Waxing a Canvas Top on Cabriolet 68B

Greg Jones

Greg Jones

Well-known member
I have a 68B Cabriolet with an old but still presentable top on it that has last all waterproofing characteristics (assuming it originally had any). It was suggested to me to use canvas wax which makes sense. But, before I go smear wax all over my top I thought I would check and see if any of you have done this with your Cabriolet or Roadsters? If so, can you recommend a product and any pitfalls to watch out for? Thanks
 
I asked the same question a few months back. The big thing to remember is not to use silicone based products.


you might want to try and find the thread....
 
I have some Canvex for my business coupe top, recommended by a model A friend, but I haven’t applied it yet. I’d like to hear if anyone else has used it. It has an odor, and I wouldn’t want that to permeate the inside of the cab.
 
Hi, Greg! I don't know what "canvas wax" or other related products are, or what the the top on your 68B is made from...however, I used to own an auto upholstery business where we did hundreds of convertible top replacements each year. The only product we used and recommended to restore the repellant properties of a cloth top is 303 Fabric Guard. It's a product approved and recommended by Sunbrella and other commercial fabrics, and it always worked well for us. If you decide to use it, I'd try a little on a hidden spot first to make sure that there's no discoloration, and read and follow the directions exactly. It worked great on all sorts of tops, outdoor covers, boat canvas, etc. Hope this helps! --Don
 
Based on the recommendation of a club member who owns a Sport Coupe (as I do), I bought this: https://www.amazon.com/Raggtopp-Fabric-Cleaner-Protectant-Kit/dp/B0017TTPE0/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=raggtopp&qid=1615408871&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&smid=A1UMBRA5ZTBCX8&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExOVlZMDc0Q1BEWFNHJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMDQ2NDk3MVNQSzVUOVdLREFLRiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMzA5MDkyNUYyWjhPVURSNjJVJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

The cleaner part seemed to be somewhat effective, but I'm not sure that it was any better than the regular car wash detergent I use. The "Protectant" (waterproofing) does seem to help a lot. Previously, when driving in the rain for a while (maybe 30 minutes depending on how hard its raining), I could see that the canvas was wet on the inside. I haven't seen that since applying the product and driveing several times in pretty good rain. Note that with the bottle of protectant supplied, I was able to put on a good three coats.
 
CabrioletDon said:
The only product we used and recommended to restore the repellant properties of a cloth top is 303 Fabric Guard. It's a product approved and recommended by Sunbrella and other commercial fabrics, and it always worked well for us. If you decide to use it, I'd try a little on a hidden spot first to make sure that there's no discoloration, and read and follow the directions exactly. It worked great on all sorts of tops, outdoor covers, boat canvas, etc. Hope this helps! --Don
Click to expand...

I use 303 Fabric Guard on my Sunbrella car cover after it comes out of the wash to restore repellant. Works great for that. I have never used it on a top tho. Like Don suggests, "try a little on a hidden spot first to make sure that there's no discoloration, and read and follow the directions exactly."
 
Last edited:
Another suggestion is to contact Haartz Upholstery Products in Acton, MA. They are still a major supplier for the material used on Cabriolet tops. I know they have products to clean and preserve that material.
 
700rpm said:
Does it have a lingering or invasive odor?
Click to expand...


I used 303 on Mazda Miata convertible tops years ago without issue. It has a slight smell in the bottle, but it doesn’t linger after application. It’s a great product.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top