Charger Convertible Built With AMD Parts at Carlisle (Photos)

[Old Moparz]

So by the end of the day on Friday at Carlisle, Troy, Gene, (Hemigeno) Danny, (69_500) & myself decide to get something to eat for dinner. Before we leave, Troy asked me if I had seen the Charger convertible conversion that was in the first row of the swap meet. I usually come in the 1st gate in line with the 1st row, but this year I decided to go in another gate so I never saw it.   

On my way out to get my truck & go meet them for dinner, I decide I had to see the Charger convertible conversion first. It was awesome, & something I've wanted for years. I made a sketch of one almost 30 years ago & have always wanted to build one. I had the base ragtop to work with, a '68 Coronet, & then bought my '68 Charger to go ahead with the project. Long story short, I changed my mind after realizing it was beyond my skills & decided just build a Daytona & gathered all the parts for that project instead.

After talking to the vendors at "Mars Mopar" who did the conversion & sell AMD parts, www.marsmopar.com my Coronet is no longer for sale.        While I'm talking to the guy from Mars, (not Brock Samson btw) Troy decides to call me & interrupt my conversation with some crap about "Where are you, we're all hungry?" I tell him I'm looking at the Charger convertible, I'll see you soon.    

Here's some pix of the car which was rushed together for Carlisle. It's a bit crude in places, but they will finish it at a later date using all AMD sheet metal & a few custom fabricated parts, like the rear area between the deck lid & the convertible top. They will be adding doors, deck lids, & the lower, rear, valance corners, to the list of Charger repro parts in the future.












Anyone interested in buying a 1971 Barracuda?   

[moparstuart]

  very cool

[Brock Samson]

 o.k the dude from Mars....    thinks a daytona convert is a great idea...

[Blown70]

Anyone interested in buying a 1971 Barracuda?   

  Now, DANG YOU!!!!  WHY, WHY, WHY    Just when I make a deal on a running driving 69 Charger....... 

[craigandlynda]

did you by chance see if they used frame ties? just curious...

[Kevin68N71]

Nah, not for me.  To me the roof makes the car.  You can argue that with ANY convertible really, but that tunnel/flying buttress roof just completes the lines.

In my opinion, that is why the Road Runner convertible worked so well.  You had a much plainer roofline to start with, so you didn't really lose anything.  And the RR was more of a brute force block design, not the flowing lines of the Charger.

[Old Moparz]

o.k the dude from Mars....    thinks a daytona convert is a great idea...

  Hey Dave, I thought I had the right planet.

My car won't be a Daytona ragtop though, just a base Charger with '69 sheet metal. The biggest hurdle in converting the Coronet to a Charger was the rear clip. I wish I could post the before & after photos from their photo album that was sitting on their car. The base convertible they used was so badly rotted, that the only parts salvageable were the roof frame supports behind, & adjacent to the rear seat. The car they started with was a Satellite, not a Coronet.

I'll probably just box up my Daytona parts for the time being, sell off 2 other cars & see how I can manage this project. The car they had at Carlisle would be about $15,000 with all new sheet metal from AMD. I won't need as much as that car did, & more than likely, I'll have them do the rear clip only. Now I've got to make a list of Coronet parts for sale.   

[nh_mopar_fan]

Nope.

Me no likey.

[Old Moparz]

Nope.

Me no likey.

Then don't look at it.   

[nh_mopar_fan]

Ever try to avert your eyes from the disaster?

It's like watching the Yankees this year!

[1969chargerrtse]

Hmmmm, I don't know?  I don't like the tall windshield for one.  Kinda neat to see all that new sheet metal, but if dodge didn't offer it, not for me.

[moparstuart]

o.k the dude from Mars....    thinks a daytona convert is a great idea...

  Hey Dave, I thought I had the right planet.

My car won't be a Daytona ragtop though, just a base Charger with '69 sheet metal. The biggest hurdle in converting the Coronet to a Charger was the rear clip. I wish I could post the before & after photos from their photo album that was sitting on their car. The base convertible they used was so badly rotted, that the only parts salvageable were the roof frame supports behind, & adjacent to the rear seat. The car they started with was a Satellite, not a Coronet.

I'll probably just box up my Daytona parts for the time being, sell off 2 other cars & see how I can manage this project. The car they had at Carlisle would be about $15,000 with all new sheet metal from AMD. I won't need as much as that car did, & more than likely, I'll have them do the rear clip only. Now I've got to make a list of Coronet parts for sale.   

pete (wingnut) from connecticut has a daytona convert very cool !   I think you need the wing after you lose the roof line.

[Old Moparz]

Ever try to avert your eyes from the disaster?

It's like watching the Yankees this year!

  It'll still be a good post season without the Red Sox.

[69bronzeT5]

I like it. It looks better than that yellow '68 convert. that was posted earlier.

[Charger_Fan]

I hope yours ends up with a front end better alignment than theirs did.

[66chargerkid]

I want one BADDD!!!
Daytona convert would be SWEEEEEEEET!!!!
maybe someday...

