Special editions sportsroof with full vinyl roof

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Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs

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I see this topic has came up before. I do think there was a special edition that was made for Texas that had full vinyl roof. In the 1970's on of the guys I worked with started buying and fixing some of the 71 -73 mustangs. He brought one to work for me to see I think a 71. I had special badging that I just cannot remember what it was called. It had a full vinyl roof that looked like leather and the trim was also not just aluminum but textured.

Several states got special editions that few were made like the Twisters and California specials. I have searched but never found anything about it I might have to go look up Don and see if he remembers what it was called. I don't think it was aftermarket but special edition. You should have a different DSO code and the build tag under the hood will show the vinyl roof if Ford did it.

This is bugging me for sure since I saw one in person.

Anyone know what I am talking about?

David

 
I gotta wonder if there isn't something to your theory. Auron1973Mach1 and I went in half-sies on a pair of parts cars he found locally. The '72 Mach 1 had [what was left of] a full vinyl roof on it...

I don't recall the DSO code on the door sticker, we'll have to have him check for that. I think he still has its doors - not entirely sure though... I think he might've gotten the "small" Marti Report on it.

 
I gotta wonder if there isn't something to your theory. Auron1973Mach1 and I went in half-sies on a pair of parts cars he found locally. The '72 Mach 1 had [what was left of] a full vinyl roof on it...

I don't recall the DSO code on the door sticker, we'll have to have him check for that. I think he still has its doors - not entirely sure though... I think he might've gotten the "small" Marti Report on it.
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For some private trim shop to make up the tooling to make the trim would be crazy expensive. You need a stretch bender to make the curved pieces not just roll form. I know the one I saw was not an aftermarket add on. I just wish I could remember what it was called so I could search it.

David

 
It is very easy to bend and make the trim for custom vinyl roof installations. I managed a car dealer for years and we had it done all the time. If done correctly they will look factory-perfect.

 
Vinyl tops were offered on all Ford cars except Pantera as an option, here is a page out of the 1972 ford byers guide.

it was an $82 dollar option see the section labeled "Appearance and protection"

I also have attached the whole 1972 lineup buyers guide

PTDC0037.JPG

PTDC0060.JPG

1972 buying guide web.pdf

 

Attachments

  • 1972 buying guide web.pdf
    6.6 MB · Views: 3
It says only on 2 door hardtop in the details in section II

 
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It says only on 2 door hardtop in the details in section II
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And that is what I understand is all that was factory. Any other vinyl top would have been an aftermarket add on usually performed by a trim shop. Most dealers would not do them in-house as most did not have an upholstery/trim department.

Special Editions from dealers should be document-able by searching local newspaper archives from the time the cars would have been sold. Dealer mods completed to sell more cars require advertising to help promote and differentiate from the other common models.

Back in the early 80's Ford marketed the Mustang GT with a slogan, "The Boss is back". So a local dealer had a local trim shop apply lower-body graphics with the text "BOSS" to their Mustangs. While it was a dealer applied optional trim mod - it was not very desired back then nor is it appreciated today.

Ray

 
It is very easy to bend and make the trim for custom vinyl roof installations. I managed a car dealer for years and we had it done all the time. If done correctly they will look factory-perfect.
Click to expand...
I did tooling for automotive and it is not easy to make the trim. You have to roll form it then have a stretch bender to make the forms. Show me a custom shop that has that capability and I will say it was not factory. If they could make that trim they would be making the wheel opening trim today.

David

 
I believe I've seen three personally and pictures of another 4 or so over the last 35 years. Being the owner of a 3/4 top fastback, any vinyl covered fastback has got my attention. I've also seen 68-70 fastbacks with similar tops. I believe that I remember an early model In the Car Wash movie.

 
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It is very easy to bend and make the trim for custom vinyl roof installations. I managed a car dealer for years and we had it done all the time. If done correctly they will look factory-perfect.
Click to expand...
I did tooling for automotive and it is not easy to make the trim. You have to roll form it then have a stretch bender to make the forms. Show me a custom shop that has that capability and I will say it was not factory. If they could make that trim they would be making the wheel opening trim today.

David
Click to expand...

Are you saying you believe the full vinyl tops on sportsroofs were a factory Ford option? -Even though it was never stated on any option sheet or order form? When my father was in the used car business we were continually solicited by trim shops showing trim as you mention. They always said the trim was required on any car as a border when they added a vinyl top. If you go visit a trim shop who has been in business for a while, simply ask them if the trim was/is available.

For the hardtops and coupes, Ford used a pressed in stud to retain the vinyl top trim moldings. When you remove the vinyl top trim, these studs are sticking out. I am curious how the aftermarket vinyl top trim were attached? Similar or the same?

As always if anyone finds documentation to support anything contrary to what is understood to date - please come forward with it and we can work hard to vet it correctly.

I enjoy learning more all the time.

Ray

 
To reiterate: I managed a Ford dealerdhip in WNY for several years. We would have vinyl roofs added to stock inventory frequently from a local trim shop. They had several different styles and widths of moldings that would closely match the factory moldings used on current new vehicles. It was easily bent into nearly any shape desired. A rivet-gun was used to attach plastic clips to the sheet-metal and the newly fabricated trim would snap into place just like a factory piece...no visible screws.

It was nearly indistinguishable from a factory-installed item, other than the fact that it wasn't offered.

Many "special editions" are remembered as factory-offererd because you may remember seeing several of them over a large area or maybe at several dealerships, giving the impression it was a factory offering.

