Anybody regularly use their convertible top cover?

[chrisntam]

I put mine on for the first time, what a PITA.  Took about 15 minutes to "coax" it on.

Apparently the chrome trim is fit very tightly to the body.  I spent the better part of 2 hours carefully bending it up so there would be enough of a gap to force the plastic retainer in.  The area around the seat with the snaps is out of shape and doesn't fit exactly right and for some reason, the snaps don't snap.  It is the original cover to my early production '70, the date on the underside says 9/69.

It sure looks nice, but what a pain.

[Scot Minesinger]

Never use my top cover.

Work at home in a demanding career and so to enjoy my Cadillac it is driven on errands and business meetings.  Otherwise would not be driven much.

The 1970 Cadillac convertible is driven about 2 or 3 times a week for about 5 or 6 months of the year plus at least twice a month during off season.  That makes about 75-100 or so top down/up cycles per year.  If you don't raise the top between trips, the inside gets super dirty.  After about 5 or 6 years of this the white top needs to be replaced.  I'm on my second top from 2005 and probably will replace it again this fall.

The top cover is a complete waste of time.  No one would ever notice.  I do keep it in the trunk, for GN judging only.  When I drive my Cadillac top down and all, it is rare that anyone with the knowledge of the people reading this ever see it.  The enjoyment may be lessened if I bothered with it.  My Dad never used his top cover on his 1970 Oldsmobile convertible ever either back in the day.  When I was kid back in the 1960's and 1970's, never remembered seeing them.

All the car shows we attend want the top up for show purposes.   

If it were not for GN, I probably would sell the top cover.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

That is why I love the Hard Boot.

Simple, covers everything, but the only problem with them is actual storeage in the trunk when not in use.

Bruce.

[chrisntam]

Before I replaced my top cylinders, the top wouldn't go down far enough.  The top fold of the top wouldn't got down into the well and would get lifted by the wind as I drove.

Since I replaced the cylinders, the top does go into the well nicely, but I worry that without the boot in place, the wind will catch the top fabric and lift it up.

My old Delta 88 w/ the scissor top didn't have this issue because the arms folded on top of the top.

[Steve Passmore]

I always use the top cover or 'Boot' for the main reason that any bleaching through Ultraviolet will do it in just the areas visible to the sun, so when the top go's up it's in ribs of faded colour.
This is Mohair of coarse not the plastic like material in question here. Things are much better these days with 'Stayfast'  but a top I built about 20 years ago in 'Double Duck' where the owner didn't want a 'Boot' had within 12 month near white stripes on all the areas facing the sky

[James Landi]

Sooo much easier when the hot sun helps to stretch the vinyl...sometime wonder why an enterprising person hasn't creates fiberglass parade boots for large vintage convertibles.  My '72 had one, and installing it took half a minute... of course the scissor top provided a deep well so the boot is  flat.  I recall in one of the Self Starter issues that Cadillac had  considered an automatically deployed boots to keep up with the Lincoln convertibles

[Scot Minesinger]

The sun has not faded my top at all.  It is black on inside and white on outside.  The top is down 90% of the time on trips and it gets a lot of sun.  Carpet is not faded either after ten years.  The top folds down nice and flat. 

I agree the hard boot on Eldorado convertibles of the 1971-76 era are the way to go.  If I had those I would use them.

There was an article in the self starter about a 65 Eldorado (vinyl fabric top) with a metal section that had a metal integral cover to compete with Lincoln.  It would have been super cool to have one if they were ever made.  I see why Cadillac did not do it though, as they already outsold Lincoln 4 to one in convertibles during that year, and Lincoln stopped production of convertibles in 1967 (last year). 

I think the Lincoln convertible buyer was completely different than the Cadillac convertible buyers, because when Lincoln top was down use of the trunk was substantially gone and inconvenient to use.  The Cadillac buyer could use his trunk with top down-my son and I went to buy his bike when he was age14 and bike had the 26" wheels - the trunk swallowed the whole thing no problem - no way in a Lincoln.  For that matter most modern cars with a trunk are forced to use an external bike rack.

[59-in-pieces]

I would not think of taking by 59 out without the parade boot in place.
It just makes for a cleaner look and adds to the I'm going ninety look - standing still.
Now the ultimate lazy man convertible - my XLR.
Talk about streamlined - after the top does its origami moves, and folds into the trunk - no hint where the convertible top is.
Both easy down and easy up.
But did I mention I can't get a Kleenex box in the trunk when the top is down - just saying.
Have fun,
Steve B.

[Caddyholic]

I use my boot all the time never thought it was any trouble at all. I perfer the look with it on. I keep the front of it attach and store it in the boot well when the top is up.

[Bobby B]

In my Opinion, without the boot, the car looks unfinished, like something's missing. Who wants to look at the Bow and Latches? Not me.....Never Leave Home without it on....
                                                         Bobby

[m-mman]

They all fit correctly and were easy to install when they were new. Tight enough to fit snugly and without wrinkles, but not that difficult to put on.

In early years they were called "dust covers" The idea was to keep the dust away from the folded top. Later they evolved into aesthetic trim to make the retracted top look 'finished'. 

I have owned many convertibles over the years. I started buying them in the 1970s when the 50s & 60s cars were 10-20 years old. All original cars and always with the original boot.  The suggestion to give it the sun treatment is the right thing to do. Over time Vinyl shrinks. While seats have frames to keep the vinyl stretched the boot folded in the trunk does not.

