According to you: 10 cars that deserved to be convertibles
It’s pretty amazing that most, if not all, of the earliest cars were open-top wonders of modern transportation. Horseless, true, but also roofless. As the decades progressed, advancements like fully enclosed cabins, affordable HVAC systems, and chassis designs that were both stable and safe at high cruising speeds ensured that convertibles would be relegated to limited production and/or the creative aftermarket. The world isn’t fair, but could we have done better by having a few more roofless wonders? According to Hagerty readers, yes.
Thanks to technological advancements for OEM engineers and local fabricators alike, just about any vehicle could be a droptop rockstar with very few downsides. I previously covered one such vehicle that proves the point and was made by an Orlando-based Kia dealership. So I asked everyone in the Hagerty Community about their dream convertible conversions. The feedback was impressive, both in volume and variety. You can see every comment here, but we curated the standouts here.
Chrysler LX platform
Aftermarket designs for all variations of the Chrysler LX platform cars (i.e. LX sedan, LC and LA coupe) have been around for at least a decade, and the Challenger coupe looks good enough to be a production vehicle. Multiple members of the Hagerty Community are surprised that the LX platform hasn’t lost its top with the blessings of DaimlerChrysler, Chrysler, or Stellantis. Perhaps Chrysler wouldn’t have needed so many different corporate overlords if it had simply sawed the roof off its flagship and raked in the profits.
2019+ Toyota Supra
The current Toyota Supra represents a bit of an identity crisis. Perhaps making it even closer kin to the topless BMW Z4 whence it came wouldn’t help its case with Toyota purists; on the other hand, considering how badge-engineered the A90 Supra is under its unique skin, why not bring the two vehicles even closer with a shared disdain for the enclosed body?
Ford Panther platforms
Just about everything said about the Chrysler LX applies to Ford’s famous Panther chassis. The aftermarket fashioned alternatives, while some even retained the B-pillars for extra safety. Ford itself seriously considered making a Panther with only two doors and one roof, as manifested in the 2002 Mercury Marauder concept car pictured at the top of this article. What a shame the Blue Oval didn’t make that concept a reality … but it remains another example of Ford stealing victory from the defeat that met this platform in 2011.
Chevy Monza Towne Coupe
Hagerty Community user
Citroen C6
No, not that C6. The Citroen C6 is an executive sedan from the famous French automaker known for its pillowy ride and spacious interior. While the original concept car sported coach doors worthy of a 1961 Lincoln Continental, even the production model would make for a wonderfully French interpretation of the classic Conti. At least one person sees the forest despite the trees, as Hagerty Community member
BMW 6 Series (E24)
The shark-nosed BMW sports coupe had excellent performance for its era, putting two-seat sports coupes on notice in the process. But the E24 was indeed a larger touring coupe with room for four people, thus making it a legitimate candidate for an even broader appeal if it ditched the fixed roof. Possibly a superior alternative to the E30 convertible, but a roofless E24 would certainly be a more expensive proposition. Just imagine that iconic nose with fewer vertical lines distracting from its presence. The E24 convertible coulda been a contender.
2015+ Shelby GT350
Datsun 240Z
The original Z-car opened new doors in America to the diverse brands/product offerings available from Japan Inc., but removing its roof could have made those proverbial doors swing just a little wider. It could have been a secondary halo atop the halo-effect present in the 240Z, and it clearly had the body lines worthy of becoming a convertible. At least one such creation came to life, and it proves just how worthy the 240Z was to the convertible treatment.
1970–72 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
There are plenty of personal luxury coupes, but there’s only one Chevrolet Monte Carlo. The affordable entryway to mass-market luxury sported a deliciously long hood, flowing hardtop roofline, and an understated decklid—all perfect for a natural transition to a convertible body style. While Chevrolet sported a bumper crop of roofless alternatives in the 1960s and 1970s (Impala, 1st gen Camaro, and C2-C3 Corvette), something about the personal-luxury Monte Carlo made it feel worthy of the same treatment.
Volvo P1800
Unlike the Monte Carlo, the Volvo P1800 wouldn’t compete in the crowded parking lot of a local car dealership. It would stand head and shoulders above everything else—and Volvoville in Long Island, New York, agreed. The Volvo dealership took matters into its own hands, named its creation the “Volvoville convertible,” and charged an extra $1000 for the privilege. Volvoville supposedly sold 30 units before Volvo in Sweden got wind of the open-air motorcar, whereupon the corporate mothership leveraged another grievance to end production: The dealership could keep its contested name but had to stop making the P1800 drop-top. (It remains in business today as Volvo Cars of Huntington, with barely a trace of the original name in its digital footprint). Ah, the things we do to make money while simultaneously keeping our bosses happy!
I’d say yes to the 1970-72 Monte Carlo BUT I would also go for the drop top in the 1973-77 MCs.
Hands down, the Mercury, P1800, and the Monza would have been interesting but I think one needs to lengthen the car to conceal the top, or leave it alone and stack it like older VWs and Corniche on top of
the body.
Just imagine the Pinto and Vega with drop tops! Less metal to rust and the Pinto convertible would make a nice firepit after it stopped running!
I always thought the first gen Riviera and the 68 – 70 Charger would be stunning as verts.
There WERE dozens of 240z rags made and they are gorgeous. The Panther is another good idear and I still, to this day, do NOT understand Ford not makin’ the GT350 rag’ available. That would have been a slam-dunk IMO. The Vulva 1800 only looked good as an ES in real life. It had a weirdly small greenhouse that MIGHT suit a top removal but I need to see a pic’. The Monza was a pig and the roof chop would not be near enough lipstick to pretty up that monstrosity.
I believe the 1958 MK III, Lincoln Continental deserves a mention.
And, there are also cars that only should have been coupes. The Jaguar XJS had great lines, albeit controversial flying buttresses, take those away and it’s a less than mediocre looker. I’d ague the same for the Aston Martin DB7, the convertible is a good looking car with the top up and it looks like somebody stowed their luggage on the back with the top down. That said, the coupe DB7 is drop dead gorgeous. IMHO
!972-1976 Lincoln Mark IV convertible would have been the bomb!
Somebody should have made a drop top short bed pickup. I saw one on one o those car shows on TV…awesome
Dan Crouse: Dodge made a convertible pickup truck: Dodge Dakota 1989-1991. It was a mid-size truck.
Buick Riviera 60’s through 75.
I have owned 4 Volvo p1800’s and definitely would have wanted a convertible.
What a looker!
Had the last year 1972 1800E (for electronic injection I believe. The ES wagon went until 73). God I loved that car. Got married in ’83 and it went on the honeymoon from PA to Fla. The new bride was driving while I napped in the co-pilot’s seat. When I started to come around I heard noises I was unfamiliar with. I look over and the speedo is reporting in excess of 90 MPH. Bride has a wide grin on her face. My god my love, it’s route 95. That’s not the speed limit!!
That two+two Panther at the top would have been gorgeous. Plus that big trunk, what a cruiser!
I have always thought that a Lincoln Mark VII convertible would have been quite handsome.
I would’ve loved to see a 1st generation AMC Javelin (1968-1970) convertible, actually…
We had a 1992 Straman Dodge Stealth convertible for a few years and only sold (to Dean Kruse, no less). It never leaked while in motion, but you couldn’t leave it out in the rain overnight or it would leak into the right rear passenger footwell. Otherwise, one heck of a car…