azkaty

SCdroptop.. what would we do without you!!

Best thread award goes to you!!!

Katy

Solman

SCdroptop--I just love your posts. 3 more additions...

So funny to see the Chrysler Thunderbolt since I just read a local story about it last month. Here it is.

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/d...underbolt.html

Yes, that is one of the five.

Story two: I came to my SC 430 after 3 Honda Del Sols which is the next best thing to a convertible-the targa top. The japanese version not made in this country is called a transtop. Here is what it looks like in motion. I have actually seen it in action at car meets.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1dPFk9NgSQ

and my last story comes via a good friend of mine who is a retired autoshop teacher with many friends in detroit. The word is that the 57-59 ford hardtop convertible was shortlived because of rearend accidents that resulted in decapitations. That was a shock to me, but if you see one in person and realize that the trunk (the box in the middle) Was very thin metal and if you got rearend where else would the top go. That, of course is with the roof down. Very interesting having people who know some of the inside stories.

Thats all I got. Sorry, no more pictures.

scdroptop

iTrader: (1)

Yes, that is one of the five.

***THAT'S THE ONE THEY WERE SELLING LAST NIGHT!!!**** Nice find!

Loved the Delsol!!! Always wanted one when I was a youngster but couldn't afford the insurance, so I got an accord coupe. The red and green were my fav colors...gotta have the SI of course! Very cool top. I loved my Supra Targa and 300ZX twin turbo with t-tops....and liked them almost as much or more than most of my soft tops. BEST combination ever: 1988-1991 rx-7 convertible. It had a removable targa in the middle and of course a full top.


Scary...I see what you are saying about the top. YIKES! I'm intriguied about the jspec del sol! Wow....

Thats all I got. Sorry, no more pictures.

Solman

SCdroptop-are we related? My first of 3 del sols was red-an S 5 speed. Then came my 95SI auto and I missed my 5 speed and bought the green SI. Had both at the same time. Now here is the interesting part. I had the black one for ten years and sold it at a $200 loss after driving it for 10 years. Bought for $9700 and sold for $9500 with calls from all over the country-could have sold 10 of them. The green one I bought for $6000 and sold it for $6500 8 years later. Nothing like being paid to have fun. and the red one sold to my son who totalled it a year later.

scdroptop

iTrader: (1)

We may have been separated at birth---considering our crazy car collections (yours is much more elaborate than mine in your garage)!!!

Del Sol was Honda's answer to the Miata. The del sol was a GREAT car!!! Why did Honda scrap that and the Prelude? Crazy, isn't it? They sold 25,000 of these gems in 1993 and by 96 only 5k of them but a freshened bodystyle and a renewed sister CRX update and they could have extended these two models even till today!

I am not sure if you read my posts about the Honda/Acura demise and their lackluster lineup and no-show (but they had cars there) at the recent auto show. Very sad and disappointing.

I loved playing Gran Turismo on Playstation back in the day and modding my green del sol I never really owned! So the Si had the v-tech engine of the prelude in it, right?

Great looking cars!!! Looks like you had the 97+ prelude rims on the green one? Nice!

If Honda/Acura was smart, they would create 3-4 sports cars RIGHT now for different segments...

Two seater coupe/hatchback/targa FWD and AWD great gas mileage and fun....

Two plus two coupe based on the Accord for Acura replacing the TL coupe but make it look completely different.

Two seater convertible update to the S2000 but make an acura version with a NSX type performance and different looks

Lastly...at grand tourer Prelude replacement with a small back seat to compete with the G37, 3-series, etc.

Honda/Acura, Toyota and Mazda have REALLY lost their edge in the sports car market. Prelude, Del Sol, Supra, Celica, Paseo, Corrolla coupe, CRX, S2000, NSX, RX-7, MX-3/6 all are dead and were all pretty cool sports cars for their time.

scdroptop

iTrader: (1)

BTW-does anyone find it really ODD that there were virtually no hardtop convertibles produced from 1959 until 1995 for sale in the US? WOW!!!! Now that's a dry spell.

I've always loved the idea of a removable targa/hardtop/t-top over a rag top because of performance advantages and less body roll, typically better looking lines, BUT I will say one of the neatest cars ever was the 1988-1991 Mazda RX-7 which had a targa removable middle panel AND a soft power top with a glass rear window and defroster. It was WAY ahead of it's time, just severely underpowered. It's j-spec cousin had the turbo engine, but Mazda US decided not to put it in, so we were stuck with the 150hp 1.4l rotary engine. The turbo was 200hp and really could move that small car.

Perhaps America just loves the idea of a "rag top" over a hard top convertible? To me it's the best of both worlds...it's like you have TWO cars!

