vinal top install any pointers

[deuce32]

id like to get some tips from people whom installed vinal tops before ..im working on a 68 firebird and im ready to put the top on but .....id like to see if there is any thing to be carefull that i can oversee ....i have it layed out on the top of roof now and i guess next is get wrinkles out with hair dryer...

[dentskweezer]

You need to find the center of your roof and the center on your vinyl, also mark where yourr seams should fall. I would use a glue that you spray with a cheap gravity feed gun. I would not recommend using bomb can glue for a whole top. I would scuff up your paint with scotch brite pad and wipe down your roof. Next lay your moldings out on the car. Trace on both sides of your molding. Pre trim your top while you have it up the car. Leave about 4 inches all the way around. Lay top down on floor and get your car mask off, besure to cover up all your paint with sheets,you don't wt any gluee getting on the rest of your car. The glue is made to eat into your paint to get a good grip, That's why you don't want to put alot of glue on your roof, just a nice splattered look, if you know what I man. Then spray your whole vinyl, put it a little heavier on the vinyl. Making sure you put a little extra down each seam. Now this glue is pressure sensitive, so you'll be able to lay thee vinyl on the roof of the car and position it to where you want it. Let the glue tack up before you lay vinyl on car. Once you put vinyl on car line up the center point att front of car put a little pressure at that point. Then go to back off car and pull top tight line up back center line. Then press vinyl down to roof from back to front. Grab vinyl back by sail panel and pull and lay vinyl down to where thee top starts to come down the sail panel. Then go up to the front and pull it tight towards the "A" pillar. Go back to thee right quarter and heat this area up just nice warm. Take your right hand put it under vinyl and your left on top of vinyl and your right hand pull back towards rear of car putting a good size wrinkle in vinyl, do this about 3 times, working your to the back of car. Then grab vinyl on pull toward the front of car, and strech these wrinkles out and lay it down right in behind quarter glass. If you can't strech all the wrinkles out, heat the vinyl up to make it more workable. Try to get your top made out prepad material, it's alot easy to work with and much more forgiving. Don't worry about the fold marks in the vinyl, they will comee out with heat gun. Hair dryer really isn't what you want, you need a heat gun, for thiss job. Then after you get the other side done, you can do your tail piece. When your making seams in your tail piece, glue it to your top, same thing with yourr "A" pillar pieces if their not already on your top. That's basically how it's done. If you have any questions please ask! See ya.

[deuce32]

thanks for the info i will use it