No vinyl top...Should I keep the vinyl top trim?

[Dreamcar]

Eventually, I'll need to decide whether or not I'll be reinstalling a vinyl top once the car gets painted. If I go without it, do you think I should keep the vinyl top trim/molding? If I do, do you think it will just look like something is missing? For those of you wondering, it's a none numbers matching, non-RT, so I don't really have to worry about originality.

I'm curious to see what you think...please vote.

I'm a long way from having to make a final decision, but it's -30F outside and I'm bored so I always start thinking about my future plans for my Charger. Spring can't come soon enough.

[bakerhillpins]

Dump the trim and fill in the holes. Chargers with no vinyl are sweet.     

[ws23rt]

Your post seems to ask if you should keep the trim in the event you chose to not use it.

I'm not one to toss stuff like this even though finding someone that needs it is time consuming and that adds up to money

If you chose to not use the trim I suggest you hide it in the car for a future owner. It could be appreciated.

Maybe even add some other goodies and a note   I time capsule of sorts.

[bill440rt]

I prefer vinyl over the hardtop. 
But, if you're going to lose the vinyl then yes lose the trim too. If you keep the trim people may then ask "When ya gonna paint it orange??" 

[Dreamcar]

Your post seems to ask if you should keep the trim in the event you chose to not use it.

I'm not one to toss stuff like this even though finding someone that needs it is time consuming and that adds up to money

If you chose to not use the trim I suggest you hide it in the car for a future owner. It could be appreciated.

Maybe even add some other goodies and a note   I time capsule of sorts.

Sorry. To clarify, I'm wondering if I should reinstall the trim even if I don't reinstall the vinyl top. I would never just toss it away if not used.

[1974dodgecharger]

Dump the trim and fill in the holes. Chargers with no vinyl are sweet.     

I agree with the vinyl your limited in my opinion the rims u can get.  No vinly looks good with all rims.

[Ghoste]

I used to like the look of the trim even without the vinyl but these days I have to vote for filling the holes.

[ACUDANUT]

 Some the D.O.H cars have the trim still in place. Put in back on.

[Kern Dog]

Dump the trim and fill in the holes. Chargers with no vinyl are sweet.     

Some people really dig the vinyl tops. My car originally had one. I chose to go skinless when I restored mine. I welded over the holes and gave the moldings away. Maybe you could save your moldings in case you change your mind and want to install a top later on.

[marshallfry01]

I  vote to put the trim back on. I like the way a hard top looks with the vinyl top trim.   But i'm also a fan of the general lee.....

[A383Wing]

my car had vinyl top, left the top off, but put the trim back on

(runs in different crowd here)

[Sublime/Sixpack]

I voted to leave the trim off if you don't put the vinyl back on. Without the vinyl the trim really serves no purpose, except to interrupt the beautiful flowing lines on the Chargers sail panel into the quarter panel.

[don duick]

It will look too bland without the strips. My charger was a non vinyl roof car and never had them. I bought a set and drilled holes to install them. I wanted them that bad. I then went a bit further and painted the roof satin black. I like two tone but I also don't like vinyl.

[JB400]

I agree with what Don did.  Leave the trim on, just paint the roof to resemble a vinyl roof.  It was optional on the Coronets, don't know why it wasn't on the Charger.  I don't think the Coronets had a satin finished roof though.  I believe they were gloss.

[Vector]

If you don't put vinyl back on the roof definitely leave off the chrome trim.

[tan top]

 put a vinyl back on    
 just kidding chargers look just as awesome with or with out vinyl tops ,
 they look good with or with out mouldings too  
think I would put the mouldings back ! think its growing up as a kid watching DMCL & the charger in that had the vinyl top removed with mouldings  

not much help  am I  

[myk]

I love the 2nd 'Gen body with that smooth and curvaceous top, that slides down and flares out to form the rear quarters with no interruption.  That part of the 2nd Gen's body is what convinced me to get a Charger over a Chevelle/GTO/whatever...

