The Care And Feeding Of Your Convertible Top - Alfa Romeo 1966 to 1994 Spider Faq

The Care and Feeding of your Convertible Top

For many people, an Alfa Spider is the first convertible they"ve ever owned. While the Spider"s
top is relatively trouble-free, there are some basic care tips that a Spider owner should know
about.
One of the biggest shocks that first time convertible owners receive is that driving one with the
top down in the summer is HOT. I often wondered what the point was in installing air
conditioning in a convertible. My first drive to Houston Texas (in the southern US) showed me.
It is very easy to get sunburned in your convertible, especially in the spring when most people
don"t have much of a tan. During high summer it is quite possible to experience "sun
poisoning„ severe sunburns and heat exhaustion. Always be careful, bring sunscreen, and
don"t be too proud to put the top up on a really brutal day (it actually makes a pretty good sun
shade).
Be very careful during late fall and early spring. Many times, the days will be just warm enough
to put the top down, but nighttime temperatures will get very cold. The rear window "glass„ gets
brittle when it gets cold, and trying to put the top up in cold weather can result in severe damage
to the window. It cracks and tears rather than flexing and folding. If you must put the top up after
the temperature drops, do it VERY SLOWLY. This should allow the material time to flex
properly.
Convertible tops tend to last about three to five years, depending on care, the quality of the top
itself, and use. Many times, the top itself will be fine but the glass will be torn or clouded to the
point of opacity. I have heard of places that offer to replace just the window, but it requires
removal of the current top (no easy task without damaging it), and I have not been advised of the
results. I have heard reports of people attempting to put zippered windows in the tops, but have
not heard of any of those results either (the "glass„ on an Alfa Spider is a lot bigger than most
other tops, making zippers impractical).
Make the "glass„ last longer by keeping it clean. Try dusting it off with a soft cloth before you
put it down. Don"t get armor all or other vinyl preservation products on it these seem to soften
the material and make it more vulnerable to scratching. There are special cleaners designed
exclusively to clean the sort of clear vinyl that makes up your rear window. I have been told that
they are quite effective. Contact your local auto body supply store for more information on these
products. Glass cleaning products seem too harsh and tend to cloud the window a bit. Be careful
the back shelf is clear before you put the top down, or you may punch a hole in the window when
it hits whatever is down there. It is possible to repair small boo-boos with clear packing tape, but
large tears or holes will ruin the top.
Always buy a high quality convertible top. The cost usually runs about $250 for vinyl, and about
twice that for cloth (however, Caribou products produce a cloth top for ~$200 US, and come
highly recommended). I"m not sure what advantages there are in owning a cloth top, and it seems
that the cloth tops are prone to fading. Many parts places that specialize in Alfa Romeo carry an
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