Vinyl or no Vinyl? That is the question.

[dspaulding70]

I am trying to figure out whether to replace the vinyl top when I get the body work done or leave it off.  Please provide your opinion about the vinyl tops.

[WM23N1]

Look at photos on the net and decide what you like best. Dont worry about the cars value, there are too many people only concerned with the $$$ of their car. Do what you like the way you like it.

[70charginglizard]

I'd go vinyl myself. Mine was originally a green vinyl top but when I redid mine last year I put on a gator grain top. Best move I ever made. Really made for a unique look and I get quite a lot of comments about it at the shows.

Again. you do what makes you happy. It's your car.   

[rare69]

couldn't agree more, if your not looking to make a buck on your ultra rare hemi car and plan on keeping your car to drive and enjoy. do what you like and don't worry about everybody Else's wants . your car should be your car, nobody Ele's!

[TK73]

Trust me, ONE word... "astroturf":

[derailed]

Ive always been a fan of black vinyl tops, I think they look great on any car

[rare69]

i dont know, that astro terf looks midy fine!

[Judhudson]

Pimp My Ride/Overhaulin'/Boyd can't even come close to the sweet astroturf ride

[kab69440]

A Charger is not a Charger without a vinyl roof, in my opinion. Doubly so for 2g's.

[bull]

Major rust/moisture trap. Leave it off.

[C500]

Up to you, but I reckon the best looking chargers are the ones without the vinyl roof

[Ghoste]

I kind of like them myself. 

[wetfeetmi]

Bull is dead on!  I just repaired all the rust around the backlight as a result of trapped moisture. It is a Texas car and has virtually NO RUST except for the tunnel area.

[MoparYoungGun]

Major rust/moisture trap. Leave it off.

100% !

[joedotts]

id go with vinyl. it makes the car look that much better.

[HDCharger]

I like the vinyl

[Shakey]

I am putting the vinyl roof on my car because the fender tag called for it, the car will only see rain if I get "caught" in the rain and the cars from that era had vinyl roofs.  I think they look great and add a lot to the car.  You just don't see them on newer cars anymore.

[Chris G.]

A Charger is not a Charger without a vinyl roof, in my opinion. Doubly so for 2g's.

Damn, I guess my fake hardtop Charger should make it's way to the old crusher then huh? 

Ask yourself this...how many non vinyl top cars do you see where the owner added a top? How many vinyl top cars do you see the vinyl top ripped off of?

[CaptMarvel]

Yes vinyl in my opinion....I think the vinyl tops tend to look more original, the metal tops look more custom. I like the original look. My yellow 68 R/T will be getting the black vinyl again next summer...

[plum500]

I like vinyl on 3rd gens, but I'm partial to no-vinyl on 2nd gens.

[andy74]

I like vinyl on 3rd gens, but I'm partial to no-vinyl on 2nd gens.

same here,on a 3rd gen i love the top,second gens im 50/50

bottom line,do what makes you happy-my car was coded for a white top,but i didnt like it,i wanted black ,Andy

[Jon Smith]

I like vinyl on 3rd gens, but I'm partial to no-vinyl on 2nd gens.

exactly the opposite I like them on 2nd gens not on 3rd gens
a 2nd gen charger is one of the few cars I'd have a vinyl top on, i put it back on the '69 to break up the white a bit but it was a 50/50 decision
my brother is just getting into fixing the rust caused by the yinyl top on his chevy, he's not putting it back on, the rot ended in a straight line where the edge of the vinyl was

[70charginglizard]

Most Charger owners after a resoration do not expose them to an envirement where rust is going to be much of an issue anymore. Unless you are planning on leaving it outside all the time after you spend thousands of dollars restoring it.
When I had my roof re-done the underlying roof was stripped to bare metal and all rusted metal area's were fixed with new metal and then the whole roof was treated with serveral coatings of rust proventative coating and rust preventative enamal primer so I highly doubt I'll be seeing a visit from Mr rust under the lizards roof again in my lifetime.



Bottom line....if you do go with a vinyl top. Be sure to deal with the metal under it the way I did or you will have issues! Fair warning....Money better be no object.

But look what the resulting new roof can look like. (mine)

[Jon Smith]

Actually though, the roof on the charger was lumpy and it crunched when you pressed on it, I was expecting the worst, but when it came off there was hardly any rust at all

[BigBlockSam]

i likke 2nd gen. vinyl tops

[TK73]

My vote:    on a vinyl top.

[Old Moparz]

Most Charger owners after a resoration do not expose them to an envirement where rust is going to be much of an issue anymore. Unless you are planning on leaving it outside all the time after you spend thousands of dollars restoring it.
When I had my roof re-done the underlying roof was stripped to bare metal and all rusted metal area's were fixed with new metal and then the whole roof was treated with serveral coatings of rust proventative coating and rust preventative enamal primer so I highly doubt I'll be seeing a visit from Mr rust under the lizards roof again in my lifetime.

This is what I was thinking too, why restore it for thousands of dollars if it's going to be left out in the elements? I think dirt being trapped under window mouldings is just as bad for trapping water & holding moisture to start the rusting process.

As for putting it on the car, I like the vinyl top better on certain color combinations. A black top on a bright colored car like red, looks awesome, or a white top on a darker color like black. I didn't see what year Charger you're doing, but the vinyl top looks strange to me on the '66 & '67 cars. I'll do it on my '68 if I don't convert it to a Daytona, but not because it had one, but because I like it. It'll stay indoors when I'm not driving it so rust & moisture won't be an issue.

