Is it possible it make a convertible

[Cudachuck]

Can you take a hard top and turn it i to a convertible? Doing a little daydreaming

 

[moparleo]

You can do anything with a sabersaw and a lot of fabrication and $$$. Remember that is a unibody . no frame. Everything must be reinforced.

 

[DetMatt1]

I don’t have a picture of it handy but I have a friend that made a beautiful Cuda convertible out of a hdtp. He had an immense amount of real convertible parts from parts cars to do it though and it still cost a fortune to do. You absolutely cannot tell the difference between it and a real one though.

 

[340challconvert]

I have seen information and pictures of a number of e body hardtops that have been turned into a convertible. A lot of reinforcement needed to maintain body integrity. Just as a start, there are rocker panel reinforcement plates in the the rocker panels that a hardtop does not have, and convertibles came with standard torque boxes welded to the frame.

 

[340challconvert]

 

[340challconvert]

There is a member, Ken on ebodies.org (Convertcuda) who has done over 35 e body hardtop to convertible conversions. One of his creations;

 

[R4Sedan]

There was a guy a long time ago, he used to do the conversion. The hardest thing to come by anymore is the top convertible.

 

[R4Sedan]

There is a member, Ken on ebodies.org (Convertcuda) who has done over 35 e body hardtop to convertible conversions. One of his creations;
View attachment 82514

Yep, that who I'm thinking about.

 

[Chryco Psycho]

It would seem that if you have to use the real vert parts then you have to take apart a real vert to do it & why do that unless the donor is beyond repair & now it should be possible to save almost any real car anyway .

 

[Mopars & Missiles]

I don’t have a picture of it handy but I have a friend that made a beautiful Cuda convertible out of a hdtp. He had an immense amount of real convertible parts from parts cars to do it though and it still cost a fortune to do. You absolutely cannot tell the difference between it and a real one though.

Hmmm........... Even when you look at the VIN#??????????

 

[70chall440]

I guess each to his own, seems like a waste of a good hard top car but I guess if you really wanted a convertible and had the the parts and money. Personally I have never really liked E body convertibles, not hating on them but just never really wanted one. A friend of mine had a 70 Challenger convertible that we built, nice car but just never did anything for me.

 

[Chryco Psycho]

I agree , never understood the fascination , you get beaten up by the wind & sun , more noise + wind & water leaks . No good for a long road trip just good for short runs around town at low speeds .
A friend & I took his Chall convert from Edmonton to Indy in 82 for the Mopar Nationals , top down was fun for an hour or 2 until we were tomato red & deaf , most of the rest of the trip there & back was with the top up , it was actually nicer at night with the top down at times .
Another time is was in the backseat & the wind was about the same as clapping your hands on your ears every few seconds , I lasted about 1/2 hr , it was a 2 hr run , I asked them to put the top up & they refused so I had them let me out & I took a bus home .
I have never wanted to own one .

 

[1972CudaV21]

Just cut off the roof and drive on sunny days...

 

[RJHJR]

They are much like a golf cart on steroids.
Once drove one 642 miles each way.
Not repeating that experience but they still follow me home.

They are a lot of fun under 80 mph and on nice days and especially evenings.
The sun can be brutal and the rain...

In addition to what was said above the top of the fenders is different.
As is the top of the wheel well and the rear interior panel in front of the rear 1/4 glass.
Then there's the brace the motor sits in, the top and front windshield. None of which are repopped.

The only way I can see it making sense is via a donor car. Good candidates exist but the work involved...

 

[Montclaire]

Too bad Dynacorn chose to repop a 70 Challenger body and not a Cuda convert...

 

[DetMatt1]

Hmmm........... Even when you look at the VIN#??????????

Nope, original vin. He built it for his daughter and with his daughter is where it will stay.

 

[Cuda Hunter]

There was a member named JesusHChrysler who had a hardtop car that the top was cut off. As I recall it only had a few mods so it was a full time convertible. He has sub frame connectors.
And there was an m46 that was advertised for some time that had the roof cut off.

 

[heminut]

I think the convertible tops ruin the lines of the car (not just E bodies, ALL cars!)and like others have said, they really aren't comfortable to ride in for any length of time. I live in the desert southwest and convertibles are pretty scarce here because of the environment, the sun will bake you in no time! My idea of a conversion would be to put a hardtop on a convertible but nobody in their right mind would do that. Given the premium convertibles bring, just sell it and buy a hardtop!

 

[Mopars & Missiles]

I don’t have a picture of it handy but I have a friend that made a beautiful Cuda convertible out of a hdtp. He had an immense amount of real convertible parts from parts cars to do it though and it still cost a fortune to do. You absolutely cannot tell the difference between it and a real one though.

Nope, original vin. He built it for his daughter and with his daughter is where it will stay.

I know Matt, I was just ribbing you a little for sayin' "you absolutely cannot tell the difference between it and a real one though".

We're good, I wasn't insinuating anyone was doing anything "improper" with a VIN. From what I know about you, you're one of the last people I would suspect of that kind of stuff! And I would think most if not all of your friends are pretty much the same as you.

 

[1972CudaV21]

There was a member named JesusHChrysler who had a hardtop car that the top was cut off. As I recall it only had a few mods so it was a full time convertible. He has sub frame connectors.
And there was an m46 that was advertised for some time that had the roof cut off.

You can save a ton of coin doing this. Just weld a roof back on when the party is over..