Top dressing, what is it?

[mechanician]

I know what it is, but not what it is chemically speaking...

 

I ask as I mended a tear in some original material that that been coated with now petrified top dressing.  The repair came out great, except that this small area is now not so coated.  A dab of the stuff and I think the repair would be undetectable.  But what is it?

 

I know I have seen it still potentially viable in old cans, but I am not a can collector.  If any can collectors would like to empty their cans I can provide a good home...

[DFeeney]

About 25 years ago I painted the top fabric of my 1933 Plymouth                   with a top dressing.  I bought it from a Model A supplier now out of business.  After 3 years it was still tacky which kept me from using my car cover.   Buy the best if your going to use a top dressing.

[Rusty_OToole]

Years ago I knew an old chemist who claimed he made a fortune selling top dressing to GM and other car companies by the barrel. They tried to duplicate his formula but never succeeded. There were certain things in it that would not mix. His secret was that he dissolved them in alcohol then distilled off the alcohol. Sorry  I don't know any more about what was in it or how it was made.

[Jim Mead]

Fiebings makes Harness Dressing that is more viscous than their Harness Oil Blacking.

At least they did 30 years ago….might work?

[Crusty Trucker]

Amazon, Walmart and others sell a variety of top dressings, jells, and dyes for the protection and/or restoration of convertible tops - both vinyl and cloth. I have not personally used any of them and I would highly recommend your researching a variety of listed products before purchasing and applying one.

 

You might ask some auto detail shops what they recommend or even find a shop that could (and would) fix up that small area you need repaired.

[playswithbrass]

This is one of the unusual things that I have n my stash of early automobilia