Hey! What gives? I was framed I tell ya, hoodwinked, bamboozled, flim flamed, I’m innocent, you can’t do this to me! That’s it! I’m not saying another word until I get a lawyer!
Curious since your 77 and of the same era I grew up did you call ANY of them Bubbles when you were a teen and driving…I know I never did[/QUOTE] I to am 77 and we did not use the term bubble top at least in Oregon. We were very aware of the more attractive roof style on 61's and 62 Biscaynes.
Hello, A fancy name for a 2 door Bel Air or Impala hardtop sedan. Like most nicknames, from the longer description of “2 door Bel Air or Impala hardtop sedan” to “bubble top” was easier to say and type out when writing about the cool 2 door hardtop. The last hardtop and only year solid side top was the 58 Impala. But, it was a one and done model, as the new 59 models had been redesigned with a thinner top and fairly open air glass all around. In comparing the two models, the crush protection for the “bubble top” models was always in question with the thin rear supports. The term "Bubble Top" was nowhere to be heard or seen. As much as slang takes over actual real life descriptions, to most, it seems easier to give the same modern slang name to a classification of old cars. But, as much as there were design questions, it was a popular model. A 335 to 425 hp model made it a welcome version of a factory hot rod. As far as factory designers coming up with “bubble top” to their skinny top supports in the design for more window vision, well it was not their nomenclature of the slang word that popped up many years later. The “Bubble Top” in a printed dictionary? Not yet, but online definitions are not hot rod related to factory designs, but a dome style. So, get what you can from that. Jnaki It certainly would be fun to have and drive around any of those Chevy impalas with the bigger, more powerful motors. Having been in and raced a 409 Chevy Biscayne sedan was all it took to know the power behind the Chevy model options. An Impala two door hardtop with a 409 motor would have been the tops!!! In any year… Definitely back to the local drags to compete in the S/S class with the new added power and models. YRMV
I to am 77 and we did not use the term bubble top at least in Oregon. We were very aware of the more attractive roof style on 61's and 62 Biscaynes.[/QUOTE] My dad worked for GM in 62 he said the guys on the line called them bubbletops. Not saying the workers coined the phrase but they were calling the 61 impala and 62 bel air the bubble top.
My dad worked for GM in 62 he said the guys on the line called them bubbletops. Not saying the workers coined the phrase but they were calling the 61 impala and 62 bel air the bubble top.[/QUOTE] Luv it. Thanks.
^^ I can definitely understand this when a 62 Bel Air came thru but in 61 it was the only style for an Impala or Bel Air hard top so just a new year with changes. Linking back to what janaki said the word ‘could’ have started on the assembly line when the 59 started but that would not make sense since the first GM using no B pillar was a 51 including Chevrolet had a thin C pillar covered with stainless from then on to 58. Since no other GM model in 62 used the top at all just the Chevrolet I could see the assemblers say here comes a bubble top. I bet they saw a lot of 09 4-speed also. I’ll end with this….
The Jalopy Journal
