I have a bikini top on mine most of the year, but I have a garage to move inside when the weather gets bad outside. I have the hard top stored.
I would say that if you have the room, have the top painted/restored when you do your rig, and then put it away and keep it. Good hard tops used to be a dime-a-dozen because so many people took them off. Not anymore. A hard top, which fits your truck well like the one you have now, will be harder and harder to find in good (not rusted) condition each passing day. If you ditch it now, one day you may regret it!