After I finished recovering my seat decided to have a go at recovering the back rest on my spare top box.  I had vinyl left over from the seat but as it was on special $17.00 compared to $34.00 I bought another metre which I didn't require but I have another seat on the way. It took three goes to work out how to do it. The first go I arranged the vinyl with the main stretch going across the rest and started at the top I ended up with too many wrinkles on the corners and had a problem around the lock. Second attempt I arranged the main stretch vertical and started at the top and had  the same problem. third attempt went back to main stretch across and changed the starting point.

First off I glued the vinyl to the flat area above the lock. Once dry I did a slit in the middle of where the lock went then proceeded to heat and work the vinyl with my thumb to fit into the lock recess. This way allowed the vinyl to pull into the centre. Only once it was formed did I glue the vinyl down on the flat surface around the lock. Once  dry I applied a bit of heat and continued to push it into the lock surround.

I then glued the vinyl to the flat upper part and then the top part. The remaining corners were just a matter of heating and pulling and gluing. Sometimes wrinkles developed which required peeling the vinyl back re-stretching heating and regluing. Once I was happy with it I trimmed the excess then as a precaution I stapled the edges. The clue to doing it was patience heating and molding, a few of the corners had to be redone until I was happy.
Regards Martin.

That looks really nice with the seat and backrest matching.

Now try the side cases. (A bike I once bought had the system case outers upholstered.  LOL)

Thanks Duck you're onto something I've got enough vinyl to do the panniers and the tank and side covers. OOO I think I could do the whole bike if I had more vinyl. I'm off to Spotlight to see if they still have it on special. I've even got a name for it "The Grey Ghost". 
Regards The Ghost Rider.

Nice job that!

Thanks Dai I pretty happy with the outcome. There are still a couple of minor wrinkles on the transition corner. A couple of mates reckons it's fine and I'm being too picky. :3a:I might be able to get them out with a bit of heat.  
Regards Martin.

Hmmm, Vinyl Panniers? Just remember all Valliant hard tops had stitching Martin. Mind you you'll be the first with an RS hardtop equipped panniers.

One better, I had a 76 Ford Landau company car with a padded vinyl roof. 
Regards Martin.

Ah yes, and the Landau had emblems on it too, Yes there is going to be a dandy looking k in QLD when your finished with the Vinyl.

I can't remember, did the Landau have Opera Lights?

No opera windows, it was based on the Falcon coupe but more luxurious version.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Landau_(Australia) It was dark blue with a black vinyl roof and a black leather interior. Work had it fitted with a rear window louvre which made reversing it a pain. I had it for 3 months then they sold it and I got something else until they sold that, it was sort of a roulette. Changing cars every few months, some good some terrible.
Regards Martin.

For the non-Aussies, over time the Australian Falcon diverged significantly from its introduction in about 1960 as an American source model (though always built in Australia).
By the early 70s, Ford had 3 body variants - Falcon, Fairlane (stretched 4 inches) and LTD (stretched another 4 inches). Each level also went more upmarket in interior layout. Same drivetrain options.
In the mid 60s (Falcon only) and again in the mid to late 70s, Ford also produced 2 door variants. The 70s version was mostly at the Falcon level, and the Landau was an LTD level equivalent. The Fairlane wasn't done as a 2 door.

Interestingly, when my father bought the upper of the two equipment level options of the Fairlane in 1973, it didn't even have a radio included as standard, let alone air conditioning. Available as options, of course. It did have a 302 V8 and auto as standard, though.

Bill

That is one ugly car even by 1970s standards and we had some real bits of crap released by British Leyland.

The ugly piece of crap is now worth a packet, a real good one can fetch up to $90,000.00 and I don't know what a mint one would go for. They only made 1385 of them engine choice was limited to a 351 V8 with either a 3 speed T bar auto or 4 speed floor shift. They do look better in the flesh.
Regards Martin.

Ok, am I the only one who remembers the Falcon Continental of xb/xc vintage? Can someone tell me more about them? It was a hardtop with a half vinyl roof. The Continental badge was on the "b"? pillar.

I'm thinking a top notch version, like the Landau, but with good bits instead of ugly bits. My Dad was considering this one, amongst other non Ford options. I begged him to get the Ford, with the promise that I would wash the Ford every week for two years. It wasn't a valuable promise since I washed his car every week anyway, but somehow I think it tipped the balance in its favour, and we had this mighty beast for years.

Recently I went to a Ford coupe show and shine meet, again suffering from wishful thinking, in the hope that I might find it, and buy it back. Amongst hundreds of cars, not one Continental, let alone this one. Not in the car parks either.

I've seen one back in the late 70's. It might have been a dealer modification. Some dealers put their own stamp on some cars. There also used to be mobile car guys that did vinyl roofs, pin striping, protection strips, GT stripes, white and red tyre stripes and other modifications.
Regards Martin.

Thanks Martin, you're a gold mine of info, that makes a lot of sense. Probably was a dealer modification then, since he got it new.

MartinW wrote:One better, I had a 76 Ford Landau company car with a padded vinyl roof. 
Regards Martin.

I replaced a gold coloured padded Vinyl Roof on a Lincoln Contintental MkV (I think) once.  It was a challenge but did come out well, twas the only padded one I ever fitted (I fitted many vinyl roofs in the 80s)

Al

daveyson wrote:

Ok, am I the only one who remembers the Falcon Continental of xb/xc vintage? Can someone tell me more about them? It was a hardtop with a half vinyl roof. The Continental badge was on the "b"? pillar.

I'm thinking a top notch version, like the Landau, but with good bits instead of ugly bits. My Dad was considering this one, amongst other non Ford options. I begged him to get the Ford, with the promise that I would wash the Ford every week for two years. It wasn't a valuable promise since I washed his car every week anyway, but somehow I think it tipped the balance in its favour, and we had this mighty beast for years.

Recently I went to a Ford coupe show and shine meet, again suffering from wishful thinking, in the hope that I might find it, and buy it back. Amongst hundreds of cars, not one Continental, let alone this one. Not in the car parks either.

There was a motor trimming business in Sydney called Origequip.  They marketed the Continental kit to dealers, included the vinyl roof, badges and stainless steel edge mouldings.  Could be fitted at their workshop or the dealer could buy the kit and get it fitted by a local motor trimmer.  Where I worked(smash repair shop) we would buy and fit vinyl roofs as a crash replacement most of the time.

I recently from another Trimmer of a restorer who had hunted all over Sydney to get a vinyl roof fitted to a project.  Couldnt find a workshop that was willing (most would have never one one these days)


Al

Thanks Al,  that's good to know. Hopefully I havn't thread jacked too bad,  I spose vinyl is the only common thread in it. I know a lot more about it now.