My first muscle car was a 1964 GTO that I dragged home. Red with black vinyl top. I was prepping the car for paint and I removed the vinyl top, only to find the panel below the rear window to be completely rusted through for about the whole width of the car. Major bummer! This was in around 1976, so the car was 12 years old.

Unless it's a points type restoration, the only reason I can see to reinstall a vinyl top would be if the sheet metal under it is too scabby to have out in the popen. In that case the vinyl will hide the imperfections.

R.

I was lucky that my current car had no rust at all under the vinyl top. Hardly any paint on the top of the roof at all - just red oxide primer overspray. Tons of glue though, and that is probably what saved it from rusting?

Be sure if you put a top on to not cut into the paint when trimming it to size. Seems obvious, but it does happen.

If that Cuda was mine I'd do a white top and white hockey stripes.

Not sure what is safe to put on them. I have had two darts with vinyl tops that were in nice shape, but dry. As soon as I started applying stuff to shine them up they split in the middle of the roof. I'd probably get ahold of Kee and ask them what to do to make them last.


Edit: You could also paint the roof a different color and put the vinyl top trim on as Mopar did offer two tone paint schemes.

Want something nobody else has? Vinyl wrap the flower pattern onto the roof and then do the hockey stripes the same way.

What paint would you put under either a vinyl top or a wrap? Enamel, base/clear, or an epoxy primer? Under a wrap, I could see painting the top with the rest of the car, but under a vinyl top, is it needed? Will the glue react with the paint causing additional problems? I'll also be putting a vinyl top back on but now I'm wondering about a wrap instead.
Terry

I think installing a top over catalyzed paint would be better than just primer. Maybe scotchbrite the surface and try spraying a little glue on a spot and then dig at it and see if it comes off easily or not.

I've had a few vinyl top cars and without fail they were painted up to the top of the pillars and sail panels with red oxide primer exposed on the top. All were 69-70 model years.

In my opinion, vinyl wrap is much more practical and gives awesome look to your car. My vinyl wrap project was installed by Gatorwraps and I am very satisfied!

Got a pic John?

My first legal NHRA stocker was a 1970 Baracuda with a hemi and 4 speed, it was originally a 383 4 speed car, slime green. It was grey or silver with a black vinyl roof when I got it in 1973. I had it painted B5 blue and kept the black vinyl roof That car was a slug with the 4 speed and 9 inch slicks, 2160 lbs on the front tires and 1280 lbs on the rear tires with no driver when I finally did the front and rear weight check I took it home and never race that car again after that race , that was probally one of the smartest things I've done racing