EVER REMOVED A PADDED VINYL TOP?!?

[mopower76]

Hey all!
I’m planning on removing the padded vinyl top from Lebron -My 1979 Chrysler Lebaron Medallion 4 door sedan.

Every time I drive it a new section of the tattered material that once was a Vinyl top tears back. I’ve been spray gluing it as it goes! (Ha!! Ha!!)

I’m fully aware of the possible issues with rust I will certainly find but I’m wondering about experiences with removal and refitting the trim without padding or replacing with non-padded trim possibly from a Diplomat??

the car is going to stay the same color but make the paint matte finish and I want to do another color with HEAVY metallic flake!
Just have to figure out what color…
-White w/Red flake
-Silver with Red Flake
-Gold with Red Flake

Any suggestions???

Any info is very appreciated!!!

 

[mopower76]

I’m doing a build thread also where I’ll post about improvements and modifications.
Custom Taillights are next!

 

[Mikes5thAve]

Most Diplomats from that era also had vinyl tops. You might want to verify if F bodies had the same roof because they were more common to not have one.

The trim all comes off easily but you might find there is some fiberglass under it to give it the shape around the rear window or that the body is unfinished in areas.

 

[Aspen500]

I seem to remember a member here (justwondering) taking the vinyl off her 5th Ave to replace it a couple three years ago. May be a memory fault on my part though. There were photos and descriptions from what I recall.

 

[Justwondering]

M-body Vinyl Roof Removal

Apparently I was very verbose on my first 5th avenue project .... bwa ha haha

JW

 

[mopower76]

M-body Vinyl Roof Removal

Apparently I was very verbose on my first 5th avenue project .... bwa ha haha

JW

Well, at least for this project you won’t have to send me another service manual!!!

Can’t thank you enough!!!

 

[Aspen500]

Good to know my memory is still Ok more or less Could have sworn there were photos also however.

 

[Mikes5thAve]

Keep in mind the trim on this is different then 5th Avenue. There's no dropping head liner, the stuff around the rear window is attached much like windshield trim. There's no real instruction involved just start carefully pulling or prying at it and you'll see how it all comes off.

 

[Aspen500]

Just realized I'm an idiot, not knowiing 5th Ave isn't the same as LeBaron. I assumed,,,,,and you know what assumption is the mother of.

 

[Justwondering]

Two words ... putty knife.

JW

 

[mopower76]

Funny, once you get a car reliable and going as a daily you kind of forget about it… It’s blended into my daily life so much I’ve almost forgotten about this thread!
I did remove the padded top to discover as I expected… Rust… it’s mostly scale and pitting but no huge surprises.

I scraped and wire brushed the entire roof, removed all moldings and trim and cleaned app of the channels around the windows.
I then coated the entire roof with a rust inhibiting semi gloss black paint to keep what’s there at bay.
I prepped and painted all of the surround trim that once was red and matched the vinyl black and reinstalled it all with new trim clips where needed.

I like the look for a temporary quick one day fix and it’s held up great for at least the last 6 months.
I’m planning on DA’ing it down, filling the pits and seams around the C pillars and window plug and body working the roof and using a textured coating like Raptor bedliner so it will last and look a lot like a black vinyl roof.

I just picked up a 87 Fifth Avenue that I am considering making the new Daily and selling “LeBron”.
She’s still rough but people just LOVE this car!

 

[AMC Diplomat]

Funny, once you get a car reliable and going as a daily you kind of forget about it… It’s blended into my daily life so much I’ve almost forgotten about this thread!
I did remove the padded top to discover as I expected… Rust… it’s mostly scale and pitting but no huge surprises.

I scraped and wire brushed the entire roof, removed all moldings and trim and cleaned app of the channels around the windows.
I then coated the entire roof with a rust inhibiting semi gloss black paint to keep what’s there at bay.
I prepped and painted all of the surround trim that once was red and matched the vinyl black and reinstalled it all with new trim clips where needed.

I like the look for a temporary quick one day fix and it’s held up great for at least the last 6 months.
I’m planning on DA’ing it down, filling the pits and seams around the C pillars and window plug and body working the roof and using a textured coating like Raptor bedliner so it will last and look a lot like a black vinyl roof.

I just picked up a 87 Fifth Avenue that I am considering making the new Daily and selling “LeBron”.
She’s still rough but people just LOVE this car!

View attachment 51533

View attachment 51534

Don't bedliner it! It looks fine the way it is! Bedliner will just mess it all up!
If you want a heavy duty coating look at Durabak. Otherwise leave it be.

 

[Ele115]

Finally got something done. Painted my 78

I did one of mine. I just want you to know, you have a really flimsy fiberglass plug that you will have to deal with. They put that into the window opening to facilitate a smaller back glass than the Volare had. That's all it is, a fiberglass plug. They screwed it into the pinch weld with self tappers where the larger rear window would go, then wiped a smear of mud across the seams and slapped the vinyl on.