Crash Dummy

Has anyone else dealt with one? When I lived in New Orleans I knew of a corvette shop that specialized in converting totalled '90's Vettes to covertibles after they had been written off. You would never know the difference except for the salvage title and about 1/3 the cost. Maybe the modular design made it pretty easy.

I own a '74 conversion and still wonder why anyone would go to the time & money to convert one of those year cars. The previous owner to this car put a new frame underneath it, all GM glass, new paint, convertible top and interior and then sold it for $12,200. I wouldn't think it would be worth anyone's time/money to sink that kind of money in a conversion of a 74-82 vette. They just don't have that much value to go to that trouble.

Then again... I now own a #'s matching vette with 74,000 original miles with a VIN that all real vette buffs would shy away from although it has a restoration many will not ever attempt.

Your thoughts?

'74 Convertible(Converted from a coupe to vert)

Alwyn678

I think your car looks GREAT.....But it had to be quite a job to do

Mystery Machine

I've often thought about this convcersion. I own a '73 that I love so I don't know if I'd do it to that one but maybe to another one. I would be interested in the details involved in the process.

BTW - your car looks excellent! :cool: :cool:

PRNDL

My thoughts are it is crazy to convert a model year that also has convertibles (up to 75). If you want a convertible of that year, then go buy one! I used to think it was crazy to convert any year, but somebody on this forum has a converted 80? or maybe it's an 81 and I was very surprised at how great that body style looks as a convertible, even with the soft top up. He also dropped in a 502 engine. That helps too! :) MJ

fauxrs

Oh I dont know, I can see several reasons to do the conversion. Although admittedly buying an original is a heck of a lot easier, but in my neck of the woods (SoCal) Convertibles are not dime a dozen.

A running example of a 76-80 can be had for anywhere between 5-7k but it seems convertibles cant be touched for much less than 15k (there will always be exceptions though) so it seems like a conversion could still be a viable choice.

I wouldnt be afraid to try it, it has even occurred to me to do this to my 78 from time to time. but I must admit it would be a complex job.

Maurice

That was "2inspire". He hasn't posted in quite a while. I love the look of his vette.



I could see somebody converting their car to a vert. If you spent so much money building your car and you know it is great shape, why not spend the extra money to change it? You are dealing with a known car and upgrading it a bit. It could possible be cheaper than buying a vert, switching all your stuff over to it and trying to swap all the parts from both and really racking up some big bills.

Desertdawg

I always slobbered over 2nspire's vert too....looks like it was made that way.... :cool: :cool: :cool:

Crash Dummy

This vette was in Cobourg, Ontario overlooking one of the Great Lakes and from what I can gather had alot of rust on the frame. Guessing the owner figured if he was going to replace the frame, why not convert it. I really don't know a whole lot about what is different about the rear clip of a coupe(top of course) and a vert, but I am thinking the windshield frame has to be the biggest hastle. When I got the car the only thing that needed to be replaced in the interior were the moldings that run from the dash up to the top of the windshield on each side as they were cracked from age. When I pulled them off I found the splicing they had done fitting in the *vert* windshield top frame where the coupe part was. It appears that they cut the existing windshield supports about 1/3 down from the top. Making sure the correct height, angle & strength would have to be a huge project as the side windows need to seal correctly to the convertible top. The other things that would seem to be a real project would be getting the rear clip aligned(height & side to side and correct gaps to the doors). Although the door gaps are pretty well perfect on this conversion, I can tell you that the height on the driver's side of the rear clip is lower than the passenger side. Bugs the hell out of me and I will find a way of remedying that as it looks tacky. Plans are to change all of the shocks this weekend or next. Maybe that is part of the problem. I read somewhere in this C-3 forum of a screw that could be worked with to lower or raise one side. I'll have to re-read that section again. Picture below.....

GrandSportC3

very nice indeed... :cool: :cool:

Markm10431

the only thing that I see would be a huge problem would be that the rear deck on the older sharks is larger than my 82. that sloping glass covers roughly double the storage of the earlier sharks. a soft top would almost certainly have to be a custom job, or add the deck from a earlier car (which would be nice, it would provide reduced visibility to a nice bit of storage. I never have liked the retracting cover cars with large back glass have. to have that window shade drawn screams "I'm hiding something"

mrvette

Two words.....ECONOMICALLY IMPOSSIBLE......

GENE

Frankenvette

Just wanted to say hello from an 80 vert owner. I truly enjoy the look of my late body vette as a vert. My car was originally a 73 vert but has been rebuilt with an 80 body and interior etc.... I cant' see performing this conversion on anything earlier than a 76. Why make a vert when you can buy one (i.e 68-75).

Jim