i have a 72 hard top cutlass.. im bout to paint it... i kinna like the white top look.. so i was thinking instead of painting the top white.. can i just buy a white vinyl top and the moldings and put them on my 72?? and if i can how many moldings do i ave to buy?>

 

I don't think I would try to put on a vinyl top myself. I would be afraid that I would get it cockeyed. I would just have a shop put it on for me. I don't know what this would run but I know it can be done.

 

I'm not sure what part of the country your in, but I've seen vinyl tops rust out the roof when other parts of the car are solid. The cloth in the top will hold water against the metal, and can wick moisture up under the windshield trim to rust out the windshield frame. I would go with the different color of paint if you wanted to break up the color of the car. You could even use vinyl top trim to make the line between colors. My 2 cents worth. John

 

You know, John has a valid point. I have seen alot of cars with vinyl tops that have rust trapped between the roof and vinyl. This can cause the car to rot away without you noticing it. However, I really do like the look of the vinyl top on the Cutlass fastbacks. I don't know if it would look to good on a notch back though.

 

Some of the best looking GM cars I saw as a teen (think 70's) had vinyl tops. I prefered the black! In the 80's when restoring muscle cars was gaining popularity all the suppliers sold vinyl top kits. And the magazines were doing how-to articles on replacing them. Then the rust issue became the new topic. So....
I have a 69 442 that I hope to start in the next year or so. It had a vinyl top. Will it get a new one. No - I live in Portland, OR where it rains the better part of the year. I plan to drive the car. It'll be garaged, but I know I'll have it out on a few rainy days.

Now if I still lived near Dallas, TX and had the garage space it would get a new BLACK vinyl top! Yeah I'd get caught in the rain a few times a year. But with epoxy primer on the bare metal and B/C urethane on top I'd guess it would out live me. If not, I'd have a retirement project.

So ask yourself how much rain will your car see. Very little to none, go for the vinyl if you like. Quite a bit of rain or you plan to keep it outside, I'd forget the vinyl.

As for two toning with vinyl top moulding I don't think I would. I've seen it done and it doesn't look right in gloss colors. (to me anyway) I also remember a few cars where the owner had pulled the vinyl off, prepped the surface and used a texture paint. It look OK at best.

In your case, your car didn't have a vinyl top. Just paint it all one color. If you still want the vinyl take a good photo or two of it. Then get someone to photoshop that picture and add the vinyl. The vinyl and trim can be added after paint, if your carefull installing trim.

Just my two cents worth, Don

 

If you plan to sell the car anytime soon the vinyl top may mean a lower price. Remember the rust issue.

 

I've seen a couple that didn't look too bad with a painted top. I had a 1970 4door that was blue with a white top, and I believe that was a factory one. Here's a link to a picture of a 1970 Supreme that's green with a diffferent shade of green on top. The lower is a metal flake so I suspect the upper was repainted too. I've never been a big fan of green cars, but this one looks kinda nice and the interior is sort of a Jade green. John

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k2...2/P1010427.jpg

 

i have a 72 cutlass it was light green body with dark green vynil top. i had the vynil striped and found very minimal rust underneth. nothing and hour in the prep shop couldnt fix.i had a pro fabric shop replace with white vynil. they did an incredible job. the secret to a good vynil top is in the stiching. its the stiching and the placement of the seams that will dictate where the water will run off the sides. i used a white silicone to seal the sides where the trim meets the vynil.perfect seal. i painted the car viking blue and its won a few shows. but the car would look plain and ordinary with out it. when ever its parked the first thing the people notice is the vynil, it makes the car stand out in front of the lot of straight paint.

what i dont like about it is the fact that white is the hardest to keep clean. if its out side it must be cleaned every day and covered as much as possible so if its a show car for light crusing then theres nothing better but if its an every day driver and will be out doors most of the time id go with black-minimal staining.
bottom line i think a new or refreshed vynil top will INCREASE the value of your car if reselling. it definately will stand out.

for the color i went with on the body white was the only choice for me.

these are just my thoughts.

 

As I said before, I really think a vinyl top makes a car look good. White and black are definitely the best colors. The two tone colors just don't look that good...

Oldsguy used to have a 71 Cutlass S that was root beer brown with two tone bronze on the hood and a black vinyl top. He has some pictures, he should scan them and post the pictures. It was a sharp car. He said that he used to buy a paste cleaner and polish for the vinyl top that had a creamy consistency. He said he rubbed it on and buffed it off. I have never seen a vinyl cleaner like that though. He said it was the best. Oh well...

Those are some sharp cars guys!

 

Yeah, it was in colors too, of course I used black. Sort of like the cream shoe polish you can buy sometimes. Sigh, that was a nice car, lots of memories there.......

 

so what would you guys recommend for cleaning vinyl? ive bought the cleaners but all are liquid. i need something that removes minor stains.
ive heard fantastic is good to use?

 

I think I used the 2001 spray from Turtle Wax on the vinyl top of my 75 Chevy Caprice. That was the only car I ever had with a vinyl top. As I recall, it worked great and it smelled good too.