robbie shirkowski

After all summer long I put the top up and I found that somehow the top has several dirt spots on it! You can even see the frame work has the outline of dirt or dust on it. The car is the 2003 AE so the top is the light oak color. My question is how do you clean your top? Do you use a name brand product or just water? Do you spray any type of water proofing on the top/ Rob

FormerlyFiero

I use RaggTopp products, if you can't find it locally some of the forum sponsors have it. You might have to clean it a couple times to get that out though. It's a little late for this advise, but clean your top before you stow it for such a long time.
Mine spends more time up than down, it's stored outside in Oregon

chris308

i had a light oak top and once it was stained the only way I could get the stains to be gone was to replace it with a black top. No more stains!!

FormerlyFiero

I thought about doing that but decided to keep the A/E close to stock. Any other model and I would have changed to black. BTW, the A/E vert is a shale color, very close to light oak though it's slightly darker.

jcgunn

I use 303 brand cleaner and waterproofer a couple of times a year, works great. You can get it at an RV store or that auction site.

MSG C5

As a vert owner, I'm often tempted to just keep the top down for extended periods of time as the car is garage kept and a weekend driver.

However, I learned early on, that it's important to keep the fabric top stretched out in order to prevent creases and wear marks. We may not realize it, however ever time we drive top down, the road vibration, cornering, etc. causes the sections of the top to rub together while it is stowed away. Plus, by extending the top when the car is parked, the interior stays cleaner.

I also use RaggTopp and recommend both their cleaning and protection products. You may also need to use a fine, soft brush to help raise the fabric fibers where there is more dirt/wear.

PETE O.

Totally!

Vetteman Jack

The RaggTopp products are very good. Give them a try and hope that the spots come out.

TOPCATHR

i have an oak top ragg top cleaner and waterproof works great.....just use a very soft brush to scrub stains or the top will get frayed....

cor66vette

Wish I could help. The top on my '66 is always up while in the garage and down only when the car is driven, which isn't so often- and it's black not oak. I learned the hard way a while ago, at the expense of a new top, when I had a '64 Pontiac Tempest convertible, that I shouldn't have kept the top down for any extended period of time.

papaCD

I use RaggTop on mine - works great - you can get it at autogeek.com

VETJAZZ

Another vote for RaggTop. I also have a 50th AE vert and it works great.

robbie shirkowski

Thanks for all of the replies. I was oncerned that a commercial cleaning agent would bleach out the area that was cleaned. i will try the Raggtop products.

CCA Corvette Parts