Vinyl top?

[Gempress]

I'm very new to the mustang crowd, so don't laugh if my question seems silly . My aunt just gave me her '69 Mustang coupe with a 351 engine (she bought it new when she was a teenager) and it's still in great working order. My fiance is a professional mechanic and he and I are going to restore it.
My question is this: this mustang, while not a convertible, has a vinyl-covered hard top. I've been looking at pictures of other '69 mustangs on the Net, and I have yet to find one with a vinyl top. Why is that? Have they all been stripped of their vinyl?
I would like to keep the car as original as possible, but if there was a very good reason why there's no more vinyl-topped mustangs around, I'll get rid of it.

[Gearhead999]

Vinyl tops were VERY popular back when the mustang was new. Do you know if it is a factory top or one added on at the dealership??? Many were added to the car before it was sold and sold as if they were factory installed.

The give away usually is the moldings that around the top where it meets the 1/4 panel.

[ponyexpress289]

i think u should leave it there like u said u dont see much of them i was thinking of getting 1 for my 65 pony but expences went to the shifter

[mustangman65_79]

My '66 came with it stock, from the factory.

[nicolette]

My '68 coupe has one. I think it's factory installed. But i can't tell for sure. Oh i wish i could! it does look great though!

[MrWesson22]

My 69 coupe came with one. It's a grande, on which they were standard. I like it -- black vinyl top on a gulfstream aqua car, with the black grande deluxe interior. I think it sets off the car well on a coupe.