I feel like an idiot for asking this. But, for my 69 vert daily driver, I am about to embark on (actually in reverse order):

1. minor rust repair,
2. body paint,
3. interior refurbishment, and
4. convertible top replacement

I currently have a limelight green with dark green interior and dirty ol' leaking white top with cracked vinyl window.

As I decide the body paint color I want, I desperately need a new top. BUT... I feel like I cannot decide the top color (black or white) until I decide the body color. I know... stop laughing... there could be worse problems in life!

For body paint, I am deciding between such wildly divergent colors as:

1. metallic blue (kind of between a royal and dark blue)
2. fire-engine red
3. sunshine yellow

So, if I install a top now, I want it to eventually go with the above three colors.

So my order is:

1. fix leaking top
2. fix shoddy interior
3. repair minor rust & paint car

if you have other Firebirds in your area, I`d pick a color that none of those have...= stand out....'re sale red' which is on mine is fairly common.
one of my friend has a very nice color its a 90 s Mazda color ..it chages color in the light seems like, mostly it looks green ,sometimes blue and sometimes black...its a "mica" color..here`s a picture. (but it doens do it justice)

I see your limiting factor being the dark green interior. You don't really say if you plan on keeping that. If you do keep it, I don't think any of the exterior colors you listed would look good. I'm assuming white is the 'correct' color for your car? (PHS?)

If you think most of your driving will be with the top down, the top color may not be all that important. In the SC humidity, will you have the top up? then white would be quite a bit cooler in the hot sun. If you go away from 'stock' colors to keep the green interior, a tan top may be a color to consider.

Sorry, forgot to mention. Tag on firewall is 59 G TR 206. So it looks like it was a limelight green with dark green top and standard green vinyl seats. Paint is not original job, although it appears original color.

I will probably be changing interior to black. I am not looking for a historically "correct" car, just something that looks good as a daily driver... maybe turn a few heads

I think for the blue, white top would work.
For red, white and black top both could work.
For yellow, I think black would work better, although I have seen white.

And you are right, with this merciless Carolina sun, white would work better. Your thoughts on black interior with white top? Maybe is there a more neutral interior color I could go with?

If you are set on black interior (you did say Carolina, right?) then I would go with a black top. sometimes mixing black, white, and another body color starts to look odd. Keep in mind that with a black interior, the boot would also be black. Another reason to stay with a black top.

The black interior with black top would be neutral enough to then go with any exterior color combo. (I have seen many blue 'verts with black tops)

(but would also be the warmest combo, especially the interior)

The seats in my red '68 vert could fry an egg in summer even up here in the North Land...

Here in Texas I have black interior, black top (top is ONLY up if I get caught in rain...no ac, the 'air' is my coolant, you go faster ,its a bit cooler...my car came from PO with "white" top...problem to me ,
A) it was not really white as they get 'dirty' ,even if you clean them
B) white top, black interior on red car was just too much in differences.

when I park, in the sun , I make sure to fold my back rest forward to not fry my bottom ,getting back in.

blue w white top looks good , have two friends with that combo, one "Bahama blue (medium) ,the other darker blue...

the black interior is most 'forgiving' to not show dirty seats.

this car was re painteed by me to match the red it had been re painted by PO....
original color on the car was "midnight green" with s dark green interior and top

Bjorn, I keep my top down all the time (have to if I want to drive since back window is hazed over and cracked). I could not imagine being in South Carolina with the top up, except maybe in winter (about 50-55 degrees in daytime). My AC is moving traffic. My heater is stopped traffic!

If I went white, but only keep top up in winter, will it get real dirty?

And if I went white, I know blue and red would work. But yellow would be hard. And with red, blue or yellow and a white top, what interior can you go with? The interior WILL get dirty as a driver. What carpet/seats goes with a white top? Would you have to match the interior with the body then?

And do seats/carpet have to match?

Seats and carpet generally match, unless you have white seats. Then the belts and carpet are black. I have seen red interiors with black belts, but I am convinced that is incorrect.

I agree that white (or any light colored) tops are much more difficult to keep clean. I try to put the tops up on my 'verts if I know the car will sit for more than a few days. If you don't they tend to be a bit of work to 'stretch' back to the correct open position. The convertible top handbook that comes with the cars also say you should keep the top up and latched as much as possible. And never leave a wet top in the down position for more than a day.

I a thinking of one of these blues:

which top/seats/carpet would go well with these?

Probably white on white.

Do you mean white top, white seats, but black carpeting?

yes

68tpls400, I saw your car's pics....sweet red vert!

I agree, my upholsterer said the same when he installed it for me...and especially in winter , I HAVE once or twice put the top up because of cold weather,.and had to have help pushing down the front of the top to latch it...but I still leave it down ,as I hate with a passion to put the boot back on! lol

For sure, sometimes the factory used black belts in red custom interiors. Don't know why unless it was a supply issue as they went through the plant. As it is, I like the contrast.

Jim, do you think it might be because you have deluxe belts? I think all the other red interiors with red belts were standard belts. Have you seen any red deluxe belts?

For sure, sometimes the factory used black belts in red custom interiors. Don't know why unless it was a supply issue as they went through the plant. As it is, I like the contrast.



my 67 came with factory black seat belts( deluxe red interior) so there must be ryme to reason on this issue