The Topless Thread (hope I don't get banned again)

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Joey4420 said:
I will never knock building one, but for the price; just like with an Experimental aircraft you can get a better deal after someone else has built it. I paid less for my West Coast Cobra already built with a SVO 460 under the hood than I could buy just the rolling chassis from the manufacture. I have seen FFR's selling for as low at $18k, but a good one is around $25 or so with almost no mileage.
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Always an excellent point. Engine choice is one thing, but I'd also rather avoid someone who went cheap and just threw a bunch of junkyard 5.0 Mustang parts on it. The T5 tranny is about all I'd accept on a pre-built model as far as junk yard parts. The SVO 460 is a beast of an engine, but that's a lot of weight up front!
 
Ted DuPuis said:
I had a lot of fun with the one of those I owned. Felt remarkably solid for such a small car, too.
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They're a lot of fun to drive, a very solid roadster. It won't peel back your eyelids with acceleration, but it'll carve up a windy road with ease.
 
SoonerAviator said:
They're a lot of fun to drive, a very solid roadster. It won't peel back your eyelids with acceleration, but it'll carve up a windy road with ease.
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I definitely enjoyed the handling on it. Agreed that it's not a super fast car, but handling was nice.

I would have been more likely to keep it if I lived someplace with more twisties. Out here in Kansas... you basically drive on a cardinal heading, make a 90 degree turn and drive on another cardinal heading, repeat the process. I bought it when we lived in Cincinnati which had a few more turns on some of the roads, but was still nothing like PA.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
I definitely enjoyed the handling on it. Agreed that it's not a super fast car, but handling was nice.

I would have been more likely to keep it if I lived someplace with more twisties. Out here in Kansas... you basically drive on a cardinal heading, make a 90 degree turn and drive on another cardinal heading, repeat the process. I bought it when we lived in Cincinnati which had a few more turns on some of the roads, but was still nothing like PA.
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Yeah, PA roads are just fantastic once you're outside of the urban areas. I absolutely ripped on several rental Mustangs/Camaros/Challengers in the Altoona, PA area. Wish I'd had something with more than a 310HP V6 to play with.
 
mscard88 said:
Dang that's purty! What year?
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Not mine, but the 280Z was produced from '75-'78. I've seen a few "spyder" convertible versions of the 240Z and 260Z's as well, which started back in '70. Safety regs kept Datsun/Nissan from making any convertible Z cars themselves, at least until the mid-90's model Z's.
 
Yeah I knew they didn't make a convertible thru the 300z I think. Didn't know safety regs prevented it.
 
Kritchlow said:
I was actually going to post the C2 and the GTO until I saw your post. The other two you can flush.
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Lol, the '67 Goat is my favorite muscle car, and I've got my name on a '67 C2 w/427 in the FIL's will at the moment. As far as the other one, I've got a soft spot for the Z cars. I've owned a few, such as an '88 300ZX turbo for my first car.

mscard88 said:
Yeah I knew they didn't make a convertible thru the 300z I think. Didn't know safety regs prevented it.
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They actually had a company called "straman" that did convertible conversions for the 84-89 300ZX models. Those were flat out hideous. The body design just doesn't work for the convertible.
 
SoonerAviator said:
Yeah, PA roads are just fantastic once you're outside of the urban areas. I absolutely ripped on several rental Mustangs/Camaros/Challengers in the Altoona, PA area. Wish I'd had something with more than a 310HP V6 to play with.
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I had a lot of fun tearing up the roads around Williamsport on motorcycles and cars - a wide variety. My RC51 was probably my favorite vehicle overall, and my Jaguar XJS (a red 92 V12) was probably the favorite car.
 
SoonerAviator said:
Yeah, PA roads are just fantastic once you're outside of the urban areas. I absolutely ripped on several rental Mustangs/Camaros/Challengers in the Altoona, PA area. Wish I'd had something with more than a 310HP V6 to play with.
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Those cars with that HP may not be the bomb, but it's unclear just how much more you need on those roads. My 2001 Cobra Mustang only had 320hp, and that thing was all but slow.
 
Kritchlow said:
Those cars with that HP may not be the bomb, but it's unclear just how much more you need on those roads. My 2001 Cobra Mustang only had 320hp, and that thing was all but slow.
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Oh, I had no problem using all the power my RC51 had on those roads. Or all the power any vehicle I drove/rode had.
 
Ok....can't stand it anymore..... what everyone was wanting.... topless dancing....:yesnod:

 
Ted DuPuis said:
Oh, I had no problem using all the power my RC51 had on those roads. Or all the power any vehicle I drove/rode had.
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I try to use it all (now have a C7 Vette), but things get in the way...... such as cars, trees, etc...

ETA: not specifically PA roads, but assuming there are similar other places.
 
Kritchlow said:
I try to use it all (now have a C7 Vette), but things get in the way...... such as cars, trees, etc...

ETA: not specifically PA roads, but assuming there are similar other places.
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Certainly - when you have a lot of power you may only be able to use it for short periods. But I still used it all for short periods of time. :)
 
mscard88 said:
The 3000 was my dream car. Had to be BRG. Wire wheels. Beautiful car. They're expensive now for a good one, over $50-60K. I see a couple every fall when the local British Sports Car Club has a show. Hmm let's see, Cherokee or Healey...

th
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Roland and Curt from Tears for Fears agree with you.

