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Soft Top Restoration

JR

Old enough to know better
19 16v shabby

Found Retro Renault after doing some bits and peices already so it is a rolling project:D

Leaky soft top in winter:eek:

drips on your leg from above front passenger seat where roof frame joins top right corner by windscreen. Fixed using a 2mm thick section of rubber

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The lining is held in place by a row of screws through a metal strip which also holds the outer fabric to the frame.

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Some of the lining held in place by the glue on the cross-bars.

On the middle bar it was riveted in to the edge on both sides to guide the tensioning straps ... i cut around these.

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i used carpet tape (no setting time!) to secure the liner to the 3 cross bars of the frame.

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Now the leaks and lining are done the fabric could use some cleaning colouring and weather-proofing (could've used this before winter really) I found the Renovo range to be very good.

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[break=painting plastic]

i painted the various bits of plastic to smart it up, also the new struts/springs to go on with the nearly new mounts

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proper colour coded wing mirrors

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Easy enough to take off.

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Much better.8)

[BREAK=back brakes]

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replaced the discs, bearings and pads.

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was made harder because i had hit a curb (HARD!) and the bearing was jammed on the axle, it came off bit by bit.

The quest for Original Condition;

Original 16v Speedline Alloys, filthy but not too curbed

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Got an original gearknob;

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11/06/2009 Additions (rubbish pics from a phase 1 Motorola Razor)

Got some missing parts

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So firstly off with the neg terminal on the battery

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The clips had corroded, reduced to lumps of turquiose dust;

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now i don't have to fumble with the keys in the dark

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While i was in a creative mood i took a wire brush to the inlet manifold and 5 mins paid off

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sprayed the door trims and handles.

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put 3 coats of matt black paint on (a two section boot, the roof stow)

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[BREAK=Driveshafts]

So having left my car almost on the spot where the CV joint fell apart...

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...there was the task of finding a new offside driveshaft. Bidderman1969 posted saying he might have one going spare.

So i paid him and his missus a visit last friday after work and very pleasant it was too. Off to Renault for roll pins

The location for fitting was not ideal as it is right outside a supermarket (at 8am on Sunday)

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i got the remaining d/s bits off.

Used a 5mm drill bit as i don't have a punch :p then the stub axle and it was clear where the failure had occured.

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the burst gaiter on the CV had sprayed grease all over the inside of the disc

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job done! With a test drive it became clear that it had been the source of most of the unpleasant cornering for sometime

[BREAK=Headliner]
headliner refurb.

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The 1st coat is a big improvement.

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most expensive trainer whitener i could find

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15.07.2009 Second coat :D

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3rd to follow...
 
Last edited by a moderator:
hope it goes well, i shall be watching this one to see how you do, maybe follow some of your examples
 
This is a top-notch report. I love the picture with everything opened up, makes me want to own a cabrio!

Yeah go for it, come buy my one off me ;)

Top work there on the report (y) Hope you get the enjoyment out of it when the weather brightens up
 
as long as it ain't raining...

Yeah go for it, come buy my one off me ;)

Top work there on the report (y) Hope you get the enjoyment out of it when the weather brightens up

cheers! i love getting the top down even in January, really good way to add some spice to a drive!
 
Cant say I have had the top down whilst driving for a while, only put it down when needing to put things in the back seats like some drivers seats. nice and easy that way. Last time was in October driving around the nurburgring :) cant beat listening to a Mercedes Mclaren overtaking you.
 
is for leather or synthetic, Kiwi stuff with a sponge on it, in all good shoe shops :lol: What d'you have for the job? I just woke up and thought of it, will post more pics of coat2 and 3...
 
i think, although only think of course, that your coating it, instead of cleaning it, so it make crack again when you keep folding it up and down, but if it works for ya, then cool beans! (y)

got proper fabric cleaner here.
 
that makes sense, i did clean it first with detergent, then the shoe stuff. I tried cleaning it before but you probably got better stuff. It hopefully won't crack, i had considered that when dismissing alternatives...we'll see eh!
 
I always thought that covering up the cracks with black was the best way. However last weekend Baz showed me how to clean leather with some proper leather cleaner. This made the seats look so much better!

I was mega sceptical at first but after treatment they came up so much better. Of course, they will never look like new because the leather itself has worn.
 
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