Mini Cabriolet with a worn-through hole in the hood fabric. Patched and colour-matched, then 2-year waterproof coating darkens the whole hood so the repair is less visible. Drain flush, Krytox rubbers, exterior wax.
The Mini had a hole in the hood fabric -- worn-through from grit sitting in the fold lines and acting as an abrasive every time the roof opened and closed. A fabric repair is not invisible, but it is serviceable: the hole is patched from behind and filled in with colour-matched fibres on the surface. The worn areas that appear darker in camera are normal -- soft fabric that has had the fibres roughed up absorbs more light. The 2-year waterproof coating darkens the whole hood up, which reduces the contrast.
Wear is best prevented. A protective coating, cleaned regularly to get the grit out of the fabric, significantly slows the rate of wear. Keeping a convertible under cover or away from trees also helps.
The drainage behind the hood was flushed out, the rubbers treated with Krytox, and the exterior of the car was detailed with a wax finish.
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