I am going to look at a 30model a cabriolet and wanted to know if it's roadster workable. The cabriolet's have roll up windows with front door window posts along with a fixed straight up windshield and windshield posts. If I get the car I want to make it into a full time roadster. I like the look of the angled windshields on the roadsters and want to do that to this car. Is it possible? I'm sure it is, but how much work is involved and is it worth doing? Upon changing the windshield posts the door post will have to be changed or taken off as well. Is that hard to do or what's involved with that as well??? Thanks
I would leave it a cabriolet. A top down car with windows that roll up. The best of both worlds. If you want an A roadster buy a roadster. There is no shortage of them. That is my opinion if it is a bunch of nice parts or a nice complete car. If it is a bunch of parts that are just a pile of stuff, then make it what you want.
It's a whole car. Definitely worth building and keeping it the way it is. I already have a 5 window 31 coupe so I was thinking I'd prob never really use the top on it. Just thinking the roadster windshield is a cleaner look. I would also prob just remove the soft top on it and store it away. I guess if I ever sold it then it would be unmolested if I left the windshield the way it is. Just wondering if it's been done and if it's worth it.
Do a search for Coupsters as that will be basically what it is when you cut the windshield posts off. The doors need heavy modification to be narrowed to look like roadster doors. In the end it will look like a coupe with the roof cut off.
Check out the thread that Ryan posted this morning..it's a 32 Cabriolet with the windshield post cut and slanted back,looks pretty good without all the work of removing and purchasing all the assorted windshield stanchion parts to convert it to a roadster. HRP http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/alfred-a-bertons-32-cabriolet.964710/#post-10861284
Essentially the cabriolet is a stock coupester, they are mostly wood , you are describing exactly what I did to a sport coupe , cabriolets are kinda rare , resell it to someone who wants one or just pass and look for a sport coupe to cut up or a real roadster
I would say cabriolets are desirable enough on there own. And not bad looking to boot. Trying to turn one into a roadster would get you a bastardized body that would probably look weird because roadsters and cabriolets are so different, and something with terrible resell value because it's not a roadster or a cabriolet. It would just be a mess. I'd leave as it is or buy something else if it's not your taste.
I wish I could find the picture, but I recall seeing a Model A Cabrio that had been slightly chopped with a slanted windscreen that looked absolutely killer.
I'd rather cut the top off the coupe if I really wanted an open car. Your right, it would molest the car. As mentioned, A roadsters aren't real hard to find. Its a fair amount of work, especially if you've never done something like that. Tim
Fabrication work isn't new or that hard for me. Ive chopped, channeled, fabricated, and figured out everything else I work on. Just wanted some opinions and didn't know if it was an easy, common thing people do. Seems like the cabrios are a little more rare and worth keeping stock. I wouldn't mind leaving the windshield as is and just removing the actual soft top. I was also going to remove fenders and prob hop up the original banger a little.
though they did make a late 31 slant window Cabriolet - those would be a little rare' r.....any way have fun with the build.....the windows I would guess could be cut like the posts slant you chose....than the top....
Before spending a ton of money on making it a roadster, you should check into having a competent bodyman(hotrod builder) just leaning the posts back to your liking. It will be SO much cheaper and easier plus you can still have rollup windows when weather goes South. I am a roadster owner/driver who isn't afraid of bad weather, but rollup windows really dance across my mind in storms at 70 mph. Besides, removing the A-pillars just makes it a coupster, like one of the HAMBers said, and worth much less than a roadster or a cabriolet. We here just hate to see you fuck up a really unique body style. Good luck.
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