The "Southampton" name was applied to Imperial hardtops from 1956 to about
1962. In those days virtually every manufacturer had a name for its
hardtops, and most everything else.from transmissions to windows. In 1951
Chrysler boasted about its wide wraparound "Clearbac" rear window on the
club coupes, sedans and Newport hardtops (or as Chrysler called them,
Special Club Coupes).
Bill
Vancouver, BC
----- Original Message -----
From: <JosephStil@xxxxxxx>
To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, July 14, 2004 7:31 AM
Subject: Re: IML: Fw: Hardtop V. Sedan & Coupes
> Hello everyone:
>
> Let me muddy the waters somewhat surrounding this VERY interesting (at
least to me it is) discussion of coupes, hardtops, & sedans by asking the
following:
>
> Of those body styles, where does "Southampton" come in? Or, is/was it
just a trim level and not an actual body style.
>
> In doing some research on these beautiful rolling-works-of-art, I have run
across the Southampton "badge" on a couple of occasions. From what I have
read, I couldn't tell if it was a body style or a trim level. I also
noticed that the use of the Southampton name/badge faded (sometime in the
60's?).
>
> I am looking forward to the discussion.
>
> Joe
>
> In a message dated 7/13/2004 3:07:29 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
RandalPark@xxxxxxx writes:
>
> >None of the Two Door Imperials from '55 (maybe even '53) on were actually
called Coupes until the Crown Coupe appeared in 1964.
> >
> >Paul
> >
> >In a message dated 7/13/2004 1:07:53 PM Eastern Daylight Time, "Hugh &
Therese" <hugtrees@xxxxxxxx> writes:
> >
> >>
> >>Joseph asked:
> >>
> >>OK. I cannot get this straight in my head (and my father-in-law who was
in
> >>the body shop business tried to explain this to me several times), how
can
> >>one tell the difference between a hardtop and a sedan?
> >>
> >>My reply:
> >>
> >>Well, lets start with what we know a sedan is. It has four doors. It has
> >>three pillars holding up the roof on each side. One at the windshield,
one
> >>at the rear window, and one in the middle, between the doors. The doors
are
> >>fully framed, which is to say the glass moves within the frame and their
is
> >>a seal all around it when the window is closed.
> >>
> >>A four door hardtop does not have the middle pillar. With the windows
open
> >>there is no obstruction between the windshield and rear window. The
doors
> >>are not fully framed. When closed the windows seal against the roof of
the
> >>car, the front and rear pillars and with each other in the middle.
> >>
> >>The name hardtop is confusing. It is an abbreviation of the phrase
'hardtop
> >>convertible, which is almost an oxymoron, or 'fixed hardtop
convertible,'
> >>which definitely is. The idea is to give the impression that the car is
a
> >>convertible without actually having a roof that opens and closes. In
some
> >>sports cars, they do indeed have a canvas roof for the summer and a
hardtop
> >>roof for the winter. The hardtop obviously cannot be folded away but can
be
> >>removed. No Imperial had a removable hardtop. Also, many Imperial coupes
> >>are really two door hardtops and not coupes at all.
> >>
> >> Hope this helps.
> >>
> >>Hugh
> >>58 4 door hardtop.
> >>
> >>
Back to the Home of the Forward Look Network