Convertibles of the late seventies

[Kodiak Island Modeler]

I was looking at one of those grocery store classic car ad magazines, and found an ad for a 76 Cordoba, that had been made into a convertible when it was new. It got me to thinking back to when the factories stopped building them. I worked for a Chrysler dealership in Iowa, and had a few cars that were commissioned from new to be built as convertibles. I remember a Cordoba, that also had a continental kit and wire wheels, and a really cool plaid interior. There was also, either a Plymouth Volare or the Dodge variant of that. Those arrived by a special carrier, but the one that I remember as being an odd subject was a full size Chrysler 4 door hardtop that was cut into a convertible, and arrived by standard carrier. I also saw a 75-8 Ford LTD Landau that had been turned into a convertible.

There didn't seem to be a lot of these conversions running around, even when new, at least not where I lived. I've been wondering where they fit into the "classic" car realm. They weren't built at the factory, but were built right from the factory. They spent their entire existence in the form of a convertible, so are they considered "one off" customs? Are they factory stock? Are they "classic"? There's no doubt that they're part of automotive history, but what part? Are they considered rare or just chopped up? Would something like the 4 door Chrysler have a special place as an even rarer historical subject, or just be placed in the section of "why would somebody do that"?

Where do the "cottage industry" (for lack of a better term) convertibles fit in?

[Eshaver]

Doug, the same might be said for the Cadillac Sevilles I saw in and around Dallas back in the day . They had Booo Koo bondo in the quarters to fill where the shop that contracted these "Custom " jobs had done to help expedite the delivery of them . As for a market for these cars , yes , I think that there will be a niche market for this type of a automobile . I for one nay sayed the Custom Van market years ago.

As In was a manufacturer of van accessories of Custom van parts , I sold the majority of my products to small shops that produced one van a week . For years I actually turned down a lot of the " Dealer - Custom Van shops simply because I didn't want my products in those kinds of vans ! I relented only during the 1979 gasoline shortage because I saw the handwriting on the wall. Still the idea of vacum Forming a complete wall for a van really bothered me . How anyone could call that a custom interior was beyond me . Soon , drink holders were being manufactured the very same way . Thankfully, I had just sold out to a Dealer Custom van company in Dallas . I left the industry never to return . These types of vans seem to still appeal to a select market today , why I dunno. To me a Custom van is customized primarily by it's owner . They were never intended to be sold off an assembly line and then painted the same way . Still, like the " Custom Convertables ", these dealer Conversionn vans seem to have a niche market .Ed Shaver

[george 53]

Ed I learned how to Bronze solder on Sevilles at the Fleetwood plant here in Detroit. If there were any built they WERE NOT built at the factory! We were the EXCLUSIVE builders of the Seville till it was transferred to New Jersey. But THEY never built Converts either. The last Convertable built in the factory was the Eldorado in 76, the year Cadillac quit buildind ALL convertables. After that they were ALL conversions by American Sunroof or other custom Conversion shops. I think there were quite a few shops that did them all around the U.S. I know that American Sunroof, located in Southgate Michigan had at least 2 other locations that did conversions.

[Eshaver]

George , YOU DIDN'T REALLY READ WHAT I HAD TO SAY ! I TRIED TO EXPLAIN HOW THE CADILLACS WERE NOT A " FACTORY OFFERING !" In fact I, think that American Sunroof was the contract shop that built those El Dorados and Sevelles . As you should recal in previous phone conversations , I had and still have friends that are G M employees . Ed Shaver

Edited January 25, 2010 by Eshaver

[george 53]

Ed Eldo converts WERE factory built till 76. ALL Sevilles till 79 were built at my plant,an there WERE NO converts. Those were built at conversion shops. The converts were ALL discontinued in 76, so ANY Caddy convert AFTER that date are custom conversions.