3795    <<    Message Index    >>    3797
Number: 3796
From: "SNP Marq"
Date: Wed Oct 22, 2003  10:41 am
Subject: Re: [ASC McLaren ] Looking for info! 82 'Stang 2 seater convertible!

Body:
Re: [ASC McLaren ] Looking for info! 82 'Stang 2 seater convertible!

Well..... I could be wrong, but for the Mustang family, they have always referred to the 'trunk' model of the Fox body Mustangs as 'coupes' and the rear glass models as hatchbody or hatchback.  I don't know if this is 'Ford' terminology or just the way it is referred to by the majority of the 'common folk'.
 
In the 82 to 91 Firebirds, they always referred to the glass backed models as 'hatchbacks'.... but when they put the 'Ferrari' style hatch instead of the all glass back on to a limited run of Firebirds they referred to them as 'notchbacks' ( they only produced about 120 or so of them.... and I got one ;).
 
I wonder where that leaves the convertibles, like the TR6 and Spitfire, that could be ordered with a convertible 'hard top' that basically turned them into 'hard tops' although it was not physically manufactured into the integrity of the body.  TR6 hardtops are probably the sexiest TR6's running around on the road ;)
 
But they even have such pop on, pop off hardtops for the Mercedes which look pretty wicked.   So even though they are basically a convertible, once they put on their 'hard top' does that make them coupes ?
 
When I think of the word 'coupe' I always fall back to the Beach Boys and their little ditty about "Little Deuce Coupe'...     That is probably where I associated a 'hard top' car - with a trunk as being a coupe.
 
And Ford seemed to have stuck with that in the original 60 / 70's Mustangs...  where they had 'coupes and they had fastbacks ( yeah yet another 'back' name'.)    And it is interesting to see how the public has preferred the 'fastback' over the coupes in the early generation Mustangs, but in the Fox body generation the taste swung from the 'hatchback' over to the 'coupe' models.
 
I must have been couped up in my office too long to babble so long on this subject
 
Marq
 
 
----- Original Message -----
From: ecstacycustomz
To: ascmclaren@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, October 22, 2003 10:06 AM
Subject: Re: [ASC McLaren ] Looking for info! 82 'Stang 2 seater convertible!

there have been many a hardtop convertible.  ford fairlane had a
retractable hardtop convertible, cadillac alante has a removable
hardtop(and a rag, just in case), so do the older benz's, and t-
birds.  im sure there are many more, these are just the ones fresh
in my mind.
i always thought coupe meant 2 seater, and hardtop usually meant no
pillar(and easily broken into).  my 76 deville is a 4dr hardtop.

jdawg


--- In ascmclaren@yahoogroups.com, "negusm" <negusm@y...> wrote:
> I doubt it.  The end result is what defines what the car is called.
>
> Even though all early Fox bodied Mustang verts started life as
> coupes, you don't call them coupes now.  They are called
> convertibles.  Can you call them "convertible coupes"?  Maybe.
>
> Now whether a vert can be called a "hardtop vert", I don't know. 
> Looking on the web, it appears there was a "hardtop convertible"
back
> in the 50's.  It appears to be a car that looks like a convertible
> but the top won't retract.
>
> http://ca.geocities.com/rfhowells/nhpfiles/hardtops.htm
>
> The only nit I had was when people refer to hatchbacks and the
like
> as hardtops.
>
> -Mike
>
>

--- In ascmclaren@yahoogroups.com, "fourspeed38852"
> <fourspeed38852@y...> wrote:
> > OK, what about this -- what if the vert started life as a 2 door
> > hardtop? Would it count then?
> >

--- In ascmclaren@yahoogroups.com, "negusm" <negusm@y...> wrote:
> > > Arghhh...I think I meant to say that a convertible "doesn't"
> > > count....but to be honest I don't know if a vert can be a
hardtop
> > or
> > > not.
> > >
> > > -Mike
> > >
> > >

--- In ascmclaren@yahoogroups.com, "negusm" <negusm@y...>
wrote:
> > > > The definition of a 2 door hardtop:
> > > > A "hardtop" is a vehicle that does not have the "B" pillars,
> > which
> > > > are the pillars normally behind the front doors
> > > >
> > > > A convertible counts even though a convertible doesn't have
the
> > > > posts.  Hardtop usually refers to a coupe.  I have never
heard
> it
> > > > used for a convertible.  However, I think it can be applied
to
> a
> > 4
> > > > door sedan...
> > > >
> > > > http://home.wanadoo.nl/shaul/cf/cf70/cf70b.htm
> > > >
> > > > The way it bugs me is when people refer to any car with a
metal
> > > roof
> > > > as a hardtop.
> > > >
> > > > -Mike
> > > >
> > > >

--- In ascmclaren@yahoogroups.com, "fourspeed38852"
> > > > <fourspeed38852@y...> wrote:
> > > > > OK, just what  is a 2 door hardtop? Can a convertible be
> > > > a "hardtop"?
> > > > >
> > > > > -- In ascmclaren@yahoogroups.com, "negusm" <negusm@y...>
> wrote:
> > > > > > The misuse of "hardtop" bugs me to no end.  Just because
> > > > its "hard"
> > > > > > doesn't make it a hardtop.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > -Mike
> > > > > >
> > > > > >

--- In ascmclaren@yahoogroups.com, Tom G
> <speedracer815@y...>
> > > > wrote:
> > > > > > > > http://mclellansautomotive.com/photos/B24833.jpg
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Interesting that they chose to call a convertible a
> > > > > > > coupe. The misuse of terms like sedan, coupe, hardtop,
> > > > > > > roadster, etc. is one of my pet peeves in the
> > > > > > > automotive world.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Tom G.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > __________________________________
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > The New Yahoo! Shopping - with improved product search
> > > > > > > http://shopping.yahoo.com

.




  Replies Name/Email Yahoo! ID Date  
3797 Re: Looking for info! 82 'Stang 2 seater convertible! Sandy Block cigarsandy Wed  10/22/2003  
3802 Re: Looking for info! 82 'Stang 2 seater convertible! Tom S. petedaycab Wed  10/22/2003