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thinking of going convertible...


Guest Anonymous

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Guest Anonymous

This will kill 2 birds with one stone...that 2+2 roofline and a rusty roof!! I know I will need extra frame support and all, what all can I do to strengthen it up? I think it would look much better as a convertible, ad be a little lighter. It is a 78 2+2, starting to get a little rust in places! I need to fix it soon and really think I want to go topless. Any info is appreciated.

 

THANKS GUYS

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Guest Anonymous

I was thinking of a do it my self kinda thing...that is a beautiful car, almost how i'd do the 2+2. I can get all the material to do it, I just need to know how to reinforce the unibody...I'll probablty have to replace a framerail, while I have it up like that, I will go on and add some extra braces, just don't want to add useless braces. What all should I do to the underside? Any info is helpful and appreciated!

 

thanks...

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Guest Anonymous

I have been sidetracked from doing some of the "hands-on" work for the past month or so on my 2+2 conversion. A Jeep project has gotten in the way. A '76' postal Jeep! I have cut the roof off of this too! Good Practice!

 

So far as my 75 2+2 goes, I have replaced the floor pans, floor rails (2 x 3 x 1/8) and even installed new 1 1/2" x 3" x 1/8" tubing in the rocker boxes. The inside skins were rotten at the front end anyway. I did save the outside skins. I triangulated all of this together at front seat mounts and installed lateral connection below the rear seat section. I also installed tubing to connect the new rocker box steel at the front to cross connect to the engine rail within the front wheel wells.

 

I also welded in a 2"x 1/8" flat along the transmission tunnel (drivers and passenger sides) to connect the new floor pans to the tunnel and add more rigidity to the assembly. I am working on installing a bit more steel to connect my new rear cross piece (under the rear seats) to the factory lower rear strut support channel. I have found a way to make this stronger without affecting the sway bar.

 

I have welded in two 3/4" x 1/8" pipes to connect the top of the strut towers. I will soon triangulate them to the floor.

 

I have done all of this without the benefit of a rotisserie. I have built a raised platform for each corner of the car to sit on, roughly 16" off the floor.

 

I am considering removing the stock tank and spare tire well. I hope to install a GM tank and deck over the spare well.

 

After having said all of this, I realize that the car should have ended up as a parts car. The amount of lower cancer was more than most could stomach. I decided that I needed to try this anyway. The drive train in this car seems okay and the interior was in near perfect condition.

 

I am seriously looking at the kit sold by Eric at Zparts.com I think that the deck cap is the best I have seen. The dilemma is the size of the cap. It is built for the coupe. We all know that the coupe is narrower than the 2+2. Most of us do not know where the dimensional differences are however. I only have this 2+2 at my disposal, so taking measurements to compare is not possible. It would be very helpful to have a 2+2 and a coupe side by side to make the proper comparison. I may just take the plunge buy the deck lid as it is and make it work. Of course the other option is to make my own. I am in a quandary.

 

Anyway, I have been practicing with carbon fiber and hybrid fibers. My goal is to make outside rocker skins. Try to buy 2+2 rocker skins of any sort! Can't find them. I keep getting "you could have your body man make these coupe skins work". Since these are somewhat narrow. I think I can at least control the cost of this by using the narrow carbon fiber materials available for $20 per yard vs. upwards of $50.

 

I want to also make a carbon fiber panel to conceal the convertible top. That is if I end up making the deck lid myself. It appears to me that the deck lid sold, would not permit a soft-top frame to conceal behind the rear seats. Of course, since I drive a Jeep CJ5 most of the time anyway, I could adapt the "bikini top" concept. Or perhaps a snap down soft-top with fiberglass bows (like bows).

 

I will try to get pictures up on my web space soon.

 

Thank you for any input! I need all the help I can get.

 

Jon

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