The facts: My first winter with the convertible. 72 Skylark. St. Louis. I house the car in my clean garage. The year old top is currently down under the top boot. Should I just leave it this way until spring or store the car with the top up? Should I clean/treat the top with any sort of products? Lemme hear from the experts! Thanks, Jimmy
I always leave my tops up , even when Ive had the car out and park it for the day I put it up. Top will be stretched tight and not wrinkle that way.Even when I had a car with a top that was shot I left the frame up in the winter I dont know why I just felt it was better that way.
I wouldn't put it up when it's this cold outside. I would wait for a day when it's over 40* and sunny....or heat the garage for a couple hours with a big ass kerosene/diesel heater:laugh: until it's about 65! I think I remember reading a warning about not operating the top when it's below a certain temperature, due to the lack of elasticity in the material at those temperatures...it gets brittle, and much more suseptible to cracking/tearing. BTW, where were you yesterday?:grin:
I always keep mine up while in storage over the winter and I do not put a cover on the car since the one year when I removed the cover and found mouse turds all over the convertible top:spank: I was lucky they did not start chewing through the top ou: The car and top get a little dusty but that cleans right off in the spring :TU:
I always keep my top up when not in use and during the whole winter. Just this week I had to drive the Buick and that would have been mighty cold with the top down!
Ok--the consensus is in---the top goes up! Thank you all for your expertise. I am going to crank up the heat in the garage, wait until a day next week when it is supposed to get up to 50 degrees, and gently get the top up and let it breath a little before I latch it. Now, to my other question: Clean it with what? is there any care as far as applying anything to it to keep it supple? Thanks, Jimmy :TU:
Adam---I had so much going on Sunday, by 4:00, I was swamped. Miss you guys---anytime you want to get some work done, lemme know---I'll head out to your place and help! Seriously! Jimmy
I read somewhere from an upholstery guy to never leave it down more than an hour. That seems unreasonable.Parking at a show on a nice day and put the top up??? Why even own it ?o No:
Yeah, that seems nutty. I generally leave it down under the boot all summer and don't have a problem because as long as it's not raining, I'm driving it!. But, I do want to properly maintain the top and the advice is sound; I think I will just put it up when it's in the garage and take it down when I back it out. I just wonder if I'm supposed to be smearing something on it to keep it nice and soft.......
