The Mod Top, Chrysler Corp’S 1969 Appeal To Female Buyers, Makes An Interesting Collectible Today.

Kim Barnes has a memory from her youth, of riding her Sears Sting-Ray-style “banana seat” bicycle past Friedman Chrysler-Plymouth in Des Moines, Iowa. There, in the showroom, was a yellow Mod Top Barracuda. About a block away was Des Moines AMC, which had a red, white, and blue Hurst SC/Rambler in the showroom. “I was obsessed with both cars, especially the yellow Barracuda,” she recalls.Like other seven-year-olds of that time, Kim was a big fan of The Partridge Family and she collected Partridge Family trading cards. At the same time, she secretly collected trading cards of her favorite automobiles, too. “I had one of the yellow Mod Top Barracuda, as well as a blue Satellite Mod Top, in my collection,” Kim says.One day, Kim rode by the dealership and the Mod Top Barracuda was gone. Her obsession with the unusual car continued. She certainly had no idea at the time, but a yellow Mod Top Barracuda would become part of her automotive stable nearly 50 years later.

These photos from the GM Historical Archives show us that Chevrolet was giving thought to patterned vinyl roofs for the 1967 Camaro. Note the non-factory side exhaust.

Marketing specifically to woman buyers was nothing new. Dodge toured a pair of concept cars in 1954 called Le Comte and La Comtesse —specially modified Chrysler Newports with glass roof inserts. While Le Comte was finished in “masculine” colors, La Comtesse was painted Dusty Rose and Pigeon Gray—ostensibly to appeal to women.Response was favorable and Dodge offered the La Femme, based on the Custom Royal Lancer, as a midyear “Spring Special” in 1955. It was finished in a Heather Rose and Sapphire White exterior color combination, while the interior was upholstered in cloth featuring pink rosebuds on a silver-pink background, with pink vinyl trim. Included was a fully accessorized keystone-shaped purse, along with a matching raincoat, rain bonnet, and umbrella.Considered a sales success, La Femme returned for the 1956 model year, this time in Misty Orchid and Regal Orchid. The interior was quite lavish, with a unique white cloth highlighted by purple and lavender, a special headliner with gold flecks, and loop pile carpeting in various shades of purple and lavender. Once again, a raincoat, rain bonnet, and umbrella were included (but no purse) for the 1956 model year. Sales numbers were never reported but it is estimated that some 2,500 cars received the $143 option over two years.

Check out the last line of the initial Mod Top ad (top). The revised ad (bottom)–Courtesy of Kim Barnes Collection

According to Kim, the Mod Top cars that came more than a decade later were actually several years in the making. And Chrysler was not alone in developing ornate trimmings. Chevrolet showed 1967 Camaros with both paisley and houndstooth roof designs, though the features never made factory production. For 1970, Mercury offered a houndstooth vinyl roof on Cougars. Plymouth offered a paisley vinyl roof on the Fury Gran Coupe for 1970 and 1971. Chrysler’s problem in committing the car for production was the durability of the material and its tendency to prematurely fade. In seeking a solution, Chrysler contacted a company that manufactured picnic tablecloths and shower curtains. The company had largely solved the problem of deterioration due to UV light exposure, thus paving the way for the introduction of the wild vinyl roof coverings.Kim noted that the company that produced the material actually provided the designs for Chrysler. The realistic floral pattern of yellow, black, and white was applied to Barracudas first. A green and blue design was used on Satellites, Belvederes, and other B-body Plymouths. Dodge had its own design called Floral Top, though it appears more cartoon-like and less realistic compared to the patterns used by its sister division. Mod Tops and Interiors, as they were named, were introduced for the 1969 model year.A dealer information bulletin dated July 2, 1968, listed the Barracuda Yellow Floral Vinyl Roof, Code V1P, and Floral Vinyl Trims, codes F6J and F6P, as well as Satellite Mod Vinyl Top code V1Q, and Mod Top Floral Vinyl Trim, code F2Q, as “Delayed Production Availability Until Further Notice.” Two months later, a letter to dealers dated September 6, 1968, indicated that Barracuda Mod Top Yellow Floral Vinyl Roof, code V1P, and the Floral Vinyl Trims, codes F6J and F6P, were available starting with September 9 production. The same was noted for Belvedere Mod Top Vinyl Roof, code V1Q, and the Mod Top Floral Vinyl Trim, code F2Q, also available beginning with September 9 production.

Translation: V1P was the Barracuda Mod Top Vinyl Roof. This was a $96.40 option (compared to a non-Mod Top vinyl roof at $83.95). F6J was the Floral Accented Interior with green appointments and F6P was the Floral Accented Interior with black appointments. The Interior was available with Antique Green, Pearlescent White, or Black vinyl roofs. Available exterior paint colors included F3 Frost Green Metallic, F5 Limelight Metallic, F8 Ivy Green Metallic, W1 Alpine White, X9 Black Velvet, Y2 Sunfire Yellow, Y3 Yellow Gold, and Y4 Spanish Gold Metallic. V1Q is the Satellite Mod Top Vinyl Roof and F2Q is the interior code for the Satellite interior.Fast forward to November 22, 1968, when Chrysler issued a sales bulletin to Plymouth dealers announcing the popularity of the new Mod Tops and Interiors:”In the last few years, there has been a definite trend towards specialized products to meet the demands of specific segments of the automotive market. Plymouth recognizing this trend early introduced specialty cars like Road Runner, GTX, Barracuda and, for 1969, the styling innovation of Mod Tops and Interiors in the Satellite and Barracuda lines to further continue the youth appeal of our great products. And it’s accomplishing this objective for Mod Tops are running 10% of Satellite and Barracuda vinyl top sales.”

