Convertible Top Paint Looks Great and Saves Money!
Let’s face it, faded and discolored convertible tops can make an otherwise great looking car look not so great. In some cases, dirt, dust, and fallout can create stains on the top that can’t be completely removed, yet the vinyl may have many years of life remaining.
Replacing a convertible top is an expensive proposition, which makes replacing a discolored or stained top that still functions fine an especially hard pill to swallow. However, convertible top paint can restore the appearance of the top to like new at a fraction of the cost of replacement. Convertible top paint can also be used to completely change the color of the top and give the car a new look.
Of course, you can’t just grab a can of any old spray paint or your favorite latex wall paint. Paint for vinyl convertible tops must be specifically formulated for use on vinyl, and it must be able to handle the outdoor elements. ColorBond LVP Refinisher is perfect for vinyl convertible tops. Check out this convertible top paint success story.
Convertible Top Restoration
Steve Chopko of The Dye Guy, a company he founded in 2007 which specializes in reconditioning leather, vinyl, and plastic, knows a lot about recoloring vinyl. A customer approached Steve about dying the top of his Jaguar XK8 from tan to black. Steve didn’t believe a standard dye procedure or use of waterborne based colorants would get the quality results he wanted, but then he discovered ColorBond Convertible top paint. LVP Refinisher is a solvent-based paint that bonds to the surface of the vinyl, rather soaking in like a dye. As well, though providing excellent coverage the film thickness of ColorBond is much thinner than a water-based product. So, it won’t crack when the top is folded. To avoid “tiger stripes” Steve prefers to use a spray gun to apply coatings, so he purchased LVP Refinisher in concentrate form for use in his spray gun.
Before applying the convertible top paint, the top was prepared by scrubbing with an isopropyl alcohol and water solution and then masked the body with tape to protect it from overspray. “The job took about four hours including prep, cleaning, and masking. The ColorBond paint was quick and easy to apply. It dried quickly – so the turnaround time between coats was amazing. I applied three coats, which used about a quart of concentrate. It was so easy and there were literally no challenges with using the LVP Refinisher. After I was done, I simply took the tape off the car, and it was ready to go. No other work was required” Steve Concludes.
Using convertible top paint offers a significant savings versus top replacement. Consider a replacement top for the Jaguar would be $400-$700. Steve used only $75.00 of LVP Refinisher to paint the top. More details on Steve’s project can be seen here.
Please note, ColorBond recommends applying ColorBond Dash Clear UV Protectant on top of the LVP Refinisher for the best protection against fading from regular exposure to sunlight.
If you want to restore the look of your convertible top to like new, or get a whole new look, ColorBond can save you money!
