Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[badhuis]

Before my TR4, I had a Herald. It was a saloon but I found out the roof was only held by a couple of bolts. Two (or three) at the windscreen, one at the B pillar, and two or three at the back. At that time I lived in a rented house which had the luxury of a garage (the reason we were renting the house!), and in that garage I hung four strings with hooks. I could drive the Herald (a humble 1200) backwards into the garage, and have the roof hanging in about 15 minutes. And then drive without the roof. That made me hanker for a proper convertible.
Putting the roof back was a little more difficult as the rear side window rubbers needed guidance to fit into their lips when lowering the roof.

At the moment I am converting my TR4 to a TR4a softtop. The main thing I do not like about the 4 is the fact that its softtop is not easy to put on. First the frame has to be set up, then the top needs to be thrown over it. It hooks into a ridge at the windscreen, and lift-a-dots at the rear. When it is up, it is a good roof. But it needs a couple of minutes. I found it made me wondering in the morning if it possibly was going to rain that day. If yes, then I would take another car. I am sure with an easy to erect and fold softtop that decision would not need to be taken. So I have collected all the stuff that is needed to make the one-hand erecting softtop of the TR4a. Most of it I found secondhand as I am not sure I can get it done. Many people say it cannot be done as the 4a has a slightly different rear compartment panel, but I was assured by one long time specialist that this difference is only small and it should be possible. I do not want to make big changes to the car that cannot be reversed. We will see in the next few days. If it works then I will use the car even more which is great because I love that car the most of all cars I have had in the past and now (including moderns).


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a car stops being fun when it becomes an investment

[MikeEdwards]

[ukdave2002]

I'm also for open top motoring

Imho Some cars look better as a roadster; e.g. The MGA but I always thought the MGB GT was better looking than its open to counterpart?

Dave

[Keith D]

I have been an open car freak since I was a boy. My A40 tourer only ever has the hood up during summer, when, like roverdriver, I keep the vicious Australian sun off my neck with the hood raised, but with the side screens out.

My Austin Seven has a sun-roof that is almost always slid open, unless it is actually raining.

My Chrysler has such a thick hood that I cannot fold it down, which is a great sorrow for me. However, I never bother with side screens.

I intend getting myself a BMW Z3 as soon as I find a low mileage, six cylinder version. That will also live with it's hold folded down.

Motoring for me is about fresh air and plenty of it!

Keith
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1926 Chrysler 60 tourer
1932 Austin Seven RN long wheelbase box sedan
1950 Austin A40 tourer
1999 BMW Z3
Its weird being the same age as old people.
You are either part of the problem or part of the solution

[badhuis]

[Rootes75]

A nice prewar British tourer would suit me, a Ford 7W coupe would be nice.
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Various Rootes Vehicles.

[Rick]

Then of course, you have to decide whether a car is a tourer, a roadster, a convertible, or a drophead coupe! At least a landaulette is more straightforward to define, with its opening roof section over the rear compartment, and fixed roof over the driver.

RJ
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Rick - Admin
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[alastairq]

In my view...the Morgan car 'range' pretty much sums up things...? {not the current gucci handbag range, but the original range that followed Morgan's intentions regarding a 'cheap sports car for the wurrrkin' mon?']

A roadster will have no real weather equipment as such...a windscreen, and that's all.

A drophead coupe will have full height doors probably including glass, with a hood which may or may not have external posh irons....and when up, the car will have all the refinements of a tintop coupe? May still be a 2 seater? Might be same running gear as a roadster, but be heavier, and have fewer sporting pretensions.

A 'tourer' may not have intended 'sporting' pretensions...probably capable of carrying more than 2 peeps, plus plenty of luggage room?

A convertible is but a saloon [or hatchback, if thinking modern?] with a folding roof...

The above [aside from the convertible..which, in my eyes, springs the vision of an Astra convertible?]....from the Morgan range would have been, the 4/4 as the roadster, the +4 coupe as the ....coupe? The 4 seater as the 'tourer'....plus a Vauxhall Astra convertible?

Or, in pensioner terms, the drophead coupe would have a 'less detrimental effect' on the state of my hair than a roadster? The tourer might mean having space for an in-law?
I have yet to find a convertible that goes with my handbag....

[MikeEdwards]

Where does a "cabriolet" fit in that list, then?

[mikeC]

A tourer is an open car with detachable side-screens (can be two seater or four seater), a convertible is similar with wind-up side windows (2-seater version is a roadster), a cabriolet is a four seater with full doors plus fixed roof rails with a folding top, a drop-head coupe is a 2-seater with wind-up windows and folding framework (the folding roof with or without 'pram' irons), coupe de ville is a saloon with opening front compartment, a landaulet a saloon with a folding back compartment.
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in the garage: 1938 Talbot Ten Airline
Recently departed: 1953 Lancia Appia, 1931 Austin Seven, 1967 Singer Chamois, 1914 Saxon, 1930 Morris Cowley, 1936 BSA Scout, 1958 Lancia Appia coupe, 1922 Star 11.9 ... the list goes on!

[Ray White]

I always thought a roadster was an American sports car which lacked a roof of any kind but apparently this term has over the years evolved to include convertibles. Touring cars, like wise, now are saloon cars particularly those involved in racing.

[alastairq]

I can recall discussions/arguments over the 'definition' of a sports car...many decades ago, conducted via what has now become snail mail [ 'classic' communications. perhaps}

[Ray White]

It only serves to confuse matters when manufacturers muddle up definitions. The Rover P5b was marketed and badged as a coupe but to all intents and purposes it is a saloon - just with a lower roof line. The Rolls Royce MPW is regarded by many as a fixed head coupe but is in effect a two door Silver Shadow saloon. I am sure there are many anomalies out there but I don't really take that much notice.

[V8 Nutter]

It used to be a roadster was a two seater with a windscreen and detachable side screens, a cabriolet had wind up windows, a club cabriolet had a back seat. 4 door tourers became phaetons, then convertible sedans. Convertibles were two doors. Coupe de Ville was Cadillac's name for a two door hardtop for about 40 years from 1949. A two door hardtop, sometimes called a coupe had no B pillars, until the last few years when safety regulations interfered with styling.

[BigJohn]

ARGH! My Mk1 Golf is called a Cabriolet, it has a fold down material roof, 4 seats, 2 doors, wind up windows, no roof rails and a roll bar, I guess it's an soft top illegitimate, (for politeness)