has anyone ripped off a vinyl top on a 78 regal? I want to convert mine to a hard top, and ive heard all kinds of stories from easy job to difficult. I read a posting on the threads here and it made it sound easy. (theofloorie? converting his 78 vinyl to hard top) Was the 78 finished under the vinyl or is it un welded ? Difficult to remove adhesive ? back window chrome trim still fit ?
The roof panel is not as high quality trim fit on vinyl top cars, and is not as structurally sound due to filler VS weld/ braze on the seam. Haven't done it on a 78-80 car, but did it to a 1983... The trim on the B-pillar MIGHT be different for a vinyl top car (to lap over the edge of the vinyl) than a standard top car. That trim is held on with a few screws in the door weatherstrip grooved mount, and a few screws behind it an the trim itself. The trim is held on with some VERY strong adhesive based black foam rubber (Which I never was able to find...) ... Every car in the local junk yard had a vinyl top, so I am only guessing as to the different trim possibility... The rear window will require trim clips to be mounted with screws like a body shop would do if trim pin was missing or broken off. I imagine that trim from a similar A- or G-body car MIGHT work, but I don't know for sureo No:. so you'd need trim from a donor car, about 15-20 screw on trim clips, and plenty of patience. Good luck!
DUH! I am so blind...The trim at the B-pillar IS different for a NON vinyl top car; 'Rounded' edge instead of 'sharp'. This is for 82-87 Regals; don't know for certain for 78-80 Regals. (I just had to look at 3 of the 4 Turbo Regals in my shop.ou:ou:ou:)
'78... I have an 80 that was not a vinyl roof car. Attached are some quarter window trim and back light trim pics if you can use them.
Went to local junk yard recently. A couple of vinyl top cars were failing in the vinyl, so I peeled a little more off in the 'suspect' area (OK'd by owner). As expected, the cars were not as thoroughly painted, compared to the non-vinyl areas. There was SOME surface rust evident, but NOTHING as compared to the 60's/70's vinyl top cars. The corner were the roof panel (on the standard, non-padded vinyl top) met the B-pillar was good and smooth, well finished, full leaded/welded as a solid top car, but the other car (with the PADDED vinyl top) had filler aka 'Bondo' that came up with the vinyl and showed rust through at the joint. Similar to the later 82-87 Regals.
