2nd gen vinyl roofs

[66FBCharger]

Does anyone have the numbers of approx. what percentage of Chargers each year came with vinyl roofs? It seems that the majority of them came from the factory with vinyl roofs.

[Dans 68]

I don't believe it is possible to know. All factory documentation was lost in a fire a long time ago. I would think, though, about 90% of the 2nd gens made came with a vinyl roof. But, I have do data to back up that opinion. The '69 and '70 Charger registries could do a sort on the cars on which they have records and get a better, fact-based number. 

Dan

[Ghoste]

I wouldn't think it's anywhere near as high as 90.  If I had to guess, my bet would be closer to something like 40%.

[Dans 68]

I wouldn't think it's anywhere near as high as 90.  If I had to guess, my bet would be closer to something like 40%.

You believe that 60% of the 2nd Gen Chargers did not have vinyl roofs?   

I will have to think hard on this topic, then. To be continued....

Dan

[Brock Samson]

 A lot if not most of them did come with V tops for sure,.. My feeling is less in '68 and more in '69,.. V. tops were a popular option and loading up the cars with options was a sure fire way to max out the profit per vehicle... I don't know about the '70s - maybe Chris/69 and Chris G. could help us with this since they've been charting the '69s and '70s, and are in charger of the respective Yr. registries, is anyone paying particular attention to '68s?..

[Dans 68]

...is anyone paying particular attention to '68s?..

Why, yes I am!    I have not put any numbers together yet (to small a sample) but shortly that may change.

Dan

[Troy]

I've owned 6 68 Chargers and 5 had vinyl tops from the factory. Out of all the cars I've looked at buying over the years (well over 200, mostly 68s) I'd say nearly all had factory vinyl tops. If it's not as high as 90% it's definitely higher than 40% for 68 and probably 69. I wouldn't know about the 70 models as I haven't inspected that many.

Troy

[Brock Samson]

 You know I thought of you Dan, I know you started out with a particular intrest in the 4 Barrel 4 speeds but is has seemed as of late you've expanded into all things '68 as that years chief apologist... 
   

[Dans 68]

You know I thought of you Dan, I know you started out with a particular interest in the 4 Barrel 4 speeds but is has seemed as of late you've expanded into all things '68 as that years chief apologist... 
   

Wait. You just wait.... 

Dan

[lexxman]

If the car came with a v top it would be marked on the fender tag?

[stripedelete]

Given that having one, or not having one, did not contribute to the demise of a car.  And given that the option was not skewed, for some reason, in survivor friendly regions/climates (ie A/C in Arizona).   Wouldn't what we see today be a reliable sample of what was produced? (maybe 10% deviation for modifications - or you could say mods cancel out).  So what do we see today?  Cruise-ins, car shows, dc.com?

Or am I way off?

[Ghoste]

Perhaps it's a regional thing then?  Cause I have to say that I sure have never ever seen anything like the kind of numbers you guys are talking about for being equipped with vinyl tops.  More than other car lines for sure but nothing at all in the way of 90%.

[Mike DC]

 
On "Dukes" they kept the vinyl top trim on the General Lees for consistency, even while they were yanking off other extremely common things like the front seat headrests.  That suggests the vinyl tops were pretty damn common.

 

[Ghoste]

Or that the first couple of cars had the trim.

[HeavyFuel]

I had Galen decode my car back in '92.  He gave me a breakdown on the vinyl top total for 1968 Chargers.  It was a fairly high percentage, around 75% if I remember right.  I'll look it up tonight.

[Mike DC]

Or that the first couple of cars had the trim.

That's true, because of LEE#1 having a crappy quarter panel replaced by a previous owner before Warner Bros got ahold of it. 

But in the mid-series overhaul (switch to bigger pushbars) they rewrote the rules on that kind of stuff.  If they hadn't been getting a zillion vinyl topped cars then I'm sure Rich Sephton would have elected to start yanking that trim along with the other stuff they were yanking. 

It's not that they didn't think about the trim issue either, they actually added that trim onto a few painted-top cars to keep things consistent.

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Currently as of today I have:

V1X (black)---535
V1W (white)---222
V1F (green)---148
V1T (tan)---124

Roughly 1029 total with KNOWN vinyl tops out of the 2100 total cars I have registered in the '69 Registry.

I'd guesstimate at least 15-20% of the VIN's I have registered don't have full tag info...

Vinyl tops were very common on 2nd gens IMHO

[TylerCharger69]

I'd say a lot more were with than without in the 69s....I've seen 68s with both

[Ghoste]

This has spilled over into the general Charger discussion area as well now.  I know it's geeky but this kind of topic fascinates me to no end.

[squeakfinder]

I had Galen decode my car back in '92.  He gave me a breakdown on the vinyl top total for 1968 Chargers.  It was a fairly high percentage, around 75% if I remember right.  I'll look it up tonight.

 

 I would think that's closer to being correct at least where I live in northwest America. The vinyl just added to the deterioration of the car as we all know. So maybee, fewer vinyl top cars are available today to register. In the 70's I don't remember seeing many Chargers without vinyl tops. Both 68's I've owned had vinyl tops.

[SFRT]

vinyl tops where the #1 requested accessory on Mopars 68-69.

[69bronzeT5]

Currently as of today I have:

V1X (black)---535
V1W (white)---222
V1F (green)---148
V1T (tan)---124

Roughly 1029 total with KNOWN vinyl tops out of the 2100 total cars I have registered in the '69 Registry.

I'd guesstimate at least 15-20% of the VIN's I have registered don't have full tag info...

Vinyl tops were very common on 2nd gens IMHO

Chris, does the total of 2100 cars include Daytonas and 500s? Those didn't come with vinyl tops right?

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Currently as of today I have:

V1X (black)---535
V1W (white)---222
V1F (green)---148
V1T (tan)---124

Roughly 1029 total with KNOWN vinyl tops out of the 2100 total cars I have registered in the '69 Registry.

I'd guesstimate at least 15-20% of the VIN's I have registered don't have full tag info...

Vinyl tops were very common on 2nd gens IMHO

Chris, does the total of 2100 cars include Daytonas and 500s? Those didn't come with vinyl tops right?

I have 2 Hemi 500's with vinyl tops (1 was Danny (69500)fathers car & this one)....Now I dont have tag proof but it was reported that at least Danny's car came from the factory with the roof

PS---what about the Mod Top Daytona?