Hood care is often put on the back burner as owners enjoy top-down outings, then accept the leaks or leave the car in the garage when the weather turns.
It doesn’t have to be like this, however. A few hours spent attending to the particular needs of your classic car’s hood can greatly increase its weather resistance.
Vinyl hoods tend to fare better. The material is homogenous, so has a longer life expectancy, and is naturally water-resistant in a way that canvas and double-duck aren’t. Try to avoid raising or lowering a vinyl top when the temperature is below 10ºC – the covering becomes brittle and cracks more easily.
Cloth hoods are less frequently lined and can be badly affected by UV degradation, changing colour and losing their waterproofing qualities.
The individual fibres of the fabric can shrink, allowing moisture to penetrate, but it can be improved with cleaning and treatment. Where possible, try to avoid parking a cloth-topped car in direct sunlight for too long.
Once re-proofed, vinyl hoods can be used straight away, but cloth hoods need to be kept indoors for 24 hours to allow the proofing compounds to dry thoroughly.
STEP 1: CLEANING (VINYL)
Spray or brush on a vinyl cleaner in sections, then let it react or foam up for about half a minute.
