68 Coupe to Convertible Conversion

[Cool Beans]

Hey! I'm stirring to life again and my poor car has just been siting while life got in the way....I left off trying to figure out what to do with my roof. Bunch of pinholes around the parts of the drip rail and B pillar and rust under the sails bleeding through. I think symptoms of it being a vinyl top car? The rest of the car is pretty well solid. But, I came to the conclusion that it might be easiest to just cut the roof off and source a rust free roof from where ever as I don't see any repro coupe roofs anywhere...

So, Google searching...like you do...it seems like Fast back conversions are thing now? How about convertible conversions? I'm already contemplating grafting on a whole roof anyways...

Off the top of my head, there is some extra under carriage steel framing the box along the sills to each other and then replacing the sheet metal around the trunk area with convertible sheet metal? Oh, and notching the wheel fenders to allow the top to drop?

Any blogs or albums of conversions? I've found a few fast backs but only mentions of convertibles...

Thanks!

 

[horse sence]

Just did one a year ago right here on the forum

 

[Cool Beans]

A 67/68 convertible? Can you provide a link as I can't find it (or I'm just terrible at forum searching)

 

[horse sence]

https://www.stangnet.com/mustang-forums/threads/68-coupe-going-topless.874681/

 

[horse sence]

The problem is ,not all the parts are available ,you will need to find a wrecked convert or rotted out shell

 

[Cool Beans]

cool thread and nice build! I thought all the convertible parts were available...how rare is it to find a convertible shell? My coupe is basically mechanically rebuilt/refurbished with me power disk brakes in the front and I rebuilt the rear end and the interior was redone before I bought it. Ready to strip it down, make some patches other than the roof and paint and reinstall. If I could find a good (and cheapish) shell, then finish and install all my goodies in it? Or a fast back conversion on this car....or a 4x4 conversion

A 4x4 coupe might be pretty sweet!

 

[horse sence]

The only pieces not available is the rain gutter at the bottom of the convertible top ,and the under support the trunk hinges attach to and the panel between the top and trunk lid bolts to . If you can find a rusty 67-8 ,or a wrecked one it is well worth it...everything is available for a fast back

 

[Cool Beans]

Thanks for the advice! Keeping my eyes peeled for a donor car or either. Love your build of the fastback conversion. I love 4x4's...

I think I've found my inspiration!

https://www.classiccarratings.com/a...fastback-1967-7r02c138413-las-vegas-2015-1746

 

[Cool Beans]

Still mulling this over in my head...if nothing else, it keeps me motivated to make progress on my car

I priced all the structural sheet metal I could find online, and came to about $1200:

Dynacorn Rear Window Panel In Weld-Thru Primer Convertible 1967-1968 $100.99
Dynacorn Inner Quarter Structure Brace In Weld-Thru Primer Pair Convertible 1967-1968 $158.99
Seat Platform One-Piece Convertible 1965-1968 $113.99
Rocker Panel Inner Convertible 1965-1968 $74.99 x 2
Dynacorn Braces "B" Pillar to Floor Weld Thru Pair Convertible 1965-1968 $31.99
Dynacorn Rear Seat Divider Assembly In Weld-Thru Primer Convertible 1965-1968 $390.99
Reinforcement Pan Pair Convertible 1965-1970 $89.99
Center Reinforcement Plate Convertible 1965-1970 $39.99
Dynacorn Convertible Pump Tray Weld-Thru Primer Convertible 1965-1968 $79.99

This is sans the curved rain gutter I saw in pictures and could not find online. I know it is being made since they have ready to build Dynacorn 'vert shells for sale, but couldn't source a part online. My other stumbling block is how...or do I...need to modify the top of the quarter panels between the quarter windows and the rear window panel?

 

[horse sence]

The rain gutter is not available ,i have talked to Dynacorn and they say it will not be . The quarters have to be changed ,they are different along the top ,the window divider is also different and the area under the window divider is also not available and it is different from the coupe .