[helsenm]

Hello,

I'm Marino from Belgium and own a '87 spider.
Does anybody know the product called "HANDSIGHT",
it seems to be a product that easily restores the plastic
of the rear-window? It want to buy and try it but it's rather
expensive for a product I never heard about:
49.50 english ponds+ shipping
You can find the product on: www.handsight.uk.com

Marino.
Try alsoo: www.portalclassic.com , www.autoclassiche.com
to see very nice alfa's.

 

[Sniady]

One cheap way to clean the back plastic window.

Take a terry cloth, soak it in water then squeze it off till damp. Get a liquid type of car wax, apply it to the damp terry cloth, and mix it in. Wax the inside and outside plastic window, now take a soft soft cloth (wax wipe off cloth 3M), and wipe it off.

Thats what I use to do on Porsches, when I worked in the detailing department.

 

[67GTV]

**** . .

Now you tell me Sniady! After my Spider's back window clouded up, I purchased a used replacement top, (off eBay of course). Actually, I bought the top with all the bows and hardware. It was just a simple bolt on job, no stretching or adjusting.

 

[67GTV]

And after

...

 

[144]

67GTV -
What company did you get your top from, what type is it (cloth, vinyl, etc), and what did it cost? Seems you were satisfied with the fit, which is traditionally the biggest bug-a-boo with new tops.
Thanks.

RT

 

[LBC]

Theres a product out there called Reveno plastic window polish, ive heard alot of good reviews about this stuff. Its pretty cheap usually like $8.00 a bottle.

67GTV, Nice Spider!

 

[alfa_chan]

Convertible cleaning/restoration

Hi Sniady!!

Any suggestion on cleaning the cloth top??


-------------------
PS. Is that your dog in the avatar? So cute! How old is he/she?

 

[Sniady]

Reminder: When cleaning this back window, Use a damp cloth with a liquid wax. DO NOT WIPE IT OFF WITH A DRY TERRY CLOTH OR ANYOTHER TOWEL. You will have scracth marks everywhere. Use soft economy grade towels, the ones made to take wax off cars.


Cleaning tops. I would just spary them down and soap them up and rinse. Some customers would say, don't wash my top, it's bad. But the mojority of new tops are super water proof. But I did it to old ones as well. Now the second step. Take a air compression gun and blow the top, to get out the extra water and all particals (mainly hairs).

Looks brand new!

p.s. At the dealership we had cats sleeping on tops, and leaving hair everywhere. Was a tuff clean.

 

[67GTV]

Replacement top

67GTV -
What company did you get your top from, what type is it (cloth, vinyl, etc), and what did it cost? Seems you were satisfied with the fit, which is traditionally the biggest bug-a-boo with new tops.
Thanks.

RT

Roadtrip,

I won my replacement vinyl top on eBay. The previous owner removed their top in the process of converting their Spider into a lake bed racer. The top came complete with all the bows and hardware in place. I just had to unbolt my old top and bolt on the replacement. Much easier than stretching a new skin on my hardware. Here's my (unlatched) top on the original Spider.

 

[67GTV]

Hmmm

Theres a product out there called Reveno plastic window polish, ive heard alot of good reviews about this stuff. Its pretty cheap usually like $8.00 a bottle.

67GTV, Nice Spider!

Perhaps I could have saved myself a couple hundred bucks. My original top was fine except for the yellowed plastic window. I think I'll check out this Reveno stuff, as I still have the old top. Hopefully it'll help me get a better price on eBay.

As for my 1981 Spider, thanks for the compliment! I just sold her on eBay, (I swear, they better have my commission check in the mail!) I poured my own blood sweat and tears into it. But ask any Alfa mechanic about this year and you'll hear them groan. The '80 and '81 Spiders are from what I call "The Bastard Years". Because of the planned switch to Bosch fuel injection, these two years had so many unique parts. 1982 was the first Bosch year and the last year before the dreaded rubber tail. Check out the funky aluminum casting intake plenum.

 

[il_formaggio]

Renovo Plastic Polish

I've used both the Renovo Plastic Polish and Canvas Top Waterproofer. I bought both from Caribou Imports when he had them on sale a few months back. Anyway, my rear window is in very good shape but had a few small scratches. The polish did a great job of removing light scratches. I don't know how it would work on a cloudy window but worth a shot. Although my top doesn't leak, I also used the waterproofer because it contains UV protection. My spider usually stays indoors on rainy days, but does get subject to intense Georgia summer sun.

Ciao,
Gary Cerasoli
'86 Spider Veloce
'01 Dakota

 

[alfamonica]

I have a new top on my Spider (looks like canvas only better) and my mechanic said that if the window ever gets too scratched or cloudy, I could just replace the window. So if the gunk ends up not working, you still wouldn't have to get a whole new top.

 

[67GTV]

I thought about taking the same road when my Spider's window yellowed up. However, I would have had to pay the labor to have the top removed and then have another window glued/melted in. The shop I talked to gave me the same price for installing a new top. Now my top was vinyl, and I am not familiar with how the windows are attached on canvas tops. I remember an MG that had a zipper seam for ventilation and ease of replacing that window.

 

[67GTV]

I also obtained information from this guy at www.cabrioworld.com

----- Original Message -----
From: Cabrio World ([email protected] )
To: Kai Schorr
Sent: Wednesday, June 21, 2000 1:19 AM
Subject: Re: Top for Alfa Romeo


Dear Kai,

The windows we use are made here in America. They are not the same windows that come with the original tops. These new windows that we use are much better and won't yellow, crack, and harden like the originals did. If you want some specs on this window you can visit the site of the company that manufactures this window at http://www.osul.com/regalite/ultralite.htm
There is also a scratch resistant window we can make the top with which is the toughest rear window available. You can see specs on it here http://www.osul.com/ultrashield.htm
The price for the ultra shield is only $30 more. The regalite or ultralite is a vast improvment from the original window though. You can not really sew in a new back window. First of all the labor charges involved in taking the top off, removing the old window, sewing in a new window and putting the top back on the car will be more than buying a whole new top. The top will leak too if you just replace the window as there is no way to heat seal the new window in. It will have to be sewn in. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us via email or at 800 752 1563.

Regards,
Jeff
Cabrio World