"Correct" 1969 US Spider Top Material

[Anfanuts]

We talk a lot about OE details, down to the screws. What was the 69 SV OE top made of?

My 69 SV came to me from 1st PO with a vinyl top at 6 years old. I doubt the PO replaced it. Could it be OE?? It could be 38 years old (and is at least 32 years old). If so, OE 69 tops were vinyl. Who knows out there?

Also, how do canvas tops hold up in hot, humid areas in the south? Pine pollen and tree sap? Plus I'm lazy on cleaning all the time if it takes more work. Pine pollen is hard enough to get off of smooth painted surfaces once it's "set". Seems to make the case for vinyl down here, especially if they last 30+ years. But I do lean toward "cloth" now giving in to form.

Thanks, Bruce

[Zunige]

Vinyl is what the OEM tops were made of in '69. (It wasn't until 1982 when Alfa started using cloth on the Spiders.) If showing the car at a national Alfa concours, there will be a deduction for having replaced an OEM top with a different material, but the deduction for using canvas is very small. A canvas top has a richer look and is more pleasing to the eye than the vinyl version. However, it usually takes more work to keep a cloth top clean than it does a vinyl one. If the car is garaged however, that's not much of an issue, as neither top would get that dirty. Both last about the same, and they will last 20+ years easily if you take care of them. I prefer a cloth top, and only use water to clean them. I find that even stubborn pollen that works its way into the top comes off, if I squirt water and use a clothes brush. I brush the top and use a roller to keep it clean. For the back window I use Meguiar's products.

Last, there are a lot of good threads about tops and the use of vinyl vs. canvas. I would encourage you to do a search.

Best regards,

[Anfanuts]

Enrique, thanks. Skimmed other threads. Appreciate the input on this and other threads. You and the other true Sr. Members have been a big help. More ???'s to come. Bruce