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Is your convertible top pulling away from the rear glass? Before you buy a new top, try gluing it.
My 2001 Plymouth Prowler’s top was separating from the glass almost all the way around. I used Amazing Goop Automotive, the same glue a Prowler owner had success with, and here’s my exact technique and how it looked after 72 hours.
- Way cheaper than a new convertible top
- Stays pliable after it dries, not cement-hard like super glue
- Dries clear
- Workable for a while, so you can position the fabric
- Can ooze out and needs cleanup
- Gravity pulls the glass down while you work
- Won’t restore tension to a fabric top that has stretched
- Long-term durability not yet tested
▶ Watch the full review on YouTube
Signs your convertible rear window is separating
When I got the car, I noticed the top looked saggy with ripples where it should be tight. Driving made it worse: low pressure over the top makes it balloon out, pulling the top outward.
The cause was delamination, where the top separates from the glass it was fused to. On mine it was coming apart almost all the way around. I hear it’s common with convertible tops.
Why Amazing Goop Automotive
Your options are replacing the top, and good tops get expensive, or gluing it. A Prowler owner posted on Prowler Online that he had great success with Amazing Goop, so I copied him.
I also had Amazing Goop 2 Max but couldn’t figure out the difference from the package. Since the automotive version says flexible, waterproof and UV resistant, I went with what people were already having success with.
Tools: use a syringe for control
Goop comes in a toothpaste-style tube, so I bought a big 60 ml syringe with a pop top. The opening is about 4 or 5 millimeters.
That gives you more control laying down the bead and keeps glue off your hands and the top.
How to glue a convertible top rear window
- Relax the top. Undo the front clips (lift the little retention clip, pull down, flip up and unhook) and pull the rear release handle so there’s no tension on the fabric.
- Find the dirt line. There’s a line on the glass showing where the top should come down to. That’s your target.
- Apply the glue all the way around. I started at the top and put it under the fabric and on the edge of the glass.
- Massage the fabric down to the dirt line without squeezing all the glue out. The glass tends to slide down with gravity, so you’ll be nudging both.
- Let it cure. It dries in about 24 hours but needs about 72 to cure, and longer in a cold garage.
I didn’t clean the glass. The old adhesive residue left a rough surface that I figured would hold better. I also felt more glue under the fabric was better than less.
Cleaning up the excess
Goop stays tacky and doesn’t cure fast like hot glue or super glue, so you have time to work it. Some oozed out. After 30 to 40 minutes it felt like dry rubber cement and I could roll some away.
Later I scraped the rest with a regular razor blade and it came away nicely. It also dries clear, so small bits aren’t a big deal.
Results after 72 hours
Exactly 72 hours later, I was impressed. It’s stiff but still pliable, so I buy the flexibility claim. I also ran glue above the glass so the bead spreads the tension.
With the top latched, there’s still a bit of slack, partly from fabric that’s stretched over time, but no big dip, and it looks like a strong seal that won’t let water in. Even if it doesn’t last forever, it’s saving me from buying a new top right now.
FAQ
What glue did you use on the convertible top window?
Amazing Goop Automotive.
How long does Amazing Goop take to cure?
It dries in about 24 hours but needs about 72 hours to cure, longer in a cold garage.
Should I clean the glass first?
I didn’t. I left the old adhesive residue for a rougher surface to grip.
Does Amazing Goop dry clear?
Yes, it looked clear when it dried.
Will this tighten a saggy top?
Only partly. It fixes the separation, but it can’t restore tension to fabric that has stretched.
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