Back when the style for automobiles was upright and as elegant as Greek architecture, a leather, or canvas-clad, roof was the height of haute couture. Many years later, the vinyl roof – frequently with faux landau bar accouterments – proved to be a factory or dealer add-on that also added to the price, but not so much to the implied status of the car’s owner. Still, that hasn’t stopped many a car from being sullied by what many consider the ‘full Cleveland’ of roof treatments. The vinyl roof doesn’t always look bad or out of place, and in fact the first generation of Cadillac Seville was offered with only a padded top – and it didn’t suffer visually for the addition. Perhaps it was the fact that the Seville didn’t come any other way, and despite some truly weird colors – silver? – the car pulled off the toupee without anyone apparently noticing. Previously, Olds designers noticed, and they designed the 1966 Toronado with no break between C-pillar and rear fender so as to make it more difficult for dealers to add a vinyl roof to the car, which in their opinion, ruined its shape. Of course many a dealer was up to the challenge and not only did the Toro get vinyled that year, but later models made the top an integral part of the car’s aircraft carrier-like styling. That ‘s not the only car to fall under the vinyl cloud, many, many others have, for better and, more frequently, for worse. Take that poor little Alfa in the pic above, do you think Bertone’s designers ever envisioned the GTV being segmented in such a way? Some cars required the treatment – the Jag XJ-Coupe requiring a vinyl roof to cover the unsightly welds and uneven roof stamping – but few have truly benefitted from the addition. What do you think, what car have you come across that could take the crown for the oddest application of vinyl in a supporting roof role? What’s the  weirdest vinyl roof treatment ever?

Image source: [alfabb.com]