Posted By : Sam Hayes, 29-May-2005, 00:51am

This is probably common knowledge, but I thought I'd share it anyway.

Having spent a while applying various expensive potions to my decidedly silvery non-original canvas soft-top, without any hugely noticeable positive effects, I cheered it right up by going over it with some kiwi shoe polish (the little bottle with the sponge applicator). The end result is considerably more stylish than before, and one bottle of kiwi (about Â£1.79) does the whole roof, although I think I shall be going over it again fairly soon to consolidate the colour and also to smooth out some streaky areas, which result from doing small strips at a time, and also from the fact that the hood was far from even in colour to start with!

The polish is waterproof, and retains its colour reasonably well in the sun.

You can see a 'before and after' shot here:

http://www.tssc.org.uk/profile.asp?profile=71810&v...

Sam

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Restoring colour to canvas hood

Posted By : Mark Heaps, 08-Nov-2005, 10:06pm

hi,
I have the same problem with mine the colour is not as bad as your before picture but it is gone a shite gray colour. Just wonderd if you could give us an update, has the colour stayed? and do you get coverd in black rain when out in the wet. Just asking because i have heard the expansive dyes and such are rubbish and i am looking for a quick fix.
Cheers

Restoring colour to canvas hood

Posted By : Sam Hayes, 24-Nov-2005, 00:42am

Hi Mark,

Sorry for the slow reply. The colour stayed reasonably well, although it faded slightly, (or presumably rubbed off) in places where there was a lot of friction (like where the material would fold when the hood was lowered). However, I was never particularly careful with it, so this is perhaps not very surprising. I never got any black rain, or colour running, or any colour coming off on my hands, in the wet or dry.

I'm afraid the story ends here as the zip on the zip-out rear window came apart towards the end of the summer, and I've now taken the roof off and replaced it with a hard-top for the winter, with a view to getting a whole new soft top for the summer.

Having said that, I think the 'kiwi' treatment was a good investment - quick and easy to do with a noticeable improvement for a very small outlay. Any slight imperfections can easily be covered up. The only thing to watch out for are the overlap patterns which can appear as you apply it, but I was never very careful with the applying!

Hope this helps...

Sam.

Section : Hoods and Hardtops

Restoring colour to canvas hood

Followups :

Restoring colour to canvas hood

Restoring colour to canvas hood