ModTop on my Duster

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Pawned

Pawned

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I have been investigating the original state of my Duster. I was thinking about returning its look to a factory fresh condition.

The fender tag says, in part,

GY8 Paint Code: Gold Metallic
L4Y3
Trim Grade/Style/Color
L = Low
4 = Vinyl Split Bench w/ Center Armrest
Y3 = Light Gold
GY4 Upper Door Frame: Unknown At This Time
506 Date Built: 5 / 06 / 1971
3111.0 Order Number: 3111.0
V1Y Roof Type OR Color: Full Vinyl Top - Gold and Green Floral

I finally found a pix of the Full Vinyl Top - Gold and Green Floral looked like.
I do not think I will invest any further effort in trying to locate some of this vinyl.
I am thinking about painting the roof Dark Brown.
 

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That's a shame. Those mod tops were super cool! A gold car with a green mod top would be the bomb!!!
 
Ot woild turn out great with that vinyl roof. Check with SMS Fabrics in Portland, OR or Steven Juliano in CA.
 
69_340_GTS said:
Sorry, but a '71 Duster never had the "Mod Top". Your picture is of some 1969 material "V1H". "V1Y" is not Mod Top material, I believe it is just a dark gold grained vinyl. References: http://www.mooresmopars.com/modregistry.html
Click to expand...

I believe that this is the URL that I got my picture from.

If you look at the codes on my fender tag, you will see that the it shows that V1Y. In my research on the net, (going from memory now) at least two websites that decoded the fender tags showed that V1Y is Roof Type OR Color: Full Vinyl Top - Gold and Green Floral.

There are many things that do not hold from one year to the next. i.e. I am constantly seeing that the 'Gold Dusters' were produced from 1970 on--. But the Gold Duster were first introduced in 1972.
Just not worth an argument

Thanx for your feedback
 
Alaskan_TA said:
Most online decoders suck, because the same code can mean different things in different model years.

V1Y for 1971 with a sample at http://www.hamtramck-historical.com...1971/71_Plymouth_accents_tops_stripes0010.jpg
Click to expand...

Yes I just put the codes into a new website and it says
"V1Y: Full Vinyl Top, Gold"

I spent the last few days working on the roof. After I removed all the bondo (1/4 to 1/2 in thick) the roof looked like the surface of the moon, with all the pock marks. I am going to out and repaint the roof with a canned gray primer. This will protect the bare metal until I put on the good primer and it shows if I fixed all the pock marks.
After all this works I am not sure I want to put a vinyl roof back on the car.
In Arizona, vinyl does not hold up too well to the sun.

But, then again, when I park the car at the house it is protected by covered parking or the garage, so maybe the vinyl would have a chance.
 
I am constantly seeing that the 'Gold Dusters' were produced from 1970 on--. But the Gold Duster were first introduced in 1972.
Click to expand...

The 1970 Gold Duster was a mid-1970 model year introduction, so the details are not printed in the early factory literature & ads for them seem to be scarce. Here is a fender tag from a 1970 Gold Duster;
 

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Kind of relieved here it ended up being the gold vinyl top.
The floral pattern looks great next to the green paint in the picture.
I can't see it working quite as well with the gold paint.
If all the trim or mouldings for the vinyl top were good I'd put it back to original.
If you do decide to go back to the vinyl don't use 3M aerosol trim adhesive.
It never dries and when in the direct sun the glue will bubble your top from the metal.
Contact cement or Landau top adhesive is the only good choice.
 
Alaskan_TA said:
The 1970 Gold Duster was a mid-1970 model year introduction, so the details are not printed in the early factory literature & ads for them seem to be scarce. Here is a fender tag from a 1970 Gold Duster;
Click to expand...


Who do you trust?????

http://tinyurl.com/7vgqx9y web site announces the Gold Duster for 1972, not before.

1972 saw new variety in the Duster line, with Twister and Gold Duster packages. The Twister was essentially a cartoon decal, paint, and stripe job, while the Gold Duster added decals.

Again, it is not worth an argument
 
Not arguing, I stated a fact from a known car.

The A94 Gold Duster package is coded & it has a 1970 VIN.
 
You can protect a vinyl top from UV deterioration by using 303 Protectant: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004YJQE0S/?tag=fabo03-20

Their motto is "it's like sunblock for your stuff". Use it anywhere you would use Armor All, though this is a better product as far as I'm concerned.

I still think a green mod top would be the bomb on a gold car! Notre Dame fans would love it!
 
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