My rear window all but separated and fell inwards. Apparently a common issue caused by the canvas top shrinking. The upholsterer here took about a week to insert this strip of matching canvas and glued small sections at a time. I don’t think it’s particularly elegant in the pics and I have not yet seen it live yet but it does the job and cost me 500 usd so satisfied for now…..

 

That's a novel approach I've never seen before. It's an obvious patch, and I wonder if it would look better if done from the inside? You postponed the inevitable, but for how long?

The DIY repair using Rhino Glue and Suck 'N Clamps would have cost less than $100. See: https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...-97478/page19/

It's your car, your money, and your choice.

 

A problem with rear window repair that I have not seen mentioned: The glass is heavy and tends to ride lower with age. This especially true for repairs.
The sealed but sagging window does not clear the center seat-belt tower when raising or lowering. Dragging damages the headliner.

An upholstery shop could use a plastic replacement for better results. Do we need an electric defroster on a convertible rear window?

PS: Is that a gap/opening on the left side of the repaired window photo?

 

Haha me and paint or glue around my car would be like watching a Laurel and Hardy movie.

 

Nope it’s a reflection

 

Looks like the top part of the strip where it connects to the roof has been done on the inside. I wouldn’t think you would want the bottom edge of the strip on the inside of the glass?

 

Most of the tension/pressure on the window is when the top is down, so time will tell…

 

Spot on! Had my '07 Vert for several years when the rear window, 'fell out'. My upholstery shop guy found a great aftermarket top with the headliner and all the inter layers for $1800, charged $500 for the install. I figure I did real good. That said, He asked if I left the top down overnight frequently, and of course, when garaged overnight, yep, top was usually down. His point was that the canvas expands and contracts at different rates as temp and humidity change overnight, but that is mitigated if there is tension, top up and latched. 'New top' has been on fro 6 years, looks brand new.

 

Mine is in an underground guarded parking area at my apartment complex in South Africa but I don’t leave the top down unattended anywhere here on the east coast coz of monkeys and birds😂

 

Top should never be down for long periods of time.....

Unless its a Healey and you NEVER put the top on!!

 

Hmmm. My top is around 5 years old, has seen rain three times (including previous owner) and I leave it in the garage, top down, 99% of the time.

 

Yeah 100% agreed my XK8 top was down almost all summer in LA including overnight in the garage. Part of that decision was to minimize the strain on the hydraulics having been the victim of one green shower. Over 10yrs old original top and rear window never had that shrinkage issue on it.

 

I'll chime in also...
Original top, down usually from March to September and garaged. Up for washes and such, so it does get used occasionally. Then up from October to March.

 

Used to do that years ago..

The creases and wrinkles in the top ruined my sleek appearance,,,,,


Had to put it in the sun and use a heat gun to look presentable...