Topic: Targa refinish
in Forum: C4 Body
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Has anyone ever tried to refinish the clear targa top? I have heard that some have done it without spraying clear. Can that be done, or is it best to just bite the bullet and pay for a refurbished one. Cracking is not the problem.
Thanks
|UPDATED|5/25/2012 7:11:31 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|
Thanks
|UPDATED|5/25/2012 7:11:31 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|
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I traded some shocks for a blue tinted one that was badly crazed (mine was bronze). Initially I just wanted it for the core value with the intent of having it refinished by Melrose. Like you I decided to take a shot at re-finishing it because I wanted to try the blue one in lieu of the bronze to see which I preferred.
It's not the plastic but the surface hard coat that has problems. You can't polish the hard coat, it always looks patchy. I started by sanding it off with 220 until I got down to the plastic below, then finer and finer grits to 1500. It takes awhile and I masked the edges so as not to damage them. At that point I power buffed it out and it didn't look too bad at all but it's never as shiny as the hard coated ones. You'd have to know to see the difference though. It took all weekend to do it and after, you have to take care when cleaning because it is relatively soft but I did use it for over a year and cleaned it with Plastix cream.
I never did use it for exchange and now it's my winter top since I've got two others, one of which has been re-done by Melrose. RE & re's come with new rubber mouldings, themselves worth $100 so you should take that into account if yours are weather beaten. I didn't find I liked one color over the other particularly and I would grab them interchangeably.
I did find out that all mouldings are not made the same. You will find the OEM ones have nylon fittings inside where the screws hold them. You can feel them when it's off. Most aftermarket ones do not and therefore don't work as well. I put new ones on the blue top to improve the overall look. It didn't need painting but that's another step. Good luck

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Spring Hill, FL - USA
Joined: 8/9/2010
Posts: 59
Vette(s): 1992 coupe.
Custom.
I needed to refurb my "T" tops on my C3.
I asked and found out that the prices were a little nuts.
I use to build model air planes. I remembered the coatings I used on them.
MONOCOE. Ya put it on with a iron. Bond the edges after you pull out the wrinkles and float an iron over all surfaces.
Never needs anything done and it looks like paint. Nice waxed look.
Been on the vette for 4 years now and it sits out in the FL sun, forever.
Cost about $20.00 and can be removed any time the same way it was put on.
Took about a 1/2 hour to do.
I too used to be an RC Flyer in another life time.... Never thought about Monokote, but it should work just fine. And you can get the stuff in any colour you can think of..even chrome.
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Canada
Joined: 6/27/2012
Posts: 2
Vette(s): 1996, Arctic White on Red/Black Interior, Coupe, LT4 ZF 6 Speed, w/full load including handling package
I just bought a Maguiars headlight kit for just thet purpose. The only concern at this point is the difference in materials. The kits are technicallyy made fpr polycorbonate plastic and not acrylic such as on the Vette Targa top. Still it is worth a try. Mine cant get much worse and I have a line on solid top that will need a repaint anyway. If it works I will post the results.

If it's worth doing, then it's worth doing right 
in Forum: C4 Body
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