By 1975 the half vinyl roof was probably more the standard than the exception, predominately on coupes. 4 doors kept their full vinyl, and by ‘75 you could opt either way on the Lincoln. Think most ‘79 4 door Fords and Mercs had full vinyl, but by ‘80 they joined the coupe with the half vinyl top treatment. I guess with the nice crowning treatment I don’t find the half roof objectionable, it’s just a feature of the times.
My friend Steven's '87 Grand Marq has the half-roof in white on robin's-egg blue. It actually looks good.
95% (my personal guesstimate) of all 79-91 GM's and CV's have the half vinyl roof. It is rare to see a non-fleet car without it. Rumor has it that it was easier to throw a half vinyl roof on than finish and body work the quarter panel seam on the c-pillar.
Yup. In many cases they didn't even finish leading the pillar seams nor did they bother painting\priming underneath the vinyl top.
Its not so much that it has a 1/2 Vinyl roof that bothers my eyes, its those 2 odd chrome "Halo"? strips that run across the front and back of the B-pillars. And the Vinyl on the B-pillars themselves. If the Vinyl started at the rear edge of the B-pillar it would be OK. But not the way it was done on this model.
Well, that, IIRC, was optional, so not having both strips and the strip of vinyl could be deleted. I think my friend Steven's '87 is that way, but I'll have to look in the pics he's sent me.
I couldn't find any pics of his on my phone, but I did find a pic of a Crown Vic in the same color as his, and it has another treatment, a third wide trim piece in between the thin pieces, with vinyl underneath.
