Vinyl delete option? Options

[jessem]

Hi, I just bought a 1976 914 2.0 that has the appearance group. It has the fog lights, armrest, center console, etc, but there's no vinyl on the roof sail panels. The trim is all blacked out and there's a piece of trim on the pillar along the bottom of where the trim would normally have been. I figured someone had just removed the vinyl, but I haven't been able to find any cars with the vinyl and black trim. There also isn't any vinyl under the roof and I haven't found any evidence of its removal. I read somewhere that there was a vinyl delete option. Has anyone ever heard of this? I've looked in a few books and done many searches but haven't found anything. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[rjames]

Was this car purchased from a lot on 99 up in Shoreline a few years ago? Looks like one I saw there a while back.

Roofs are all fiberglass with a textured finish. Don't think there was ever a roof covered in vinyl from the factory.

[jessem]

Sorry, I was referring to the sail panels. Notice how there's a piece of trim running along the bottom where the vinyl would normally end. It's almost like someone removed it, but I can't find any evidence of that and the trim is all black instead of chrome. The car was found in Idaho.

[rjames]

Sorry, I was referring to the sail panels. Notice how there's a piece of trim running along the bottom where the vinyl would normally end. It's almost like someone removed it, but I can't find any evidence of that and the trim is all black instead of chrome. The car was found in Idaho.

I think the non-appearance group cars did not have the sail panel vinyl. Someone with more historical knowledge than me will have additional/better info.
Also pretty sure that the cars that didn't have the sail vinyl also didn't have the lower trim piece. Lots of people paint or powder coat the trim black. Maybe someone removed the vinyl without damaging the paint underneath? Or had it resprayed.

[bretth]

I have to ask. What is that inner tube looking hose thing coming out of the engine compartment?

[Rand]

I have to ask. What is that inner tube looking hose thing coming out of the engine compartment?

It's the space saver version of the Pedrini.
(joking. old standing.)

[Rand]

Sorry, I was referring to the sail panels. Notice how there's a piece of trim running along the bottom where the vinyl would normally end. It's almost like someone removed it, but I can't find any evidence of that and the trim is all black instead of chrome. The car was found in Idaho.

I think you are on the right track. Somebody removed the vinyl and put the trim back. Factory trim was never all black, so repainted for sure (and likely will flake off if they didn't take better than average measures to prep it).

[jessem]

Good feedback guys! This is an appearance group car though and I really doubt that someone painted all the trim. If they did they did a ton of work taking it all off and doing it professionally. Even the windshield trim is black. Someone could have removed the vinyl but it seems strange that they took it off the top of the roll bar too. I read on a blog that in 75-76 dealers could delete the vinyl and the trim would then be black. That's the only place I've seen that mentioned though.

[jessem]

I have to ask. What is that inner tube looking hose thing coming out of the engine compartment?

It's a hot air hose.

[JeffBowlsby]

Targa bar vinyl and clear-anodized aluminum trim at the Targa bar and windshield trim was standard on 1976 914s.

Obviously your car has some PO modifications in that they removed the vinyl and painted the trim black. Look at the 914 right next it in the photo for the stock configuration.

[bbrock]

Good feedback guys! This is an appearance group car though and I really doubt that someone painted all the trim. If they did they did a ton of work taking it all off and doing it professionally. Even the windshield trim is black. Someone could have removed the vinyl but it seems strange that they took it off the top of the roll bar too. I read on a blog that in 75-76 dealers could delete the vinyl and the trim would then be black. That's the only place I've seen that mentioned though.

Decades ago I removed all the scratched up aluminum trim from my '73 non-appearance group car (including windshield trim), sanded it down, and painted it satin black. I regret doing it now but the paint still looks good. So, yes, people did it. As was said earlier, non-appearance group cars didn't have the thin piece of trim along the bottom of the sail panel and IMHO, it looks horrible with that piece installed without vinyl. However, removing it requires filling the mounting holes. If I was going to remove vinyl, I would have removed it from the entire roll bar. I don't think this mod seems strange at all. Not tasteful, but not strange.

[jessem]

I don't know guys. Even the quarter window trim is black on the inside!

[rjames]

I don't know guys. Even the quarter window trim is black on the inside!

Given that the PO obviously made a number of modifications we can see just from a couple of pics (wheels, muffler, mirrors, spoiler, sail vinyl removal), I don't think it's too far fetched to think they painted the trim, too.
Funny though that they didn't change the trim in the back.

What's the interior look like?

[bbrock]

I don't know guys. Even the quarter window trim is black on the inside!

Yep, I did that too.

[jessem]

I don't know guys. Even the quarter window trim is black on the inside!

Given that the PO obviously made a number of modifications we can see just from a couple of pics (wheels, muffler, mirrors, spoiler, sail vinyl removal), I don't think it's too far fetched to think they painted the trim, too.
Funny though that they didn't change the trim in the back.

What's the interior look like?

You are probably right. The interior is stock and in good shape considering the fact that it sat outside for about 10 years. Unfortunately, the previous owner left the air cleaner off and the engine filled up with water. The body is in decent shape so we are trying to decide if it's worth rebuilding the engine.

[Eric_Shea]

As mentioned... PO modified. When the factory did a vinyl delete, they removed the trim from the bottom.

[SirAndy]

Factory trim was never all black

Not true at all ...

On early cars (6 and 4) the chrome trim was optional. The standard equipment was black trim and body colored bumpers and the 74 LE cars came with black painted rear Targa bar trim.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

[JeffBowlsby]

Factory trim was never all black

Not true at all ...

On early cars (6 and 4) the chrome trim was optional. The standard equipment was black trim and body colored bumpers and the 74 LE cars came with black painted rear Targa bar trim.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

I don't know the /6 cars well, but I thought that the /6s were standard with the bright trim and Targa vinyl, whereas the early /4 non-appearance group cars had no vinyl. Was the early car non-appearance group black trim or body color like the bumpers?

[SirAndy]

I don't know the /6 cars well, but I thought that the /6s were standard with the bright trim and Targa vinyl, whereas the early /4 non-appearance group cars had no vinyl.

I seem to recall that DGVWPB also listed the /6 chrome package as optional, but i never seen a /6 without it.

I'd look it up but my DGVWPB is still hidden in one of them moving boxes somewhere.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

Was the early car non-appearance group black trim or body color like the bumpers?

I've seen both, actually ...
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)

[era vulgaris]

I thought the 70-72 base model non-appearance group /4's had body color bumpers and body color trim around the targa bar.
And then '73 base non-appearance group had black bumpers and black trim around the targa bar.
And then from '74 on everyone got chrome targa bar trim (except LE's), but non-AG still had black bumpers.
Windshield and side window trim was chrome for all.

At least that's my understanding (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)