Im new to this site and hope someone can help. I just bought a 1968 chevelle SS 396 with # matching motor, tranny and protecto plate. It will have a rotissery restoration and will be driven and enjoyed! It origionally had a vinyl top and I was debating weather or not to put one back on? How much difference will there be in the value of the car if it has the top or if it dosent? Also I will need some info on the underside of the car(paint it or undercoat) thanks.....

If you are restoring it to be a correct original car, go with the vinyl top. If you are restoring it to have a cruiser, do what you like the most. Value shouldn't be affected by a vinyl top. The value will come from the quality of the resto and what is done to it.

I would put the top on, they really set the car off. You may hear form some that it will be a moisture trap and lead to rust problems. If the roof isn't properly prepared or the car is driven in all kinds of weather, that may be so. However, this car sounds like it will be cared for and rust won't be an issue. My '69 SS didn't come with a vinyl top but it has one now.

I personally don't like vinyl tops unless the top color matches the body color (blk/blk - wht/wht). My Chevelle is blue and I like it without a V-top, but it's not a numbers car, if it was and it called for a V-top I'd install one............ you never know what will come down the road in the future.

I especially like them on the metallic colors (Silver/Black / Gold/Black)

I would preserve a a documented numbers matching car as thouroughly and correctly as your skills, knowledge and cash flow allow.

Study your finishes before you begin as well. Gloss vs. Flat etc. Overspray, correct primers, primer bleed through, different assembly plant practices.

If your doing a rotissory resto, it won't cost you any more to do it correctly and you'll end up with an investment grade antique when your done as appossed to a glossy street machine which will make quite the differance in your investments value.

put vinyl on it...:yes:

I painted the underside of mine with eastwood. Turned out real nice and smooth, like new. Since your doing it on a rotissory, you could spray it pretty easy.I live in Az. so I dont have to worry about snow or salt. To me, undercoating makes it look kind of sloppy.

Another vote for the vinyl on a numbers matching car but if you don't really care about that then I would base it on the color of the car and the original top's color. There are some color combinations out there that are truly horrid. Now the value of the car may not be affected much by a bad color combo, but the ability to sell that car quickly might be. In other words, for a 'good' color combo, you may be able to find 10 'buyers' in your area at a given price. For a 'bad' color combo, you may only be able to find 1 or 2 buyers who are willing to look past the color combo and see a valuable car at the same price. If you could care less about how much your car is 'worth' or how fast you could sell it if you had to, then do whatever pleases YOUR taste!

Sometimes people can get so caught up in what is 'correct' that they lose sight of what is 'fun'.

Shawn

Look at this pic & then decide. :D I'm voting no vinyl.
LK
http://xs113.xs.to/xs113/07096/roofrust.jpg (http://xs.to)

If it is numbers matching and you want to keep it correct, then I would put the top back on it. However, it should be installed by someone that knows what he is doing.

ALWHITE. That happens after 35yrs when a car isn't cared for. I'm willing to bet there is a lot more rust on that car than just under the top.

00hobby. If you've got a #'s matching car and your doing a full resto. Keep it correct and install the vinyl top.

Todays metal prep and paint technoligy is a million light years ahead of the prep and paint technoligy that was in the 1960's. The paint and body prep of today for a vynil top should make it last 40 plus years while taking car of the vynil top itself. I vote to retain a vynil top if that was what it had originally.

Vinyl tops can make the car look complete depending on the color combo. My 69 had one originally, it is a numbers matching car, and I elected to put it back on for both of those reasons. Here are a couple pics:

Before the vinyl top was reinstalled

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/BlueSS454/69%20Malibu/69-3.jpg

After:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/BlueSS454/69%20Malibu/65393b4a.jpg

Tom, that vinyl top really makes your car look much better to me! :yes:

Mike

Todays metal prep and paint technoligy is a million light years ahead of the prep and paint technoligy that was in the 1960's. The paint and body prep of today for a vynil top should make it last 40 plus years while taking car of the vynil top itself. I vote to retain a vynil top if that was what it had originally.

it is amazing what technology has done for our hobby....I use the sealer, not from eastwood but a competitive product that I like better. Think about this way....paint it....if you don't like it....then add the top....not gonna hurt nothing. you can always "add" the top...lil tougher to take the top off and paint AGAIN!
Look at Tom's......point made and btw Tom....I LIKE the top! The sealer is the way to go and I ain't skeer'd of the tops no mo!!!!