[Dreamcar]

I already know what's going to happen....I'll have my welder in hand, ready to fill the holes, and I'll be saying "do I really want to do this?"

[Dino]

Of course you do.  If you change your mind you just need to drill some holes.

No top with the trim in place looks a little strange to me.  I can't wait to rip the top off my car honestly, I love the lines of the roof sweeping down into the quarter.

[myk]

I already know what's going to happen....I'll have my welder in hand, ready to fill the holes, and I'll be saying "do I really want to do this?"

Whatever you do, don't do what I did: I told the body shop to leave the holes open for the name badges on the C pillars, but when I got the car back I decided I didn't want the emblems on there....DOH!  

[Brock Lee]

I like the trim, but hate the holes.

[BROCK]

I didn't vote.  It is NOT a silly question.  Until just now, I thought all
3 versions have been represented very well.  Now it is all 4 versions
that you have to choose from
My 70 is plain.  This is not how I prefer to describe it.  The description
was given here, so I'll go with it.  

The 2nd gen Charger was designed to have a contrasting body / roof
combination. That is 1 dark & other light colored.  Well, Richard Sias
did not come out & actually say that in the magazine article "Dodge
Performance Styling" written by Tony Young.  The description reads
"Most Dramatic."  It's a good read from the 70s.  Sadly, I do not know
which magazine or issue the article appeared in.  

The timeless view of raw automotive power suggests plain is the right
way to go.  Adding a vinyl top suggests the preservation of a very time
specific era - The muscle car era!  Leaving the checks in place with a
body colored roof tips your hat to the Duke boys.  You can also tip your
hat to Richard Petty with a textured paint top as he did on his 68 Bird.  
Car & Driver May 68 blurb titled Deadline for Daytona states that his
car was 5MPH faster than 2nd best in qualifying.  Most attributed this
to the roof treatment - but a photographer trying to get pictures of the
strange baffling & quasi-belly pans knows better even if he did lose his
pictures from that day.  

It's yours:  You can't chose wrong if it appeals to you.  

[cudaken]

I removed the top off my second Charger, what a PIA, never again! Personally I think the Charger in the only car that looks good with a vinyl top.

Cuda Ken 

[Troy]

Those trim pieces are "gunk traps". If they aren't there to serve a purpose (ie hide and hold down the edges of the top) then I wouldn't waste time reinstalling them. The only reason I can think of is if you are undecided about installing a top in the future and don't want to drill holes on a painted car.

The guys who built the General Lees did it because they were in a hurry and/or lazy. Not because it looked good!

Troy

[Ghoste]

Also a nice access point to allow water into the dark crevises of the 1/4 panels.

[tcs69rt]

If you don't want the "check mark" looking trim pieces for the vinyl top, I might be an interested buyer. I had one crack on me recently. Hit me with a PM if you want to sell them, thanks! TC

[Silver R/T]

Fill the holes. Car will look much more sleek/elegant without it

[Dreamcar]

Fill the holes. Car will look much more sleek/elegant without it

[don duick]

hope you don't buckle your panels when you attempt that tedious nerve raking job of welding all those holes.

[NJRBros]

Personally, I like it better off.  Without a vinyl top I do think the trim looks out of place and ruins the 'clean' look of it.

Here, I'll post a reply for myk. 

Why don't you just put TWO sets of trim on it?

'OP, it's YOUR car, do what YOU want to with it.  Then again, if building your car to other people's snotty, baseless standards and acceptance is what you want to do, that's your choice too...

[Dreamcar]

Haha. I'm just asking for opinions because I can't make my own mind up about what I want to do. The car is torn down so now is the time to decide what to do on a lot of things. So many decisions

[NJRBros]

Haha. I'm just asking for opinions because I can't make my own mind up about what I want to do. The car is torn down so now is the time to decide what to do on a lot of things. So many decisions

I know I was just being an ass.