PaulEddie

If they made a removable hard top for the convertible, like in the early cars, would you buy one.

spearfish25

So the coupe with a targa isn't convertible enough. But the convertible with a soft top isn't coupe enough. Sigh.

My wife says the targa top on the coupe is the best convertible she's ever been in. No wind buffeting. It's a delight and so good I'd never buy a convertible.

F4 Phantom

No. People with removable hardtops tend to leave them on, defeating the purpose of having a vert. You need to have a place to store the hardtop. It takes away the spontaneity of having a vert. And then there's sudden, unexpected rain.

gurneyeagle

I asked the same question a few months back and was crucified. Gotta love this forum.


I like the look of previous gen Corvette convertibles with the hardtop, and think it would be the best of both worlds. I really like the look of the C5 Z06.

JoesC5

No. I have one on my 56 and it is a pain to take off/put on. Like the looks of it and the great non restricted views when driving with it on, but that's it.

F4 Phantom

It's not a vert. Big Difference. (God, I really don't want to start up this vert vs. coupe argument again!)

dvilin

No I would not buy one. I moved from a Coupe to a Convertible and the difference is like night and day.
The convertible is quieter than the coupe, has less wind buffeting, and the convenience of top up or down in 28 seconds.
Some people forget the Stingray was designed as a Convertible first. It is the best of both worlds no need for any hardtop.
The one significant difference is looks and that is very subjective.

JoesC5

Most, but not all, of the owners of the early Vettes had both the soft top and the hard top, thus getting caught in the rain was not an issue. The hard top was left at home, and if you ran into a shower, you just put the soft top up(on my '56 it's even powered).

With the 56-62's, you could order(or the dealer could order for inventory) either the soft top or the hard top(no difference in the base price of the car). If you wanted both the soft top and the hard top, then the extra top cost extra.

There were a few hardtop only cars built, but they are very rare. My best buddy in high school(1959-60), had a hardtop only 1958. In 1961(because he was tired of being caught without the hardtop when it started raining) he purchased from the Chevy dealer, the complete soft top assembly. But...when we went to install it, we discovered that the hardtop only cars did not have the steel mounting brackets in the body to fasten the soft top frame to.

Neighbor across the street had a friend that had a base no option 1958(3 speed and hardtop only car) that he bought new and I had a chance to buy it around 20 years ago. I passed as it had a 1970 era metalflake silver paint job(with the HUGE flakes) and for what he wanted for the car plus a required repaint, it was over priced. Now I wish I had bought it.

F4 Phantom

You're an old fart, like me!

SCB

I, for one, would never want one. Love the targa top, but probably wouldn't remove it as much as I do if I had to park outside. Maybe a retractable hardtop would be interesting (like the Cadillac XLR), but would add weight, take up some room, increase the cost, impact the looks, etc.

F4 Phantom

All true!

Rooster OG

i bought a coupe to start with because I didn't want a convertible. So no, I wouldn't buy a convertible hard or soft top.

Steve_R

I'd have no interest in buying one for my vert.

dprestidge

There are lots of cars that have had tops that slid back and and left the door frames. Nash comes to mind. They were called convertibles.

T-TOP TOM

I bought one for my C5 which was made by Smooth Lines in Pa. and love it in the fall when it is too cold for the top down. I called them last year when I ordered my C7 and they didn't make them for the C7 yet but might make them later. I haven't checked back with them this year

rmorin1249

Have had numerous convertibles including some soft and hard tops. Will never have a soft top one again. The coupe is the best of both worlds and it has plenty of cargo space.

Jeffthunbird

Comments about how great the vert is are true. I prefer the look of the coupe though. It's such a tough decision, then to choose the color, options, etc. for me, it has more to do with how striking the car looks in the showroom and that's how I got hooked... on my silver bullet.

Strake

NO.... I had one for my '65 Roadster...... nice feature, but it was always a pain to deal with when you wanted to take it off and keep it safe. I ended up making a pulley system in my garage to hoist it up to the ceiling when not on the car. This was 1975 / 76.

Too much hassle

Then over the years, had 8 different coupes.

Next Vert was the 2013 60th Anniv 427 we had...... eventually, I realized I just WASN'T a vert guy..... back to a Coupe for us.

Foosh

No.

obxchartercaptain

....All my Vettes 67, 71, 02, 08 and my 2016 have been "soft tops" and I would not have purchased a "hard top" for any of them. For me the look of a Convertible is very special even with the top up.