Hatchbacks into cabriolets

[Garry]

I was talking about these with a mate at work last night. You remember the type, in the 90s when people had disposable income and wanted a cabrio, the manufacturers took tin-openers to mundane hatches. The weather is warming up, so the perfect time to show these fairly unloved and cheap summmer motors some attention.

[Mystery Machine]

306 Cabriolet is one of the most stylish chopped tin top of the era. Such great lines and smooth looks, whilst still keeping four seats and even reasonable boot space. Having the hood hidden under the hard tonneau panel, rather than having to fit a fabric cover over the exposed folded roof, certainly add to the style and uncluttered look.






The Phase 1 Renault 19 Cabriolet was also a very nice looking thing. Persoanlly I reckon it's square jawed looks suited it a lot more than the softer, more rounded Phase 2 version:

[Mystery Machine]

80's icon....and getting quite rare now, especially considering the proliferation of them in the 80's and early 90's.

I have a real soft spot for these.....

[dbizzle]

I had a mkII Astra cab years ago. Mmm, turquoisey...


13-03-2011 16;52;26 by dbizzle_, on Flickr


...oh, and a mkIV Escort. That was very smoky indeed.


13-03-2011 16;39;54 by dbizzle_, on Flickr

[ThePollitt]

I've never owned a convertible. I really must work on that.

If I was going to buy one, it would be one of these without a shadow of a doubt. And in this colour, too. Just so I could pretend to be a morally challenged solicitor who likes acting in community theatre.



Oh, and I'd have one of these, too. But then I always have been partial to a Rover. Like my Mum says, I'm special.



Chris

[swampy76]

I'm at work and the search is rubbish but what about the corsa and metro convertables they did?

and all the after market ones for the orginal mini

celica?

[LowStandards]

I had one of these many a year ago, in this baby blue colour.

I was king though, with my 1.8 engine and power roof

**EDIT**
I found some old pics, tax disc says 2001 or 2002 making me 20 and the car 8 years old, see, I did used to do moderns

[dbizzle]

Oh yes, and there's always time for a spot of pedantic geekery: the mkIII/IV Escort cabriolets were actually based on estates rather than hatchbacks (I believe, correct me if I'm wrong), hence them having estate tail-lights.

[Garry]

Haven't seen any of these Puntos in a long time.



The previously-mentioned Metro/R100.

[Deleted]

I don't know what it is with me and Geo Metros lately, but I do think they look pretty snazzy without a roof.


Then there's the ubiquitous Golf. Those wheels... mmmmm...



Talbot Sambas only seem to have survived in cabriolet form.


The Fiat Strada is a bit of an oddity in floppytop format too. Love this one, funnily enough a posting from our very own dbizzle back in 2011: retrorides.proboards.com/thread/118719#.U2ql34Gfupc


The Ford Fiesta Fly is great as long as you never put the roof up, they're sadly afflicted with a soft top that looks little better than a pushchair's rain cover.


While we're on the subject of Fords, look what happens when you take the roof off a Sierra.


I thought I'd try and find the most unlikely roof chop candidate I could and was surprised to learn that the Renault Fuego cabriolet is a thing.




As was the Citroen ZX. Look at that!


This Citroen XM cabriolet has to be one of my favourite finds when looking for something to add here. It looks bloomin' gorgeous.

[VIP]

May 7, 2014 16:08:31 GMT dbizzle said:

Oh yes, and there's always time for a spot of pedantic geekery: the mkIII/IV Escort cabriolets were actually based on estates rather than hatchbacks (I believe, correct me if I'm wrong), hence them having estate tail-lights.

I would have thought the reason behind using estate tail lamps would have been to provide a usable boot opening. Otherwise with the combo of the hatch fixed rear lamp panel and the tonneau deck , you'd have been left with an elongated post box to get your shopping through.

[james54]

That XM is cool as ****

I know someone who made a cabriolet out of a CX a few years back,although google images brings up quite a few

www.google.co.uk/search?q=citroen+cx+cabriolet&es_sm=122&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=07xqU9DGMIaROOzLgaAD&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1280&bih=685

[chevazon]

I just love(d) my Cavalier. A real 4 seater with a big boot and a bit of go.

[mikeymk]

I had a 306 cabriolet, was a late 2.0 16v, fantastic looking car with a big boot and nice to have all the windows open - but the roof up - for the pillarless coupe aspect.

Mine gave me problems though, sometimes the roof wouldn't work and it let air in above the windscreen at motorway speeds - it was swift, but i found myself using my left arm to hold the roof down at speed on cold days so the top of my head didn't freeze!

I've always fancied a MK1 Golf and despite the ridiculous letter-box boot opening that'd be my choice now..

[JohnK]

May 7, 2014 21:44:20 GMT @volksangyl said:

The Ford Fiesta Fly is great as long as you never put the roof up, they're sadly afflicted with a soft top that looks little better than a pushchair's rain cover.

I saw one of these at the Northern Bygones meeting at Darlington on Monday. I've never, ever seen one of these before (didn't even know that they existed), so it did get the focus of my attention for a little while...

[dbizzle]

May 7, 2014 23:01:47 GMT VIP said:

May 7, 2014 16:08:31 GMT dbizzle said:

Oh yes, and there's always time for a spot of pedantic geekery: the mkIII/IV Escort cabriolets were actually based on estates rather than hatchbacks (I believe, correct me if I'm wrong), hence them having estate tail-lights.

I would have thought the reason behind using estate tail lamps would have been to provide a usable boot opening. Otherwise with the combo of the hatch fixed rear lamp panel and the tonneau deck , you'd have been left with an elongated post box to get your shopping through.

Perhaps it's an urban myth I've been sucked into.

[Mystery Machine]

Hnnnnnggggg.....TRESER!







One of the best uses, ever, for a tin opener.

[moggyman]

Have one with extra doors

[Ian]

And then there are these that were aftermarket to go with Bruce and the UR.

[kevh]

this is a rare beast

I would still love one though