whats up everybody
i have a 71 cutlass s with a vinyl top in pretty bad shape,so i need to remove it.i wasn't a fan of the vinyl top anyway then i a brought a 68 cutlass s hardtop an im starting to like the vinyl top because its different.does anybody know where to get vinyl tops

 

I got mine from SMS auto fabrics. http://www.smsautofabrics.com/ it was an exact color and pattern match to the original. Of course they are kind of pricy around $600 if I remember correctly, but well worth it.
Jon

 

Legendary Auto Interiors are now carrying "real" levant grain vinyl tops that are like the originals. They are precut and have the correct seams like the original tops. I just checked on their website and they are $145.00. They also sell all the correct seat kits and door panels.

 

When you pull that top off be wary of what lies underneath. They are notorious for causing rust.

 

thats the scary part

 

Can anyone recommend a reliable body shop in Texas to do the work of replacing a vinyl top? I have a 69 442 with the typical cancer under the vinyl (see photos) which are slowly getting worse. My investigation into a shop in the Houston area that would do a good job has not been encouraging. Maybe someone has had good experience in Dallas area?

The paint on my car now (Topaz Poly) is excellent. I would hope that repairs could be made to the rusted spots under the vinyl without having to repaint the adjacent metal, but I sort of doubt that will be possible if the damage is severe and requires hot work.

Any advice appreciated.

 

Weasel,
I can't help you on the body shop. I just wanted to say beautiful car. It looks familiar.

 

Well, thanks, Jon. I owned a car just like yours about 25 years ago, and that's why I bought the one I have now....great cars. If yours was made in Canada, it might be the one I sold in 1986!

Maybe we can meet on a model train forum and I'll show you some pictures of my layout.

 

Well to answer your question mine was built in Lansing, but my best friends twin to my and your car is a Canadian built Cutlass S. So maybe it is your old car. He is from Indianola, PA. Definitely let me know about the model train layout I love model trains. I wish you were closer then we would have triplets at the shows.

 

In the one shot you can see a rust bubble poking out from under the molding. That's not promising. To fix it right you should plan on blending it in. I'd recomend pulling the moldings & top and having a body shop fix the rust with metal and then finding a decent interior shop to do the top. Fixing the rust should be left to an expert.

 

Sounds like a reasonable approach. I would save on some grunt work labor by pulling the old roof off, and then act as sort of a general contractor and sub out the componments rather than look for a turn-key job.

Thanks.

 

That is scarey looking rust bubbling. Based on the size of the 'bubbles' I'm guessing that you have total perforation and will likely need to replace more metal going into the lower skin that it looks like. Usually what you can see is less than what you can't. Don't leave it much longer - it will grow fast and be even worse to repair.

I would suggest that just about any good upholstery shop can redo your roof with the correct pattern and stitching. But I agree with others that Legendary is a good supplier and has really good reviews from other members of this site.

 

I agree metal work and paint would be needed to fix it right, but...

If you keep a Texas car garaged and out of the weather you might be able to get away with a more "temporary" fix that keeps the paint intact. Pull the vinyl, sand/treat the rust (both sides if possible) and fiberglass the holes. All can be done yourself for little money. Then get new vinyl installed and you have driver quality repair that could last years. Just be honest with yourself (and any future buyer) that you made a less than optimal repair.

 

That is as honest and practical answer as I've ever seen! End of the day PGH will make the decision he's most happy with. Can't remember, for most of that bubbling Is that area accessible from inside the trunk or do you have to pull the sail panels to treat both sides?

 

Try CLASSIC CARS OF HOUSTON 6336 Alder 713 838 9700. They are located in the Bellaire area and the only thing they work on is classic cars. They do some very good work. I have not used them but I did visit their shop a couple of years ago on 3 occassions. I was going to let them paint my car but decided to do it myself. Also I bought my vinyl top from The Parts Place it as very inexpensive. I am satisfied with the way it turned out.

 

They have the proper grain and double stitching? I've see lots of tops on ebay but they were all the wrong color. Right grain, right stitching. Seriously thought of buying it anyway and dying it black. Then I found out what the shipping was from Florida and decided otherwise. Why is it that some of these sellers say they 'want' your business, offer lowball pricing, but charge an arm and a leg for shipping/handling? Are they losing that much on the sale that they have to "offset" their losses with shipping/handling gouging? ok, I'm done now. Sorry.

 

Thanks to hookemhorns and gary for good suggestions. My car is a "driver"...literally, drive it almost every day. So the do-it-yourself solution is tempting. I am retired so I have lots of cheap labor available. I also plan to make a run over to Classic to get an estimate. Although not a show quality car, I would like to have the repairs done right, and it may be worth it to let a pro do the work.

Thanks, guys.