Classic Obsession: Rolls-Royce Corniche Restoration | Hood Cover Rebuild

Restoring a Rolls-Royce Corniche isn’t just about mechanical reliability—it’s also about preserving its luxury. In this episode of Classic Obsession, Gary Mavers takes on two essential restoration jobs:

• Fixing a persistent air conditioning leak.
• Fabricating a brand-new tonneau cover to complete the convertible soft-top restoration.

Read on or watch the video to see how these improvements bring this 1983 Rolls-Royce Corniche closer to perfection.

The Corniche’s air conditioning system had been causing trouble for months. Despite replacing the compressor and condenser, Gary found that the system kept losing refrigerant within a week.

Tracking Down the Leak

After visiting an air conditioning specialist, he pinpointed the source of the problem:

• A damaged O-ring on the rear compressor hose.
• Small pinholes in the old hose, leading to slow refrigerant loss.

Installing the New Hose

With a brand-new replacement hose from IntroCar, Gary quickly sets about swapping the faulty part:

• Cleaning out the old O-ring debris to ensure a proper seal.
• Applying red rubber grease to the new O-rings to prevent tearing.
• Securing the new hose, ensuring a leak-free connection.

“This hose was probably as old as the car—no wonder it was leaking. With a fresh one in place, I’m hoping this finally solves the issue.”

With the AC system now sealed, Gary shifts focus to an aesthetic upgrade—a new tonneau cover.

A tonneau cover is an essential accessory for convertibles like the Corniche. It protects the soft top when folded down, preventing dirt, dust, and wear.

Creating the New Cover

Gary works with Paul the Trimmer to fabricate a new tonneau cover, using an old cover as a template:

• Hand-cut and stitched leather, ensuring an OEM-quality finish.
• Custom-measured to fit the Corniche, accounting for slight variations in each hand-built Rolls-Royce.
• Lined for extra durability, improving longevity.

“These cars were handmade, which means every hood fits slightly differently. That’s why I needed a custom tonneau cover to ensure a perfect fit.”

Customizing the Look

The new cover was slightly off in color, so Gary used ColorBond spray dye to match it to the Corniche’s interior:

• Thorough panel wipe to remove contaminants.
• Multiple light coats of dye to ensure an even finish.
• Final seal and buff to restore the leather’s texture.

“A little bit of color-matching makes all the difference—it blends perfectly with the interior now.”

With the cover dyed to match, Gary sets about installing it:

• Measuring and aligning the tenax fasteners for a precise fit.
• Ensuring the leather stretches properly over the folded soft-top.
• Adjusting for the mohair hood thickness, as it sits slightly higher than the original vinyl top.

“With the hood down, a tonneau cover completes the look—it keeps the interior clean and makes the car feel properly finished.”

With the air conditioning leak repaired and the new tonneau cover installed, the Corniche is now more refined than ever. But the work isn’t over yet!

If you’ve worked on a Rolls-Royce convertible restoration, share your experiences in the comments!

IntroCar is the leading international supplier of Rolls-Royce & Bentley parts, providing specialists and enthusiasts with expert knowledge and an unmatched range of original, aftermarket, recycled, and reconditioned components. We are proud to support Gary Mavers of the Classic Obsession YouTube channel, supplying the essential parts for his Rolls-Royce Corniche restoration projects. While Gary works on a variety of classic cars, his meticulous approach to maintaining and restoring Rolls-Royce models aligns with our commitment to keeping these iconic vehicles on the road.