Landau Top "Pattern"?

Jonnyuma

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This is specifically in reference to my '79 Lebaron's top... there are no seams like I've seen on full vinyl tops so I'm wondering if it's a manufacturing process for these or is it just stretched and shrunk to fit, cut out the windows, glue, trim, etc etc?
 

Jonnyuma

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Stretch to fit like you said.
Thank you.
I found a local source who has some of the early 70s brown paisley material (NOS) used on Chrysler Imperials for, I think, one year only. It's oddball enough to appeal to me, but I haven't decided on whether or not it's too oddball. Chances are, when it comes time to order I'll chicken-out and go w something less radical... I've been known to do that.

I'd prefer to delete the vinyl completely but w the factory butched-in quarter-glass I don't see a practical (or asthetically pleasing) way around the landau top. I figure if it's gotta have vinyl, might as well make it interesting. Or invisible... not sure yet.
 
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Oldiron440

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The early top material was thicker and less pliyable than the vinyl used in the 80s.
 

Jonnyuma

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The early top material was thicker and less pliyable than the vinyl used in the 80s.
Good to know. I would also have to assume that being NOS and almost 50 yrs old it might not be the best candidate for a "stretch and shrink" job.

Dang... any ideas for some kind of an alternative vinyl top material? I'm not trying to make a fruity "Art Car" project... I like to keep my mods subtle enough so that the car looks cool at 20 feet, but keeps on giving as you get closer. Know what I mean?

I'm going to contact the vendor and request a sample of the brown paisley... that might give me an idea of what I'd have to work with...

This is what it looks like
20180105_010134_02417_S3t-hd.jpg

... I kinda dig the weirdness, but I'm not sure how much I'm diggin' it. Enough to cover a quarter of my Lebaron's roof? Maybe...

Am I nuts for even considering this?
 
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bbeep79

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A friend of mine had that top on his new '71 Plymouth Fury Gran Coupe. The car was brown metallic, and that top really set it off. Everybody thought it was really sharp!
Then again, it was the 70's !
As I remember, it is very subtle, but from farther away you notice something, and want to get a closer look.
I think it would be cool on a LeBaron.
If you google '1971 Plymouth Fury Gran Coupe' images, there are some close up pictures of that top on a car so you can get an idea of what it actually looks like.\
Those cars also had matching seat inserts of the top material.
 

Jonnyuma

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As I remember, it is very subtle, but from farther away you notice something, and want to get a closer look.
Yeah, thats pretty much the effect I'm after.
I can either try to camouflage it (the vinyl) or try to make it a point of interest. My guess is that there aren't a whole lot of people, even Mopar guys, who have seen this stuff used in almost 50 yrs.

The brown paisley pattern is the only "Mod Top" material I'd consider... the others are garish and not to my tastes, even on older cars.
 

Jonnyuma

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My brown paisley sample came from SMS and I'm happy to report that it appears exactly as I had hoped... it's solid dark brown w the pattern embossed (vs printed) on/in it. It looks and feels (on the surface) similar to some of the dime-store "hand-tooled leather" cowboy holster/belt combos I'm sure many of us had as kids in the 50s, 60s, and 70s.

Why is that good?

Because it's all one color. The pattern will literally disappear in the absence of light, it relies on reflection and shadow for the effect... don't get much more subtle than that. Plus, the dark brown color is a purt-near exact match for the piping used on my seats, and a close-enough match to the factory fake wood interior trim... nice contrast inside to outside.

Bad news is that they want $495 to make the top... 100 bucks more than for a "standard" top.
Also... I have to come up with paint color that will work with it and the tan interior. I'm leaning towards the browner end of the gold spectrum.

I don't know if this is NOS or repro stuff... doesn't matter to me. If it's repro then it's probably better for me.
 
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Poly

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Some pictures would help. Kinda think you'll need to remove the headliner for access to the nuts holding the chromed band, if it is similar to other landau tops.

