Aaron Robinson: So Long, Convertibles – Column – Car and Driver.
Thought I’d share this article from Car and Driver.
My first car was a convertible – 1966 Impala. It was given to me in 1976 when I graduated high school. I lived in upstate New York and being young I could squeeze out a good 5 months of top down. But speeds were slower then and gas was cheap so cruising wasn’t half your paycheck and you could still hear the stereo. But when it got down to the middle up winter in the Adirondacks, nothing stopped the code from getting in and you sure could tell how light the car was when you had to drive on snow and ice.
My next convertible was my 1984 Corvette, of course wasn’t really a rag top but a targa top, which is a perfect alternative to a folding cloth top and much better than a mere sun roof. But I know live a weather environment 180o from where I had my first convertible. Here in southern Arizona you can maybe squeeze out 5 months where it’s great to run with the roof off without melting like a carton of gelato in a microwave oven or freezing your assets off when it 29o – Yeah it gets that could here! However, depending on how sensitive to hot and cold you are and whether you mind lifting the lifting the top out of the rear cargo area you in the summer time often start out the morning with the top in the back and pop it on when the temp climbs past your liking. EXTRA BONUS – it keeps the cool air in 90% better than the cloth top. I enjoy by C6 topless.
Oh, as a side note the C4 top was a pain to remove – the C6 much easier to remove and replace!!!
Rag Top ’66 Impala
Thanks for reading.
Tim
