1971 Dodge Demon Plaid Vinyl Top

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I just purchased a 1971 Dodge Demon from the 81 year old original owner. It is a very untouched lifelong Southern California car with mostly original paint, absolutely zero rust, every receipt since new, cold AC, 318, etc. It is just a really neat car. It is green with a green plaid or houndstooth looking vinyl top. The question that I have is if there is any way to figure out roughly how many were produced like this? I understand that is a long shot of any numbers being broken down far enough to the vinyl top, but I also figured if I could find any help that it would be here. Thank you for any type of information!

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Did you do the fender tag decode? That vinyl top code will be there, and also on the broadcast sheet. Did you find one of the broadcast sheets yet? usually in the springs under the back seat.

I think once you have that code you can begin some research on production numbers. I have seen similar tops with daisies and paisleys but never a straight out plaid.

Great find!
 
Was just about to ask for top code??
Never seen that pattern before so wonder if it is dealer/aftermarket installed?
Pretty Wild!
 
i do not belive that is an original top. good looking car don't get me wrong but the top is not listed in the 1970,71,or 72 dealer data books as an option. what does the fender tag code for the top say it is? welcome aboard as well!
 
sublime green said:
Thats neat. You going to keep it on?
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I am definitely going to leave it. Like I said, the car has never been messed with. I will post the top codes on Monday since I am camping this weekend. The original owner says it has never been touched and if you saw the car you would certainly believe that to be true. I definitely think it is a factory installed piece. But it is always possible that it was a dealer installed top that was done before the gentleman even bought it. I would tend to guess factory, but that is why I came to you guys. Thanks for all the help and kind words!
 
7demon2 said:
i do not belive that is an original top. good looking car don't get me wrong but the top is not listed in the 1970,71,or 72 dealer data books as an option. what does the fender tag code for the top say it is? welcome aboard as well!
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Thank you for the input. The car has the Certicard and I believe some of the original dealer paperwork that I will also check on Monday when I get back. I am not sure if any of the dealer stuff is top related, but I will see and hopefully we can figure this whole thing out! Thanks!
 
I had a sports coat just like that - fortunately all the pictures have been destroyed!

Actually, I think is might be original because a friend back then had a Duster with a kind of "butterscotch" version of the same pattern.
 
I love it!!!

I wouldn't change a thing and try to keep it as untouched as possible.
 
I don't think that is factory. Factory vinyl top colors are listed as green, white, black and gold.

The guy may be 81 now but he only 42ish when he bought the car and he may have been a wild and crazy guy back then. Sometime over the years he decided that plaid green would look cool.

I like it.
 
Welcome to the site!
That is an interesting top. It may be dealer-installed or aftermarket as that was a popular option to add if the car didn't come with it from the factory.
I would like to see a couple of close-up pics of the lower molding, especially the end by the lower corner of the back glass. That might help determine whether it's factory or not.
I'm curious as I used to help a top installer way back when.
Nice car!
Dallas
 
The dealer installed vinyl tops were limited to those units that got damaged in transit.
Why the dealer choose that material is anyones guess.
 
Crazy, but I've seen quite a few tops substituted for different material at certain dealerships back in the day.........Since they did some of them on site, some were offered with some off-factory choices........

That Mustang just might be the key........
 
Very nice, please leave it as is, there are enough modified demons, nice to see an original unmolested one.
 
That pattern is called "wolf print". Who knows. Maybe the top started peeling and he took it back to the dealer and they replaced it
or maybe he took it to a body shop
BUTTTTT. I think I just found the sexiest vinyl top on this entire site. Mind if I get one? :toothy10:
 
That top is AWESOME! I am working on a 64 vert, and if I could throw that top on mine (even though I am all red and back), I think I would!!! Who cares if it was "original." It is VERY original.
 
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