I first heard about cloth tops for early Mustangs when I photographed Scott Drake's "Pay it Forward" '66 convertible for the November 2009 issue. I thought the top really looked clean and classy. But I figured OEM vinyl would be tougher.
I was wrong. According to one of the leading experts in the industry, Doug Robbins from Robbins Auto Top, cloth tops are actually stronger and more durable. And the good news is that Robbins manufactures cloth tops for early Mustangs, available with either a plastic rear window or a folding glass rear window, which was not available from the factory for '65-'66 Mustangs.
I'm building a Poppy Red '65 convertible as a fun project car, not a rigorous restoration. Not overly concerned about keeping the car 100 percent stock, I felt a cloth top would add to the beauty of my car over vinyl. Seeing Drake's convertible was enough to get me interested.
At first, the name "cloth" threw me. In the trade, people also use the term "canvas" for the same material. Cloth doesn't sound very durable and canvas reminds me of the material used for tents. I remember water going right through those old tents that were finished with a cheap plastic coating. I wanted to know more about this cloth/canvas.
Kevin Hartman from Convertible Top Guys in Rhode Island, who sells Robbins Tops, explained, "The difference between canvas and today's vinyl is that the canvas is a true two-layer product. It's got a butyl rubber inner layer in between the outer canvas and the inner sheet." For this reason, canvas (cloth) lasts longer than vinyl, which can be susceptible to shrinking.
But what about installation? Are the steps the same?
To answer this question, I went to one of the best in the business, Troy Anderson at Troy's Upholstery in Amarillo, Texas. When I asked Troy if he could install a cloth top, he replied, "I just put a cloth top on a '67 Mustang convertible." Troy used the brand name "Stafast" to describe the cloth.
In Troy's retail business, cloth tops are hot right now on classic cars. Installation is no different or more difficult than vinyl. I snapped some pictures of the installation--not the usual step-by-step how-to but more of an informational article to demonstrate the features of a cloth top and how one fits on a classic Mustang. Robbins tops are available from National Parts Depot.
My original top was gone except...
My original top was gone except for tattered pieces of vinyl and the original pair of pads running lengthwise on either side.
First, Troy and his wife Christy...
First, Troy and his wife Christy took the Robbins cloth top out of the box and checked for fit. They were pleased. Troy has seen inexpensive tops that were cut so poorly they required custom work for the installation.
Troy snipped off a portion...
Troy snipped off a portion of excess cloth top material. Christy peeled back the top tan layer to reveal a butyl rubber inner liner on top of another tough layer of black cloth.
The Robbins top came with...
The Robbins top came with material to cut new "pads" made out of the same material as the top. Troy used the old pads as a template to cut the new pads. For extra strength, Troy doubled the pads and sewed the ends together.
The rubber seal does not come...
The rubber seal does not come with the kit. It must be ordered separately.
Troy replaced the old pads...
Troy replaced the old pads with the new pads he made from the material supplied by Robbins.
The kit comes with a new outside...
The kit comes with a new outside bow molding assembly. Troy stapled the molding into position. We decided to use the original chrome end caps from the '65 instead of the new ones supplied in the kit.
Our top came with a plastic...
Our top came with a plastic rear window. Robbins also offers a folding glass rear window. The top for the plastic rear window is cut larger in the back than the top for the folding back glass. Therefore, you have two tops to choose from--one with the large plastic rear window and another with the smaller folding glass window.
The new cloth top will outlast...
The new cloth top will outlast OEM vinyl and the look is pure class. The tan top looks great with the Mustang's parchment interior.
The cloth stretched so taut...
The cloth stretched so taut that I could not find a wrinkle.
Troy sewed the convertible...
Troy sewed the convertible top bead (white) into a strip of convertible top material, both supplied with the kit, then he and Christy glued the sewed strip of material to the inside front edge of the convertible top.