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
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