vinyl top removal?

[matt k]

hi i have a 79 grand prix with t-tops and vinyl top. can i remove the vinyl top with out wrecking the look of the t-tops? also do i need rear and side window trims. because i have another 79 grand prix with out vinyl or t-tops with window trim.

 

[85Supreme]

not sure how similar the gp is to my cutlass but when i took off my vinyl top i needed non-vinyl top landau windows which are the side quarter ones and rear window trim. removing the vinyl should not take away from your car if anything i think it looks more sporty, depending on what look you are going for.

 

[Jg85350Regal]

Yep you will need those rear quarter windows and also the trim for the back window. also the rear window needs to be removed to install the clips that hold the rear window trim but ive seen people just glue it too. Not to scare you away but it is a pita. Theres also some bodywork that needs to be done, theres seams on either side behind the quarter windows where the roof is attached to the side of the car. They just packed those full of seam sealer on cars that got the vinyl tops so it needs to be dug out (pretty easy) and then filled with something like all metal or maybe some bondo hair type stuff. The adhesive they use to hold to top to the car is kinda fun to take off too and actually the best thing I found to get it off was bumper sticker remover called "sticker shock" that comes in a small aresol can. I went through about three of those but it gets off the glue with minimal residue left over.

 

[85Supreme]

that sicker shock would probably be useful to me because i just scraped it off and sanded it down but some is still there.
before i sanded it down

looks alot better without vinyl

 

[Jg85350Regal]

Nice, I did this probably 4 or 5 years ago now and just got the non vinyl windows put in today. Didn't realize they were different until I found this forum. Another cool trick a body guy showed me for the little stubs the trim clips snap onto is to get a small pair of vise grips and clip them onto the stubs and just give em a gentle turn and they snap right off almost even with the body and then they can be cleaned up a little with a dremel or die grinder or whatever you have. Getting that vinyl off was such a pita I'd have to pull up a little strip and spray that sticker stuff under there and let it soften the glue a bit first. Without it the vinyl kep breaking off in small pieces... no fun. Might want to check out your back window too mine was unglued all along the bottom half and I never would of known without pulling the vinyl off. Im not sure what caused it but a felow g body guy told me if I ever got my car going over 120 or so to roll up the windows or I'd probably lose the back window, maybe that was starting to happen.

 

[85Supreme]

i didnt have as much trouble getting my top off as yours, i did mine in the summer time last year (dont know if the warm weather has anything to do with it?) but my top came off clean in one piece and then i had to scrape the glue off. the car still is sitting like that its a slow project me and my dad are working on for it to be my first car, a daily driver back and forth to school and work.

 

[killerbeachboy]

I'll remove mine too this summer and already got a non vinyl top car for parts to get parts from

 

[anakputa]

I am doing this right now too. I have to find the chrome that goes around the back window. I used all metal on my roof seams and just sanded of the vinyl top glue residue. Is there an aftermarket place I can get the black/chrome strips that go around the back window?

 

[killerbeachboy]

I gess not but if you roam in savage yards you'll probably find a car without the vinyl top to pic the chrome trim from also be sure to pick the piece between the rear window and trunk lid