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Supplier companies are one of the most important elements of the automotive industry. While the Detroit Three and other automakers get a ton of press, many of their vehicles share the same ZF transmissions or Dana axles. Now you can add another supplier to the list: Haartz is a family business based in Acton, Massachusetts that has made nearly every convertible top you’ve ever heard of.

J.C. Haartz was in the textile business, a major industry in Massachusetts. He began experimenting with cloths for convertible tops in 1903, which was a major gamble at the time. Why? Roofs were a rare luxury on automobiles of the day.

Haartz would buy various clothes to match vehicle upholstery, pair it with a waterproof material such as rubber, and send it to automakers. He was an automotive enthusiast and a bit of a nerd about materials, so always looking for a way to improve convertible tops. By the 1920s, he had his first major breakthrough when he patented a line of “Cleaneasy” fabrics.

Black 1932 Packard convertible car parked on a grass field during a car show.
1932 Packard 905 Twin Six Convertible Victoria | Rex Gray via Wikimedia Commons

The new fabric wasn’t just water resistant. You could wipe it down with anything from naptha to gasoline to clean it off. Custom luxury coach builders were booming in the 1920s, and soon “Cleaneasy” was their convertible top of choice. Haartz opened an office in Detroit and by the 1931 New York auto show, every convertible on display had been ordered with one of its tops.

When the Great Depression hit, it nearly put Haartz out of business. But J.C. was able to pivot and supply tops to OEMs. His son and grandson headed the business after him. Times changed and each generation pioneered innovations that weren’t just necessary, but gave Haartz a competitive advantage. For example, when folding hard tops became popular in the 1990s, Haartz began to make rubber seals and plastic interior pieces for these tops. Today, those products are half its business.

Cloth top convertibles are actually growing in popularity again, as many automakers that experimented with folding hardtops are finding them too heavy. Today, Haartz provides cloth for soft top convertibles such as the Jeep Wrangler, Ford Bronco, and many others.

One cool thing about the Haartz family is that they’re true motor heads. The current CEO, Eric Haartz, runs the company and keeps the family’s collection on the road. This includes a 1911 Knox touring car, 1910 and 1912 Buicks, and a touring-bodied Packard 740. And of course their tops are Haartz. They are one of reasons Haartz takes pains to keep reproduction tops available for enthusiasts.

Next, check out our exclusive Motorbiscuit interview with Eric Haartz, or see how modern convertible tops are made in the video below:

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Staff Writer

Henry Cesari

Henry Cesari joined MotorBiscuit in 2021 and brings his deep interest in vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles to the site. Having restored his first classic car at just 16 years old, Henry has wrenched on everything from overland campers to Japanese motorcycles and even pre-war Bugattis. Henry is also an avid attendee at local car shows and genuinely enjoys connecting with fellow auto enthusiasts.

Henry earned a Bachelor’s in Anthropology and English from the University of Vermont. He has since incorporated his love of the written word with his admiration of classic cars. While Henry is interested in vintage cars, he believes the golden age of cars is yet to come. He is confident journalists will play an important role in this revolution by exposing the industry as it is now and envisioning its possible future.