Your Car Care REPs have come off a long needed engine overhaul and we are ready to get back on track with our readers. Summer is quickly coming to a close. This has been a monumental summer, we must admit. We have had 90% sunny days with temperatures averaging 90 plus every week. When the weather is like this there’s nothing better than riding in a Drop Top convertible. To tribute the summer of 2010 we are going to talk about some of the iconic Drop Tops of our times. Get ready to drop it, cause its HOT!!!
The history of the convertible starts at the very beginning of automotive history, because all vehicles produced from the beginning of mass automotive manufacturing were convertible or open top cars. It wasn’t until 1910 that car manufactures made closed vehicles. Unmistakably, one of America’s well-known convertibles is the Cadillac. In 1902, Henry Martyn Leland, William Murphy, and Lemuel W. Bowen formed the Cadillac Automobile Company. Their goal was to create luxurious automobiles with the latest innovations in engineering. The first Cadillac was finished on October 17, 1902 and was called the Model A Cadillac. It was a convertible car with a solid body and an optional attachable soft-top canopy made from leather or rubber for inclement weather. The Model A Cadillac sold for $750. In 1904, the canopied Model B was produced with the addition of a bull horn and boasted the highest volume sales of any automobile produced that year. The Caddy Drop Top that is highly recognizable is the Caddy Shark (Caddy that sports rear fins). GM’s flamboyant Harley Earl designed this car in 1959. Earl loved fast airplanes, and the first Caddy fins were inspired by the then-secret Lockheed Lightning P-38 fighter airplane he saw. The first Cadillac fins were subtle but gave definition to the rear of a car for the first time. Soon after, cheap add-on fins were sold by auto parts outlets for cars of lesser stature than Cadillac. Because of its fish like appeal, whenever it was seen swimming thru the streets the car was nicknamed the shark. Movies like “48 Hrs”, “3000 Miles to Graceland”, and the “Blues Brothers” helped in making this car an American icon.
The second Drop Top on our list of all time favorite convertibles is the Mustang convertible. Ford Motor Company manufactured this Drop Top from 1964 through 1974 and then 1983 onward. This ride is an American icon of the 1960’s pop culture. More than 100,000 convertibles were produced in its first year, boosting the image that the Mustang was a hip car that represented the youth culture. The convertible and coupe were the first Mustangs sold in March 1964. The first convertible was painted Wimbledon white and was equipped with a 260-ci V-8 engine and automatic transmission. It had a power convertible top and a full-length console. To prove this is one of America’s iconic Drop Tops, it is now in a museum that people can see on tours. This car will make any one void of assurance reek of audacity.
Next up we could not forget the undeniable Chevy Corvette convertible. Designer Harley Earl back at it again, developed something fresh for the sports car scene. His vision and leadership combined with the support of his team resulted in the creation of a sports car that car enthusiasts are still enthusiastic about today. Harley Earl introduced a car designed with high style as well as high performance in mind. The 1953 Corvette Drop Top was made by hand so production of this car was limited to 300 cars total. An antique 1953 Corvette Convertible in excellent or mint condition is a highly sought after collectible. This is a true classic car and was dubbed one of the ‘dream cars’ of the 1950`s. The two-seat car started out as a sporty stylish car for motorist who wanted more from a car than just basic transportation. It has maintained that reputation ever since. The 1953 Corvette convertible represented a bold new approach to car making. To reflect the boldness of this new design, the Corvette sported a bright white paint job that contrasted sharply with its red interior. A black canvas soft top that added to the sporty look topped off the feel of the car. An even bolder move was to make the outer body of the car in fiberglass instead of steel, which was revolutionary at the time.
There are of course many other convertibles out there but these are the top 3 (in no particular order) iconic Drop Tops. They represent a piece of history that American drivers have carved out. There is something special about driving with the wind in your face and all the power under your hood. I guess it’s because the first automobiles were designed this way. So the real history of the convertible starts at the beginning. There you have it! We’re about to Drop our Top and let her loose on the open road. Hope you enjoyed this monumental 2010 summer. Until our next episode……..keep shining.
Your Car Care REPs have come off a long needed engine overhaul and we are ready to get back on track with our readers. Summer is quickly coming to a close. This has been a monumental summer, we must admit. We have had 90% sunny days with temperatures averaging 90 plus every week. When the weather is like this there’s nothing better than riding in a Drop Top convertible. To tribute the summer of 2010 we are going to talk about some of the iconic Drop Tops of our times. Get ready to drop it, cause its HOT!!!
The second Drop Top on our list of all time favorite convertibles is the Mustang convertible. Ford Motor Company manufactured this Drop Top from 1964 through 1974 and then 1983 onward. This ride is an American icon of the 1960’s pop culture. More than 100,000 convertibles were produced in its first year, boosting the image that the Mustang was a hip car that represented the youth culture. The convertible and coupe were the first Mustangs sold in March 1964. The first convertible was painted Wimbledon white and was equipped with a 260-ci V-8 engine and automatic transmission. It had a power convertible top and a full-length console. To prove this is one of America’s iconic Drop Tops, it is now in a museum that people can see on tours. This car will make any one void of assurance reek of audacity.
Next up we could not forget the undeniable Chevy Corvette convertible. Designer Harley Earl back at it again, developed something fresh for the sports car scene. His vision and leadership combined with the support of his team resulted in the creation of a sports car that car enthusiasts are still enthusiastic about today. Harley Earl introduced a car designed with high style as well as high performance in mind. The 1953 Corvette Drop Top was made by hand so production of this car was limited to 300 cars total. An antique 1953 Corvette Convertible in excellent or mint condition is a highly sought after collectible. This is a true classic car and was dubbed one of the ‘dream cars’ of the 1950`s. The two-seat car started out as a sporty stylish car for motorist who wanted more from a car than just basic transportation. It has maintained that reputation ever since. The 1953 Corvette convertible represented a bold new approach to car making. To reflect the boldness of this new design, the Corvette sported a bright white paint job that contrasted sharply with its red interior. A black canvas soft top that added to the sporty look topped off the feel of the car. An even bolder move was to make the outer body of the car in fiberglass instead of steel, which was revolutionary at the time.
