humble beginning to legacy
Mike Penn was an auto fabric trimmer in 1957 when he witnessed a colleague experiment with a vinyl top and a ’58 Caddy. That was enough to spark a life-long journey as the premier vinyl top manufacturer in the United States.
If you ask Mike, he will not take credit for the idea, but he will take credit for providing tops all over the country throughout the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s when the tops were at the pinnacle of demand. At one point, Mike provided the tops for nearly every limousine manufacturer in the United States at the height of their popularity. Upkeep was a chore, but Mike had an answer for it.
As an auto trimmer, Mike spent most of his time doing headliners, which was his preference. He was able to do such a great job because of the patterns that were available. He saw them as the blueprints of his craft and ,in the same way, Mike decided he would create vinyl top patterns to increase productivity. For the most part, this had to be done in the presence of the vehicle. This meant hundreds of hours scouring salvage yards, no matter the weather conditions. Over 900 patterns have been created over the years.
Today, the market is still strong with auto-enthusiasts and people looking to build their dream car from the ground up. Mike is still very much involved in the industry, but for another purpose. He has worked diligently to create a legacy of high quality top manufacturing and now is poised to pass on his abundant knowledge to those coming after him (in between crossword and sudoku challenges). What a history. What a name. Top Creations.