The cool factor is high on this, but the PITA factor is too. What do you do with the top to keep it safe while it's off? This isn't a T-Bird hardtop!
ill be dam if it doesnt have a removable hardtop ...wow i read the post that said it was a went back and looked and said there is no way that top is removable and then yep yes it is removable damn nice looking 55 and appearently very good craftsmanship
Wow!!! I have to say, I dont get too excited by tri fives anymore but this one changes that!! I hope we get some more top info!!!!
I'd LOVE to see some detail shots of how they did the top work! Even as a stock hard top the car is killer, add the removable hard top and it's....man i have no words...just unreal! Tony
When you have money....the sky is the limit and anything is possible. Ive had to wear adult diapers ever since i saw that car............
... first pic I was like nah... than.. whoa.. jaw on the floor.. secret latches somewhere? Magnetically bonded??? black magic?? I'm thinkin' its too cool for school.. nice
I beg to differ. Having money or aquiring large sums of money doesn't give you magic imagination powers. Having money makes it easier for your imagination to come to fruition but it doesn't go hand in hand. I know guys who don't have a lot of money accomplish great things. Thats a lot of how this hobby goes. Fryguy
Usually guys with removeable hardtops such as Carson tops devise a lifting sling with ropes and pulley's attached to their garage rafters to lift/store the top. You'd definately need a hand at an out of town show. I bet that roof assy. is a good couple hundred pounds. The scariest factor would bescratching paint and trying to find a safe place to store it. Someone knocking a lawn chair into it could be disasterous. I'm guessing the chassis has a convertible style X member for support? What a bitchin conversion. The hardtop body is essentially same as the conv. body from the beltline down.
I hope a magazine does a full feature on this one so we can see good pictures of it with the roof off and how it attaches (and keeps the rear window attached) I love this car.
A hardtop is really just a convertible with a roof, it shouldn't be hard to do this. There was a Ford Consul Capri back in England in the late 70s had a similar treatment. I like it.
I always wondered about a roof that was in several sections and that would fold up and retract into a compartment that opened up near the rear decklid. I know the 57 Ford retractable roof idea took the whole roof into the trunk area, what I had in mind is more like the modern Mercedes or other cars where the roof folds in sections as it retracts. It would be tough to do, but I bet a talented metalman could do it if he put his mind to it.
I heard from a fellow HAMB'er this car was on the cover of one of the new mags...Maybe Street Rodder?
Thats my pal Randys car. It not rocket science, and its not a high dollar project. Just a few weekends with some talented metal guys and growing enough balls to cut the roof off your finished 55 Hardtop!!!! The back of the roof fits into a pocket, and 4 studs with nuts hold the whole works on. Very well finished, and a sweet Rod and Custom feature. Rob
That is completely AWESOME. I wish I had a hardtop to do this with. I think it might be a bit challenging with a 4dr post. That thing is BEAUTIFUL !!! I about messed my breeches when I saw the removable hardtop. This thing is too cool !!!
The Jalopy Journal
