Hello,
When i repaint my 72 Cutlass Supreme, Ive been flip flopping on the idea of installing a new vinyl top to replace the original OR removing it and painting the roof.
I have had cars with painted roofs before but never a vinyl top.
i used to think they werent sporty and looked like an old mans car but now idk, plus im kinda an old man.
I'm not sure of the color of the repaint yet either.
It has saddle brown interior so my choices have to work with that interior.
Whats your opinion on the look of each roof?
Thanks for your feedback

 

I know what you mean about vinyl feeling a little old...
But it looks good! I'd leave it if it's in good shape.
-peter

 

Heres mine with Flame Orange.

 

My vote is original/vinyl. If paint then one color only. That's my $0.02.

Nice car, good luck with it!

 

Thanks for reply.
It's in good shape but if I repaint the car, would you put a new vinyl top on or would you paint it?
thanks

 

hi, thanks for reply.
that looks good.
was it originally a vinyl top?
did you replace it?
What color is the interior?

 

I've got a 66 in need of a new top and was going back and forth for years on whether or not replace it or paint it. Finally I decided to keep it original, though I blew my budget on another car so it'll have to wait.

 

I am a believer in keeping it original as much as you can. If the existing vinyl is in good shape just keep it, if not then I would replace with new vinyl if economically practical. That is how these cars came back then.
From what I see in the picture your car is a beauty, so I am not sure I see the need to paint it but maybe there is something there that I can't see. If it truly is as nice as the photo I would keep it all original. Maybe it just needs a good detail job.

 

Thanks for the compliment
I searched for 10 years before I found it.
The car has been repainted once.
it's old time paint too.
If i do keep the vinyl i will remove it and prep the roof before i install a new vinyl top.
IDK if is really callled a Landau roof or if thats a different type of roof.

I appreciate everyone's reply.

Cheers

Pic shows original color inside the trunk and the tan color it was repainted on top part of quarter panel.

 

Keep the original look and use the vinyl when you repaint.

 

Mine has the saddle color interior and a coffee color vinyl roof. I really like the look.

 

Boy great looking car. Love it.

 

Paint !

I have never been a fan of vinyl roofs. Yes it can look good as it does on your car. But for me it will always look better without.

I have never understood the automotive industrys seeming obsession with the fake convertible look.

The fact that it made it's way onto cars like 442 W30s, LS6 Chevelle's, Hemi Cudas, etc. Is mind boggling to me. It softens the appearance of a car. Softening the appearance of a street sweeper like the LS6 makes zero sense.


P.S. what I will add is the 70-72 Supreme is a beautiful body style. Less agressive looking and more refined. The vinyl roof works far better on it than on a fastback IMHO. And of course if you are a psychotic purest.... Well the question wouldn't have been asked. Depending on the model, I would probably leave the vinyl if the car was born that way.

 

I would leave it as is! Vinyl and paint combo. There is a guy on OCA facebook Jim Cordaro that has an SX with a painted roof with the same combo as pictured above.
Here is mine, but the interior would not match.

Pat

 

Think about it, since the car will probably almost never be exposed to inclement weather, a new top would probably outlast you.

 

Yes the top is original, the car has had 1 repaint, and the interior is saddle I believe.









GS72 That is a beautiful color green, do you know the paint code or name of it?
I really like that color combo

 

I think it is a Pontiac color. Let me see if I can dig up the code.

 

Its a buick color.

 

Beautiful car.

1970CS love your car. That is sweet too. I had a factory two tone gold 70 Cutlass with a gold painted top. I have always liked the look of a painted roof car.

 

Don't repaint and keep the vinyl top in place. If you want a vinyl top...then re do it....they hold moisture in, and there usually is rust issues underneath.
atleast check for rust

 

Thanks It is rich looking, I think I remember some LeSabres in that color back in the day

 

when i repainted my 66 i pulled the vinyl top and found the usual rust,after dealing with that i repainted the car the original silver with black top.i figured i know what it looked like with the vinyl so if i don't like the painted top i will just put the vinyl top back on.

 

Good idea

 

As a paint/body guy, people asking to remove the vinyl top and paint it is the stuff of nightmares. They ruin roofs by holding moisture. There's no convincing me that it was ever a good idea. Theres always rust and scale under there. The rust will often have started to pit, so just grinding or sanding surface rust away will not suffice. Blasting or something more aggressive will usually be necessary. The vinyl is all glued and rusted with crud under all the reveal moldings. Only after dealing with all that can the bodywork start. The factory never finished the seams when the car was getting a vinyl top, so you'll have to contend with that as well as removing the studs and welding any holes left from removing the studs. On a car that is otherwise solid, I could see removing the vinyl top for paint doubling the cost of the paint job.

That said, I hate fake convertible, er um, I mean vinyl tops. I know it's original and it's classy and how they were made back then and blah blah blah, but ugly is ugly. If my car was special and there was value in the originality of it, I'd leave it alone, but as soon as I have time for another project, the vinyl top is coming off my 66 Cutlass.

 

ijasond, I hear what you're saying
While the car is really rust free i kno that even if there isn't rust under top , theres a decent amount of work to get it ready for paint, especially where the seams are leaded
I think if my top and interior where black I would be more apt to keep it, but being brown I'm torn.
I just don't get why the tops are less body labor but cost more than paint.
Also idk if they were really supposed to look like a convertible top, or just an appearance option.
cheers

 

I always disliked vinyl roofs . . . until??? Until I was shopping for my own car, and then there was just something that lit my heart on fire about the whole color combination and look of the '67 4-4-2 I ended up buying. I have to say having the original paint color with black vinyl roof played into my decision. Now, I couldn't imagine getting rid of the vinyl roof on my car. Good luck, get what YOU really want!

 

^^
Dream67Olds442
that is a beautiful oldsmobile man.
That dark roof color is what I'm saying looks good
Your top almost looks like very dark blue in the pic probably bc its next to the bright blue.
Well done .

 

OldOldsLover - Thanks for the compliments on my car, much appreciated! My roof is black, which matches the totally black interior.

I really like your car too! It's hard for me to see the interior color of your upholstery, but maybe you could keep the current paint color, and go with a darker brown top to set it off a bit more? In the end, what really matters is you end up with a combo you're happy with. Please let us know what you decide on, and show us some pics of the finished product. I'm sure it will be beautiful when you're done, it's gotta be, it's an Olds!

 

Mine is a painted top, I like it.

 

That looks really sharp! I like the idea of painting instead of vinyl if I ever have the need.

 

^+1
looks sharp
Plus then you know the metal is prepped right
Interesting idea