Looking for advice. I have a 1967 442 convertible that is ready for block sanding but needs a convertible top installed. Going to have the top installed by a professional. The car is not in running condition; no wiring, radiator, engine accessories, etc. The engine and transmission have been rebuilt and installed, drive shaft installed, disk brake upgrade with new brake lines, new fuel lines and fuel tank.

Question - Should I get the car running, take it to the upholstery shop for the top and then paint it or should I paint it first? Looking for pros and cons. The upholstery shop would like to have it before paint which I understand. The amount of worked involved is the same except for masking if I paint after the top is installed.

All ideas, comments, and suggestions appreciated.

THIA,

Jay

 

Paint every time. Keep the top on to help mask off the inside. Have done a few this way and as you can see in my pictures our 67 looks great!

 

Larry,

Top on to help mask off the inside is not a problem. The top is off now but there is not much material left on it. I do need to paint the top arms before the top is installed. Right now there is no interior in the car so over spray is not that much of a problem. Would just have to mask off the dash and the heater box.

Thanks for the reply. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving.

Jay

 

Im going to do the top on my 70 Cutlass and I get mixed ideas about doing the paint first and do the top first. I dont want to paint first because the installer will rub their bodies all over a fresh coat of paint and if you do the top first, the top will have some over spray. I think the over spray is much easier to clean than having scratches on your fresh coat of paint.

 

I am leaning this direction also. The installer, who also did my seats, wants the car before paint. Like he said, a new paint job will take quite some time to cure and he would hate to put a scratch in it.

 

I'd take it to have the top done, then either paint it with the top down and wrapped up, or simply remove the whole top and frame from the car in one piece and set it aside, paint, then reinstall. You can do that yourself with enough help, I think the frame is in there with just a few bolts.

 

We did the top ourselves. Not a nick or scratch in the new paint. Paint overspray on the top is a pain to get out.

 

Definitely paint first. If you ever tried to get overspray off a top or upholstery you'd understand.

 

I would also make sure the top frame is on even if there is not upholstery on it. No chance to hurt the paint that way

 

I painted mine after the top was installed and I didn't have any issues with overspray on the top material. I used a large plastic drop cloth over the top, tucked it under the top at the front, sides, and rear, the lowered the top to seal it up. There was no way for any overspray to get onto the top material. You need the windows and windshield installed to do it this way.

 

Paint first.