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I would think that you would have to be insane to put a white top on any vehicle. Unless you live in Paradiso, Utopia. That's the place with no rain, no snow, no dirt, no pollution, no birds, no . . . Well, just about no of everything we got. That said, it would probably be fab-u-lous. Go for it and send pics.
Jerry, if you do it, go for vinyl as it's easier to clean but after a number of years, is almost impossible to clean back to white, too. We had one for years on our 57 but I was glad to go to a dark colored top for it.
If you're still wondering about doing it though, check out the condition of tan soft tops on the merlot tbirds or the cashmere top on the cashmere cars. or do a search here on cleaning softtops.
My 82 LeBaron would not look right with anything but the white top.
Black is easier to maintain but some cars loose something with coloured tops. One way or another , softops have a limited life and will need replacement. http://www.thunderbirdnest.com/membe...cat=500&page=2
I replaced the white top on my '95 Mustang Cobra a few years ago. The car was white over white with a red leather interior and I stayed with the white when I replaced the top.
A local shop in Conyers, Georgia did the work (a one-man upholstery shop) and it took him a full day to remove and replace it. The cost of the top was $450 and I think the labor was $550 to round out to an even grand.
I kept the car garaged and managed to keep the top pristine looking until I traded it in on a 2004 Mitsubitshi Spyder that was very, very close to the VMG color on the Thunderbird.
My 82 LeBaron would not look right with anything but the white top.
Black is easier to maintain but some cars loose something with coloured tops. One way or another , softops have a limited life and will need replacement.
Same with my '92 Le Baron
turquoise with white vinyl top looked really good,
those with black tops just did not compare! Bleach-white kept the top looking great!
Has anyone put on a white convertible top? I would like to see one on a
red bird. How much did it cost to put on a white top?
Jerry- Houston tx
As already mentioned by Dot, if you go white, go with a vinyl top like the older birds up to '66. Keep in mind that Ford never used a 'pure white' top on the convertibles. The tops used on Fords/Thunderbirds was called "Ford White", which was a creamy white and looked much better than the pure white used by some manufacturers. A few years back I put the new top on my '58 restoration. and after much research and contact with the maker of tops, not to mention extra costs to get it 'like original' and top notch tack shop, I think it makes the car , but for that era and matching wide white wall tires to set it off. The inside liner on white tops was always black. Good luck with the project if you go ahead and will look forward to seeing some pictures of finished product.
MartinB.
Snowbird, I love your squarbird and have been looking for one myself but
can not find a cheep driver convertible. Yours looks new, I bet you have a
lot of fun with it.
Snowbird, I love your squarbird and have been looking for one myself but
can not find a cheep driver convertible. Yours looks new, I bet you have a
lot of fun with it.
Jerry
Thanks for the compliment Jerry. Still de-bugging it since total rebuilt. Not much time so it only has 50 miles since redone.
Will attach a picture of it when it was almost new somewhere in Quebec (lucky to have a picture of that), and one when I picked it up to bring it home after purchase back in about '85 or so. (small used cr lot) Car still looked half decent but this owner has changed a lot more.
MartinB.
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