Thanks in advance for any suggestions/recommendations/opinions.
I have a '69 442 convertible that I've been in the process of restoring for close to 30 years. I stripped the original top (material) off of it years ago and completely rebuilt/painted the top structure and mechanism. Top works great but hasn't had fabric on it for over 15 years.
In the meantime, I've also done alot of rust repair and bodywork so the body itself is straight but has been in primer for a couple of years. So, here's the question; what should I do first, new top or paint?

I've got a good paint/body man so I trust him to be careful but I'm not sure how good a job he'll be able to do around the well area if a new top is attached. I don't have a top installer identified but the idea of having someone install the top with a new (and expensive) paint job applied makes me more than a little nervous.

What do you guys think? I'm sure I'm not the first one to deal with this.

 

I got the same problem with you. My 70 Cutlass convertible needs paint and a top but every time when I asked a lot of my friends they all give me the same answer. They said "flip a coin". To me, its a shot in a dark. If you're going to put the top on first then you have to worry about the over spray and if you paint the car first then you have to worry about a scratch on a new paint. I guess they are right. Flip a coin.

 

I would get the paint done first. If you do the top first, then you will have to go through the hassle trying to cover it completely, which is almost impossible. There's always some over spray that will make it in there.
Another factor is storage. If you have a garage, you don't need to worry about the rain.

The last factor is just my personal opinion. Once you get the car painted there is that feeling of "The paint's on and looks good. I'm finally almost done" (even if you're not). As a former body guy, taking off that tape and paper after painting a car was almost better than unwrapping Christmas presents.

 

I did the paint first on both my '68 and '69 verts. A good upholstery man will do an outstanding job with your new top without harming the paint.


Randy C.

 

Get the top put on, and put on right on the primed body. Then, remove the top as a unit, and sit it in the garage on a jig, then go get painted. Let paint get fully set, put some tissue paper or whatever on the at risk areas of the car, then lower the top on.

 

When I did my car I replaced the top first. It was quite easy to mask off the windows and top when spraying the paint. I taped paper over all the glass and used plastic paint drop cloths to cover the top, tucking it between the top and glass along the sides and under the deck at the rear. Easy as could be.

It would make me extremely nervous attempting to install the top after a paint job. The rear well trim slips over the edge of the metal and could scratch/peel the paint and the rear of the top frame has to be put in/taken out multiple times to get the top material placement right.


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Paint.


Masked off or not the sanding and blocking dust will make it's way into cracks and crevices that your body guy will never get out.

 

X2. I did it the other way on a 65 that I owned decades ago, and despite what I thought was careful masking, I still got paint on the new top.

 

I talked to a guy in town at a shop that's been around for a long time. He had just done a 442 clone. He said do the paint first. He also said If I needed the top off before he got it to bring it in so he could make some measurements, etc.

 

X10 paint paint paint. Paint before any soft parts.

 

No ifs ands or butts paint first.

 

Though about this for my Delmont and I'd do what Koda said -- fit the top first, then remove it and paint. Reinstall once paint is cured.
I've watched a fair amount of car shows on TV and always see them put the top on after paint is cured. Lots of ways to protect the paint during install, whether it be a product designed for it or something as simple as a piece of padding placed temporarily.
Also, maybe some shops have some sort of insurance or whatever for instances like this? I'd assume it's the same with glass guys. What do I know, I'm a Newbsmobile guy.

 

Paint first.

 

Wow, everyone except me says paint first, but I did the top first and paint afterwards and had no issues. I should say that I did both the top and the paint myself and didn't farm it out, so that may be the difference here.

 

I painted first but for a different reason. If your budget does not permit both at the same time, you can look good driving a freshly painted car with no top, but not visa versa.. I did not have any issues painting it first.

 

I did my 71 before paint. I took it in with final primer before wet-sanding prior to paint. The upholstery guys will love you for it. If there was a scratch I could repair and reprime. Not so easy once painted.