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Dwayne1m
Samba Member
Joined: December 31, 2011
Posts: 3538
Location: Pennsylvania
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 Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2018 6:16 pm Post subject: Canvas convertible tops |
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| I have an 06 convertible Bug with a canvas top. Over time it has become stiff and has shrunk in size. I'm wondering if the canvas tops on old Bugs does the same thing over time. The problem area for my 06 is that the rear window is just glued to the canvas so when the canvas shrinks it gets pulled away from the window. I'm curious with the setup that the old Bugs have with the rear window being in a frame if shrinkage of the canvas is a problem with the rear window coming undone. |
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Cusser
Samba Member
Joined: October 02, 2006
Posts: 31380
Location: Hot Arizona
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| Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2018 8:52 pm Post subject: Re: Canvas convertible tops |
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Tops can shrink over time. I think the key is to avoid as much sun as possible; I kept my 1971 Convertible top covered when it had to sit outside in the Arizona sun; however, my top is not canvas, but it was installed in 1980, so it's lived a long time.
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1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297 |
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73SlowBug
Samba Member
Joined: November 28, 2017
Posts: 439
Location: PENNSYLVANIA
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| Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2018 9:12 pm Post subject: Re: Canvas convertible tops |
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My jeep top shrunk considerably. When inpurchased a new one, i couldnt believe how much better it fit. Perhaps it's just part of having a soft top.
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Daily driven....Slowly. |
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Dwayne1m
Samba Member
Joined: December 31, 2011
Posts: 3538
Location: Pennsylvania
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| Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2018 7:39 am Post subject: Re: Canvas convertible tops |
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| So if you have a vinyl top instead of canvas is shrinking as much of an issue? My guess with vinyl tops is that they also get stiff but crack or tear more easily. |
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BUGGED11111
Samba Member
Joined: February 03, 2006
Posts: 1821
Location: Oregon
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| Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2018 10:12 am Post subject: Re: Canvas convertible tops |
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| Dwayne1m wrote: |
| So if you have a vinyl top instead of canvas is shrinking as much of an issue? My guess with vinyl tops is that they also get stiff but crack or tear more easily. |
I've never had an issue with canvas shrinking. I've had the same canvas on my 74 for 10 years now and it looks as good as new. For most of those years it was a daily driver,not garaged. It's a Haartz Stayfast canvas made by Robbins. I imagine results will vary depending on quality of the canvas. My experience with vinyl is it cracks and starts looking funky after 5 years of folding it. |
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