Targa top

[ZDan]

Originally Posted by Stephen W.

Almost NO convertibles??? How quickly we forget. Every division of GM had a convertible model. Ford and Chrysler also had built convertible models during that period. Do a search, you'll be surprised just how many different ones were out there.

I overstated the range of years, but it's common knowledge that the LAST big 3 convertible of the 70s was the 1976 El Dorado, that was the ONLY one that year. Feel free to post up a pic of a factory-produced big 3 convertible from 1976-1981 other than the '76 El Dorado if you can find one!

Thank the K-car (also Mustang and Riviera) for bringing convertibles back in 1982

https://www.nytimes.com/1981/03/02/b...-comeback.html

[dpfarr]

John Voight drove this car.

[thomasmryan]

my aunt paid $10,500 for her '76 rag top caddy.



imho, open top cars have a bit much cowl shake to be considered 'sporty'. yes, you can drive them hard but a stiff suspension isn't much use on something that has a weakened torsional rigidity.

[pallen]

Chrysler had the Cordoba convertible - I think it came from the factory with a convertible option. A good friend had a LaBaron convertible turbo in the 80s. They did seem to drop in popularity other than the corvette though.

I wonder if it had to do with that new fangdangled idea of safety requirements the auto makers suddenly found themselves dealing with...

[ZDan]

Originally Posted by pallen

Chrysler had the Cordoba convertible - I think it came from the factory with a convertible option. A good friend had a LaBaron convertible turbo in the 80s. They did seem to drop in popularity other than the corvette though.

Any Cordoba convertible would have been an aftermarket conversion like this one by "Emess () Coach Builders" https://www.forbbodiesonly.com/mopar...n-1977.159890/.
Pretty sure Chrysler never built one.
1982 LeBaron was one of the K-cars that reintroduced convertibles for US automakers.

Corvette convertible popularity was zero from 1976 through 1985!

[pallen]

I still hate them
But I love the targa/TTops/sunroof options.

[thomasmryan]

this?

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by thomasmryan

this?

the problem, for me, is not what it looks like with the top down, but what it looks like with it up, which is how it will be 90% of the time.

Personally I still prefer this:



then with the top in place

[extrashaky]

Originally Posted by AnalogMan

Retro can sell. Why not a retro style top?

Too many people simply assume they leak. That's not an easy image to overcome for the mainstream market.

Originally Posted by ZDan

Maybe from 1975-1985ish, when almost no convertibles were available.

Originally Posted by ZDan

I overstated the range of years, but it's common knowledge that the LAST big 3 convertible of the 70s was the 1976 El Dorado, that was the ONLY one that year. Feel free to post up a pic of a factory-produced big 3 convertible from 1976-1981 other than the '76 El Dorado if you can find one!

You shifted from "almost no convertibles" to "big 3" in a thread about sports cars. Aside from the Corvette, the big 3 were not really known for sports cars at that time.

But you could still get an MGB up to 1980, a TR7 to '81, a Fiat 124 to '85 or an Alfa Spider to '93. Seems like Mercedes and BMW continuously offered convertible options through that period. Outside of sport/sporty cars, VW also had multiple convertible models. There were plenty of convertibles if you don't artificially restrict the field to just the manufacturers that didn't have them.

[ZDan]

Originally Posted by extrashaky

You shifted from "almost no convertibles" to "big 3" in a thread about sports cars.

I didn't say sports cars. "Almost no convertibles" was perhaps an exaggeration. I had thought it was common knowledge amongst most enthusiasts that there was an era when US automakers didn't make any convertibles...

Aside from the Corvette, the big 3 were not really known for sports cars at that time.

And there was no Corvette convertible for 10 years from '76-'85, no Mustang convertible '74-'82, no Camaro convertible from '70-'86, no Firebird convertible from '70-'90.

There were plenty of convertibles if you don't artificially restrict the field to just the manufacturers that didn't have them.

Yeah, "almost no convertibles" was an exaggeration. But mid-70s to early-to-mid-80s was an era when the number of convertibles sold in the US was way down, and again no US automaker convertibles (save '76 El Dorado and aftermarket hack-jobs) from '76 through '81.

Anyway, it was stated that "nothing was cooler than T-tops", which is kinda an American car thing (with exceptions of course!), I was just giving a possible explanation as to *why* that was the case, as for many years you couldn't get a 'murican convertible, closest thing was T-tops.

[pallen]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

the problem, for me, is not what it looks like with the top down, but what it looks like with it up, which is how it will be 90% of the time.
...

I don't even like how they look with the top down. Most cars need a back window or something.

[gtpvette]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

I love me a Targa, and wish a proper one was available in the Twin. The correct way to do it is what Chevy does with the Corvette, build it into every car from the beginning.

You know I've owned my C7 for 4 years,, never had the top off. For me I liked the sunroof route the best. Had one in my RSX,, just flip the switch and roll down the windows.

Originally Posted by ZDan

90s Z-car fans would kill for a slick-top Z32 turbo, Nissan didn't offer one

I had a 91 slick top N/A. I absolutely loved that car. Bought it with 15K miles,, drove it to 125K.