When I painted my 77 New Yorker Brougham a year ago, we took the vinyl top off and just painted the top black base coat and a matte clear. It turned out really nice.
http://www.newyorkeronline.org/membercars/74-78/bradhogg/77NYB/PaintJob/DSCF3551.JPG
Jeff Ingraham has seen this car and attest to how it looks.