[69*F5*SE]

I kind of like the convertible look but I wouldn't want one. 

[Old Moparz]

I hope yours ends up with a front end better alignment than theirs did.

The guy at Mars Mopar told me that they are still going to replace the firewall & the front floor below it. It's not that solid in some places, you can see holes, so the nose will be removed to do it. I don't remember, but he may have even said they're doing front frame rails on it too. They only rushed it together in 3 weeks to show everyone the AMD parts & the basics of the Charger ragtop. My Coronet needs front rails & torque boxes, so I may let them do that as well if I think the car can go from NY to GA without collapsing.   

[HKCharger]

to me 2nd gen chargers dont look good as verts. 2 cents

[Old Moparz]

to me 2nd gen chargers dont look good as verts. 2 cents

I kind of agree, but I love ragtops too much not to do it.

Besides, the Coronet is rough & I wouldn't feel bad modifying it. 

[Daytona R/T SE]

I ALWAYS wanted to do that to my '68 Charger, but could never lay my hands on a coronet rag top.

Now with all of the aftermarket body parts out there I probably would not have to sacrifice the "68

Hmmmm.....


Better finish my Daytona first   

[Finn]

to me 2nd gen chargers dont look good as verts. 2 cents

To me you avatar doesn't look as good in that small size. Definitely need to post a full size image. Possibly poster size.   

[Dave22443]

to me 2nd gen chargers dont look good as verts. 2 cents

To me you avatar doesn't look as good in that small size. Definitely need to post a full size image. Possibly poster size.   

[Troy]

to me 2nd gen chargers dont look good as verts. 2 cents

To me you avatar doesn't look as good in that small size. Definitely need to post a full size image. Possibly poster size.   

The full size pictures were posted (by someone else) on this site. All it takes is a bit of searching...

Troy

[twenty mike mike]

Nah, not for me.  To me the roof makes the car.  You can argue that with ANY convertible really, but that tunnel/flying buttress roof just completes the lines.

In my opinion, that is why the Road Runner convertible worked so well.  You had a much plainer roofline to start with, so you didn't really lose anything.  And the RR was more of a brute force block design, not the flowing lines of the Charger.

Yep, I agree on both counts.

[BrianShaughnessy]

  Speedo and I looked that over on Friday.    He was able to pick out where these guys had butt welded up the Charger quarters to the old vert parts and puttied it up but then again he's the body guy and would or should know better than I. 

  I just don't know...    something's missing when the roof is removed  

[JimShine]

Do you know if the windshield is the AMD product?

[Mike DC]

A 2nd-gen Convertible is never gonna look good until somebody retains the hartop's low-rise windshield and the ragtop retains the flying buttress pillars.

[hemi-hampton]

HKCharger, Can you send me a bigger Pic of your Avatar, I think I'm in love    LEON.

[hemigeno]

According to the conversation that Troy and I had with the guy earlier that day, he is planning on making a couple of fixed/removable pieces to mimic the flying buttress look when the convertible top is in the "up" position.  He was talking about the fact that the Charger roof line gave the car it's great look, which I suppose is why Chrysler didn't make a drop-top Charger in the first place.  If that is the way they solve the roofline "problem", then I would want to see how it looks before developing an opinion either way. 

The guy did say that he would have to remember to remove the pieces before lowering the top, or make them out of something that wouldn't screw the paint up when he forgot...   

We had to wait so long for you to come pick us up for dinner on Friday that Danny's son fell asleep at the table before we got our food.  Some people are easily distracted at car shows I suppose...    

[jeryst]

I always though a Charger vert would be cool, but now that I see one, I'm undecided. I agree with the others, that the roofline makes the car. I'd have to see one with the top up.

[Old Moparz]

According to the conversation that Troy and I had with the guy earlier that day, he is planning on making a couple of fixed/removable pieces to mimic the flying buttress look when the convertible top is in the "up" position.  He was talking about the fact that the Charger roof line gave the car it's great look, which I suppose is why Chrysler didn't make a drop-top Charger in the first place.  If that is the way they solve the roofline "problem", then I would want to see how it looks before developing an opinion either way. 

The guy did say that he would have to remember to remove the pieces before lowering the top, or make them out of something that wouldn't screw the paint up when he forgot...   

We had to wait so long for you to come pick us up for dinner on Friday that Danny's son fell asleep at the table before we got our food.  Some people are easily distracted at car shows I suppose...    

The guy told me about the 2 pieces you're referring to, as well. For me, I'd pass on that modification to the top since it would be down 95% of the time I'm in the car anyway. The one car built by someone ages ago, that car had some kind of convertible roof that resembled the hardtop roof. It was for sale a few years ago & sold. If I recall, it's a green '68 from the northwest.

Hey, it's not my fault Danny hasn't turned his kid onto coffee yet, that would have kept him going. 

