you can take the strip and cut it to fit and get some urethane and urethane it to the roof....if you take the top off to sew it, it's probably going to ruin it and if it doesn't ruin it, it's would be just as much to put a new top on....I would just patch it, wait to get the hard top and then toss the sloft top and frame out...

btw whats up Matt?