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Old 08-17-2017, 04:19 PM
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Dub Dublin
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Default Re: 10 years and now it has happened to me-rear Window

Originally Posted by Franc Rauscher
I'm wondering if some gorilla glue will repair what some gorilla broke.
Gorilla glue is good stuff, but it's a pretty brittle polyurethane, so it's probably not the right thing to use for fixing a convertible top - strength is one thing, strength with toughness another entirely. (GG foams a bit in contact with the moisture that cures it, which is why some folks actually dispense it cake-decorator style from a ziplock bag squished around with few drops of water, and then a tiny bit of the corner cut off - this starts the expansion process even before you apply it. Awesome for sticking rigid things together, not so good where you need flex.)

A much better choice, IMO (but I have coupes, so what do I know), would be one of the following:

QuickGrip: I discovered this stuff a few years ago, and it's great. You can probably find it at your local Walmart, although I've found that where it is in the store can vary - hardware, crafts, or just along one of the main aisles in one Austin store... Anyway, it behaves a lot like a thinned-down Goop or ShoeGoo. I bought it hesitantly wanting Duco cement, but this stuff is better for most things, as it's considerably more flexible than Duco cement. I fixed the convertible top on my son's Mustang last year, and the repair is flexible, stuck, and looking likely to last longer than the rest of the top. (I applied a patch of black cordura on the back side of the top with this stuff.) Although not quite as strong as Goop/ShoeGoo (see below), it's much thinner, and so a lot easier to apply, especially if you have to push it around a bit.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Quick-Gri...-Grab/19399961

Goop or ShoeGoo:
You can find one variety of this in all kinds of stores - Walmart, Lowes, PepBoys, etc. As far as I can tell, they're all pretty much the same "Amazing Goop" in clear - whether Plumber's Goop, Mechanic's Goop, etc. The ShoeGoo variant comes in clear or colors - the black might be handy for your convertible top. This stuff is thick, and takes over 24 hours to dry, but once set, it's incredibly strong and tough - I've potted connectors for oilfield use with it, and if out of direct UV contact, the stuff stays rubbery and stuck for decades. The ShoeGoo variant is tough enough to build up the toes of tennis shoes, if you drag your toe when you serve. As a friend of mine colorfully put it, "That stuff'll bond axle grease to owl ****!" I haven't tried, but probably, yes. You may or may not want it to repair your convertible top, but you'll want it around to repair something in the next year.

Hope one of these helps - they're what I'd try first if I had a convertible...