den(thevetteman)78

Here are some pics of my best buddy Mike's '81 ,he bought that vette in the same time as i did 15 years ago. When he bought it the car was red but it needed a fresh paint so added front and rear fiberglass bumpers he then painted the vette candy red,two years after he decided to paint his vette black like mine but too much black , no chrome on a '81 so he didn't like it so he painted it again yellow it's been like that now for the last 10 years.


But he always wanted a convertible so he decided to cut the roof of his prestine '81. that vette has won best of show everytime she enter to a show. Here's what she look now.

This pics was taken just before he chop it

After he was done with the cutter

That how it look's now. It will be some sort of candy apple red when he's done with it.

moosie982

Hi, That looks almost too easy, but I betcha it was a biatch making that first cut Peace,,, Craig

Frankenvette

I like it. I have an 80 vert

Paul L

I like those conversions very much. Summer's coming. I hope that project goes well!



Tell your friend Mike not to forget the next step....

comp

first cut

RATT7

I always liked that yellow color, I have a silver 1980, but remeber when that color came out in 1980 and it was a sharp looking car. The convertible is really nice, it really seems to fit the look of that car, to bad GM did not make one at that time.

1FUNVET

AMAZING!!! that's soo cool!!! I would have been really scared to cut up my car!

COMMANDER370

Don't know if my gonads are big enough for a project like that.

Fevre

Glad mine cam pre-cut.

kevinator80

No, No, Noooo! Just when I had gotten this idea out of my mind you had to post pics of how to begin. You guys are torchering me with these cars! I often thought about this but had given up on it after reading an opinion saying the effort was too great and if you want a vert. then buy one. Thanks for the inspiration and sleepless nights again. Also, I love the idea of being a little different with my car but at the same time making people who really don't know wonder if it came from the factory that way. This is way cool!

BORDERBUM72

Did he buy the convertible back piece(behind the deck lid), from a mag or did he get one from another car??

Question for anybody that has done this, Is the 72 shorter than the 76? I want to put a 72 rear panel on a 76 chasis, but I think the Shock obsorber rear bumper piece makes this impossible.

I want the look of the 72 on the rear of the car, so I want to use the 72 rear light panel as well as the convertible deck. Is this possible without taking out the reinforcement shock obsorbers behind the rear bumper of the 76?

Hope this is clear, if not Ill try to help out.

crf311

Been there ,Done that. I went a differant route though. I got ahold of a rear convt clip and did the conversion taht way. No major cutting. It is going to look great.

BORDERBUM72

I have the whole 72 convertible clip, but I am not sure it will fit on the 76 chasis without taking off the rear bumper shock obsorber setup.

Where did you make the cut for installing the rear clip?

Is it better to install the whole rear clip or to do what this guy did on his beautiful Yellow Vette? Remy

GrandSportC3

nice!!

CA-Legal-Vette

Well said. It looks too easy so it must not be.

I do like the look though. I also like the nice touch of painting the inside of the hood and putting an emblem in there. Would look great at shows!

BORDERBUM72

bump

Engage

Can we get more details on how the conversion will be done?
Anyone know of a kit or a shop that specializes in vert conversions?

Bangkok Dean

Boy that is going to look great when it is done. The car looked good before now it will be very special. Do keep us informed of the progress.

81' Corvette Guy

Here is an 80 vert..Guy is from Canada..pretty nice work! Joe..enjoy

den(thevetteman)78

I just talk to Mike and he told me that he bought a rear clip with all the hardware and the top of a junked 74. He told me it took him 4 hours from the time he started to cut (first pic) to the time the deck lid was on the car (last pic). And for the question if a 70 rear deck will fit it's no. Only '74 and '75 will fit on '76 to 82. His project is on hold for now because he want to finish a '80 that he's restoring and it's for sale by the way. She's new from bumper to bumper Dark claret int and out. He also have a '70 convertible in his garage that he restore for someone else. Here in N.B. he is well known in corvette restoration . He is a good buddy of mine but my wife said that he his a bad influance on me because everytime i come back from his place i always find something wrong with mine and spend all my spare time in my garage.I will have more pics comming in the future of his '80 and his '81 convertible.