If you're worried about it, then just to add something to the moisture debate, my Scamp still has it's original vinyl top from 1971. It was garaged kept most of it's life except for several years that it was my daily driver from 1988 to 1992. The top is in good shape as well as the metal underneath, but the edges where the rear, window mouldings are in the lower corners, are starting to peel. No soft spots, but I would suspect there will be some minor repairs needed if I replace the top.

I have to get some close up shots, but here is a 35 year old vinyl top.

[70charginglizard]

My vote:    on a vinyl top.

Thanks alot Chris. 

[Old Moparz]

My vote:    on a vinyl top.

Thanks alot Chris. 

Don't worry about what he thinks of vinyl tops, your's looks cool. 

I won't say anything about green though. 

[suburbanfireman]

My 2 cents -

Race cars do not have vinyl tops.  Use the vinyl top if you are going for the "restored look".

[JimShine]

I think the biggest rust issue is due to the fact they didn't paint under the vinyl.

[TK73]

My vote:    on a vinyl top.

Thanks alot Chris. 

Yours looks good Kelly, I would not put a vinyl top back on my car.  I cut the vinyl top trim tabs off and RallyeMike filled in the trim holes on mine, also cut off the tabs for the rocker molding.  Took the wheel lip moldings off too.  Personal preferance...

[69fourspd]

I prefer no vinyl.  Both can look great, but it depends on the color config/material.  Like in the pictures, the gator tops look pretty wild, but prob. wouldnt look good on a blue car "Thanks captain obvious" - just an example.   

[TK73]

A caveat:  I do like vinyl on the 73/74 SEs...

[firefighter3931]

My 2 cents -

Race cars do not have vinyl tops.  Use the vinyl top if you are going for the "restored look".

Tell that to these guys 

Fwiw, my 68r/t street/strip car will be triple black 

Ron

[genlee1970]

My vote:    on a vinyl top.

Thanks alot Chris. 

.  I cut the vinyl top trim tabs off and RallyeMike filled in the trim holes on mine

I would say that if you left the top off of a 2nd Gen Charger, at least leave the trim on. It breaks up the transition from the roof to the quarter. It also serves to accent that area on the car, which is one of the high points of 2nd Gen styling. 
     

[MikeD]

I like the Vinyl but I think my car looks better without it But the bottom line its what YOU like.

Good Luck
MikeD

[70charginglizard]

I like the Vinyl but I think my car looks better without it But the bottom line its what YOU like.

Good Luck
MikeD

If my charger had the kick ass (can i say ass in here) paint job your charger has dude. ...oh...my...god!!!
I'd say go all color as well.

[Dennis K]

I like the vinyl tops on some colors, but not as much on others. I don't really understand why someone would want a vinyl top on a car that is all one color, such as black vinyl on a black car, or white on white, but I like white vinyl tops on darker colored cars. The 2 nicest looking 68's I have ever seen were an EE1 dark blue with white top & interior and an RR1 Burgundy with white top & interior as well. My MM1 bronze 68 will be getting a black vinyl top when it gets done, mostly because it was built that way, and partly because I like it that way.

[MikeD]

I like the Vinyl but I think my car looks better without it But the bottom line its what YOU like.

Good Luck
MikeD

If my charger had the kick ass (can i say ass in here) paint job your charger has dude. ...oh...my...god!!!
I'd say go all color as well.

Thank You
MikeD

[Silver R/T]

id put it back on if your car came with it. Sometimes car looks "cleaner" without it

[65post]

I don`t think a 2nd gen. charger can look bad either way can it ? Although with a vinyl they do look more dressed up !

[Dodge-Charger]

I like the Vinyl but I think my car looks better without it But the bottom line its what YOU like.

Good Luck
MikeD

That car shines so good I can see myself in the paint online . Holy S%!*

As too V or N/V, I couldnt decide on mine either so Im doing some with the top and some without the top. My 73 SE A5 #s matchin will have one though. 

Oh and Kab, what about 66 and 67s ?

[Ghoste]

If it came with it.

And you 2nd gen guys think your vinyl top trim is rare?

[dspaulding70]

Thanks for all of the responses.  I am going to go ahead and put it back on.  I have really been struggling with this and I have probably looked at hundreds of pictures of the 68-70 Chargers both with and without the vinyl.  I really do not think that either way looks bad and there are many cars that have such incredible paint jobs that the no vinyl is really nice.

However, I just seemed to really lean towards the black vinyl top.  My car is a dark cherry and the chrome trim around the vinyl and the contrast of the roof and body just seem to scream old muscle car cruiser to me.

I will be removing the old one to see if any metal work is required so they can address that with the rest of the car at the same time.  I will have the roof painted to prevent future rust and the car will be inside all the time so I am not too concerned about the moisture issue.

Thanks again to everyone that provided feedback.

[71 Bee Man]

I am trying to figure out whether to replace the vinyl top when I get the body work done or leave it off.  Please provide your opinion about the vinyl tops.

I never used to like vinyl, but I've changed my mind. A new vinyl top looks really smart. I'm just in the process of getting a new white one to replace my current one.

It's supposed to be white.

Peter