[G-man]

Ive seen a lot of cars that work and look good as convertibles (71 cudas, challengers etc) but a 2nd Gen Dodge Charger that looks like a brick with wheels... that thing looks horrible. No roof, no car, that just Yuck. I must say the charger is the 1st car in my life that I have seen that does NOT in ANY way suit convertible. Dont do it man! 

[Mike DC]

 

I disagree that the concept will never work.  IMHO the execution is always the problem. 

If you just put a 2nd-gen in photoshop and literally delete the roof, it looks fine.  And we all know the 2nd-gen wore a vinyl top as well as any car of the era, so there's no reason the raised cloth roof has to look ugly if it was done well either. 


The problem comes when all the B-body converts get a taller windshield than the hardtops.  And the converts' cloth roof shape looks bad for the lines of the Charger regardless of what it was made of. 

 

[Old Moparz]

 
I disagree that the concept will never work.  IMHO the execution is always the problem. 

If you just put a 2nd-gen in photoshop and literally delete the roof, it looks fine.  And we all know the 2nd-gen wore a vinyl top as well as any car of the era, so there's no reason the raised cloth roof has to look ugly if it was done well either. 


The problem comes when all the B-body converts get a taller windshield than the hardtops.  And the converts' cloth roof shape looks bad for the lines of the Charger regardless of what it was made of. 

Definitely true, I can't stand my Satellite convertible with the top up, it's just ugly. Other than when it was my daily driver in the mid 80's, or if I get caught in the rain now, the top is ALWAYS down. The whole reason for having a ragtop though, is to lower the top & drive around in the open air. I don't care what the roof looks like, it's only function is to keep the interior covered when I'm not using it. My all time, favorite cars, are the late 60's B-Bodies, so to have one I like, a Charger with no roof is great.   

I just scrolled through the photos I took again this morning to show my wife. I decided that I'll be visiting Mars Mopars in GA later this year to see the shop & their work. We have family in FL so making a side trip to do this is no big deal.

[WingCharger]

Fugly! 

That poor Charger.  

[Old Moparz]

Fugly! 

That poor Charger.  

It's a 1968 Satellite. 

[WingCharger]

Fugly! 

That poor Charger.  

It's a 1968 Satellite. 

That poor B-Body!

[Old Moparz]

Fugly! 

That poor Charger.  

It's a 1968 Satellite. 

That poor B-Body!

Yeah, maybe, but you should have seen how badly rotted it was.   

The only area of the car that was useable was the cowl, the windshield frame, & the structural area on the interior where the convertible roof frame is attached to the vehicle. The floors, frame rails, quarter panels, rockers, etc., where wasted & beyond repair. They sectioned in a used, rear floor & frame rail set from a donor car to rebuild this thing. I wish I took photos of the before & after pics in the photo album they had on the hood of the display car, or that their website had the photos posted.

[RDR838]

There was this showcar called the topless Charger, it had only a tiny windshield, maybe because Chrylser-designers had the same thought: The convert's windshield doesn't look good on the Charger's body!

Why not just put a Charger grille, front valance and bumper into a Coronet convert? The body lines of the Charger don't work without the roof anyhow. My

[moparstuart]

 

[Finn]

 

It must have a huge trunk.

[Old Moparz]

I never cared for the "Topless Charger" show car at all. Too many things going on with the design, or too many things that made the car nice looking are gone. The 2 seat roadster look is way out of place in a car that large. Even the Thunderbird that had the same look was too weird.   

[Magnumcharger]

I love the looks of a Charger convertible, and I heartily applaude the builders for their efforts.
I also agree that the height of the windsheild frame should be shortened down to the hardtop height vs. convertible altitude.

On a similar but disrelated topic, I find it hilarious how every year or so, the same pictures get posted (again) with an accompanying line of banter, exacty replicating everything that has been said on this forum ad nauseum.
Maybe I've been here too long..or I'm starting to see things like Brock Samson.

[NHCharger]

I agree with the flying brick comment. The 2nd gen body is to straight/squared off. I think a 3rd gen Charger might look better as a vert.

[69_500]

Just saw the thread, now I see what car you guys were talking about at dinner there at Carlisle.

Oh and as far as turning my kid onto coffee, not yet. He did consume quite a bit of Mt. Dew at Carlisle though, much to the dismay of his mother. I showed here some pics I shot of him chugging on a 32 oz big slam MT. Dew on the drive home.

[Brock Samson]

I love the looks of a Charger convertible, and I heartily applaude the builders for their efforts.
I also agree that the height of the windsheild frame should be shortened down to the hardtop height vs. convertible altitude.

On a similar but disrelated topic, I find it hilarious how every year or so, the same pictures get posted (again) with an accompanying line of banter, exacty replicating everything that has been said on this forum ad nauseum.
Maybe I've been here too long..or I'm starting to see things like Brock Samsom.

every yr?.. how about every three or four Mos...

[MoparManJim]

Fugly! 

That poor Charger.  

It's a 1968 Satellite. 

    Boy, how fast folks like to jump when they are unchertin of the car model and don't read all the replys. 

[autodynamics]