I fully understand the orientation of using factory paint formulas and such, PLUS finding something close to them in a more customized paint formula. Not to forget about single-stage acrylic enamel or basecoat/clearcoat paints! ONE side issue is that using modern formulas and such is something the "young 'uns" know how to paint with, so going that way can be a plus. Additionally, they'll know how to fix it if need be.
Of course, many in here are aware of why OEM vinyl tops had their issues, from those earlier times in the later 1960s when they were an upscale luxury option. That they made the cars quieter due to their damping of noise, by observation. So an Imperial with a vinyl top is "a given" of sorts, in that respect.
To be a little bit different, you can go ahead and get the car painted in your chosen color and paint system. But to be a bit more different, you can keep all of the vinyl top moldings on the car, then color the paint for the top in a few shades darker paint, for a bit of color contrast, kind of like the vinyl top's texture might do. Might even add a little bit of flattener to the paint for good measure? Still slick, but not quite as glossy as it normally would be.
At our recent Cowtown Mopars Performance Team show, there was a black '58 New Yorker 2-dr hardtop, in black. Looked fantastic, but walking up to it, I noticed something was a bit different. Getting closer, I noticed that the top was a black metallic paint that was not quite as glossy as the rest of the car. One of those kind of incognito things, it seems, which looked very good to me. It was different and tended to be a two-tone that was not a real two-tone, so to speak. Anybody can have a solid black '58 New Yorker 2-dr hardtop in all of its glory, but this one went a few steps above that, to me.
After doing the repaint, after it's had a year or so to cure, THEN if you still want a vinyl top, do it.
Enjoy!
CBODY67