should i re vinyl or paint the top?

[big_iron]

im purchasing an 85 eagle sedan and one of the only things wrong with it is the vinyl top has shrunk and needs replaced or painted..... a local shop offered to match the price of paint to recover it but does it look better painted? any info would be nice. and look forward to many more questions as i start fixing this up and look for other amc projects 

[El Matador]

If the car is in otherwise great shape and is only going to see sunny days from here on, then get it redone in vinyl.  If you're going to be driving it in rain or snow, or leaving it outdoors year round, and you're not overly concerned with originality, ditch the vinyl and go with paint.

These vinyl tops are major rust traps, especially around the C pillar windows.  My own '81 sedan is a prime example of this problem, and therefore I plan to eventually lose the vinyl.

It's too bad vinyl tops were so in vogue during the '60s, '70s, and '80s... because they sure make life difficult for us restorers all these decades later.

[big_iron]

ill post pics this weekend when i go get it... i found it on cl so im shock at the condition for the 1600 im paying for it. no rust no dents all original except the rims and only 75000 original miles. everything is operational and over all id say on a scale of 1-10 its a solid 7.5

[Sunny]

I vote ditch it.
I find vinyl roof's look terrible on every vehicle, and like El Matedor said, HUGE rust traps, especially the further north you go.

[big_iron]

i dont really care for the vinyl top but as im making it a show car would i lose out on wins for painting the top to replicate the vinyl or to match the brown trim? i know there were less than 3k of the 85 sedans made and idk how many are still on the road so im leary on this one of customizing to much.

[shanebo]

as much as i hate the rust issues they cause i always thought the sedans and coupes looked naked without it.

[JayRamb]

Re-Vinyl the top!

[rohnk]

I vote for both. Put a couple of coats of primer on it and a few coats of paint then vinyl over that. Epoxies and adhesives are much better today than 20+ years ago and vinyl is also much better in resisting shrinkage and has UV protection.

[jim]

I vote for vinyl.  It came with it and I think it looks better with it.  It's obvious, though, it's a matter of opinion. 

[GRONK]

The other thing you can do, especially if you like the look of the vinyl top (or at least want to keep it looking close to stock), is painting the area that's normally covered by vinyl with bedliner/rockguard - has the texture & look of vinyl, but since it's paint, it won't trap moisture & crud like vinyl tends to.

I agree with this.  You can get a great spray kit (gun/hopper included) for under $150 and you can have the epoxy dyed to match the original vinyl.  You can do a knock down texture that looks awesome.  This is fun, simple and will last forever.  No rust issues, tearing, etc to worry about.

[big_iron]

thanks guys i appreciate the input i will post pics of the current condition on sat or sunday when i pick it up and will let you all know and update pics when i get the work done.

[milliard431]

re-vinyl. The chrome trim is the real problem. They stopped the vinyl just under the edge and the water got stuck behind the trim and rust would eat upward. If you look at any new vinyl or canvas top they run it under the vinyl and fold it under and up. The chrome is then stuck to the vinyl with 3M but with voids that allow water to run through and off. I don't know about up north but in Florida these are extremely common and I have never seen this new type cause rust. The 2 doors look especially stupid when painted. The 4 doors look nice though.

[Whuntmore]

Only if it's gonna be some kind of show car, and sheltered properly, driven sparely, then I guess go get it re-vinyled.

But as El Matador (and Regalwizard) put it best, if it's gonna be a Daily driver, outside in the sun, ran, and snow I'd seriously consider ditching the vinyl altogether, and just repaint it.

I see more 2 and 4 door Eagles with those rot areas around the opera windows, and in around the back window (sometimes) that it just floors me.

But that's just my 2 cents worth.

[shanebo]

Rohnk has a good point the tops installed these days are alot better than the tops of the past, not to mention rust proofing technology is much better. There is alot of good products you can use to protect the metal under the top. My buddy, who builds custom lowriders showed me alot about how the vinyl tops of today are so much better than the tops of yesterday...they actually take rust into consideration these days when installing them.

[big_iron]

so far there is no rust as its been stored in a barn for years. will be talking with the fab shop next week and will share what i do