Miss it or not, the all-American vinyl roof has gone the way of eight-track players, wire wheel covers, and ignition points—a once-ubiquitous feature from another automobile era.
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The vinyl roof cover went mainstream when it was offered on the 1962 Ford Thunderbird and Falcon Futura. In fact, it made the cover of the Falcon brochure that year.
Although simulated convertible tops, padded tops, and other roof decor treatments date back to the 1920s, the classic vinyl roof didn’t really take off until Ford offered it on the 1962 Thunderbird and Falcon Futura. It blossomed after that as a premium option, peaking in popularity in the ’70s. Upholsterer Bob Stedman has been in business for about 25 years and admits he doesn’t get many calls these days to install them.
Vinyl roof popularity peaked in the ’70s, along with the trend of more formal, neoclassical car designs. It waned with the more modern, aero-influenced designs of the ’80s.
“One or maybe two a year; that’s about it,” he says. “But there’s still a call for restoration work, and that’s keeping the craft going because it’s a unique task to install them.”
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The subject of this project is Mark Stornant’s 1969 Dodge Charger, which required a new vinyl top as part of a collision repair job. It was a shame because the car was already restored when it was sideswiped.
That’s exactly what brought Stedman to Mark Stornant’s 1969 Dodge Charger, which needed its vinyl top replaced as part of a collision repair job. Fortunately, the previously restored Mopar didn’t have any rust issues beneath the previously installed roof because, as most of us know, it’s a common malady. Moisture between the top and roof panel causes the corrosion and anyone inspecting an unrestored car with a vinyl roof should expect and look hard for rust. In this case, the Charger’s vinyl top had to be removed to facilitate the replacement of the left-rear quarter-panel.
The bodywork required a new left-rear quarter-panel and outer wheelhouse, which necessitated removing the vinyl top.
The replacement top was sourced from Legendary Auto Interiors and was comparatively inexpensive at only $399. Better still, it featured the Mopar-correct Boar-style grain pattern. Depending on the shop and its labor rate, the installation cost will add several hundred dollars more to the overall cost. Yes, it’s a project that can be tackled at home, but for those considering doing it themselves, seasoned restorer Nyle Wing offers his perspective:
“All we do is restore cars, and we still have the vinyl tops farmed out to specialists such as B&B Auto Upholstery because we just don’t encounter them very often, and there’s no margin for error,” he says. “If you get it wrong, you’re buying a new top and starting over. It’s not necessarily the project you want to try without experience.”
One of the aspects that added time to this project was the need to remove much of the interior because that was the only way to access the fasteners holding on the “Charger” emblems on the exterior sail panels. Their removal was necessary to remove the old top. Enthusiasts with cars that don’t require this time-consuming step should count themselves lucky—and for those who do, performing the task rather than having the top installer do it will save several hours of labor charges.
More than keeping wrinkles out of the material after it’s glued in place, ensuring the top and its associated seams are straight makes all the difference in the appearance. It’s not the most technically challenging project, but it requires a great eye for detail and the experience of working with the material. Bottom line: We’re not suggesting a novice can’t do it, but you may not want your own 1969 Charger to be your guinea pig. Go find your great aunt’s old 1977 Granada and practice on it.
The window moldings and trim must be removed before the old top’s removal and, on this car, the back glass and windshield, too. Glass removal isn’t required unless—like this car—the top material was wrapped around the entire window opening and the glass was installed over it. In most cases, the original top material was installed only to about the molding clips, allowing the material to be peeled off without removing the glass.
With the old top already removed, the installation on Stornant’s Charger took about four hours. It’s about double that if the old top has to be removed first. Also, in our photos, the car’s windshield and back glass had been removed because of the rest of its bodywork, but installer Stedman made it clear that glass removal is not necessary for a vinyl top replacement. Only the window trim/molding requires removal.
Here, the top has been removed, and the new quarter-panel has been attached prior to painting.
