By
John White
Pity the late baby-boomers whose childhood memories won't include summertime top-down motoring with their parents in large, powerful American convertibles, for between 1977 and 1982 American car companies ceased manufacturing cars with retractable, soft tops. As for me, I fondly recall evening cruised with my dad in his 1969 Chrysler Newport drop-top (yellow with gold vinyl interior) - once having to stop for a herd of deer crossing Roxiticus Road in Mendham. Stars overhead, engine smoothly idling, and headlights on the faces of unperturbed and indifferent animals.
Unfortunately, the sport of the 1970s and 1980s was dampened by the oil embargo of 1973, a prolonged recession and the lingering effects of the social upheaval caused by the Vietnam War. This malaise manifested itself in the American automobile industry and the result was boring, big-bumpered, horsepower-reduced mobile "appliances" - none of which were available with stylish and fun top-dropping capability.
Coincidentally, this era also saw the rise of imports from Asia and, possibly, the beginning-of-the-end of our globally dominant automobile industry.
Perhaps though, if your parents (or you) had a certain joie-de-vivre, or flair for the offbeat, you motored through this period in a European import, where the choices for open air fun were many-from diminutive the Fiat 600 to the imposing Rolls-Royce Corniche. The Evolution of the Convertible - In the beginning, car manufacturers were thrilled to produce anything that moved, and central to that key attribute was lightness. Naturally, as a fixed top added weight, cars with soft canvas tops, providing just basic protection from the elements, were the norm. As manufacturing techniques improved, and as engine technology led to continuing increase in horsepower, cars with fully enclosed coachwork became commonplace. In fact, by the mid-1920s, production and sale of closed cars surpassed that of their open-topped counterparts.
Although enclosed coupes and sedans were the first choice for early 20th century motorists, convertibles remained in production and accounted for some of the most interesting vehicles manufactured up through the 1940s. For the open-air enthusiast of this period, there were a multitude of styles to choose from, in both 2-door and 4-door combinations, from convertible "coupes" (2 doors, 2 seats), to convertible "sedans" (4 doors, 4 seats).
The most popular style of convertible, however, is referred to as the "Victoria," which has 2 doors and 4 seats - and this is the style that most people think of today when they think of a convertible automobile.
Not all convertibles of the classic era, however, had soft canvas retractable tops. In 1939, French manufacturer Peugeot introduced a retractable hard-top - called the "Electronique Transformable" - and this car most certainly inspired Ford designers to produce the sophisticated Skyliner of the late 1950s. Although impressive from an engineering perspective (multiple electric motors, hydraulic pumps and over 600 feet of controlling wires), Skyliner motorists miss out on a fundamental convertible experience - the soothing sound of raindrops hitting canvas on those occasional moments when the weather turns and your tops must go up (another fond childhood memory).
Convertible as Investments - To the extent that you should consider an antique or classic car purchase as an investment (caution strongly urged), convertibles prove a safer bet for a number of different reasons. Typically, they're more stylish, they're certainly more fun, but primarily, they're rarer than closed-body counterparts. Using an affordable classic as an example, out of 15,444,858 German-manufactured Volkswagen Beetles, only 330,251 were cabriolets. Of those, an untold number perished due to rust (the second contributing factor to rarity), as open-topped cars are obviously more susceptible to the elements (example: my college roommate's 1963 Alfa Romeo Spider that had virtually no floor).
Of course, there are always exceptions. For instance, the iconic Mercedes-Benz Gullwing coupes of the 1950s and 1960s typically trade for more than their convertible siblings. But unless you have in the neighborhood of $500,000 or more to invest, this shouldn't be a concern.
The relative softness in the market today - and the approaching summer months - present an opportune time to consider and enjoy ownership of a classic convertible. Like any investment, however, it is critical that you do your research. Talk to owners and marque experts, buy privately or at auction only after having an expert evaluate your car of interest, and only buy from dealers with reputations that have stood the test of time.
Once you've done your due diligence and made your purchase you'll only have one other consideration - to wear a hat, or suffer the consequences of windblown, tangled hair.