Original boot that fits poorly? Let it get hot, then attach what you can and then leave it to bake to allow it to stretch and relax. Then, continue to use it regularly.

I commonly keep the boot attached to top of the back seat and at the side panels folding the fabric over the back seat back rest. This also helps it stay in shape.  And makes installation very quick when you flip the top down.

The next option is to have a replacement made at an upholstery shop. They will use new vinyl and of course make it to fit. In this case it will always be easy to install. And you can keep the original (maybe in its storage bag?) for show.

As for the automatic hard boots that Lincoln used . . . ? Sigh . . . .
I currently have a 59 Lincoln convertible and previously had two 1964 Lincoln convertibles. While you might not have to deal with a fabric boot, on these cars you have to become an electrical expert to keep the things working. There is always something broken that keeps it from working. Cad tops (even the scissor versions) are 100% care free by comparison.

[Evan Wojtkiewicz]

I'm torn. I like the way it looks when it's on, but it's such a pain to take off. Especially when I'm out and about.

On mine, the left and right snaps that attach the front corners to the interior panels are almost impossible to connect. That, and the strip of Velcro that attaches it to the top of the rear seat back doesn't work anymore.

[marty55cdv]

   Until I had my top replaced for the Vegas GN, my boot was on more than the top was up. I left it in place during the winter for a couple of years. When I originally purchased the car I don't think the boot had ever been on.   I like the way it looks but with a new top I don't want wrinkles etc. I will be attending a show next Saturday the boot is going on.

[76eldo]

Wow these posts are getting to be comical.

Any self respecting owner of a Cadillac convertible would not take his convertible out without the boot on and your white walls clean.   

I always used the boot because it looks so nice on the car.

My 76 looks great with the parade boot on it, the 70 still wears the original white boot with the date code and the 60 has the Eldo hard boot which took a lot of work to refinish and get all the right bits for it.

If you are taking a quick ride after dinner that's one thing but going out for the day or to a show, your car should look it's best.

And the thread about it being a lot of trouble to was and dry your Caddy?

Get a California Water Blade and some large high quality micro fiber towels and it's not too bad.  A leaf blower gets rid of a lot of water too.

Brian

Brian

[Scot Minesinger]

To each their own, have been driving 3 to 4k miles per year (for ten years) mostly top down, and never with the top boot cover.  There is no one who knows better out there.  Have never seen another Cadillac convertible with top down except at a show in ten years!  The sun does not fade my interior or inside of top.  If I had to install that boot every time, probably would just sell the car and buy a T-bird or Lincoln.  Seriously, it is about enjoying my car, and we each have own way.  The convertible I drive won 2nd place in P22 at GN 2008 in Cherry Hill and 3rd in NY in 2014 GN, so it is a nice Caddy.  The important thing is that we drive them.

Looking forward to the nice summer.  If weather is good, plan to drive to inter regional meet in Hershey, PA July 16th.

[chrisntam]

Yeah, I'm a little stunned some don't wash their cars.

I'll keep trying the boot cover, it does look nice, but I'm with Scot, when I want to roll, I want to roll and not make it more of an event than it already is.

For me, I could barely get the plastic under the trim.  I guess more prying with a screwdriver is in order....  And the area (of the boot cover) on the corners where the snaps are out of shape.

[Caddyholic]

To each their own, have been driving 3 to 4k miles per year (for ten years) mostly top down, and never with the top boot cover.  There is no one who knows better out there.  Have never seen another Cadillac convertible with top down except at a show in ten years!  The sun does not fade my interior or inside of top.  If I had to install that boot every time, probably would just sell the car and buy a T-bird or Lincoln.  Seriously, it is about enjoying my car, and we each have own way.  The convertible I drive won 2nd place in P22 at GN 2008 in Cherry Hill and 3rd in NY in 2014 GN, so it is a nice Caddy.  The important thing is that we drive them.   
Looking forward to the nice summer.  If weather is good, plan to drive to inter regional meet in Hershey, PA July 16th.

.

You might have won if you had the boot cover on. yours a must be different than mine. It takes a whole 30-45 seconds to get it on or off.

[Bobby B]

All my Convertibles stay in the garage with the roof down and the boots on, so I guess I'm spoiled ...The only time the boots come off is if I'm out and about and there's a threat of rain (or snow) that would warrant putting the top up. Remember, most of us North Easterners are Diehards who like to go topless with the heat blazing in the Winter. It takes 10 seconds to get it off and about a minute to put it on. If it doesn't, I would think something is wrong. Never had a convertible that posed a problem installing a boot, unless the snaps didn't line up due to an amateur install. When a see a "bootless" car, I always tend to think the owner was in a rush, or too cheap to purchase a replacement when the original was worn or torn....
                                                                                           Bobby

[chrisntam]

I too have heard (from an upholstery/top shop) that the top should always be stored in the "closed' position. 

What does our owners manuals say??

[76eldo]

If you leave your top down for extended periods of time you will get permanent wrinkles in it and the vinyl will shrink up and it can in some cases keep you from closing and latching the top when you really want to or need to.

I have seen this on my 60 and on a 61 I had for a while.

It's better for the hydraulic mechanism to use it that to leave it retracted for a long time.  When I use my cars, unless I know I am using it again in a day or two, I park them with the top up.

Brian