I like it better without the top, plus that black top will only make it hotter inside.

vinyl tops s@#$!!!!!!!!!!! Nuff said.

Did the dealer installed roof use factory chrome moldings, or the cheap looking aftermarket moldings? If they used the latter, I would get rid of the vinyl roof. If they used the proper moldings, it's your call. Personally, I like vinyl roofs on E-bodies...

They used the cheap aftermarket mouldings, but I have two sets of factory mouldings.
I don't think I could blend the paint on the roof without it being real obvious.
I could always try, if it looks good, no vinyl.

as good as vinyl tops look, after see how roofs are turned to swiss cheese under them, I'd be hard pressed to put one on.

The main reason they rust is the factory didn't put very much paint on the cars that got vinyl tops. I removed the one on my dart and it was 90% primer underneath. Luckily I didn't have any rust to deal with on mine.

I'm going to paint the roof with base-clear like the rest of the car and then put the vinyl top back on. So long as I don't let the car sit outside in the rain I think it should hold up ok. I'm more worried about the top drying out in the sun than rust starting under it.

I chose no vinyl. After repair around the windows, I painted. Mine had rust even though it spent most of its life in California and Nevada.

The vinyl top can look OK from a distance with some colors I guess... but I don't care for the trim up close. Plus, I drive in rain and don't want to even think about more rust.

I always hear about how vinyl tops cause rust and I have no doubt that this was true, but it really isn't an issue for most of us anymore. My car is a toy, not a daily driver and it's stored in a heated garage therefore the roof rust issue is dead in my (and I suspect most other's) case.

With the vinyl top, if I just want to wash off some dust and/or wax the car I don't even have to get the top of the car wet.

Strangely enough, my car had some typical B body rust, but the roof was mint under the factory top.


Dave

Another vote for the vinyl top. Drawing one looks much better than drawing two.

+1 for vinyl top...

vinyl top damages the body because a bad treatment before the top, and since on those years the roof was simply primered and not painted to save money, then is hard to prepare the surface back to the vinyl top being metal is not virgin anymore, but is "doable"!

Cool, thanks for the answers.

Besides my B Body, that first photo of your car shows one of the most beautiful sights on Earth. No vinyl.

Here is the worst of the roof rot.
Can anybody give clear instructions on removing trim and windows?

You'll need to buy the tool to remove the trim. I bought mine at NAPA.

The window gasket on my car was hard as a rock so I took a carpet knife and cut away at it until I was able to get the window out. If you do this go slow and be carefull.

I just used a very thin flat screwdriver and carefully rocked the trim back anforth till it started to come loose. Then twisted at each clip VERY carfully. YMMV but it worked form me. Bet you will find more rust under the trim tho. I did

The dealer ones on this car was a metal strip riveted on to the body then a chrome plastic strip is pushed into the metal strip.
It works alot like the front plastic chrome on 60s A-bodies.