• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
  • Forum
  • Design Studio
  • Upholstery Jobs
  • Newsletter
  • Sponsors

The Hog Ring

Auto Upholstery Community

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Man Drives Top Down Through a Blizzard

January 17, 2018 By Nadeem Muaddi

The Hog Ring - Man Drives Top Down Through a Blizzard

A video of a Rhode Island man driving his car with the convertible top down through last week’s “Bomb Cyclone” has gone viral.

John Pratt of Cranston was captured on video driving his Mercedes-Benz SL through the massive blizzard. The video shows his car struggling to make it through at least a foot of snow.

Video of the humorous scene has since been viewed and shared millions of times.

Pratt was interviewed by local news about what happened. He explained to NBC 10 that his convertible top has been in need of repair for more than a month. Although he can raise the top manually, it won’t clamp shut.

“Everybody says, ‘what are you stupid? Because you can put up the thing manually,'” said Pratt. “But it’s not locking…So, if I drive it’s going to fly back.”

He delayed having the top repaired due to the high cost. He says a local Mercedes-Benz dealership wanted $5,000 for the repair, which is more than what the car is worth.

He changed his mind the morning of the storm, and was on his way to the repair shop when the viral video was captured. Unfortunately, he blew a tire moments after the video ended and never made it there.

Despite the cold and aggravation, Pratt still finds the humor in it all.

In an interview with Fox 12, he sarcastically said driving a convertible through the snowstorm felt “very nice,” and even described it as “refreshing” and “invigorating.”

For what it’s worth, Pratt blames the broken top on his 16-year-old son, who, we assume, is now grounded for life.

Filed Under: Archive, Odd News Tagged With: Auto Trim, Auto Upholstery, Car Interior, Convertible Top

Primary Sidebar

THR Sponsors

NC Sewing Machines
Miami Corporation - Right Rail Ad 3
  • OEM+ Banner Ad - The Hog Ring
  • MasterTech Expo 2026
  • Keyston Bros
  • Douglass Interior Products
  • Albright's Supply
  • Hyde Leather

THR Favorites

10 Questions for Trimmer Jay Teske

You may have heard the name, but you’ve … [more] about 10 Questions for Trimmer Jay Teske

Auto Upholstery - The Hog Ring - DIY Custom Headliner

DIY: Custom Headliner Madness

There are a lot of DIY auto upholstery videos … [more] about DIY: Custom Headliner Madness

The Hog Ring - Indonesian Trimmers are Riding with Style

Indonesian Trimmers are ‘Riding with Style’

MBtech, an Indonesian supplier of synthetic … [more] about Indonesian Trimmers are ‘Riding with Style’

The Hog Ring - Heres Where to Find Owners Manuals for Classic Cars

Where to Find the Owner’s Manual for a Classic Car

Are you restoring a classic car and need the … [more] about Where to Find the Owner’s Manual for a Classic Car

Auto Upholstery - The Hog Ring - Nissan Do Not Resew Policy

Leaked: Nissan ‘Do Not Resew’ Policy

Last year, we reported on the controversial … [more] about Leaked: Nissan ‘Do Not Resew’ Policy

The Hog RIng - How to Bind an Isolated Hole in Carpet

How to Bind an Isolated Hole in Carpet

Want to learn how to bind an isolated hole in … [more] about How to Bind an Isolated Hole in Carpet

Categories

Footer

Recent Articles

  • Keyston Bros Drops 10 New Carbon Fiber Vinyl Colors and They Pop
  • Trimmer Michael Andrew Piccolo Dies at 67
  • 2026 SEMA Show Registration Opens May 4
  • Nexus Fastening Co. Introduces Solid Gold Hog Rings for Luxury Cars
  • Everything We Covered in March 2026

Recent Comments

  • Edward Munday on Hidden Mouse Nest? How to Charge for the Extra Dirty Work
  • Jack on Keyston Bros. Acquires DLT Corporation
  • Brodie Smith on Aston Martin Just Introduced a New Convertible DB12
  • THE CAPTAIN on 6 Tips for Turning Callers into Customers
  • Dmei on Star Wars Seat Covers are ‘So Wizard’

Advertise With Us!

We're always looking for companies to collaborate with. Watch this short video about the benefits of sponsorship and then email us to say hi.

Copyright © 2026 · Magazine Pro On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in