Soft Top - Re Dye

[Wulfman]

If I misspelled Dye, my apologies. I've got an old soft top that came with my M that is in year 6 of it's slow rebuild. Has anyone ever re dyed their canvas top? It's intact and fine, just faded.

[Bruce]

Not Sure

If the water proofing (what ever component that is?) will allow any dye to take? My top is almost ten, but stays under cover most of the time.

[Gordon Maney]

I think a faded top would look just fine. I realize that is not an answer to your question. It has character.

[Wulfman]

Character

Granted Gordon it would give it character and I intend to put it in service as is when the truck is done , so this was more of a "possible" question. If I have a shiny new truck, well maybe not so shiny with lusterless, we'll see how it looks and I'll take it from there. I suspect it would be cheaper to dye than replace.

[Charles Talbert]

Retreatment may be the better route

I think I would re-treat the canvas with one of the water repellent chemicals that is designed for canvas restoration instead of dying it. That will take away some if not all of the fading while revitalizing it at the same time. Canvas tends to rip easily when it ages, this is especially true if it has been exposed to sunlight a lot, you might want to check it out closely for deterioration before spending $$ on it. UV rays are not kind to many things including canvas, all the top manufacturers of canvas components recommend retreatment at given intervals based on a number of factors. It would be wise to check with a supplier and follow their recommendations.

[Wulfman]

Thanks For the Input

Charles, I always appreciate your thorough and thoughtful input on theses sites for us Army truck hackers. Happy New Year.