable difference or change from the day I bought the car, to the day I sold it.
PS sorry to jack the thread a bit.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
5 MOST and 5 LEAST Popular Corvette Model Years in History!
Joe Kucinski
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 2,619
Likes: 1
From: Whidbey Island Washington
I suspect they work, but in the distant past, an old car that I had came with a very, very soft cotton towel from the prior owner who showed me how to position it. It worked, too.
If I were at it again with a plastic rear window, I'd beat up a very high quality towel, wash the heck out of it to make it soft (and rinse it completely so it has nothing left in it) and use it to prevent the plastic-to-plastic contact that causes much of the scratches.
If I were at it again with a plastic rear window, I'd beat up a very high quality towel, wash the heck out of it to make it soft (and rinse it completely so it has nothing left in it) and use it to prevent the plastic-to-plastic contact that causes much of the scratches.
I did same with all my roadsters over past 30+ years and never has scratches on the window.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 16,475
Likes: 270
From: Kingman AZ
Cruise-In VII Veteran
Cruise-In VIII
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
Personally I would rather let the pros do it. I changed out a C3 top once by watching an Al Knoch how-to video and it went well. Nowdays that I have a bit more disposable income I prefer to whip out the debit card and let it do my work. I have heard that Al will rent you a video for the C4 top install also but have not confirmed it yet.