Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder, 1995-99
Convertible Top and Convertible Top Parts
Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder Convertible Top Key Features:
- Quality: Made to original specifications; 100% fit guaranteed.
- Original Factory Material: Haartz Stayfast Canvas.in black and tan.
- Original Window: Glass With Defroster. Alternate Window: Plastic.
- Alternate Material(s): Chrysler Sailcloth Vinyl (original to late model Mustangs-a vinyl with a canvas grain.
- All seams are doubly electronically welded and sewn for added reinforcement. Convertible top fabrics are mildew & mold resistant, and UV treated for color fastness. Plastic windows are DOT rated heavy 40 gauge thick vinyl.
- Shop with confidence:EZ-On and Robbins Haartz Stayfast tops with Glass Rear Windows carry a 5 year manufacturer warranty with 18 month labor allowance; plus Limited Lifetime Glass Window Bond warranty to the original purchaser. Kee Auto Tops warranty is 6 years (without labor allowance)
- Plastic Rear Window Tops carry a 6 year Warranty.and are made by Kee Auto Tops.
- Installation: Shop installation is preferred but doable for the meticulous/handy person. The manual is a well illustrated step by step guide. The top installs with numerous fasteners removed from the old top and installed in the new. Stapling, rivetting, and use of contact cement is required. There is no sewing.
- Locating a Professional Installer: To locate a nearby professional installer please enter "automobile upholstery shops near me" in your browser search bar.
Important Information
Original Factory Color(s): Black and TanThe original Mitsubishi Eclipse convertible top fabric was canvas. Haartz Stayfast canvas, with its butyl rubber core, is the American made canvas topping that will replicate the original fabric.
Savings may be had by switching to a Chrysler Sailcloth vinyl top. This fabric is available in a wide array of colors.
Rear Window:
The defroster glass rear window is electronically sealed into the top as originally.
Plastic Window: We now offer a non-original integral rear plastic window. The top is made the same with the same quality as the original.
Installation:
An installation manual is included with our Mitsubishi Eclipse convertible top packages. This is an illustrated, step by step, manual specifically for Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder convertible top installation.
Do-it-yourself installation, using our manual, should be possible for any handy person who is confident using an air driven staple gun. and using contact cement.
The top is installed with staples and with contact cement. There is no sewing.
Headliner:
The headliner is the interior roof lining. It can be removed and reused under a new convertible top. A new headliner is available (see "accessories.")
If you are ordering a new headliner for an existing top then you should measure the distance, vertically, from the bottom finished edge of your headliner up to the first seam. This distance is usually 6 1/2 inches. However some aftermarket tops have been modified from the original rear window design causing headliner installation problems. We can have a headliner with a longer seam distance made to accomodate your existing top, if that is necessary. This is not a problem you need to address if you order both the top and the headliner from us, as our Eclipse convertible top is made precisely to original specifications.
Headliners are made of black cloth, like the original.
Hold Down Cables:
Cables (one on each side) thread through the cable pockets built into the top. The ends of the cables attach the top at the front frame bow and above the back of the rear window. Cables are not visible after top installation. We recommend new cables with each new top.
Pads and Webbing:
Our packages contain new tack strips and webbing for under the top.
Almost all manufacturers use Haartz fabrics. They may specify "heaviest weight" or "original replacement" in ways that seem reassuring. But they do not really tell the whole story. Please bear in mind that two things dominate, by far, the quality issue: (a) the manufacturing quality control in the factory that makes the top and (b) the care and thoroughness of the installation. There is a trade-off in weight: heavier is better for resisting tear through, but lighter is better for flexibility and abrasion from within that may arise from movement. Almost all our tops are a flexible medium density (36 oz.) fabric. Heavier is not better in most cases. Where it is, because of the top design, we will say so and the top will be made of the heavier vinyl.
- Sonnenland® is a German-made 3-ply topping made up of an acrylic twill-weave facing, a rubber inner-layer, and a polyester "dobby backing." The dobby backing is a knit-like weave original to many high-end foreign cars. Customers who value originality over cost often pay top dollar for Sonnenland, just to have that authentic "dobby backing," seen only when you look up at the roof of your convertible top from inside your car. Sonnenland canvas is a top-of-the-line material original to various Audi, BMW, and Jaguar convertibles, among others. Sonnenland Canvas can vary in terms of surface weave and/or weight for acoustic performance, but all Sonnenland Canvas promises elegance and long-lasting durability.
