Hot Rods Roadster vs Coupe. which is faster?

Are we comparing roadster with or without windshield?. A rodster with windshield most likely has a worse cd than a coupe. A roadster without windshield and nothing to cover the passanger area may have a worse cd than the enclosed coupe. However a roadster with a tarp probably has a better cd than the coupe and of course the weight is in the roadsters favor.

 

Mike the question was with a roof and then without a roof windshield intact. If there is no cover over the cockpit it is still going to carch air.

What he didn't say is if the coupe had the windows up or down and if you could roll the windows up after to cut the roof off. For all intents and purposes a coupe with the roof cut of is not a roadster it is a cabriolet as it still has provisions for side glass.

Now here is a thought, I know that a top and curtains will cost weight to the roadster but what if you run in a roadster class with the roof up.

 

...and what if said roadster should just happen to drive beneath a window when somebody empties a bucket of epoxy, which happens to land squarely on the canvas roof and thereby creating a perfectly smooth surface....haha

 

Now what if the roadster was late model like say a '59 Corvette and the convertable top just happens to be the fiberglass one?

Mike
Having never owned a Corvette I have always wondered what would happen if you rolled up registered as a gas roadster or gas street roadster and had the top on. it would give you a distinct advantage. I have never seen in the rules that you had to run sans top on a roadster. I guess it could have been in there somewhere.

 

If the driver buys his clothes from 'Big and tall' then the Coupe.
Ih he buys them from the kids section of wal mart then the Roadster.
Now if he was naked and covered in goose grease than that's a whole different ball game.

 

you guys have fantastic responses!

The point i was making about hacking the roof off the coupe was that I wanted to press the point that the cars were exactly the same except for the roof.

HOWEVER, i forgot that REAL roadsters have no windows.

And i suppose i should have added i was thinking more of a 1932 coupe and roadster.

Im with the roadster being faster on the drag strip for the less weight (assuming you can hook up, like mr porknbeaner said) and a chopped coupe for the flats.

Although if i had a roadster and was racing on the strip, i would have a tonneau cover for the passenger side (if i could manage) to deflect all that wind getting scooped in to make all that pesky drag.

 

OK guys, here is the final answer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpAQYXSDcTc&feature=related

 

Now Rob that ain't even fair! Hahahaha!

 

My Hot Rod Lincoln

Just my 3.5 cents