I posted an ad for a 65 Cutlass two door hardtop roof. Thought maybe if someone had a rusted out or a caved in roof, they might buy this. My question is simply this: Would anybody actually go to all the work of removing a bad hardtop and re-welding a good one in place, or am I just "spinning my wheels"?
Anybody know of someone who actually did it?

 

Yes! Several years ago a guy outside of Seattle was needing a good roof for his 1968 442. Vinyl top rotted out the one on his car. He purchased one from a parts car I had and paid my gas to meet him halfway (about 250 miles). He was happy as a clam to get a solid roof to use.


But that said, vinyl tops are common in 1968 but I'm not sure they were in 1965. Being in Canada might make it harder to sell, but before you send it to the scrap yard I'd try a Craigslist ad in the Seattle area. Another reason someone might need a roof is if the windshield channels are badly rotted. I hate to scrap/junk anything that's usable as these parts are getting harder and harder to find. If all else fails you might cut off the very front and the very back to save the windshield channels, maybe 6 inches in from the edge. That's small enough to ship and also not too bad to store.

John

 

Hi John,
I think you're right. I don't remember seeing a 65 Cutlass with a vinyl top. Maybe the roof will fit other A-bodies like Skylark or Chevelle. Might be more common for one of those to have had vinyl.

 

Both my 72 Cutlass's needed new roofs. I've replaced one already. It does happen.

 

Were they ruined by vinyl tops?

 

Yep. Now I have both in a garage and no more vinyl top.

 

When the vinyl top gets old water will soak through it. Then the water is held against the metal by the vinyl. I also had one car that the cloth backing must have wicked the water into the windshield channels (front and back) As the top wasn't rusted bad, but the windshield channels were so bad with the stainless trim off I could stick my fingers through and under the roof

John