- Twillfast®, also called Sonnendeck Canvas, is an American-made canvas - a cost-effective substitute for Sonnenland. Twillfast is usually a 3-ply topping (though some versions are 5-ply) with Polyester and/or Polyester/cotton backings. This material, original to certain Camaro, BMW, Mustang, and VW Beetle convertibles, among others, varies in terms of surface weave and/or weight for acoustic performance. Twillfast Canvas is identical to Sonnenland Canvas - elegant and durable - only it's less expensive. This is a top-notch convertible top material, one we often recommend to savvy customers who like a good buy and a quality product.
- Stayfast Canvas is an elegant, durable canvas original to cars like the Mazda Miata and the Nissan 370Z. Stayfast is commonly used in replacement convertible tops. Stayfast canvas has an acrylic square weave facing, a rubber inner-layer, and a cotton backing. As with other canvases, the rubber core gives the fabric long-lasting durability. Stayfast canvas is a sleek, beautiful canvas, usually less expensive than Twillfast, but it does not have the dobby backing offered in Sonnenland and Twillfast (Sonnendeck). Stayfast is a popular upgrade to vinyl convertible tops, and as with any canvas, is richer looking and has a higher wear rating than convertible tops made of vinyl.
- Haartz Pinpoint Vinyl is the most popular fabric. This vinyl design is original to most American cars from the fifties to the nineties. Pinpoint refers to the little dots or pips that you see if you look closely at the vinyl surface. European cars, such as the old Beetles and others also used pinpoint vinyl as the topping fabric.
- Chrysler Sailcloth is featured on many late LeBarons, Sebrings, certain Mustangs and other cars. It is structurally (wear quality) equivalent to the Haartz Pinpoint but has a different surface grain. The grain was designed to imitate the look of canvas. As you can see from the scan of this fabric, it is an exceptionally rich looking material. It is sometimes chosen for replacing convertible tops that originally featured pinpoint vinyl.
- Cabrio Grain is also structurally equivalent to the pinpoint. It has a pigskin outer grain vinyl as original to Volkswagen Cabriolets from 1984 onward and to Mazda Miatas and Mercury Capris.
- A5S German Canvas (Robbins) The 100% Acrylic Twill Weave Surface Cloth receives a special flame singing treatment to remove the fabric knap; and is laminated to Black 100% Polyester Dobby backing.
This is the original topping for Porsche Boxster and Cabrio convertible tops. 59 inches (150 cm) wide, made in Germany. - British Bison Vinyl is the most popular British roadster convertible top material. It is American made Haartz leather grain vinyl and is an imitation of the British Everflex vinyl top fabric. The British Bison Vinyl convertible top fabric is often referred to as 'crush grain.'
- British Everflex Vinyl We are now pleased to offer British Everflex Vinyl for classic English tops. This is the original material used on British convertibles including Jaguar, Rolls Royce and many others. Imported from England, British Everflex vinyl is a supple vinyl with a rich appearance and is more durable than other vinyls. A good, less expensive alternative is Colonial grain vinyl. Colonial has the same texture but is less durable.
- HV Denim (also called Twill Weave Vinyl) is heavy duty sport material composed of a distinctive twill grain PVC outer layer and a polyester/cotton blend inside lining fabric.
- Trilogy Acoustic Vinyl A heavyweight vinyl that is often used on SUVs like Jeep, because the two-ply composite has the capacity to reduce noise by about 20 percent compared to standard vinyls like Sailcloth. The vinyl material is durable, promises long-lasting wear-and-tear, and resembles the sleek twill cloth commonly found on luxury convertible cars.
- Haartz Twillfast RPC This American-made canvas has a twill weave pattern and resembles German-made Sonnenland canvas. It is a great all-purpose canvas and, according to Haartz, is used on 99 percent of convertibles. It is stronger and more durable than Stayfast Canvas and offers more sound protection. Haartz rates Twillfast RPC as a mid-level acoustic product, compared to the low-level sound reduction offered on other top materials like Stayfast
Parts in this category (Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder) fit cars for years: 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999.