News:

Due to a technical issue, some recently uploaded pictures have been lost. We are investigating why this happened but the issue has been resolved so that future uploads should be safe.  You can also Modify your post (MORE...) and re-upload the pictures in your post.

Main Menu

74 Vinyl Sunroof-Replace or Eliminate

Started by Matt CLC#18621, May 28, 2020, 12:52:05 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Matt CLC#18621

Thoughts?
The vinyl has to go, should I use the opportunity to eliminate and paint?
One small rust bubble on passenger sail panel.
Hopefully by 74 GM prepped the roofs properly before they applied the adhesive.
Any ballpark estimates on replacing with period correct vinyl roof?
Thanks and best regards.

matt CLC#18621
i am 2nd 🍀

Cadillac Fleetwood

#1
Matt,
The earliest Cadillacs with a sunroof required a vinyl roof, presumably to conceal evidence of cutting, distortion, sanding, grinding, or other irregularities. Then, they were confident enough to offer a painted sunroof; the 1972 Eldorado Custom Cabriolet Coupe comes to mind. These, and similar cars, such as the 1974 Coupe DeVille d'Elegance and Coupe DeVille Cabriolet, offered a rear vinyl roof and a painted front roof section.

It does not appear that the vinyl roof covering in your photo is the correct vinyl for a 1974 Cadillac. Most '74 Coupe DeVilles had the traditional "cross-grain" vinyl, while some of the special editions in 1974 used "elk grain".  Yours resembles the "pebble grain" which was typical of , say, a 1974 Monte Carlo.  Moreover, the vinyl roof on a '74 Coupe DeVille with a full vinyl covering employed a "halo" moulding on the front and sides; the vinyl did not extend to the stainless drip rails, so yours appears to have been installed post-delivery. The installer did do the center seam, which is correct for '74. What is not visible in the photos is the rear window area, which from the factory, was framed with a seam above the top, and along both sides, of the rear window. Also not visible is the edge moulding; Cadillac used distinctive mouldings which appeared to have "stitching" on them. Most aftermarket vinyl roof installations used some form of bright metal or "plastichrome" as the edge moulding.

Your body data plate will provide a code for a vinyl roof, if the car left the factory with one. Thirteen colors were available; a few of the codes, if memory serves, are as follows: J=white; K=Black; C=dark blue; M=gold; U=beige, and z=medium blue. The vinyl roof code follows the paint code on the plate. If it did not come with a vinyl roof, I would consider deleting it entirely. Of course, the esthetics of this will depend largely upon your personal taste, and the color of the car.  Otherwise, I would consider obtaining the original cross-grain material, and the necessary halo mouldings, and/or edge mouldings, to duplicate a factory installation.Just my $0.02, LOL.

Charles Fares
Forty-Five Years of Continuous Cadillac Ownership
1970 Fleetwood Brougham
1969 DeVille Convertible
1989 Fleetwood

"The splendor of the most special occasion is rivaled only by the pleasure of journeying there in a Cadillac"

The Tassie Devil(le)

Quote from: Matt CLC#18621 on May 28, 2020, 12:52:05 AM
Hopefully by 74 GM prepped the roofs properly before they applied the adhesive. ....matt CLC#18621
i am 2nd 🍀 
I am pretty sure that none of the manufacturers prepared the roof by sealing it so it wouldn't ruse before they installed the vinyl coverings.   And the padded tops were the worst at destroying the metal roof.

I can attest to my previous '72 Eldorado with the half-padded vinyl roof, and a painted sunroof.   The back half was really bad.

Bruce. >:D

PS.   They would probably scuff the paint, or what paint was there so that the glue would adhere better.
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

D.Smith


Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621

Charles read my mind on the roof material which would have been crosshatch "Tuxedo" grain if factory installed.
A Cadillac Motorcar is a Possession for which there is no Acceptable Substitute

The Tassie Devil(le)

#5
Here it is.   I purchased it in 1980 from the Husband of the registered owner, who was selling it to pay off his drug fines imposed by the courts.

It was still registered in Arizona, and the fella never bothered to register it here, and just drove it unregistered.

Its' original colour was Maroon, but had a quickie Black paint job, and was missing the wheel spats.

Bruce. >:D

PS.   Was a fully-optioned car with Track Master.   Which I had operating twice, and it did work correctly, both times, stopping dead straight.
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

Scot Minesinger

Fairfax Station, VA  22039 (Washington DC Sub)
1970 Cadillac DeVille Convertible
1970 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1970 four door Convertible w/Cadillac Warranty

fishnjim

Depends what you want to do.
if it is an after sale conversion(non-OEM), then I'd take to a local shop and get an estimate(s), for re-vinyl vs paint/glass.   Some of these OEM mechanisms are no longer available.   They've improved.   American Sunroof is still around.
I don't recall the exact year they started to direct apply vs glue over primer, but that lead to the severe corrosion issues.   I guess it was to speed production and/or save cost? 
I think the vinyl was more a styling queue and market choice than early requirement.  Roofs were available(60s) before vinyl.   
With a solid top they don't need the inner sun shield which loses head room.   Not as popular as the "moon" roof.
Worst case, roof has severe rot, and will need a bunch of body work and replace the roof mechanism.   (Best to seal up any tears or breaks immediately with a UV resistant (clear) acrylic  sealant.)
Best case, they can just re-cover all/part.   
Maximize the value/appeal for the long term.   I'd think it too costly to eliminate completely but is possible.
I'd search out the build sheet and see how it left the factory, and those where done off line, so may not always match.  Invoice/sales order/window sticker would be best.   Dealers also ordered without and would add, at owners request/special deal w/savings over list.   [I had a friend that worked at an off-line convertor late '70s.]

jagbuxx #12944

I agree it’s not the correct grain vinyl top plus looking closely, the seat trim style and center console, the car is possibly a ‘73 or ‘74 Riviera...
Frank Burns #12944
76 Coupe d'Elegance EFI Galloway Green Firemist
70 deVille Convert San Mateo Red
61 Coupe Deville Bristol Blue
41 Series 61 Deluxe Coupe 6127D Black
08 STS 3.6 1SC  Thunder Gray
16 GTI Gray
03 T-Bird Black
16 Grand Cherokee Summit, Granite
19 Tiffin Phaeton 40AH
07 Corvette Blue
20 MB S450 White

"Whatever the occasion, there
is no better way to arrive than in a Cadillac.