Dave Mellor NJ Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 Not what you thought, is it? Note the Carson top. I know you Buick lovers would take it,tree and all. Posted on HAMB's "Vintage shots from days gone by" Swi66. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Peterson Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 Hey DaveInteresting photo. I think you're mistaken about the Carson top, though. It doesn't look any different than a regular convertible top, to me. I thought Carson tops were hard and put on chopped coupes. Based on the vent windows, this was obviously a factory-built convertible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hudsy Wudsy Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 (edited) Sad sight, indeed! It's interesting how the grille appears to bow outward and separate from the impact on the hood.I think we should all get rid of our caps and wear hats with brims. They're so cool! Edited March 26, 2013 by Hudsy Wudsy (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve_Mack_CT Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 That is a strange looking top to me - agree stock height, and the vehicle appears to have been "born" a convertible but I cannot discern any top bows or typical shape of a convertible top - it also appears to be painted, understnading of course this is an old picture. Well, in any event interesting unless it is just a very smooth top... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Peterson Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 The illusion of hard top is because of the quality of photo, and possibly because it's of a replacement material that has some sheen to it. Plus, it looks like it's been raining, so I suspect that it is wet.However, the lines all appear correct to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seldenguy Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 (edited) I have owned several '36 Buicks of all series. Restored a couple to high standards and have made new oak headers for convertibles. I am quite positive that it is not a standard GM topping. It has to be a custom installation because the overhang on the top of the windshield is far to much forward than Buick built them. The header only protudes forward about one inch past the top of the windshield frame as delivered standard from Buick and has a definitive "vee" sweep from the windshield center to the vent window overhang. Before the topping mutes it somewhat the oak bow has a pronounced "widows peak" at the center that carries down into the die cast windshield divider. I feel this starts Harley Earls "waterfall" design. Again my observations and thanks to the HAMB for the posting. --Bob The top rail over the door glass also looks suspect. Buick covered the rails with topping and they did not show. Also the top had exposed snap buttons along this rail to stop wind flap. Edited March 27, 2013 by Seldenguy picture revisited (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Mellor NJ Posted March 27, 2013 Author Share Posted March 27, 2013 I share the thoughts of Steve and Seldenguy. That's why I said Carson top. I meant a Carson-type top. This looks like a removable rigid top like that for a 55-57 T-bird. If it were a cloth top I think you'd see the bows and if it was wet from the rain that would accentuate the bows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpage Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 When first I looked at the photo the top looked solid to me also, but looking closer I can see what appears to be "ponding"of water in the front of the top separated by what appears to be fabric roof supports running front to back. Also, there is an irregularity along the edge of the top above the side window. Also,looking very closely, you can just make out what looks like a concave indent right at the rear top edge of the top , a stretching between bows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Peterson Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 (edited) ... the overhang on the top of the windshield is far to much forward than Buick built them. The header only protudes forward about one inch past the top of the windshield frame as delivered standard from Buick and has a definitive "vee" sweep from the windshield center to the vent window overhang. Before the topping mutes it somewhat the oak bow has a pronounced "widows peak" at the center that carries down into the die cast windshield divider. I feel this starts Harley Earls "waterfall" design. Again my observations and thanks to the HAMB for the posting. --Bob The top rail over the door glass also looks suspect. Buick covered the rails with topping and they did not show. Also the top had exposed snap buttons along this rail to stop wind flap.BobI respectfully disagree with all of your counter points; the overhang looks correct to me, just a heavy shadow, and the V sweep has to follow the windshield header. I do see what appears to be exposed side snaps (Hop-Along's car has no snaps... which way is correct???). Edited March 27, 2013 by West Peterson (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seldenguy Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 West- I will cede to your analyses, you are able to micro-manage the photo I am not. Although I must look at the HAMB photo through aging eyes my same age mind clearly remembers many fine details of the '36 Buick. Now a study of the shadow under the top bow may reveal which direction the car was headed, the time of day the photo was taken, and what season the tree fell. The snaps on the side rails were exposed on all "as delivered from the factory" convertibles. Regards --Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve_Mack_CT Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 (edited) While West made his case, this does beg the more general question - was anyone in the business of making these kinds of tops in the prewar era? I know of "carson" style tops and have generally thought they were fitted to rods and customs. Also, by the 50s removeable hardtops were seen from both the factory and aftermarket, but I do not recall seeing any fitted to prewar cars?Wonder when the first metal or fiberglass removeable hard top was brought to market?This picture makes me think of the famous photos of "Bigfoot" crossing a dirt road - its a little fuzzy to be sure... Edited March 28, 2013 by Steve_Mack_CT (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Peterson Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 (edited) "California" rigid tops were offered on open touring cars way back in the 1920s (maybe the teens). How easy they were to remove, I don't know.I'm going to assume it would have been (or is) extremely rare for someone to put a hardtop on a car of that age that already had a convertible top and roll-up windows. The reason the California tops were relatively popular is because in addition to the rigid tops, rigid side windows were also available, completely enclosing the car like a sedan. Sedans at the time were much more pricey than the touring cars.Today, you will see rodders install the hard tops because they've cut the top off of a coupe or sedan, and it's cheaper and easier to do than to custom make convertible bows, headers, etc. Edited March 28, 2013 by West Peterson (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Mellor NJ Posted March 29, 2013 Author Share Posted March 29, 2013 Auburn coupes were made by taking a convertible and adding a roof. It's an expensive way to make a coupe but not for just a few units. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Peterson Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 There's also that famous Duesenberg Murphy "roadster" with the stainless steel top, which recently sold for $10 million. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest holfardbine Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 Not what you thought, is it? Note the Carson top. I know you Buick lovers would take it,tree and all. Posted on HAMB's "Vintage shots from days gone by" Swi66.I hope engine will be fine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 I see top snaps on the side of the top over the window. The top looks totally stock, to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now