I'd surely not want that paisley material outside in the elements with the dirt, etc.
 

old yellow 78

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I like it! But then I like my plaid seats too. I think it will make your LeBaron really stand out and you are bound to get questions about it which is always fun. I think the '70's was a great decade, at least unique, before everything HAD to look like everything else. Color, patterns and texture still existed then. Not so much anymore.
 

89.Fifth

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My brown paisley sample came from SMS and I'm happy to report that it appears exactly as I had hoped... it's solid dark brown w the pattern embossed (vs printed) on/in it. It looks and feels (on the surface) similar to some of the dime-store "hand-tooled leather" cowboy holster/belt combos I'm sure many of us had as kids in the 50s, 60s, and 70s.

Why is that good?

Because it's all one color. The pattern will literally disappear in the absence of light, it relies on reflection and shadow for the effect... don't get much more subtle than that. Plus, the dark brown color is a purt-near exact match for the piping used on my seats, and a close-enough match to the factory fake wood interior trim... nice contrast inside to outside.

Bad news is that they want $495 to make the top... 100 bucks more than for a "standard" top.
Also... I have to come up with paint color that will work with it and the tan interior. I'm leaning towards the browner end of the gold spectrum.

I don't know if this is NOS or repro stuff... doesn't matter to me. If it's repro then it's probably better for me.


Do they have it only in brown? Or do they have other colors?
 

Jonnyuma

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Some pictures would help.
My phone's camera lens is broken so I can't get any decent pics until I get it fixed or replaced. It looks just like the photo I posted above (taken from SMS' website) only it's darker and richer-looking "in person".

Do they have it only in brown? Or do they have other colors?
I'm pretty sure the paisley only comes in dk brown. They have some other unusual stuff though, it may or may not be factory Mopar... like the Ford houndstooth pattern.

Pulling the headliner will not be fun, but I expected it. Once it's out I'll be looking for a way to get the "oil can" droop out of the backing (it's one-piece) that keeps popping it down onto my head. I pop it back up... and it pops back down. I'm guessing it's some kind of medium density fiberboard...
 

78VOLAREWAG

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My brown paisley sample came from SMS and I'm happy to report that it appears exactly as I had hoped... it's solid dark brown w the pattern embossed (vs printed) on/in it. It looks and feels (on the surface) similar to some of the dime-store "hand-tooled leather" cowboy holster/belt combos I'm sure many of us had as kids in the 50s, 60s, and 70s.

Why is that good?

Because it's all one color. The pattern will literally disappear in the absence of light, it relies on reflection and shadow for the effect... don't get much more subtle than that. Plus, the dark brown color is a purt-near exact match for the piping used on my seats, and a close-enough match to the factory fake wood interior trim... nice contrast inside to outside.

Bad news is that they want $495 to make the top... 100 bucks more than for a "standard" top.
Also... I have to come up with paint color that will work with it and the tan interior. I'm leaning towards the browner end of the gold spectrum.

I don't know if this is NOS or repro stuff... doesn't matter to me. If it's repro then it's probably better for me.
72 Mopars had a color called Tawny Gold, dark brown with lots of gold metalic.
 

Jonnyuma

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I'd surely not want that paisley material outside in the elements with the dirt, etc.
I'm in Oregon, we don't have dirt here. Only non-GMO organic debris... and bird sh*t.

The original top has held up pretty well for almost 30 yrs... it's gonna be tough to even get it off. One of my favorite features of this car is that I'm not afraid to run it through a car wash a couple of times a month.
 

Poly

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Pulling the headliner will not be fun, but I expected it. Once it's out I'll be looking for a way to get the "oil can" droop out of the backing (it's one-piece) that keeps popping it down onto my head. I pop it back up... and it pops back down. I'm guessing it's some kind of medium density fiberboard...

You may very well have the pressed fiberglass headliner backing. Looks like fiberglass insulation. If there are humps for the shoulder belt retractors, this will be a fragile area.
 

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bbeep79

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Your internet pictures of the '71 Fury is exactly what our friends car looked like, EXACTLY ! Like 78VOLAREWAG said, there is a lot of gold metallic in that color, and it really goes well with that top. The chrome and your wheels on that LeBaron should set things off nicely. That '71 color gets my vote!
 
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