The vinyl top had its day in automotive design and on this restored Mopar muscle car it is a period-perfect topper that looks great as a complement to the Charger’s R4 Red exterior color. You can keep the eight-track player and wire wheel covers, however. No need for those to make a comeback. MR
With the Charger out of the paint booth, it’s time to install the new top. Many believe that vinyl tops hide surface imperfections, making the roof’s bodywork less important. That’s not the case with original-style tops, which have minimal backing or padding. In short, dents will show through the top material. That said, color-sanding the top wasn’t necessary.Installation begins with laying the top on the car’s roof to center it and make corresponding reference marks in preparation for gluing it in place. In addition to the center of the top, the parallel outer seams must be equidistant from the left and right edges of the roof.Legendary Auto Interiors’ model-specific vinyl top made the trial fitting easier because it was already cut to the basic dimensions of the Charger, including the window openings and the wrap area for the sail panels. Considering the top cost $399, it made all the sense—and cents—to choose it over a generic roll of vinyl top material.Next, the backing of the vinyl top is sprayed with Dap Weldwood contact adhesive. It is left to dry prior to installation, which takes about 10 minutes.With the adhesive drying on the vinyl top backing, the roof of the car is also sprayed with the Weldwood adhesive. The plastic covering on the rest of the freshly painted Mopar keeps the glue only where it needs to be. As with the top material, the adhesive is left to dry before installing the top. That may seem counterintuitive, but there’s a good reason for it.The dry adhesive allows the top to be guided into place and centered without immediately sticking to the roof. Wet or tacky adhesive on either surface will cause the top to stick and stick hard, eliminating the opportunity for centering adjustments.A heat gun is used to activate the glue once the top is in its final position. Pulling tension on the top ensures the smooth, tight appearance. The top material is much thinner than, say, vinyl seat upholstery, so care must be taken to avoid burning it. Note, too, the cuts in the material, which are used to help wrap it around corners.As the adhesion procedure continues, the excess material is trimmed to about 2 inches around the edges, leaving enough for pressing it into the corners and crevices around the window openings.A tucking tool is a must for pressing the top into those crevices of the rain channels and the corners of the pillars.
On the lower edge of the sail panels, the top is trimmed to approximately the top edges of molding attachment holes. The Charger emblems have also been reinstalled at this point.The Charger’s sail panels figuratively and literally add another dimension to the installation, as the material must be wrapped on two sides. Installer Stedman says the only way to do it is to “pull like hell” to get it tight. It helps to have a second pair of hands for this part of the job to ensure adequate tension on both sides of the pillars.The top’s installation is complete but the project still has a number of wrapup steps. This image shows the detail of the Mopar-correct, Boar-type grain pattern of the material, making the installation even more authentic for the Charger.With the top installed, the glass is reinstalled starting with the rear window.The windshield comes next. It’s a two-man job with suction cups.The windshield seats within a fitted rubber gasket featuring a lock strip to seal the glass. 3M bedding compound holds it all in place. Same for the rear glass.The window moldings and trim were finally reinstalled, completing the project.The fresh vinyl top looks factory installed. It’s tight and straight and complements the Charger’s red exterior. It represented about a day’s worth of work and was well worth it.
SIDEBAR
Flower Power: Mopar’s “Mod Top”
Scott McKenzie’s 1967 anthem advised anyone visiting San Francisco to “wear some flowers in your hair.” Chrysler did it one better and wore the flowers on the roofs of its cars.
Mopar’s “Mod Top” option, which was offered on some 1969 and 1970 Dodge and Plymouth models, was a bold and curious effort to market vehicles directly to women, using the popular flower motifs that had been co-opted from the counterculture movement into a mainstream fashion statement.
It was offered in three color schemes, with the floral print incorporated not only on the vinyl top but also on matching upholstery inserts. Advertisements touted the “Pop Print” designs, but Barracuda and Satellite models were labeled “Mod Top” on quarter-window decals (Barracuda) and vinyl top badges (Satellite). The Dodge moniker was “Floral Top.”
It was an unequivocally distinctive design statement but one that ultimately missed the mark. Over the two-year run, a scant 2,876 vehicles were ordered with it, with the vast majority, 1,637 of them, 1969 Plymouth Satellites. Only a little more than 200 ’69 Dodges were so equipped, and there were none in 1970, making it a largely Plymouth offering.
Mod-topped Mopars are rare sights these days, but the top covers and upholstery are reproduced for those who have a factory psychedelic Mopar to restore — or a car they want to infuse with flower power. MR
Sources
B&B Auto Upholstery
(616) 676-5588
robert_stedman@att.net
