Al
The original Everflex material has a cotton backing, which, being a natural
material, shrinks over time. My BN 6 tonneau for which I still have my
initial sewing pattern, shrank about one inch overall in a dozen years use out
in the rain. This is the fabric actually getting smaller in the long term, as
opposed to a tightening and relaxing of the PVC coating with daily temperature
changes. Nowdays acrylic fabrics are less affected by moisture.
BMC used to sell a protective sealant for the natural cotton threads used in
the tops and tonneaus. Some people use beeswax. This kept (delayed ?) the
water from soaking through the stitching into the cotton backing.
Dealing with a top manufacturer from a distance twice removed ( LBC to Moss to
Robbins) may not end up being all that satisfactory. To a huge manufacturer
dealing in thousands of New Beetle and Miata tops, your brass zipper can fall
almost below the radar.
While Robbins and Moss are friendly and willing to help as best they can, your
tonneau with its special requirements might have had to be treated as a
special order right from the start, not just as a standard item stocked in
quantity by a secondary dealer. Its possible to talk directly to the Robbins
staff when initially placing your order, and they can accommodate your needs
and assign you a special order number to keep track of your particular item.
Special treatment usually comes at a price, though.
Speaking of which, their revised suggested retail price list is somewhat of an
eye-popper to someone still living in the eighties. Their Healey list has
always been a head-scratcher to me, for example, why would a BJ 7 tonneau be
nearly two hundred dollars more than a BJ 8 tonneau ?
Best
Peter
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