wax coating for 1933 fordor

FrankWest

FrankWest

Well-known member
What is the proper wax or protection to use on an original car top for a 1933 fordor.
What material did they use?
 
Just use any good vinyl dressing. I have heard people say that ArmorAll causes shrinkage. I can't say it does, I have used it for many years, on many cars, no problem.
But it does cause for slippery seats when applied if you have vinyl buckets. Found that out the hard way when I was a young buck. Hit the brakes hard while driving my sports car and nearly slid right off the seat. LOL
 
CC33 said:
Just use any good vinyl dressing. I have heard people say that ArmorAll causes shrinkage. I can't say it does, I have used it for many years, on many cars, no problem.
But it does cause for slippery seats when applied if you have vinyl buckets. Found that out the hard way when I was a young buck. Hit the brakes hard while driving my sports car and nearly slid right off the seat. LOL
Click to expand...
funny!

I am not sure what these roof covering were made of in 1933.
I am pretty sure mine is original. One guy said he used a waterproofing spray used for tents. That sounds more for a covertable original roof that was convas, I think.
Did they have vinyl 80 years ago?
Maybe a rubberized conveyer belt type material?
 
The material on the Model A and early V8 tops and inserts is what they called Leatherette, and early form of vinyl. I use Griots Vinyl and rubber dressing on mine which seems to work very well. I'm told to avoid any products that contain silicone. My dad said he used to use a black tarlike substance on tops back in the day, but he was never convinced it did much good and was a real mess.
 
Vinyl cloth or poly vinyl chloride (PVC) coated cloth was still in an infant stage of chemistry in the early 30s. The leatherette type materials of the day were a cloth that was coated with pyroxylin which was basically colored cellulose nitrate or laquer paint for a better term. The stuff was relatively thick but not so thick that it would crack or spider web too quickly. FoMoCo also used rubberizer cloth materials as well. These materials were both somewhat flamable and very few companies reproduce the exact original materials anymore for that reason. Pyroxylin coated fender & cowl welting is about all that is available now days. I imagine that auto trim shops did a pretty good business back in the day with all the materials that didn't last well under hard usage or abuse. It paid to have a garage for you car back in that time frame or you would have to go and buy a new Ford more often.

If your top is genuine original for 1934, you might contact the Smithsonian Institute's Preservation Services staff or at least one of the specialists in the Early Ford V8 Club. It's rare that the original materials like that survive this long.
 
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You are right. It may be a replacement, old but a replacement.
it is pretty uniform in appearance, not shreaded or torn. Just dull.
I just want to put somethig on it to gibe it a slight luster and protect the waterproofing.
 
Griot's dressing that was mentioned by rosenkranswa should be OK for more moderm materials. It leaves a satin finish instead of a shine. It makes rubber and vinyl look more natural and has some UV protective qualities.
 
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