History A Tip of the Hat to the 2 door Hardtop.

Chrysler had a hardtop in 1947, 2 years before GM. It was part of their Town and Country line. They made 7 prototypes but never offered them for sale.

Did a quick web search but couldn't find a picture, can anyone help?

 

Thanks,
Makes sense now...

 

Personally, I don't consider a car without a rear window a genuine hardtop. The cars with rear windows is what gives it that smooth flowing look.

 

A GM insider said the inspiration for the hardtop came from a GM executive's wife. She drove an Oldsmobile convertible but never put the top down. He asked her why she bought a convertible and she said "I just like the style".

So he drew some cars with a steel roof but the pillarless convertible style and the "hard top convertible" was born.

The first ones used the convertible body and chassis with the steel top added.

 

My oldest brother had a then-new 1961 Pontiac bubbletop, a "Laurentian Sport Coupe". Arbor green with Ermine white roof and side coves. My favorite 2dr hardtop of all.

 

I am not a big hardtop fan, but the late forties and early fifties hardtops are hard to beat. I have always found it interesting how the B pillers in early GM, Ford and Studebaker hardtops looked almost the same. Of course Studebaker did not get into the game until late...1952.

 

The early 50's hardtops were nice, but by the mid 50's to early 60's, they really stood out. One of the sharpest hardtops ever...IMHO.

 

A site that knows what a hardtop is . I get tired of people calling sedans hardtops because they have a metal roof.

 

You're spot on, Jive Bomber. I like the bubble tops the best of all, but a hardtop always trumps a sedan in my book.

 

2 door hardtops are my favorite body style. Sleek, elegant, and classy.

--- Steve ---

 

I'm width Edsel on this one...

 

One of the Best hard tops ever, IMHO. The Moon Glow 54. Wish I had a better picture of it.

 

How about a 57 Merc 2 door hardtop wagon? Pretty rare but they did make them. I too love the early 50's hard tops. Guess that's why I have one.

 

like it yes i do

 

The Mercury hardtop wagons are sweet. Not all hardtop wagons can say that...

 

Boy, ya got that right...
My Dad had one like that (a used one) ...
Only thing that made it somewhat acceptable with my buddies was that I changed the Rambler letters in the front grill to read "MABEL"

 

Chrysler had a hardtop Town and Country in 1946. They built seven of them. I guess they aren't considered the "first" because they were handbuilt cars and not built on a production line. But they did beat GM to the punch by three years.



Everyone made pretty hardtops (even Ramber/Nash/AMC) but personally I think Mopar did them best.

 

I like them. Pretty rare, too.

 

Cool advertisement Paperdog, I think that's my wifes car!

These things are a bitch to find parts for unfortunately!

 

Gorgeous cars! I'd kill to have either one of them!

 

Thank you!

 

Bit of a fan of hardtops too, tho mine might have a couple too many doors to be in this thread, hope y'all don't mind.

 

True enough, but how many cars of that era had open car windows on a closed car? Not many, and using a steel roof in place of a convertible roof on the same structure as the roadster, about as "hardtop" as it gets. However the lack of "smooth flowing look" is missed by me. I think it epitomizes flowing looks for 1934. Not many production cars had anywhere near such grace and style. Not only was this a production offering, it was one of the lowest priced as well.

 

I like hardtops too! Finally got me a Buick hardtop. Also a pic of my friends '60 Dodge Matador.

 

yup 52 Special Riv's are pretty cool

52 olds skirts
55 buick lite rings
58 chev back up lens in the front bullets
mopar console lites in the fender holes

 

Yum, hardtops are way cool...I'm particularly a fan of '56s.

 

Even more-doors are cool...

 

Nothing like rolling all the windows down on a summer night, even if I don't have a picture of it that way!

 

found an inspiration photo for that one.



The Merc tudor hardtop wagons weren't exactly common when they were new.

Mom had a 58 Colony Park wagon that was a four door hardtop wagon that would eat up the road with it's 430 under the hood.

 

Now that is one gorgeous wagon