How difficult is it to remove landau half top on 1984 Town Car for new vinyl?

[Hillbillycat]

Hi, found no real answer to my question.
The Landau half roof vinyl top of my new 1984 Lincoln Town Car is spider-webbed all the way through.
Replacement is mandatory for all "repairs" seem to be not worth the effort.

Interior and headliner will come out soon anyway for cleaning and new headliner install.
So this will be probably be the right time to deal the vinyl, too. Canīt find nothing in the ī84 body shop manual wether there are screws,nuts or retainers from the inside to be removed.

Car has no garage but lives outdoors and is a year round daily. Thatīs why Iīd like to fix the cracked vinyl for I fear it will store water underneath and quickly rust away.

I welcome any hints or pics or links to other threads that did it.
Thank you

[Tiggie]

Can't speak for a Town Car, but I took the top off my Ford. The headliner had to come out and most everything was pretty visible - small nuts holding the clips. Got those loose and the few that were clipped with a rivet to the body became more apparent and easier to unclip.

[gadget73]

The tricky part is the trim around the rear side windows. Those have a tab that just pushes into the sealer goo around the glass. You have to very very carefully pry them out. The tabs will straighten out as the trim comes if you're lucky. They will crack off if you are not.

otherwise its just a bunch of small screws and nuts, getting to the ones inside the trunk is kind of a pain in the ass but its more because they are way up inside the C pillar area and its difficult to reach. I think the front-most studs on those trim pieces are push nuts in the body.

[87gtVIC]

Another option for the quarter windows mentioned above is unbolting the window (couple tabs secure it in place along with the goo). You can then bend the exterior trims clips out of the way.

I have similar trim on the quarter windows on my two door.

[gadget73]

offhand I'm not sure the rear windows bolt into a Towncar. I think its all adhesive like a windshield, but its been a while since I saw all that exposed.

[87gtVIC]

offhand I'm not sure the rear windows bolt into a Towncar. I think its all adhesive like a windshield, but its been a while since I saw all that exposed.

I hear what you are saying. Mine were not actually bolted in place either but had tabs that were bolted into the body and spanned to the glass to sandwich the glass between the vinyl top, clips for exterior trim and goo.

[gadget73]

gotcha, yeah that sounds familiar

[Mainemantom]

The TC vinyl top is a job that takes lots of time and patience. If you rush, you will mess up. ALWAYS buy replacement vinyl top material, not just vinyl. Vinyl top material is specially treated to handle the weather. I always buy a pre-made top. You may have to order and purchase it from a upholstery shop. The suppliers do not like dealing with the public, just shops. I am looking to redo my 89 TC sig. with the sun roof. Royal PIA. Worst part of the whole job is taking off the old vinyl and glue. If the metal is badly scratched, you have to prime and repaint the areas. Another big mistake is trimming the vinyl on the sides too short at the molding. It will shrink. If you take your time, work at it about 8 hours a day by yourself, it will take 3 days which would equal $850 in labor plus materials @ $250-300.
I am at a point that I may have to do the job myself to have it done right. Physically, I am unable to do much anymore. The frustration of trusting someone to do the job, failing to do it right and still having to pay top dollar. is enough to bring me out of retirement. Have to weigh which is more painful. Doing the job myself or pain in my wallet and anger when it is not done right.

[DerekTheGreat]

Sell the car Tom.

My top needs to be redone on my '88 as well, I think I'll just sell it as I'm in the same boat you are, only I don't trust myself to do a job like that.

[Arquemann]

And this is why I'll do a slicktop on MGM if I need to do something to the vinyl...

[gadget73]

that was at least an option on the Ford/Merc models. There is a big un-filled body panel seam about 2/3 up the C pillar that needs to be dealt with, and if its a half top you have a bunch of holes to fill. Depending what rear window setup you have that can get fairly involved. if its the Frenched in one with no chrome trim, you have a fiberglass shell thing around the glass that has to go. I think the rear glass is different too, but not 100% on that.

Lincolns have the same problem with the rear glass, and there are some other goofy things under there. The full top cars like mine have rear window trim and no stupid shell, which is good but its also rare so my rear glass trim and side lights are very difficult to come by. There is a goofy plastic fill panel thing in the lower rear corner of the C pillar and the body lines through that area were very obviously never designed to be seen. I suppose if you have some bodywork skills it could be made to not look awful but its not quite as simple as ripping the top off and shooting paint on.

[Mainemantom]

I wish there was some kind of resin to put over the old top. Like the hard as nails resin poured over wood. That would be a permanent fix. Vinyl top would never have to be done again.

[over2tonsofFun]

I am wanting to get rid of the Vinyl top all together on the two door. It is weather checked all to hell. I think it would look better without.

Tim