Hi everyone, I'm new to the boards. I've been checking this place for info regarding thirdgens, as I'm hoping to buy an 85 Firebird within the next few weeks.

The car in question isn't like other hardtop firebirds though (yes, no t tops ). It has a white vinyl hardtop. I've used the search tool on the boards here to find out myself, and though I found that there seems to be a lot of dislike for the idea of a thirdgen vinyl roof (I think it looks pretty cool, personally) I couldn't find much info on whether or not they sold them like that from the factory. I'd never actually seen one until I stumbled across the one I'm looking at - which I haven't seen in person yet because it is well too far out of the way for me to check out right now.

So, did any hardtops leave the factory with vinyl? It's a 1985 model with a 2.8 V6, no middle rear deck brake light and no hood vents or bulge, if any of that helps.

On top of this question, just like to thank and congratulate everyone here for putting together such a great community. I've already learned so much from just checking out old topics and articles. Thanks!

 

no

 

I am almost 100% sure they Never put a vinyl top out of factory and I have never seen one with a vinyl top. You should post a pic of this beast, I dont think Ill like it but its got my intrest.

 

Not factory or dealer offered, iv seen a few

 

NO WAY! Not even the factory thought that would be a good idea!

Dealers can offer a bunch of accessories added to the car and performed by local shops.

I would be interested in seeing a picture, only to confirm my personal dislike of this idea.

 

I've only seen second gen F bodies had the optional vinyl roof.

 

there are a few pics floating around the boards i think iv even seen some on car domain

 

I would like to see this thing. If you get a picture be sure to post.

 

Ok here are some pictures

 

definitely an interesting setup. never seen one of these cars with a Landau top. At least it follows the lines better than some of the other cars I've seen these on. but as everyone else has mentioned, definitely not a factory option

 

I actually dont think it looks all to bad on that car

 

I'd like to see what his RPO sticker looks like, to see if this a true factory option or not.

 

odd, but in a good way. Even if you like it or not you gotta admit it is pretty unique..... just a little......off

 

I actually saw an 89 RS camaro at a local junkyard with a black vinyl roof.I thought it was a convertible when I first saw it.

 

The image I had in mind was far uglier than the actuall photo...I don't hate it, the color combo makes it work and it follows the lines pretty nicely. If the car is mechanicly sound and reasonable I'd ****** it, It seems like a very interesting show piece.

 

Yeah, it's uniqueness caught me. Sort of off for a thirdgen, I feel that it only really works with this earlier body style (what do you call these models that don't have the front vents/ nostrils and have the wrap around "bumperettes"?) ie wouldn't look too good with a GTA, I wouldn't think. and I can imagine some horrible two tone colour schemes - I think it would only really work with white vinyl over certain body paint. Good throw back to older muscle cars while still being a piece of the 80s.

I am certainly trying to buy it, and for $12.5 K AUD it's a pretty good deal. Only problem is that it's very far away and so I'm not gonna go all the way out there just to find it's mechanically dead. I shot the guy an email asking if he could take it into his nearest RACQ (insurance/ inspectors) and he hasn't replied yet... gonna have to wait and see what happens there

 

I have to say I personally hate a vinyl top but I have to say this one isn't bad but still not something I would buy. But I do have a question for anybody that may know the answer, what is the point of a vinyl top anyway? Is it to give the illusion of a convertible, I think I saw on barret jackson that for the '69 &70 super bird and the daytona they never actually finished the roof so they all got vinyl tops but I know vinyl tops were around before then.

 

Originally I think they were for people who wanted to look like they had a convertible without actually having a convertible. They were marketed as being more classy than a regular hardtop because of this (in a modern light, "classy" could probably be seen more as "tacky" haha).

And yes, Superbirds had poor finishing around the rear roof line so they stuck on vinyl for a quick fix.

 

god I hate vinyl tops. I have never understood why any one would want one on any kind of car

 

I think the first ones appeared on '49 Fords. GM came out with the "Hard top" models on there top lines which had no B-pillar like a convertible. The Ford "hard top" bodies were still a year or two off, so to make their cars look more like a convertible they offered a fabric cover over the steel top. Then, in '62 GM offered a vinyl covering over a new roof line that was designed to show the lines of a convertible. Ford followed with their '63 1/2 with what I think they called the Sport-roof. At that time, with air-conditioning becoming more affordable buyers were getting away from actual convertables but still liked the looks of that canvas top. Vinyl tops were popular into the 70's but lost favor soon after that. I owned a '70 Z/28 Citrus Green with a black vinyl top. When I had it repainted, I told my body man that I didn't want the vinyl top any more and he said that since there were so few of them made that way I should re-do it the way it was built. I have to admit I never saw another one like it.

 

That's pretty interesting. It dosen't look to bad.

 

Not my style, but cool, in that it's unique. I wonder if it could actually be factory or dealer installed? I think we're all agreed that there were no factory North American cars with vinyl tops, but the General sometimes added some different options for export cars to suit the desires of the local market. Another interesting thing about that one is that I believe those are--again, for a North American car--Trans Am/GTA taillights, rather than Firebird taillights. For an export car, they may well be correct. Whatever the case, you definitely won't pull up to a stoplight and look over to see an identical car next to you!

Looks like it's a solid, rust free, and unique car. I hope the mechanical inspection checks out for you, and all you have to do is get rid of that horrifying dead sheep that's all over the passenger side bucket.

 

Completely off topic, but I think that's half-true: all Superbirds got vinyl tops owing to some extra sheet metal added at the base of the rear window that would have been expensive to make look right otherwise, but I'm also pretty sure that no Charger 500s or Daytonas got vinyl tops.