Vinyl Roof Removal Question

[JMF]

There is a 68 i'm interested in , if I bought it I might consider removing the vinyl roof, the car was painted a few years back with a new vinyl roof fitted, just wondering when the car was painted would they have painted the roof body colour too even knowing that a vinyl roof will be going on ? Basically i'm just wondering is there the body colour paint under the vinyl roof, and if so will removing the vinyl damage the paint or will I need to budget to getting the roof painted ? I know it probably depends who painted the car whether it will be painted underneath or not, thanks.

[GMP440]

If it's an original vinyl top car;  then yes, the factory did paint the roof of the car prior to installing the vinyl top.  My 68 Coronet was done that way from the factory.
The interesting thing for my Coronet was that the roof was painted a different color than the rest of the body.  TT1, medium metallic green was the original paint on the car, but the roof
was like a surf green.  My Coronet is a June 26, 1968 date from the St. Louis Plant.  I don't know if other plants had the roofs painted a different roof prior to vinyl top installation.
Check fender tag for a vinyl top code to see if it originally was with vinyl top.
As far as removing the original vinyl top without removing paint depends on how good the paint and primer are adhering to the roof.  When I first removed the vinyl top in 1984, the
top came off without lifting the paint.  But, with all the old glue being cleaned off you may very well end up with some of the paint being worn  away.
What I would do in your case, just be ready to paint the roof. 

[Nacho-RT74]

actually, as far my knowledgement, vinyl roof cars were primered but not painted ( saving money there ) hence the reason they get more rust that they should if where painted.

now, will your car need to be painted or not ? wait for what will you find down the vinyl to know the sheetmetal conditions. Maybe you are luck enough and any fix will be an in or two inches inside the trim limits and you won't need to take care about the rest of the body finish and get focused on just what the vinyl hides.

then will need to get worried about the glass areas with vinyl!!!

[GMP440]

Natcho RT 74  :"actually, as far my knowledgement, vinyl roof cars were primered but not painted ( saving money there ) hence the reason they get more rust that they should if where painted."

My Coronet is an original owner car in my family.  This roof had paint underneath the vinyl.  Maybe other plants only primered the roofs,because of cost cutting measures.
Would be interesting to see if other B-Body owners found the roofs painted upon removing the vinyl top.  Good way to trace out with plants painted vs plants that primered roofs only.

[Bronzedodge]

Way back when I used to part out cars, none of them had paint under the vinyl top.

[alfaitalia]

Cant be 100 % sure mines original but think it is was. It had a primered roof with just a light dusting of colour up the A and C pillars. Personally I've never seen any car (of any brand) that had full paint under the vinyl....but most of my experience is with British classics. I think if Chargers where properly painted under the vinyl from the factory then we would not get the major rust issues we often see there. No vinyl going back on mine though!!

[Nacho-RT74]

My Charger was assembled in Venezuela, so hard to compare with assembly plants procedures in USA. I couldn't find any trace of paint down the vinyl. But my words are maybe not valid for you. This topic was discussed way back and the consensous was they weren't painted but just primered. So is not my testimony but the final result on that discussion, thats why I say "as far my knowledgement"

[JMF]

Hi, thanks for the replies, I wasn't really talking factory, what I meant was the car was painted only a few years back and new vinyl top installed, generally during a restoration would a bodyshop have painted the roof knowing a vinyl top will be going on ? Thanks

[Lennard]

Hi, thanks for the replies, I wasn't really talking factory, what I meant was the car was painted only a few years back and new vinyl top installed, generally during a restoration would a bodyshop have painted the roof knowing a vinyl top will be going on ? Thanks

Generally no.

[Nacho-RT74]

locally, yes... but, I'm locally outside USA LOL

[DAY CLONA]

Hi, thanks for the replies, I wasn't really talking factory, what I meant was the car was painted only a few years back and new vinyl top installed, generally during a restoration would a bodyshop have painted the roof knowing a vinyl top will be going on ? Thanks

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[david hunt]

1969 superhero half top was not painted under vynal top. The front of half top was same painted as body color. Vin tag reads.........VW1*

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