Solman

The del sol club would get together nearly once a month including a Vegas meet once a year. The first meet had 20 sols and got up to 50-60 sols as recently as last may. The one pic taken by the building is actually taken by the school where I teach and the other ones are taken at the vegas meet. We would show the cars, go on cruises, and party. I miss it!!! Another interesting point is the sale of my two del sols allowed me to pay off my SC. Last pic is my clear top. Also kept the original thinking the smoked top would be hot-never was and never put the solid top back on. No regrets about getting rid of the sols-the sc 430 takes care of that. Wish our club members got together like the sol club does.

scdroptop

iTrader: (1)

WOW-I never knew the Del sol had a clear top...way ahead of it's time. Very cool.

Panoramic tops are in vogue right now...funny how stuff is so cyclical...fashion...cars...music...LOL I guess a nicely done, creative design never truly goes out. Clear tops/panoramic tops are great! I love the Lexus ES, MBZ SL, Vettes and now I know the EOS has one too. Very cool feature. I wish we had them in the SC.

I shouda kept all those paisley ties from the late 80's early 90's!!!! darnit

That is funny about your story on the sales price...I had similar results with my prelude and supra and 300ZX. I would drive them, fix them up, mod them a little and keep them for a few years and MAKE money or break even on them, which is unheard of! LOL

Solman

If you haven't figured it out yet, my above post should give away my screen name that I have used for 10 years. I am not a blues brother, nor a shoe repairman, Nor a black man-just an admirer of that old honda targa top, unwilling to give up my 10 year old screen name. Cats out of the bag!

Very proud of my Del Sol REPLACEMENT and my screen name!!!

scdroptop

iTrader: (1)

We should start a whole other thread on creative removable tops...

Del Sol, NSX Targa, Early 70's Firebird t-tops! 300ZX, 3000GT had a full moonroof that came out and stored in the trunk on SL, Viper, Prowler, Speedster tops (porsche, mustang, vettes), new Ferrari Californian Mazda RX-7, Boxster and Miata Hardtops, T-Bird Hardtop, SL hardtops, Vette tops, Panoramic tops, etc etc etc.

scdroptop

iTrader: (1)

Ahhhhh, finally. I would have guessed the sun because you live in CA.

I forgot one very important hard top convertible...

The California

I'm sure I forgot some others too...isn't there a new Bentley or Rolls or Aston with a HT convertible too?

Panoz? Qvale? Some others had some HT's too. I need to research. Lotus Exige has a cool targa too.

JasDmw

Thanks forthe feedback; do appreciate it. But I am in Niagara Falls Canada and need an all year round car. Don't want a soft top. Porsche is my dream car; even the Wife believes it now, but not there just yet. Want a multi season car, meaning hard drop top. Also had an Audi 4000S quattro back in the late 80's; once the "card" warranty was up just about bankrupted me. Had to sell it to a wrecker; no one would touch it in trade. Things are different now, I know, but reading various posts, the German cars are great when new. With Porsche; seems the wallet takes a beating every time a service is needed.

On the Eos; not sure I agree with your spartan interior comments. The one I drove a couple of years ago was quite nice. 2010 packages have lots of upgrades and the fit/finish between VW and Audi is essentially the same. They are made in Portugal and they did have some early teething pains, but seem to be settling down now. I'm actually looking at brokers who bringing a used car from the S in for me here. Did some shopping; a California Lexus store (Beverly Hills) has a few 2006/7 SCs at about $39K US or so. I found one at a local dealership for 43K $CDN. Considering the cost to get something into Canada is about 20% of purchase price (all taxes, shipping, exchange, etc.), the local deal is far superior. Not sure about the dea with used Eos though as I won't touch one without the TSI engine making it late 2008 on. Still on the fence.

JTMav

As a kid growing up in Cambridge, MA my parents next door neighbor was a Ford salesman and he brought home a '58 Skyline hardtop vert. I had the same look on my face when he put the top down that people have now, some 45 years later, when I do the same thing. I guess the more things change the more they stay the same. Thanks for a great post.

JTMav

scdroptop

iTrader: (1)

I remember in 1995 trading in my 93 Supra (money pit, 100k+ miles) for a "new" car and considered the 3000GT SL and the Eclipse Convertible.

Mitsubishi made some neat cars...but feel WAY SOUTH in the late 90's and have to be close to extinction soon if they don't revive their brands.

The 3000GT Spyder was truly amazing....AWD in the VR-4 and 320 HP was way ahead of it's time for performance, although it was very heavy. Forget about the SL--big hog!

Here is one on eBay for sale...this is a steal for $10k. A true classic for sure! Very cool car. Making me want one!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...5452&viewitem=

asc300zx

The predesesor to the 3000gt Convertible (First modern production retractable) was the 1991 300zx concept (also built by ASC/ Metalcrafters) for the 1992 Geneva Auto Show. It was also shown in Paris & Detroit that same year. ASC then built an Alante and then finally the Mitsubishi.

Info can be found on Facebook by fanning "ASC 300zx Spyder"