By 1979, all Bs had folding, permanently-attached convertible tops. But at
the beginning of production, based on the tradition of British roadsters,
there was also an option for what was called a "stowaway", or more commonly
"packaway" top. The difference was that the packway top frame was not bolted
to the body -- it just set into two sockets located just behind the door
openings (these same sockets are used for the tonneau bows); and broke down
into two sections for storage in the boot. The packaway top itself was not
much different than the convertible top, except it also was not permanently
attached to the body -- it secured at the rear edge to a row of snaps (the
same snaps used for the tonneau). When the packaway top was stowed in the
boot, you didn't have much boot space, admittedly, but you did enjoy an
unimpeded storage space on the battery shelf (where smallish persons could
even ride, in the days prior to seatbelt laws), and a clean uncluttered
"roadster" appearance. And in winter you could easily fit a hardtop, without
having to remove the convertible top and frame or put up with it crowding
the interior. This option continued to be available well into the 70s, I
believe, but didn't make it into the rubber bumper years.
Another downside to the packaway top is that it can take two normal persons
almost ten minutes to erect it (by "normal", I mean persons who don't do it
every day as a matter of course). So in case of sudden downpours, it can be
considered a shortcoming (there's that word again <g>).
That said, I have the packaway top on my 66 B, and I greatly prefer it, for
whatever reason. Next time you see an early B, ask the owner if he has a
packaway top, and then ask if he would like to demonstrate it for you... and
watch him roll his eyes...
on 1/24/02 6:36 PM, Monte Morris at mmorris@nemr.net wrote:
> following the thread about stowaway tops. Is this the same as a convertible
> top, or some type of hardtop?
> MOnte 79B
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