GT/CS Vinyl Top Option

[guest]

I have two California Specials with vinly tops. I believe that both tops are original to the cars, but the Marti reports on the cars do not show a vinly top option. Does anyone else have a GT/CS with vinyl top and a Marti report without the top listed? Does anyone have a report where it is listed? Seems odd to me that it would not be on the report. Any help would be appreciated.

Scott

 

[cmacias24]

I have a friend that owns a body shop that was telling me that back in the 60's Ford would send him cars and have him put vinyl tops to make the cars sell at a better price. He was telling me that for would then sell the as a factory option. This was in Downey, CA.

 

[68sunlitgold]

Scott,
The vinyl top was also a dealer option, so as stated by cmacias24 many where added by the dealer. Now as for being original to the car, there are 2 different views, some think that an "original" means as the car came from the factory, and others think it is as it came from the dealer. So if it is a dealer addition it would not be on the Marti Auto Works report but I would consider it as original equipment. Just my thought
Doug

 

[Russ]

Scott,
My GT/CS has a vinyl top and there is no mention of it on the Marti Report. Probably was a dealer item, but it does have the original style chrome trim that divides the vinyl top from the body. Hope this helps.
Russ

 

[rjw]

Like Russ, my GTCS has the vinyl top and it is not listed on the Marti report.

 

[guest]

Lee Grey (Los Angeles Sales District Manager for 1968; "father of the GT/CS") once told me that lots of Mustangs, T-Birds and Galaxies were heavily "optioned" out by dealers in the L.A. area. Mustangs were sold in 1967 in "rainbow colors", painted right over the original paint! This thinking is part of what led to the GT/CS idea, and how it was another optioned out type of car for the L.A. market (although Northern Calif. had to OK the whole thing before Dearborn would approve it for production).

So, I am not suprised at all by the cars with tops--and no mention on the Marti factory report. Good thing for the Registry to keep track of these things, huh?

Also--look for NO seams on the upper windshield pillars, which adds to it being "original". Later tops used separate strips for the windshield pillars, to save material. The top seam was original, tho', whether original or repro.

Paul.

 

[guest]

Paul and others, thanks for the information on the tops.

Paul,

Are you saying that if my vinyl tops have seams on the windshield pillars that they are later reproductions or that they could have been dealer added. Does the lack of seam indicate that it was factory? And the evidence of seam indicate that it could have been dealer installed?

Also, I don't have a registry. I have 3 GT/CS's and would be curious to find out if they are in the registry. If I give you the VIN's could someone check.

Thanks

Scott

 

[guest]

Scott,

Good question. Everything I've heard all these years is that dealers did the tops the same way as the factory. I've never seen an original car with seams on the pillars...Later, vinyl top companies cut corners and added the windshield seams--to save material. Is there some vinyl top expert out there who worked at a Ford dealer in the late sixties--that would know about this?(or a manual from Ford for mechanics in how to do it?)

I also have a car in the registry (former girlfriend) that had one of those dealer "spray-on" tops. It's a special paint, kind of like valve cover crackle. Her car also had the vinyl top chrome trim, and those ultra-rare "landau irons" ("S" shaped) on the sides of the hardtop. Kinda weird--but it was a dealer option (in San Diego).

Be sure to e-mail me with your registry info--or include it here on this site's registry listings; which I'll be using in the next update.. PMNewitt@CaliforniaSpecial.com

thanks, Paul.

 

[68sunlitgold]

Scott and Paul,
I have the 68 shop manual, and it shows a drawing of the "outside roof cover installation" and it shows only 2 seams. Both seams are running along the roof line from front to back about (this is just a wage) 2 inches inside the front window glass. This makes it appear that there are only 3 panels (one large panel down the middle and one smaller panel on each side) and NO seam at the front window pillars. Now I am only taking this from a drawing.
I also looked in my "64 1/2 - 68 Mustang Muscle Car Col History" book which shows a 68 mustang with a vinyl top and it looks just how I explained above. Hope this helps.
Doug

 

[guest]

Sounds like two of my GT/CS's have had their tops replaced at some point. Both have pillar seams. And since neither have the top option listed on the Marti report, I assume that they were dealer added. Both have the correct trim on the rear quarter panel. I appreciate everyone's help.

Scott

 

[guest]

hi
i came across this site surfing the web, looking for vinyl roof material for my 77 series II ghia, i have been renovating over the last 4 years.
please note i am in manchester, england
have you any source's over there i could contact, i'm lookin for 2 metre x 1 metre in AQUA BLUE
happy motoring
jim