68-70 vinyl top delete???

[chgr500]

I'm not so up with info on 2nd gens that well....I have owned three over time,  but that was..well a while back......my '69 at the time had no vinyl top but was a second repaint.....got it from a friend that had it painted from the original paint but can't recall it ever having vinyl....

Most all Chargers came with the roof killing vinyl top as they were competing with luxury car classes....So were they ordered with a vinyl roof or was it standard equipment and had to be deleted to have no vinyl....

[Ghoste]

You had to order the vinyl top separately unless you were ordering a White Hat Special package,  I believe you had to delete the roof if you didn't want it on those.

[chgr500]

Hmm...just so many of these cars came with the tops.......guess most to all dealers would check that option box.....maybe it was also included in a package with some kinda interior or exterior upgrades....my '69 was originally a 383 2v column shift....no vinyl combo.... blue with blk guts.....repaint was a wee bit darker blue from what I remember..Mickey Thompson 50's with widened 15" rally's...lol...sweet car..even way back...my '70 was a u code...original panther pink..paint was rough...had a vinyl roof 

[Ghoste]

As far as I know, the only package it was standard on was the White Hat Special.  I think it was just a popular option at the time in general and one that happened to look very good on the 2nd gen Charger with the roofline.

[no318]

As far as Iknow, the only package it was standard on was teh White Hat Special.  I think it was just a popular option at the time in general and one that happened to look very good on the 2nd gen Charger with the roofline.

I agree

[Mike DC]

Speaking of originally-ordered configurations, I've seen a lot more 2nd gens over the years built with vinyl tops than w/o them. 

[terrible one]

Mine came without one. And my roof is MINTY! 

[Joshua]

Wasn't the vinyl top a no cost option, I think it was, I lost my original window sticker for my '68 R/T, mine had a vinyl top originally.......I heard or read that it was because it was faster/quicker/cheaper to install a top than to finish the seam at the 1/4's for paint on the assembly line, and that dealer's would 'encourage' that option...........

[Ghoste]

68 and 69 were both listed as extra cost in the sales guides but I can't speak for 70.  Chris G. or Don?

[chgr500]

Wasn't the vinyl top a no cost option, I think it was, I lost my original window sticker for my '68 R/T, mine had a vinyl top originally.......I heard or read that it was because it was faster/quicker/cheaper to install a top than to finish the seam at the 1/4's for paint on the assembly line, and that dealer's would 'encourage' that option...........

Exactly what I was thinking....certainly would explain why so many had a vinyl top....all generations of Charger's.....the factory body work on the sail panels and A pillars are terrible....really rough body work with a vynil roof + 30 years as daily drivers =  ...well you know   

[bill440rt]

68 and 69 were both listed as extra cost in the sales guides but I can't speak for 70.  Chris G. or Don?

The vinyl top was an extra cost option on all Charger model lines in 1970.

[Ghoste]

There you go, then.  I think it was simply a matter of the cars body lines just looked so right with a vinyl top and the Charger was not a cheap car already so it was a pretty easy matter for most folks to check off what was a ralatively cheap option.
Most Charger buyers in 68-70 (66 and 67 too) were a little more affluent than the kids buying the stripper Super Bees and Road Runners.  It was a baby step ever so slightly away from the youth market and these non teens still wanted to look cool.  Think about the number of Chargers sold with less than muscular drivetrains and the abundance of vinyl tops begins to be less of a mystery.