Cars you didn't know exist put probably should

I am pretty aware about older cars, particular 60's cars.  Not a huge muscle car guy, but I pretty decent knowledge about them.

I had no idea they made a 2nd Gen (General Lee style) Charger convertible!!

Then I looked at a picture, and I can see why.  I am not sure if it's bad looking car, or it's just in such huge contrast to the hard top.  Not to bad with the top up, but just weird with the top down, maybe because the tops sail panels are so iconic.  The downward sloping trunk just looks wrong with the top down.

Maybe not as bad as the Murono convertible, but just weird.

That's not factory.  I'm wondering if Coronet or other B-body parts were used to create this.

I'd rock it if given to me but wouldn't be my first choice in Chargers; that would be a 500, which also does away with the flying buttress top configuration. 

In reply to aircooled :

I like it but, Dodge never sold those as a convertible. 

I thought this was going to be about the Toyota Avalon TRD.  

Or how we celebrated the bicentennial in the 70's with special versions of the Nova, Vega and Impala?
 

In reply to Datsun310Guy :

I like those giant Impalas...

Was kinda hoping for this

APEowner said:

In reply to aircooled :

I like it but, Dodge never sold those as a convertible. 

Interesting.  Well, I can certainly see why!

There is evidence of at least few out there. You would think after the first one, they would see what they did and stop.

Datsun310Guy said:

Or how we celebrated the bicentennial in the 70's with special versions of the Nova, Vega and Impala?
 

Just yesterday I came across a rough but not that rough Nova version in the back of a local auto repair shop. 

pres589 (djronnebaum) said:

That's not factory.  I'm wondering if Coronet or other B-body parts were used to create this.

I'd rock it if given to me but wouldn't be my first choice in Chargers; that would be a 500, which also does away with the flying buttress top configuration. 

I'd be surprised if Coronet convertible parts weren't used. Not quite a bolt in conversion, but still pretty darned close. 

In my teen years I would have hated this... now in my 50's...  I kinda like it.  Drop in a bone stock modern HEMI with a modern automatic and HVAC, leaving pretty much everything else stock - since it'd be so flexible, forget any sporting intentions - and have a fun Summer cruiser.

It's not that much distinguishable from a Coronet covetable, which is why the probably didn't do it. I love second gens, but that's meh.

Bicentennial bad taste was not just a GM thing.

In reply to ddavidv :

The Bicentennial could not have come at a worse time for anything, stylistically speaking.  Bad taste was epidemic in 1976.

In reply to Duke :

Funny that the GMs were 1974 models that would have launched in Sept 1973.

That's getting a real jump on Bicentennial hype. 

In reply to John Welsh :

It was nuts - everything was tagged.

My buddy had a POS Vega in 1979-1980 high school so that explains it - I always figured it was a 1976 Vega but it now makes sense why it was a POS.

In reply to 914Driver :

Is that a medium-duty Chevy truck cab?  What am I looking at here?  I like it.

In reply to pres589 (djronnebaum) :

Forward cab pick-ups.  Usually based on the company's van.  All of the brands made them to some extent, but in fewer numbers. Since most were ridden hard and put away wet, few have survived.

I know I've covered one or two of the company's models here before, but pretty much everything from Mitsuoka is a visual treat:

Colin Wood said:

I know I've covered one or two of the company's models here before, but pretty much everything from Mitsuoka is a visual treat:

Nice. I like the modern-day take on cars with a retro-vibe. That Buddy (the SUV pictured) is a nice tribute to square-body GM trucks.

In reply to 914Driver :

Looks like somebody sliced a '61 -'64 Chevy truck cab horizontally, slid the greenhouse all the way forward, and extended the bed.  Nice metalwork.

Mustang SVO convertible:

Early Bronco 3/4 ton:

Ian F (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to pres589 (djronnebaum) :

Forward cab pick-ups.  Usually based on the company's van.  All of the brands made them to some extent, but in fewer numbers. Since most were ridden hard and put away wet, few have survived.

GM never had any forward cab pickup like this.  They did have the Corvair Rampside but that was a totally different animal.  The Chevy in the picture above has some lines that are similar to the medium duty tilt cab trucks of that era, but those trucks were larger overall so body parts wouldn't be easily used.  I suspect it's a photoshop - if you look at it, the engine, the driver's legs, and the front suspension and wheels all seem to occupy the same space.

I present the Paseo convertible:

Turbo diesel Lincoln Continental (there was also a Mark VII):

Since it is a Fox body, this technically opens the doors for a factory parts bin Mustang diesel swap....technically.

2023 Buick

Who knew they still made cars??  Though if you watch their ads, they make Alexas that can move from point A to point B.