 
Buick Cascada. I haven’t noticed a mention of it.

It is the only front-wheel drive convertible with a back seat, as far as I know.

I took a test drive a year ago, hoping it could be a year-round driver here in the midwest.

However, the 1.8 liter turbocharged engine is a bit anemic for a heavy car, and it lacked a combination of three features I felt were essential for dealing with the poor top-up rear visibility typical of convertibles:
- backup camera,
- blind spot detection, and
- parking sensors.

Actually that combination is very hard to find in any make of convertible.
 
NoHeat said:
Buick Cascada....It is the only front-wheel drive convertible with a back seat, as far as I know.
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Audi A3, VW Beetle Convertible, Mini Cooper Convertible, Fiat 500 Convertible (OK, that last one is a stretch).
 
SoonerAviator said:
Chrysler LeBaron. Olds Toronado.
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Oh, I thought we were only listing current production new cars. If you want to talk about older cars then you can add Toyota Paseo/Celica/Solara, Nissan Murano, VW Eos/Golf, Chrysler Sebring and a whole boatload of others.
 
asicer said:
Oh, I thought we were only listing current production new cars. If you want to talk about older cars then you can add Toyota Paseo/Celica/Solara, Nissan Murano, VW Eos/Golf, Chrysler Sebring and a whole boatload of others.
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I thought he was just talking about FWD with a backseat. Either way, there's plenty of competition. The Murano convertible, another abomination lol.
 
My El Dorado is front-wheel-drive, and it has a backseat…
 
mscard88 said:
All I recall it was an automatic. I always liked the looks of a Fiat 124 but they do have maintenance problems although to the extent of the British sports cars. Also had a Miata, and the Honda S2000 mentioned, and they were virtually maintenance free other than wear and tear stuff. Both great cars.
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The 1960 Impala was available with either a TurboGlide or a Powerglide transmission; the TurboGlide was sort of like a Buick Dynaflow, except less efficient. It had a switch-pitch driving stator and three driven stators at different ratios, so as you accelerated, the output was driven by the three stators in succession. Very, very smooth, and no "shifting" occurring. Sort of a continuously-variable transmission, without the efficiency.

The other automatic was the Powerglide, which was a straightforward two-speed automatic.

Vehicles equipped with the 348 (which was, itself, a fairly rare engine) tended to have the Turboglide upsold into them, as well, and my first car was a 1961 Impala with a 348 and Turboglide; I did not deserve the car when I got it! It was totaled.

Agreed on the Fiat; my mom had one, and it was a blast, not counting the time it swallowed a valve. And all the times we had to remove all the fuses, clean the spring clips that the fuses were attached with with wire brushes, and clean the fuses themselves. From the factory, with fuses and spring clips that generated the similar-metal corrosion. Italian design. But no, that twin-cam engine would sing!

I would love to have an S2000.
 
SCCutler said:
The 1960 Impala was available with either a TurboGlide or a Powerglide transmission; the TurboGlide was sort of like a Buick Dynaflow, except less efficient. It had a switch-pitch driving stator and three driven stators at different ratios, so as you accelerated, the output was driven by the three stators in succession. Very, very smooth, and no "shifting" occurring. Sort of a continuously-variable transmission, without the efficiency.

The other automatic was the Powerglide, which was a straightforward two-speed automatic.

Vehicles equipped with the 348 (which was, itself, a fairly rare engine) tended to have the Turboglide upsold into them, as well, and my first car was a 1961 Impala with a 348 and Turboglide; I did not deserve the car when I got it! It was totaled.

Agreed on the Fiat; my mom had one, and it was a blast, not counting the time it swallowed a valve. And all the times we had to remove all the fuses, clean the spring clips that the fuses were attached with with wire brushes, and clean the fuses themselves. From the factory, with fuses and spring clips that generated the similar-metal corrosion. Italian design. But no, that twin-cam engine would sing!

I would love to have an S2000.
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Mine had a 348 but man that was 49 years in '68 when I bought it, so I can't recall the tranny.

I regret almost daily selling my S2000. Great fun car to drive.
 
When I ordered my 1968 GTO I put almost every option on it and gave consideration to the convertible. But I live in Michigan and had no garage to park it in. I had scary thoughts about what sleet and freezing rain we frequently see here in winter. I (wisely I think) went with the hard top. I was courting my wife back then. She was in college and when I pulled up in front of her dorm it amazed me to see all the heads hanging out the windows.
 
Norman said:
When I ordered my 1968 GTO I put almost every option on it and gave consideration to the convertible. But I live in Michigan and had no garage to park it in. I had scary thoughts about what sleet and freezing rain we frequently see here in winter. I (wisely I think) went with the hard top. I was courting my wife back then. She was in college and when I pulled up in front of her dorm it amazed me to see all the heads hanging out the windows.
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They were looking at your car Norman, your car. ;)
 
mscard88 said:
Mine had a 348 but man that was 49 years in '68 when I bought it, so I can't recall the tranny.

I regret almost daily selling my S2000. Great fun car to drive.
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I remember the S2000. Wasn't there something a bit different about the power band? Very low torque until about 9k, then it was a rocket??
 
Kritchlow said:
I remember the S2000. Wasn't there something a bit different about the power band? Very low torque until about 9k, then it was a rocket??
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I think it was around 6000 rpm when Vtec kicked in. Fun fun! Great for merging on the interstate and some clown speeds up screwing with you.
 
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