Early on they were called "Hardtop Convertibles" (late 40's,early 50's because they were! Literally a convertible body and frame with a steel hardtop bolted on! Next time you are in a junkyard check out an early 50's Chevy Belair with the headliner gone, you can see where they are bolted together. Dick ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bill K." <pontiac@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> To: <L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Monday, January 24, 2005 1:09 PM Subject: Re: [FWDLK] Riding the Coupe > Actually, didn't they try calling them a 'Hardtop Convertible' for a few > years first, because only the convertibles had no B-pillar post before that? > That's probably not too much different than calling these sedans 'coupes' > because they're styled like a coupe - they just need to coin a new term for > it. > > > > Bill K. > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Ray Jones" <hurst300@xxxxxxxxxxxx> > To: <L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Sent: Monday, January 24, 2005 1:37 PM > Subject: Re: [FWDLK] Riding the Coupe > > > > A Rose by any other name smells as sweet. But you can't just call > > anything a Rose. > > At least as of 1951, a Hardtop was a pillarless car. Then only in 2 > > doors, later they made 4 doors. All cars other than Convertibles has a > > "hardtop" but Hardtop meant that it had NO pillars. I've owned 15 or so > > Hardtops and they never had pillars. Sedans have pillars. > > Coupe originally meant a "closed short coupled car", as opposed to a > > roomy long Sedan. > > A Business Coupe had no rear seat, giving lots of space for a > > salesman's stuff, and often had access to the trunk from the doors, or > > an extended trunk into the pass compartment. > > I had a 1939 Buick Opera Convertible Coupe, no rear seat, just small > > seats that folded down out of the Quarter upholstery. > > > > It's a shame that the Marketing Dept. messes with the words for a > > supposed advantage. '56 & '57 Furys were special cars, available one > > way only, and then in '58 they made it a line. Nice cars, but not the > > same. Chrysler 300's were a special car until '62, they made it a > > series line. Riding on the name recognition, "I bought me a 300!". Not > > the same, Bud, > > They paste GT labels on base cars. It should be a very powerful road > > car for traveling. That's what the GT means, or did. > > > > My spare change, Ray > > Ain't old cars neat? > > > > On Jan 24, 2005, at 8:49 AM, cpollock@xxxxxxxx wrote: > > > > > Hello All, > > > Mopar-ese from that era was the sames as most car manufacturers. A > > > two or four-door hardtop had a pillar between the doors. Or on a > > > two-door you would find a pillar between the driver's door glass and > > > the quarter panel window. On some hardtops (such as the Superbee and > > > Roadrunner) this was used as the hinge point for the window to pivot > > > outward. > > > A two or four-door coupe did not have the pillar. My 73 4-dr Newport > > > did not have a pillar between the windows, and the VIN number coded it > > > as a 'coupe'. Most 4-dr Chryslers, Plymouths and Dodge C-bodies were > > > pillar-less coupes. Most Roadrunners and Superbees were Hardtops > > > because of the extra structural rigidity that the pillar added. It is > > > actually a fairly good way (not 100% accurate of course) of telling a > > > real Big Block car from a dressed up Small Block car. This would > > > happen when someone took a 68-70 satellite and turned it into a > > > 'RoadRunner' by adding a big block and deleting the comfort options. > > > The VIN always tells the truth though, unless it was removed (a > > > federal offense by the way), from the dashpad. > > > > > > Anyway, > > > Just my pennies, > > > Charles. > > > > > > PS- Terry and Andree, the 71 Fury Gran Coupe was a fairly rare model, > > > as most went into fleet duty. I have never actually seen the > > > headlight washer option live in person, though all my books point to > > > it's existance. It was also available on 71 Chargers and Monacos. > > > Not sure what else you could get it on, but it was dropped across the > > > board by 72, so it was a 1-year-only thing. > > > > > > ************************************************************* > > > > > > To unsubscribe or set your subscription options, please go to > > > http://lists.psu.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=l-forwardlook&A=1 > > > > > > > ************************************************************* > > > > To unsubscribe or set your subscription options, please go to > > http://lists.psu.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=l-forwardlook&A=1 > > > > > --- > Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. > Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). > Version: 6.0.830 / Virus Database: 565 - Release Date: 1/7/2005 > > ************************************************************* > > To unsubscribe or set your subscription options, please go to > http://lists.psu.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=l-forwardlook&A=1 ************************************************************* To unsubscribe or set your subscription options, please go to http://lists.psu.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=l-forwardlook&A=1
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