Vinyl Tops: Are you a fan?

[Road_Runner]

V1c-Black alligator
V1g-Black Gator Grain
V1y-Tortoise grain

If I ever purchase a green car with a vinyl top, I would probably replace with a gator or Tortoise.
The tortoise grain is pretty cool on a green car.

I started driving in 1992.  I think vinyl tops look pretty cool on the right color of car.
Unfortunately, you don't see many of the rare colors like Burgandy, Walnut,Walnut patterned,paisley,Gunmetal.

All of those have their merit on the right color.
Go with the Top! 
My opinion is to keep the ebody original.

It could be a southern thing, maybe the wilder top treatments sold better or were just marketed more on the west coast, etc. but I don't recall seeing more than a couple examples of the wild vinyl tops Chrysler did.  I wonder if its like a lot of options such as go wings where there's a lot more cars running around with them then were ever sold with them originally.  I know the go wings were a dealer installable option, but doubt too many people swapped vinyl tops after their new cars were built.  I've never seen the gator top in person but would really like to because the pictures look very cool.

Later, Jim

[Road_Runner]

I started driving in 1971 or so,  My car had one and will have one again.  Going to protect the top more this time though.   

You & me both on the better protection part!  Rust was just one of those features that you didn't order but got anyway with almost any car of this era.  I remember my mother bought a 4 year old Vega and the thing was already half consumed with rust.  I mean if it was collectable it would still hardly be worth restoring because every panel was rusting through.  Dealers must have worried about Vegas that sat on the car lot too long that they would start visibly rusting before someone bought them, they were that bad!  My RR was 4 years old when I bought it in 74 and the previous owner had already tried to 'fix' the rust under the rear window on an otherwise pristine car.

Later, Jim

[Road_Runner]

I really like them too, hey maybe I lissed it, but what is the best stuff to put on them to keep them from drying out and in good shape?

On my harley leather there is like a type of a paste just want to know what is best to use?

I ride too, and if it's the HD paste you're talking about it should work fine.  Back in the day, I used Turtle Wax brand (I think) black vinyl top treatment/wax.  It helped keep the black top on the RR shiny & dark black even today.  If there wasn't some minor rust under the very back edges I could leave it alone it looks that good.  I'm not sure if anyone still sells this or something similar but it worked great for black tops.  I think they had something similar for white tops too.

Later, Jim

['Cuda Hunter]

Gator tops were not black, they were dyed brown.


I only wrote them as the decoder book writes them.
I have seen a few of the gator grain coded tops but never the black alligator.
Definitely a brownish green.
Saw one tortoise. Not on an ebody.
Very cool.

[kissalien]

Galen's book lists black alligator as a 1969 only code. I've only seen a couple gator top '69s and I'm pretty sure they were V1G, not V1C. I'll try to remember to check unless Barry chimes in first.

['Cuda Hunter]

Oh, your right.  The V1C was a 69 year option.

This is what I was going by.

I am not trying to Hijack this thread by the way.

[whitesatinmopar]

I really like them too, hey maybe I lissed it, but what is the best stuff to put on them to keep them from drying out and in good shap

Other than the Turtle Wax product that was mentioned I used to use a product that is still available today to clean (not dress) all vinyl; tops, dash, seats,etc.. It's called Murphys Oil Soap, it is a mild soap made with a gel/oil base and it now comes in two varieities, a gell and a pourable solution, mix either with a small (qt.) of hot water. This is not a harsh cleaning solution and the oils of the product do absorb into the vinyl. As far as a dressing from todays product there are a great variety to select, can't say if one does any better than the others? But DO NOT use any dressing on your seats or sterring wheels  you'll be sliding all over the place. 

[gomangoRT/SE]

As in alot of times in life, when I was 17 I hated vinyl top cars.  I thought they were old man looking cars.  LOL, now that Im 52 and closer to being that "old man" I love vinyl top cars most of the time.

[TreeFrog]

I love them, on the right car ... our challengers came with them, but you see I have no room in my heart to keep mine, my wife will keep her top on .......

[challengermaniac]

my wife will keep her top on .......

Ah, schucks!

[Road_Runner]

As in alot of times in life, when I was 17 I hated vinyl top cars.  I thought they were old man looking cars.  LOL, now that Im 52 and closer to being that "old man" I love vinyl top cars most of the time.

I resemble that remark!  I didn't exactly hate vinyl tops since my first car was my 70 Roadrunner with Black top, but overall I thought it would look racier without it.  Today, in a sea of lookalike cars these cars look better than ever, and the vinyl tops are just one of the things that make them stand out from the 'crowd'.

[whitesatinmopar]

  Oh to be 52 again    I do think they look nice. But cleaning and rust potential issues are big negatives. Also a vinyl top generally    reflect a classy luxuray car where as muscle and street cars are built just the opposite and I think at least look the role of a bad azz car not a soft pampered model.

[boydsdodge]

I've seen some guys using spray truck bed liner, looks pretty good just no seams or rust probs.
more of a race look I'd say.

['Cuda Hunter]

There is a duster here in my town that has the truck liner on top.  It is white and looks very good.  I didn't even realize it wasn't a vinyl top until I stopped and talked to the guy.  Not a bad look.

[hooD]

Both my old Plymouths were ordered with the vinyl tops they still have.  The Roadrunner is Tor Red with a black top, the Barracuda is Mist Green with white top.  My 23 year old son hates the top on the Barracuda especially, saying that it would just look better without it (and painted another color as well).  Me, I like the look of these older cars because that's what the cool cars looked like when I was growing up.  Are you a fan of vinyl tops?  Did your car originally come with one and you took it off?  Just curious what the folks here think about the look of vinyl tops on Barracudas & Challengers.  It would also be interesting to know the decade you began driving because I wouldn't be surprised if this breaks down by age somewhat.

Thanks in advance, Jim

My car originally came with a vinyl top because I ordered it that way from the factory.  The V1X (vinyl roof) cost an additional $80.20 back in Sept. of 1972.  Personally, I like cudas or challengers whether they have 'em or not.  But the vinyl top does require some TLC to keep it in top notch condition.  I began driving in 1969 at age 15.