What would a 71/72 Look like with T-Tops ?

[ACUDANUT]

  I would like to see some !!

[triple_green]

back in the day I remember seeing a third gen with t-tops, but have never seen one since. Also there was a second gen Javelin around Seattle with t-tops. I would love either one of those!

There was a place in Seattle in the 80s that would buy t-top kits and put them in...but I called them and they said it had been years since they were able to get those kits.

[ACUDANUT]

It would really be cool to have one.

[chargervert]

I would think that a T top roof from a Magnum could be grafted into a third gen Charger.

[Mike DC]

 



Getting body parts for any late-70s Mopar is a serious problem.  An optional setup like a T-top would be that much worse.   


I would start looking at 1978-81 Firebird setups.  The original setup wasn't the worst in quality, the roof shape was similar (but not the same), and there is lots of owner/aftermarket support.   

[chargervert]

After looking at the Magnum roof,it is the only way to go. The F body GM T tops have too much curvature for the roof line of the third gen Charger. The roof of the Magnum is very close,and would look like a factory setup because it is. I saw a T top Magnum of Craigslist for a grand about a month ago. They are out there. My 73 Charger would have been a perfect candidate,because the roofskin was shot,but I already put a new roofskin on it.

[chargervert]

The MAGNUM T top car is on the Philadelphia Craigslist right now for a grand. I bet even the headliner would fit too!

[Nacho-RT74]

something similar 

more like a "TARGA" Charger

[Montclaire]

Wow.  I hope that thing has frame ties.

[JR]

Agreed on grafting on a magnum roof if you're serious.

[Mike DC]

     
That Magnum roof does look pretty close.  Maybe that is the better plan. 

 

[ACUDANUT]

  I just Might have to try and find whole Dodge Magnum car (for parts) in the Midwest 

[Daytona R/T SE]

The Magnum / Cordoba T Top roof inserts are too short front to back for a 71/72 Charger.

You'll wind up with too much roof on the charger.

The entire area above the quarter windows will just be hanging out there looking stupid when the hatches are removed.

Custom longer or lengthened hatch panels will be required.

The shorter 72 SE quarter windows would help, but the hatches are still too short.

It might work on a 73/74 SE without quarter windows.

I looked into this conversion years ago, while possible there's a lot more to it than grafting on a donor roof skin.

[chargervert]

I bet it would fit perfectly on a 73-74 Charger SE with the fixed louvered quarter windows.  The t top ends about the same spot as the factory shortened the driprail on an SE Charger. I converted my SE to a non Se,and I had to add about 15 inches of driprail on each side. Thd roof is demensionally the same size, and the door glass is about the same length. Above the front and rear glass is almost exact. I have no doubt that I could make it look like a factory installed setup on a 73-74 Charger SE.  I would ad frame connectors, and brace up the door openings before removing the roof of the Charger. I wish I would have found a T top Magnum back before I changed the roofskin on my car. The car that I swapped out the roof skin from was one of the SE models that had the standard roll up quarter windows, so I swapped out the whole setup. I  looked for a long time for a sunroof roof assembly to replace the roof on my car,but there were none to be had. So I swapped out the roof with the one from the donor car. Later I bought a sunroof cartridge assembly from a 73 Charger, and I plan to cut the new roof and install it. I also bought a whole sunroof roof assembly from another 73 Charger SE. I wish I would have thought to hunt down a Magnum T top car back then. It's bad timing moneywise right now, or I would grab that Magnum T top car on the PA Craigslist right now!

[Nacho-RT74]

Structurally the SEs ( 72s and 73/74 ) have no difference with the rest of 71/74 roofs, door glasses etc. The 72 is just a filler on same 71/72 standard quarter glass opening, and 73/74 B pillar is to laugh ( aside the rest is a filler too on same hardtops openings ). Nothing to really say will match better than the rest. Maybe just visually, but not structurally.

my 2 cents

[RallyeMike]

The Magnum / Cordoba T Top roof inserts are too short front to back for a 71/72 Charger.

You'll wind up with too much roof on the charger.

I would swear the magnum roof is longer in length that the Charger. Have you actually measured them? Perhaps it's an optical illusion....

As far as what it would look like, my opinion is ... not very good. The original design shape is very good as-is and difficult to improve on. It's very hard to make it look better. I'd still like to see a well executed version. I don't think it would be very easy to pull off due to the different slopes and angle of the roofs, drip edge, etc,.

[Daytona R/T SE]

The Magnum / Cordoba T Top roof inserts are too short front to back for a 71/72 Charger.

You'll wind up with too much roof on the charger.

I would swear the magnum roof is longer in length that the Charger. Have you actually measured them? Perhaps it's an optical illusion....

As far as what it would look like, my opinion is ... not very good. The original design shape is very good as-is and difficult to improve on. It's very hard to make it look better. I'd still like to see a well executed version. I don't think it would be very easy to pull off due to the different slopes and angle of the roofs, drip edge, etc,.

I wasn't referring to the entire roof, just that the actual removable t top hatches are too short to look right on a Charger.

[ACUDANUT]

Surely someone has done this before. 

[chargervert]

The Magnum / Cordoba T Top roof inserts are too short front to back for a 71/72 Charger.

You'll wind up with too much roof on the charger.

I would swear the magnum roof is longer in length that the Charger. Have you actually measured them? Perhaps it's an optical illusion....

As far as what it would look like, my opinion is ... not very good. The original design shape is very good as-is and difficult to improve on. It's very hard to make it look better. I'd still like to see a well executed version. I don't think it would be very easy to pull off due to the different slopes and angle of the roofs, drip edge, etc,.

I  think that you need to look at the roof from the top,and you will see that it is almost exactly the same as the third generation Chargers in length, width, and contour above the front and rear glass and the A pillars. Its probably the only part of the car that was hardly changed. The side glass is about the same as a 73-74 Charger. It is a b body platform just like the Charger.  I agree that on a 71-72 Charger it would be harder to pull off because of the rear quarter windows, but they are not that long,and the car has massive B pillars, so I still think that it would work, but it would definitely work and work well on the SE models with the fixed louvered quarter windows.

[Nacho-RT74]

I think windshield is in fact the same, so maybe not so different as stated by chargervert

[ACUDANUT]

something similar 

more like a "TARGA" Charger

Horrible idea on this. No support and a crappy floppy bad fit top.

[Nacho-RT74]

I don't think bad idea, but sure badly executed. As the rest of car

[ACUDANUT]

I am going to need a fabricator to pull this off.  Any volunteers ??

[chargervert]

I wish that this thread had come up before I replaced the roofskin on my 73,because I would have done it.  I would grab thet Magnum TTop car for a grand, and got it done.  I would definitely advise anyone who is considering doing it to put frame connectors in the car first, and brace the door openings before removing the roof structure. I have no doubt that the Magnum setup would work with minimal modifications.

[Nacho-RT74]

What about torque boxes instead subframe conectors? Aren't convertibles with these?