decgraham
Albert Park
- Joined
- 17 Sep 2008
- Messages
- 1,664
Hi All,
This is for all the Cabriolet guys out there so they can learn from my mistake.
I have just had a new Robbins top fitted, replacing the Sierra one on the car, but it hasn't gone too well. The top fits fine but the new Sierra headliner I got from the US when I was there last month could not be matched up. The problem is with zipping it in, the fitter, after trying for 2 hours gave up, so I now have a nice new hood but no head liner :nooo:
I have checked the width of the Robbins window against the Sierra and the Robbins is 81.5 cms by 44.5 cms whereas the Sierra is 78.5 cms by 44.5 cms a difference of 3 cms. So trying to fit a smaller Sierra head liner into a bigger Robbins top is not really going to work in my opinion, too much zip.
The hood that came off was a Sierra with a Sierra head liner from the US and that married up well. The only reason I was replacing the hood again after doing it in 2010 was because Porsche Kuwait (yep OPC) didn't do it properly and I only discovered the problem after I exported the car. OPC did not tuck and glue enough of the fabric to the horse shoe shaped rear surround on the LHS rear and so it came unstuck, after re-sticking it twice I'd had enough. Add to that they didn't replace the bow straps, although I asked them to. This led to the headliner being over stretched and a small rip appearing due to the bar not going back one time when I opened the roof as the bow straps had no more elasticity and the bar got stuck. Also, as there was no more elasticity in the bow straps the hood did not fold out properly every time when opened and this led to the stopping pins digging into the hood and eventually causing a small hole to appear after wearing through the fabric. If you don't check that the hood has folded out properly when you drop it, it might be worth stopping at 80% and having a look if you don't want holes in the hood.
However, I knew the Sierra quality was good and their head liner was only $249.00 compared with Robbins at £340.00. As I was off to the US I thought why not, save myself a couple of bob and it would fit into my suitcase... false economy! The lesson to be learnt from this is 'do not buy from 2 different manufactures" you know it makes sense!
The reason I bought from Robbins was because they are the only supplier that include 2 new 'bow straps". Trust me, these could be made up by your mum if she has a sewing machine, 25mm wide black HD elastic 150mm long doubled over stitched 25mm in from each end. Obviously the Robbins must be closer to the original as Rilas who recently had a new Robbins top fitted had no problem with his original headliner zipping in just fine.
Any way, enough of my woes, you see there is a trade-off for living in Spain, very few hood suppliers and fitters, I should have got it done while the car was in the UK. Que cera cera.
I will now order a headliner from Robbins and get my fitter back....... More blo**y expense! Just as well I love my car
oh well its only money!
ATB.
PS If anyone is looking for a cheap Sierra head liner let me know, BUT it must be matched to a Sierra top :thumb:
This is for all the Cabriolet guys out there so they can learn from my mistake.
I have just had a new Robbins top fitted, replacing the Sierra one on the car, but it hasn't gone too well. The top fits fine but the new Sierra headliner I got from the US when I was there last month could not be matched up. The problem is with zipping it in, the fitter, after trying for 2 hours gave up, so I now have a nice new hood but no head liner :nooo:
I have checked the width of the Robbins window against the Sierra and the Robbins is 81.5 cms by 44.5 cms whereas the Sierra is 78.5 cms by 44.5 cms a difference of 3 cms. So trying to fit a smaller Sierra head liner into a bigger Robbins top is not really going to work in my opinion, too much zip.
The hood that came off was a Sierra with a Sierra head liner from the US and that married up well. The only reason I was replacing the hood again after doing it in 2010 was because Porsche Kuwait (yep OPC) didn't do it properly and I only discovered the problem after I exported the car. OPC did not tuck and glue enough of the fabric to the horse shoe shaped rear surround on the LHS rear and so it came unstuck, after re-sticking it twice I'd had enough. Add to that they didn't replace the bow straps, although I asked them to. This led to the headliner being over stretched and a small rip appearing due to the bar not going back one time when I opened the roof as the bow straps had no more elasticity and the bar got stuck. Also, as there was no more elasticity in the bow straps the hood did not fold out properly every time when opened and this led to the stopping pins digging into the hood and eventually causing a small hole to appear after wearing through the fabric. If you don't check that the hood has folded out properly when you drop it, it might be worth stopping at 80% and having a look if you don't want holes in the hood.
However, I knew the Sierra quality was good and their head liner was only $249.00 compared with Robbins at £340.00. As I was off to the US I thought why not, save myself a couple of bob and it would fit into my suitcase... false economy! The lesson to be learnt from this is 'do not buy from 2 different manufactures" you know it makes sense!
The reason I bought from Robbins was because they are the only supplier that include 2 new 'bow straps". Trust me, these could be made up by your mum if she has a sewing machine, 25mm wide black HD elastic 150mm long doubled over stitched 25mm in from each end. Obviously the Robbins must be closer to the original as Rilas who recently had a new Robbins top fitted had no problem with his original headliner zipping in just fine.
Any way, enough of my woes, you see there is a trade-off for living in Spain, very few hood suppliers and fitters, I should have got it done while the car was in the UK. Que cera cera.
I will now order a headliner from Robbins and get my fitter back....... More blo**y expense! Just as well I love my car
oh well its only money!ATB.
PS If anyone is looking for a cheap Sierra head liner let me know, BUT it must be matched to a Sierra top :thumb:
