Stripping off vinyl

Well, I will be starting the second restoration of my first hearse (86 Superior Buick) if it doesn't sell on Saturday. I've stripped of the top of a Cadillac coach before and it was fiberglass underneath. Both are the same year but are they both fiberglass underneath?

My plan is to finish top, fix rust and just paint the entire car white. Put some Buick true spoke wheels on it with two inch wide white tires. Other than the top and a few beauty marks here and there it's in decent shape.
 
the only thing I can say is fiberglass doesn't rust. so if it has the rust bubbles under the top it's steel. I really don't know on this set of Buick's but I would guess not. they were built after the company was sold and peddled as the cheap adulterated to the caddy. most used standard glass so I would bet they use the steel roof. let us know what you find
 
About 3 weeks ago I had a guy out here put a new vinyl top on my 1995 Buick Eureka. Did a nice job. While the top was off we fixed the windshield leak and it is permanently sealed, no leaks. I'll be ready to put it up for sale pretty soon.........

:thumbsup:
 
Ed, that's what I was thinking myself about the rust. I figured since both of my 86's were Superior that they would have been constructed the same. Or that they used fiberglass attached to the metal windshield surround. I guess I'll find out.:cheers:
 
Can't say this for fiberglass but I've been around when a couple of padded and non padded vinyl tops have been stripped and pulled off of metal roof and what I seen would scare the hell outta anybody! I've seen holes pulled back big enough to put a basketball through! After seeing this I don't have any plans or a desire of on owning a metal back car with any type of vinyl top on it! If my 77 M-M hadn't have had the painted metal back top and had a vinyl top I wouldn't have even gave it a second look! Fiberglass for the most part is OK and you don't have near as much trouble!
 
There is nothing wrong with having a padded or directly applied vinyl top on any car, if the metal underneath is properly prepared before the vinyl is installed. By properly prepared, I am referring to having the metal properly primed and painted. Once the metal is sealed, there isn't a problem. Most of these tops that are showing rust under them are the factory original tops, and the factory never painted the metal first. the factory didn't see any reason to paint a top if it was going to have a vinyl roof installed, since it wasn't going to be seen.
 
I might put a top back on it but that will be later on down the road. Maybe I will use a carriage top on her this time.
 
There is nothing wrong with having a padded or directly applied vinyl top on any car, if the metal underneath is properly prepared before the vinyl is installed. By properly prepared, I am referring to having the metal properly primed and painted. Once the metal is sealed, there isn't a problem. Most of these tops that are showing rust under them are the factory original tops, and the factory never painted the metal first. the factory didn't see any reason to paint a top if it was going to have a vinyl roof installed, since it wasn't going to be seen.

Back in my Body Shop days there was quite a controversy over this then common roof treatment. We even had a shop employee defer on a new Monte Carlo that had all his wants minus a Factory top. He ordered a new one from the factory.

We had a local Oldsmobile dealer that wouldn't order a new for stock vehicle with a Vinyl roof. Always had them Dealer installed.
 
the only thing I can say is fiberglass doesn't rust. so if it has the rust bubbles under the top it's steel. I really don't know on this set of Buick's but I would guess not. they were built after the company was sold and peddled as the cheap adulterated to the caddy. most used standard glass so I would bet they use the steel roof. let us know what you find

it's fiberglass attached to metal structure via large screws.
 
Not so much the screw heads. They are rusty but not enough to show through the top. It's rusted out across the top of the windshield and along the belt on the passenger side and the A pillar is rough. Nothing too but needs repaired.
 
Here's something that will scare the crap out of ya talking about vinyl tops! This is the top on the 72 Cadillac DeVille that I'm parting out. You can see how bad things can be with a vinyl top car. This top was applied strait to the metal with no padding. The second photo is where I pulled the sail panel metal back from the rear window with no effort. And there is traces of the cognac (brown) paint under the vinyl in various areas of the top too.

Glad I ain't restoring the thing!
 

Attachments

  • photo-4nr.jpg
    photo-4nr.jpg
    46.1 KB · Views: 67
  • photo-6nr.jpg
    photo-6nr.jpg
    52.7 KB · Views: 66
Here's something that will scare the crap out of ya talking about vinyl tops! This is the top on the 72 Cadillac DeVille that I'm parting out. You can see how bad things can be with a vinyl top car. This top was applied strait to the metal with no padding. The second photo is where I pulled the sail panel metal back from the rear window with no effort. And there is traces of the cognac (brown) paint under the vinyl in various areas of the top too.

Thats what my 81 S&S looked like when I took off the top! Too bad I didnt think of taking any pics. The rear window actually fell out when I hit a bump, good thing it fell inside not out.
 
I might put a top back on it but that will be later on down the road. Maybe I will use a carriage top on her this time.

One option is take it to Line x and have them spray on the truck bedliner, I have heard of a few people doing this and they all say it looks great. The top on my 85 Superior is comming up again and Im thinking of going this route. Plus its only a couple hundred bucks compaired to a couple thousand.
 
yes when I call and asked the man about the rust on the top of the 73 he told me it's got the normal rust for under a top. that was when I learned about rust being like humidity it all relative to were your at. all I will say is you have to be able to kill the rust or it will keep going on you. all the cover ups are mainly to clean up and pass on the problem. if you don't stop the action your just buying a short time.
 
I will cut out as much as I can and protect what is put back in. This is the last time I am going through it. I'm just glad the frame itself is solid.
 
Back
Top