The dealership I was at was a part of the FDWNY (Ford Dealers of Western New York) and there were about 36 dealers in this group. This group came up with the Ford F-250 and Ranger "Bigfoot Specials":

Stock blue F-250s and Rangers were ordered for dealer floor-plan, but were diverted to an FDWNY trim shop. There the suspension, wheels and tires, bumpers, custom paint/decals and other various bits were applied...then each unit was shipped to wherever its MSO stated it was ordered from.

There were about 200 of each made if I remember correctly, and they were sold all over Western New York. There was a pretty big TV and radio ad campaign using Ford-supplied co-op advertising 'base stock'.( Ford-produced commercials with blank spots to add in your local content).

This all gives the appearance of a totally 100% factory-OEM offered product...but it was not. Ford motor company had nothing to do with that particular "special edition".

It is not difficult to make custom changes to a new vehicle and have it appear 100% stock. Good trim shops do it all the time.

Many dealerships will order cars without popular equipment, only to add the equipment locally...to save them some money.

We did that with stereos all the time. We stocked head units, amplifiers and speakers that were virtual clones of the factory units. Made by "Philips Radio", the only difference visually was that the tiny "Ford" emblem on the face of the units was not there...otherwise identical.

They even used factory harnesses for "plug and play" ease of installation.

The cost to the dealer was about half of what it would have cost to order it from Ford that way. We ordered the cars with the "radio prep" option: mounting brackets, wires, speaker holes and grills, but no units. Just plugged in our own stuff.

The "Premium Sound" available back then usually invoiced from Ford for around $250-300, and MSRP'd at around $400-500. We could get the whole system ourselves for about $75, pay a service guy his rate to install it and save a bundle.

Those units look 100% stock...but they aren't.

Same with this vinyl-roof trim.

 
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To reiterate: I managed a Ford dealerdhip in WNY for several years. We would have vinyl roofs added to stock inventory frequently from a local trim shop. They had several different styles and widths of moldings that would closely match the factory moldings used on current new vehicles. It was easily bent into nearly any shape desired. A rivet-gun was used to attach plastic clips to the sheet-metal and the newly fabricated trim would snap into place just like a factory piece...no visible screws.

It was nearly indistinguishable from a factory-installed item, other than the fact that it wasn't offered.

Many "special editions" are remembered as factory-offererd because you may remember seeing several of them over a large area or maybe at several dealerships, giving the impression it was a factory offering.

The dealership I was at was a part of the FDWNY (Ford Dealers of Western New York) and there were about 36 dealers in this group. This group came up with the Ford F-250 and Ranger "Bigfoot Specials":

Stock blue F-250s and Rangers were ordered for dealer floor-plan, but were diverted to an FDWNY trim shop. There the suspension, wheels and tires, bumpers, custom paint/decals and other various bits were applied...then each unit was shipped to wherever its MSO stated it was ordered from.

There were about 200 of each made if I remember correctly, and they were sold all over Western New York. There was a pretty big TV and radio ad campaign using Ford-supplied co-op advertising 'base stock'.( Ford-produced commercials with blank spots to add in your local content).

This all gives the appearance of a totally 100% factory-OEM offered product...but it was not. Ford motor company had nothing to do with that particular "special edition".

It is not difficult to make custom changes to a new vehicle and have it appear 100% stock. Good trim shops do it all the time.

Many dealerships will order cars without popular equipment, only to add the equipment locally...to save them some money.

We did that with stereos all the time. We stocked head units, amplifiers and speakers that were virtual clones of the factory units. Made by "Philips Radio", the only difference visually was that the tiny "Ford" emblem on the face of the units was not there...otherwise identical.

They even used factory harnesses for "plug and play" ease of installation.

The cost to the dealer was about half of what it would have cost to order it from Ford that way. We ordered the cars with the "radio prep" option: mounting brackets, wires, speaker holes and grills, but no units. Just plugged in our own stuff.

The "Premium Sound" available back then usually invoiced from Ford for around $250-300, and MSRP'd at around $400-500. We could get the whole system ourselves for about $75, pay a service guy his rate to install it and save a bundle.

Those units look 100% stock...but they aren't.

Same with this vinyl-roof trim.
Click to expand...
Kit,

Great insight for sure. So do you agree is there is a special DSO that is more than 2 numbers the car would be a special edition? Also if the option shows up on the build or buck tag under the hood or the build sheet inside the car would that also say that Ford did the install?

I guess there is a fine line to what is Ford and is not Ford. The Tri Power 65 option was only dealer install as far as I know. Would we then say it is not Ford? One of those sold last week for I think $90,000 + a K convertible with the tri power.

Would we say if there is a Ford part number associated with it that it would be "Factory"?

Did you keep any of the big books the salesmen had that gave all the different things that you could order? I live within a couple miles of the old Banjo Matthews shop and the dealer here use to order him "Gliders" with the "Sealer Delete" to build the race cars with.

There were so many things you could do that the consumer never knows about unless he saw one of those books.

It is great to hear info direct from someone that has lived it.

David

 
The dealership I was at was a part of the FDWNY (Ford Dealers of Western New York) and there were about 36 dealers in this group. This group came up with the Ford F-250 and Ranger "Bigfoot Specials":
Click to expand...
I remember seeing one of those. I think it was at the Cicero auto auction many, many years ago. There's a mystery solved! :D

 
If there is a known code on the body buck tag and/ or build sheet, then it was clearly a factory item or option. Regional special editions do not usually have any special codes or. DSO numbers.

 

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