Renovo Soft Top Reviver

I found this product, and, at first, was skeptical. Then I read about it some more and thought about my Elan's top. "What have I got to lose," I figured. The top on my Elan has had a bit of fade to it since I bought it in 1996--the stitching has whitened and it always bugs me.

I got some of this Renovo Soft Top Reviver from a mail-order auto catalog called Proper Auto Care. They are based in Florida, but the Renovo company is from the UK--so you chaps should be able to find a source over there too.

It is pretty simple. Wash the top thoroughly; let it dry well; then apply! A 2" paintbrush was included and is the only tool needed. You simply paint this stuff on and watch your worries blacken!

The photos here were taken hastily but are meant to show how the stitching was blackened and the whole top became a few shades darker of black. I used at most a half container (litre), so I already have enough to redo it again in the future too.

If it drips on the paint or windows or rear window, it just wipes off no problem--a bit of elbow grease needed if you let the spots dry. It is available in black, which will satisfy over 90% of the Elans in the world. The Renovo UK website also states they also make it in dark blue and brown, so you chaps who need to can look into these colors too. You can even buy it online from the UK website, so maybe you don't have to find a local dealer.

The top looks much darker now, and I can tell the difference easily. It used to have just a hint of gray in the black, and now it is just pure black. The best analogy I can use is black hair: natural black hair is dark, but if you have seen someone with hair dyed really black, you know that it is a different shade black--that's how the top looks now.

A nice side-effect I seemed to notice after it is done and dry is that I think it tightened up the fabric just a tiny bit. It may just stretch back out with use during driving though. So far, an excellent product. I will let you all know how it weathers with time.

Check out other Renovo Soft Top Reviver reviews HERE

See here too about fixing/adjusting your top seals