Questions Not Addressed in Vinyl Top Removal Threads

[online170]

1) Has anyone done a vinyl top delete, but kept the trim (maybe not the same G-bdoy trim, but some sort of trim) in place? Is it doable? Basically if you think back to the 60's, the cutlass and camaro comes to mind with its painted roof. I want to know if its possible to do something similar and keep the trim. I realize there are gaps and they would need to be filled, but thats a fixable problem.

2) The second question is about the rivets that are left behind. If i removed the top and left the rivets, are they waterproof? Meaning, are the ends closed? If they were not closed, then the little hole in the center is basically open, and that would make them leaky. Reason being, i want to get the top off my car to prevent damage to the sheet metal, but may not get to the rivets for another year. But at the same time i dont want it to leak.

 

[HAFROD]

I have deleted many vinyl tops on G bodys. The rivets are stud welded to the metal with no holes. I used a grinder with a 40 grit flap wheel and ground them smooth off. The removable panel below the back window I usually replaced with one from the salvage that had no vinyl top just to save body putty work. Now that G bodys are not laying in salvages as much anymore, you'd be putty working yours. Never left the trim and painted just that area. Never seen one done that way either. I ran into two cars that the roof was favoring one side so had to build one side with body filler and cut, weld, and grind the other. Also, you may need quarter window seals for a non vinyl top car. Again, I pulled the complete quarter glasses from a no vinyl top car from salvage. It seems like I may have had to screw on the rear window trim clips but that could have been a Chevelle I did in the 90s

 

[Rktpwrd]

I did a vinyl top removal on my '80 Cutlass years ago, and am getting set to do it again here shortly on my other.

Yes, once the vinyl is removed, theoretically you could reinstall the trim. You'd use the same clips, rivets, and trim. The issue then becomes you no longer have the additional thickness of the vinyl and the padding to keep pressure on the trim. This pressure helps keep the trim in place. Without it, I think the trim would be too loose and wouldn't stay put. That would be the issue you'd have to work around.

As far as the rivets are concerned, the factory rivets are not like the ones you're thinking of. They're solid on the tops, and are spot welded in place, so as long as there is no perforations due to rust or whatever, everything is sealed tight and weatherproof.

Here's a pic of the factory style rivet that you can expect to see once your trim and clips are removed:

Hope this helps ya out.

 

[bob64]

HAFROD you are correct you have to add clips to the rear window for the trim by either screws or pop rivets.
As for the quarter windows on my 86 olds l cut the vinyl off right at the black rubber surrounding the glass, took a little time but looks good.
They are in fact studs holding on the trim pieces an as HAFROD mentioned cut them off but l did mine with a die-grinder.
And twice l have just removed the half vinyl roof an painted the roof with undercoating, it was a rubber undercoating that was shiny black, it actually look good. Cars were a 73 cutlass an 75. It was simple an covered easy, l was young then, lol !

 

[online170]

Thanks guys, thats exactly what i was hoping to hear. The reason for the two questions is, i want that vinyl off as soon as possible to not damage the sheet metal, so its good to know i dont have to worry about the rivets if i cant get to them for about a year.

And secondly, i have a bit of a love affair with original paint. Since matching such old paint is not likely easy, i just want an alternative. Paint in place of vinyl might just work.

But will have to see, i am not oblivious to the fact that im missing bumper fillers, and my front hood and nose pieces are black. I think thats why i've been able to tolerate the vinyl for so long. But at some point the paint match thing is likely to come up. LOL

 

[L67ss]

There are regular rivets around the back windshield. Those will need welded

 

[L67ss]

https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...13032147.1073741836.100000696436317&source=56

if you zoom in you can see the holes on mine

 

[Matthew Goeke]

these cars look so clean without the vinyl top, im thinking about deleting mine even though it is literally perfect