As built, Kim’s car came with the optional Floral Accented Interior, which carried the theme to seat inserts and door cards; the Barracuda Sport Package, with its three-spoke steering wheel; and the Rallye dash.

As built, Kim’s car came with the optional Floral Accented Interior, which carried the theme to seat inserts and door cards; the Barracuda Sport Package, with its three-spoke steering wheel; and the Rallye dash.
“However, the potential of this youthful option is even greater. Latest information indicates that 15% of all new car sales each year are made to women. We recognize the importance of this market segment and are promoting Mod Tops and Interiors to women with two ads in Cosmopolitan and McCall’s magazines.”It turns out that Chrysler got a bit ahead of itself. No sooner were the advertisements published when they were unceremoniously pulled and immediately modified in subsequent publications. “This was right in the middle of the women’s lib movement”, Kim says. It was the last paragraph of the ad that caused the fury: “See your nearby Plymouth dealer. He has a whole mad, mod story. He’s fond of women, too.” According to Kim, “Feminist Gloria Steinem went ballistic and created quite a fury over the sexist reference.” Chrysler’s ad agency immediately changed the last line to read, “And, he’s out to win you over, too.”

Kim began her search for a Mod Top in the mid-1990s. “What kept turning up were green cars (Plymouth had three greens available for 1969), and while the greens were popular, none were particularly appealing shades to me. All the cars seemed to be six-cylinders with column-mounted automatic transmissions, and they were really rusted,” Kim explains. “The top and interior were separate options, so some had the top, but not the interior, or vice versa. Or a black or white vinyl top with the Mod seats. Furthermore, imagine if you were a guy and inherited your mom’s Mod Top —the vinyl roof was the first thing to go! It’s on the trim tag, but that’s not what I was looking for,” she adds.

Kim thought the Satellite was a bit too big for her tastes, so she concentrated on a finding a Barracuda —yellow in particular, but black and white were available, too, though very rare. Any engine and transmission combination was available, but Kim wanted a V-8 with a floor-mounted shifter. She’s quick to point out that no four-speeds are listed on the Mod Top Registry, and none are known. So, that pretty much relegated her to an automatic. Despite years of looking, the right car never came up.Then, voila! About five years ago, a Mod Top Barracuda finished in Sunfire Yellow appeared in an online auction. Its 80-year-old owner, a Mopar collector located in Texas, decided it was time to sell. Kim explains, “He bought the car for his girlfriend who was 30 years younger. She drove the car one time from Texas to Palm Springs… and she hated it! It has no air conditioning.” The car remained in storage for some time until the collector decided to sell it. It turns out, the Barracuda was sold new in California and had remained in the state until he bought it.

Kim wanted to see the car over the Christmas holiday but was unable to secure a plane ticket. Meanwhile, the end of the auction was just two days away. To top it all off, the owner was very vague and didn’t answer a lot of questions. “But I really wanted the car,” Kim says. Expecting husband Rob to be the voice of reason and say no when it came to buying the Mod Top, he instead said, “If you want it, get it.” With the decision solely in her hands, Kim made the call: “I bought the car, sight unseen.”Still, there were other obstacles to overcome. No shipper she had worked with previously was available, so Kim hired one unknown to her—another story—and the car eventually arrived. However, someone stole the washer/wiper knob. This car has the rare intermittent wiper option, which, as it turned out, was a 1969-only part. A replacement has since been found at considerable expense.

The 318-cu.in. V-8 was a sensible-but-sporty choice for buyers. Its 230-hp output was notably stouter than the base six-cylinder’s 145 hp, yet it wasn’t as thirsty as higher-peformance options.

The car was not exactly as described, but Kim was happy to note that it was rust-free. The original owner continued to drive it well into her 70s, and the car had numerous dings and dents on the front and rear valances. It had been repainted at some point in its history, too. Kim wet sanded the paint and did a super detail job to the Barracuda. “It’s okay, but it’s not concours quality like the rest of my cars.” The engine, a 318 V-8, was rebuilt, as was the transmission, which then leaked badly. “It turns out they forgot a seal!”Kim refinished the finned wheel covers, which she points out, “are a combination of cast and stainless. And, heavy, too.” The car included its original spare, jack, and tools. And, most importantly, the broadcast sheet, put in the car on the assembly line, so she knows hers is the real deal.

Kim cleverly named her Mod Top Maude, and soon took the Barracuda to its first outing, Chryslers at Carlisle. To her surprise, there was another on the field —a documented, all-original example. It was a virtual twin to hers. Kim began chatting with its owner, only to learn the Barracuda was the very car she lusted after as a seven-year-old. It had been sold to a lady just three miles from Kim’s childhood home in Des Moines. “In hindsight, I should have bought it right there,” Kim says.The Barracuda was never a big seller compared to competitors, despite being offered in three different body styles for 1969: coupe, fastback, and convertible. Plymouth built 12,757 coupes, 17,788 fastbacks, and 1,442 convertibles, a total of 31,987 units. That compares to 299,824 Mustangs, 230,799 Camaros, 100,069 Cougars, 87,709 Firebirds, and 40,675 Javelins that same year. Despite Chrysler’s initial enthusiasm for the Mod Tops in the November 22, 1968, letter mentioned previously, actual factory installations were limited, adding to their level of interest for collectors today.Barracuda Mod Tops are identified by decals in the rear quarter windows, while Satellites had actual badges denoting the Mod Top option on the rear C-pillar. Check the trim tag to confirm if the car was delivered new with its special vinyl roof or interior. Not many were produced and ever fewer remain today. Kim says that people often come up to her at events to tell her that the top on her car looks like a tablecloth. Laughing, Kim says, “That’s because it is!”