[PontGuy]

I finally went by the local shop today and was quoted $1000 for a good vinyl top and $1300 for cloth, installed with glass window. We didn't get into specifics- I mainly wanted to see the shop and meet the owner to see if I felt good about them doing the job. There is very little choice on local installers and they seemed OK. And the base price sounds good. I would have them remove the existing top, then I would refinish the frame (and fix if needed) and bring the car back to them to have the new top installed.

The top on my car is functional, but it is not original, it looks a bit dingy, has wrinkles and it never fit very well. It has not been a real problem because I never drive with the top up except during winter, or cruising the interstate. But I need to replace it just to really "complete" the restoration.

I definitely prefer to go with white, or one of the off-white shades. The exterior and interior are original colors, it came with a white top, and black is just too hot here in Georgia.

So based on experience here what are the pros and cons for a car that has the top down for extended periods? Vinyl or cloth?

As much money as I have in the car price difference is not at all a concern. I just want it to look as good with the top up as it does with the top down.



I have very few pictures with the top up- this one is a few years old now, before the bodywork and new paint. The top "matches" with the old paint- respectable from 20' but don't get any closer

[paint guy]

My 69 vert also came with white vinyl (mine is also red with parchment guts) and I found an off-white color cloth top that was a very close match to parchment (without the slight "pearl" effect), but I instead chose black because the inside liner on all of the white cloth tops were tan or beige, whereas the inside line on a black cloth top was black. When the top is up, I didn't want look up inside the car and see tan. If you dont care about originality ( I don"t) hands down a cloth top is much better. It is easier to clean and maintain, it will last longer and it just plain looks better, IMO. My cloth top is made out of the same material as what's used on new Mercedes and BMWs. Good enough for me.

[nytrainer]

Paul, Got a pic of your car with the cloth top? I'll need one eventually on one of my 68's.
Dave

[hobi]

Originally Posted by paint guy

My 69 vert also came with white vinyl (mine is also red with parchment guts) and I found an off-white color cloth top that was a very close match to parchment (without the slight "pearl" effect), but I instead chose black because the inside liner on all of the white cloth tops were tan or beige, whereas the inside line on a black cloth top was black. When the top is up, I didn't want look up inside the car and see tan. If you dont care about originality ( I don"t) hands down a cloth top is much better. It is easier to clean and maintain, it will last longer and it just plain looks better, IMO. My cloth top is made out of the same material as what's used on new Mercedes and BMWs. Good enough for me.

Hey paint guy I just recently went through the whole process of cleaning and dying 2 stage base and mid coat a Parchment top for my 1969 Crystal Turquoise car. It was very labor intense even though I was doing brand new material but I really wanted that color on this car, I took my airline the next day 120 psi could not blow the dye off no matter how hard I tried, wrinkled a section back and forth for over one hour still hung in there so its going on the car now I will post pictures very soon as my shift lite tach is almost done also, oh yeah all the material was SEM.

[PontGuy]

Not sure how concerned I would be about a tan color inside since my interior is red. My white top has a black liner (I always thought this was a bit odd for a white top.) Though a light color would probably make getting the frame to look nice more important since the frame would be more visible.

Does anyone have photos of installed cloth tops to share?

I assume that cloth would be less prone to wrinkles after being down for a while?

Does cloth have more, or less stretch to it than vinyl?

[nytrainer]

My wife had a VW Turbo Beetle conv. prior to her current Pontiac Solstice GXP conv. and both have the factory cloth top conv. top. The newer cars with these conv. tops, IMO, just wouldn't look right with an ordinary vinyl conv. top and, although I haven't seen a 60/70's car with a cloth top, I would wonder if they also wouldn't look right.
White vinyl conv. tops have their own challenge keeping clean but I can tell you, as small as the tops on her two cars are, the cloth tops are no bargain keeping clean either. Granted they were/are black but dirt, pollen (in the springtime) and god forbid you get a microfiber towel within a foot of the material can be tough to remove compared to a vinyl conv. top and I imagine white cloth couldn't be any easier to keep clean.
Both cars also had sort of a mapping of the conv. frame in places as well as wear marks after just a couple years. Maybe the aftermarket cloth tops being considered are better than what I have experience with factory tops? One thing that is awesome with the new tops (at least on the two I mentioned above) is the inner lining. It is made from a wet suit type material that adds insulation and sound deadening.

[2002Z4CSS]

The cloth tops are what most OEM's use these days. They don't stretch and wrinkle as bad as vinyl and won't crack like vinyl since they are more plyable.

[VAB5]

Hey Walt,

Your car always looks so good!

I had a new vinyl top put on last year (remember, I have the other red/red LeMans). My top is black, but this should apply.

A good quality new vinyl top, installed correctly, should address your concerns. it will look great when it's up (no wrinkles), and will fold correctly when down. It all comes down to the installer, and the quality of the top. I would advise to inspect carefully when you pick it up. Bring it up, latch it, lower it, and check for the boot rail! My installer, with a stellar reputation, tossed mine during dis-assembly (but reimbursed me for the replacement).

Assuming warranties are similar, I don't think you'll gain anything with cloth. And it won't look period.

Paul

[JVM225]

Originally Posted by 2002Z4CSS

The cloth tops are what most OEM's use these days. They don't stretch and wrinkle as bad as vinyl and won't crack like vinyl since they are more plyable.

I agree. I have a cloth top on my C6 Corvette and it looks great.

[paint guy]

On prior convertibles I have owned, every time I had the vinyl top replaced the professional installers ( I have used more than one over the years) have all told me to make sure the top doesn't stay down for extended periods of time (even overnight, according to one). No such worries with cloth tops from what I've been told. You'll also be happy with glass vs plastic window.

[MrWrestlingII]

The vinyl top on my car was installed in 1995 and still looks like new today. I had it down for about a month straight last summer and it was pretty wrinkled when it came up. But after a few days and some time in the sun it smoothed right back out.

A quality top and installer are essential. I'd try to get some references from the installer and look at their work, preferably something that was done a few years ago to see how it's held up. The guy who did my top was an absolute perfectionist.

I like the cloth tops but don't think they look quite right on the older cars.

[PontGuy]

No clear winner on this question yet.

If I was going to leave the top up and just put it down to drive sometimes then no question- I would go back with vinyl. But I know myself too well, and my Lemans is a driver not a show car. The top will end up stored in the well most of the time just like it always has. And after some years it would likely end up looking a lot like the one that is on the car now.

Given this it sounds like cloth would be better for me. But I share concerns about the look of cloth on an old car. If cloth really doesn't look right then I would rather go with vinyl and accept that I will probably need to replace it much more often than most do. (I've owned this car for 15 years now and don't see myself selling it anytime soon, maybe never.)

Still hoping for some pics.