painting a hard top

[Vinnyz]

I've restored several of the SnugTop brand tops from Long Beach,Ca. One trick you might find helpful is to use the square stainless steel brush head from a new BBQ brush and clean the top dry and air hose off. Amazingly it actually knocks off old scale and oxidation and all the while puts a nice polished sheen back into them. If it needs more color, wipe down well with alcohol after air hosing off the dust and spray with SEM trim black.
This ultimately saves the reptile type of surface textures if that is important to you.

[mraitch]

if you are going the bbq brush route and have a sawzall - you can buy a 'brush' tat replaces the usual blade - saves a bunch of time and is less tiring.

[gbraydon]

I also recommend using adhesion promoter before applying the paint.