Roll bar repair

[cboss70]

If you are going to give a repair a try, or two, keep us posted with pictures.  After all this talk I have to admit its an interesting dilemma.

[shelbydoug]

Maybe carefully razor blading the pad off of a new repro one will get you closer (better than nothing) but would be a big effort and won't look exact.

The new repro bars foam pad appearance finish don't even come close to the original finish look. The repro foam looks like it was sprayed with "Flex Seal" of TV fame.    I would rather live with a pad with a little damage like from a fire extinguish mounting etc. then the cheesy shiny look that the repro bar has . The repro bar is physically made close . It is the finish that is lacking.  Replacing the entire bar is the best solution given the facts IMO. It may not be the cheapest way unfortunately. It is however the cheapest way to get the best look especially when you consider , time ,money ,stress ,personal satisfaction etc. IMO.  Roll bars come up for sale occasionally. Heck a couple in the for sale section of this forum .  FYI 67 and 68 roll bars have different inertia real brackets compared to each other.

You raise the question to me as to what the original bar finish looked like? Was it always this dull flat black or when it was new did it have a sheen to it? 

It was always dull flat black.

So the issue is that the repops don't have enough flattening agent in the covering?

[Bob Gaines]

Maybe carefully razor blading the pad off of a new repro one will get you closer (better than nothing) but would be a big effort and won't look exact.

The new repro bars foam pad appearance finish don't even come close to the original finish look. The repro foam looks like it was sprayed with "Flex Seal" of TV fame.    I would rather live with a pad with a little damage like from a fire extinguish mounting etc. then the cheesy shiny look that the repro bar has . The repro bar is physically made close . It is the finish that is lacking.  Replacing the entire bar is the best solution given the facts IMO. It may not be the cheapest way unfortunately. It is however the cheapest way to get the best look especially when you consider , time ,money ,stress ,personal satisfaction etc. IMO.  Roll bars come up for sale occasionally. Heck a couple in the for sale section of this forum .  FYI 67 and 68 roll bars have different inertia real brackets compared to each other.

You raise the question to me as to what the original bar finish looked like? Was it always this dull flat black or when it was new did it have a sheen to it? 

It was always dull flat black.

So the issue is that the repops don't have enough flattening agent in the covering?

The repops are a completely different texture compared to the original . It is as if it was dipped in the rubber product you dip tool handles in or that "Flex Seal " TV stuff .  There is no spongy foam feel . The repros just have a solid unforgiving hard rubber feel. The surface is slick smooth shiny black rubber compared to the original which has a slightly rough slightly spongy foam feel and is a dull black.  The difference is night and day IMO. The product that they are dipped in is completely different from that used on the genuine roll bars.

[DGSOH]

Though mine is an early, non-dipped roll bar I would say the material is neoprene, hopefully others can confirm, but at least that's what the texture and feel is like to me. I personally don't know if the dipped bars are of the same material but thought I'd throw it out there in case it helps in some small way.

[Bob Gaines]

Though mine is an early, non-dipped roll bar I would say the material is neoprene, hopefully others can confirm, but at least that's what the texture and feel is like to me. I personally don't know if the dipped bars are of the same material but thought I'd throw it out there in case it helps in some small way.

The early separate roll bar covers are apparently the same material as the dipped bars. I had to buy a entire car to get mine.