C5 coupe to convertible
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 165
Likes: 31
From: space coast florida
C5 coupe to convertible
Anyone know of someone who has converted a C5 coupe into a convertible. I've been thinking of doing this since visiting the vette museum several years ago. The local Air Force base has a complete body shop and paint booth and I think the conversion would be fairly simple given used body parts and top.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 852
Likes: 3
From: Mobile Alabama
Anyone know of someone who has converted a C5 coupe into a convertible. I've been thinking of doing this since visiting the vette museum several years ago. The local Air Force base has a complete body shop and paint booth and I think the conversion would be fairly simple given used body parts and top.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 16,795
Likes: 62
From: Lake Havasu City, AZ
Yes a friend who owns a fiberglass custom layup shop bought a salvage coupe... ( a jealous boyfriend took the tines of a forklift to the top of the other guys C5 coupe) and converted it to a Vert.... great job...
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,470
Likes: 1,171
From: Dyer, IN
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 107
Likes: 13
From: Fairview Hts. Illinois
I would start looking up all parts and the price of parts before starting this. You may find that it very expensive to convert. I recently replaced a plastic quarter panel in my vert where the flapper door sits with the top down and it was a $100. It was for the drivers side and they said they couldn't get the passengers side any more. So just beware before you get to involved in the conversion
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 6,993
Likes: 25
I would start looking up all parts and the price of parts before starting this. You may find that it very expensive to convert. I recently replaced a plastic quarter panel in my vert where the flapper door sits with the top down and it was a $100. It was for the drivers side and they said they couldn't get the passengers side any more. So just beware before you get to involved in the conversion
Little upside here for the effort-hey I like verts, have one now and in the past but hacking up a coupe to do this seems iffy at best. Unless you have a vert donor car, all the little parts will be painful to get.
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Racer
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 419
Likes: 3
From: Lexington VA
St. Jude Donor '11
Just take all the money you're going to have to spend for parts and put it with your coupe. Find a dealer who'll trade you a vert for your car and the money.
You have a great asset since you have a full service auto body shop at your disposal. Maybe even find a real nice very that maybe just needs paint, minor bodywork, etc.
I can only imagine the issues you may have trying to make that conversion, wind noise, water leaks, window fit, etc, etc....
Just my take...Good Luck either way!
You have a great asset since you have a full service auto body shop at your disposal. Maybe even find a real nice very that maybe just needs paint, minor bodywork, etc.
I can only imagine the issues you may have trying to make that conversion, wind noise, water leaks, window fit, etc, etc....
Just my take...Good Luck either way!
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 16,453
Likes: 3,573
From: here
IMHO, it makes absolutely no sense to make this conversion to a perfectly good car. Why? All you're going to end up with is a coupe that was "converted" to a convertible, and when you go to sell it, you're going to have to look long and hard to find a buyer, no matter how well it was done. You'd be money ahead to sell your coupe, and buy a convertible as has already been suggested.
Now, if you found a totaled roll over or some other car with significant roof damage that you could get for almost nothing, then I'd say sure..have fun and learn a lot. Whatever you ended up with would still not be worth much, but you weren't taking something "good" and making it "questionable" anyway.
That's the way I would look at it anyway...good luck..
Now, if you found a totaled roll over or some other car with significant roof damage that you could get for almost nothing, then I'd say sure..have fun and learn a lot. Whatever you ended up with would still not be worth much, but you weren't taking something "good" and making it "questionable" anyway.
That's the way I would look at it anyway...good luck..
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 170
Likes: 1
From: Jacksonville Florida
Anyone know of someone who has converted a C5 coupe into a convertible. I've been thinking of doing this since visiting the vette museum several years ago. The local Air Force base has a complete body shop and paint booth and I think the conversion would be fairly simple given used body parts and top.
I say go for it, I think projects like these are more about the experience of doing it yourself, no matter how it turns out. If you take your time, there is no reason why you can't have a perfectly functioning convertible corvette, maybe even better than a factory setup. If the paint and body shop is anything like the auto hobby shop on Pendleton, there will be experienced folks there to help you with questions if you run into problems.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,512
Likes: 49
From: Franklin IN
Having had one of each of the C-5's I agree unless you can get a complete vert rear half I wouldn't even give it a thought. C-5's are comming down in price and will not be worth anything in the near future. Bastardizing one will totally ruin any value, sell your coupe and get a vert. But remember one thing you can take to the bank about Verts they either leak or they will. My first 99 was a vert the top required two adjustments while I had it. The cost of replacing a top is not cheap or fun to do. I am much hapier now with my coupe and can pop the top anytime I want. I think the C4 top was a much better design I never did have a leak since I have had it. The top was new when I bought it and I have the hardtop for it.
