Hi Gang!
I'll add my 2 cents to the discussion. If you remember in
the late 70s, convertible sales were going down the tube and
also remember Cadillac promoting the "last Eldorado
convertible" as a collectible in '76! Lincoln had already
stopped making ragtops earlier along with others and when
that happened much of the engineering know-how for
convertibles was lost to the OEMs.
In the 80s when there was a rediscovery of the thrill of
open air driving, the OE plants were no longer set up for
convertible production and the cars were out sourced (Cars &
Concepts, American Sunroof, and others) - coupes were
shipped to them for conversions to convertibles and that
process for the most part remains today except for a few
in-plant OEM lines.
But in the time prior to the late 70s all convertibles were
designed and engineered as such by the manufacturer (Mopars
included) and produced in-house as a convertible utilizing
many unique chassis components and sheet metal stampings.
Only real "custom" converters did the chop top thing and
they were limited to very few special vehicles - all hand
built or semi-production line built.
Look in your parts books and you will see how many unique
parts are convertible only.
Brian
Deane Allinson wrote:
>
> I have always remembered my father once saying that all of the '60 model
> mopar convertibles, +/- came off the assembly line as hardtops. Then
> they were
> then "sent down the street" to the custom shop to have the tops removed.
> Has
> anyone ever heard of this of this? Or is this just an old mopar story?
> Deane
|
|
Back to the Home of the Forward Look Network