Hey Andy, you've got it right, because "precise definition" is difficult
because of the variation in the terms as applied by different manufacturers.
Remember, auto nomenclature goes back to the carriages. I own a 1912 Ford
Model T "touring", an open car with two seats, and side curtains. I also own
a 31 Model A "closed car", 4 door sedan. I did own a 31 Model Roadster, an
open car with side curtains. And my MGA is a Roadster, open car with side
curtains, but my TR4A is a convertible, open car with roll up windows that
"converts" to a closed car. My 58 Jaguar XK150 is an OTS (open two seater )
with roll up windows, and is often called a roadster (the 120s and 140s had
side curtains). But Jaguar made a DHC, a drop head coupe, with all the
features of FHC (fixed head coupe), with a lined folding top. One of the
strangest cars I've own as far as nomenclature is concerned was a '31
Chrysler "convertible coupe". A closed car as far as the body except with a
folding top down the middle of what was a coupe body. When the top was down,
it looked like a coupe with a large hole in the roof. Morgan, like Jaguar,
attempted to civilize the roadster, thus the DHC. Jerry Oliver, Olympia, WA.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Andrew Mace" <amace@unix2.nysed.gov>
To: <Chip19474@aol.com>
Cc: <triumphs@autox.team.net>
Sent: Saturday, June 03, 2000 5:53 PM
Subject: Re: LBC Question but not Triumph!
>
> On Sat, 3 Jun 2000 Chip19474@aol.com wrote:
>
> > We had a "drophead" Morgan register for the British Car Show our TR club
> > sponsored last weekend...it looked like any other well restored Morgan
2+2 to
> > me so my question is: What does "drophead" mean...something related to
the
> > uniqueness of the cylinder head no doubt??
>
> Nice guess. Wrong. :-)
>
> Although the definition can vary as widely as that of "roadster" or
> "convertible," a drophead (coupe') usually is a car with a folding top
> (roof) that remains fastened to the body of the car as opposed to being
> removable. Additionally, the doors tend to have roll-up glass, sometimes
> framed as with a sedan. Some examples from the realm of Standard-Triumph
> include the pre- and post-war Standard 8 DHC and (possibly the last "true"
> DHC built by them) the near-mythical Mayflower DHC, of which only 10 were
> made out of around 35,000 Mayflowers total. A cabriolet, often used to
> describe certain other European cars, is largely the same concept.
>
> Again, these terms are very much open to debate and interpretation
> nowadays, so don't flame me if you don't agree 100% with my definition!
:-)
>
> --Andy
>
> * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
> * Andrew Mace, President and *
> * 10/Herald/Vitesse (Sports 6) Consultant *
> * Vintage Triumph Register <www.vtr.org> *
> * amace@unix2.nysed.gov *
> * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
>
> Is a Herald convertible a "drop-head"? YOU be the judge....
>
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