LGS48 Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 I would like to know what the Difference between the 1941 Buick 71C 4 door convertible and the 1941 Buick Phaeton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billorn Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 Phaeton is what Buick called their 4door convertibles. Most called them convertible sedans. No idea why they chose to make it confusing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgreen Posted January 9, 2019 Share Posted January 9, 2019 I've heard experts refer to the definition of a phaeton as an open car (convertible) with side curtains and the open car with roll up windows as a convertible. I'm leery of this definition. Buick made a 51C (Super) and a 76C (Roadmaster), and have also heard both of them referred to as phaetons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted January 9, 2019 Share Posted January 9, 2019 (edited) Those old body definitions are tenuous at best. Many manufacturers broke the unwritten rules. As I understand it a Phaeton is a 4 door open car, windows or not. So is a Touring car. If something was made in the 30s (or 40s I suppose) it is more likely to be called a Phaeton, If built in the 1920s or earlier, it is probably called a Touring. IMHO a Phaeton would be more likely to have roll up windows just due to the era the term was popular. I have no idea why Cord built something with 2 doors and called it a Phaeton (but apparently they did). In traditional terms, a Convertible is a 2 door car with roll-up windows, and a Roadster is a 2 door car without. There is currently a thread in these forums about an Oldsmobile Roadster that has roll-up windows and probably would have been called a Convertible by most other manufacturers. Edited January 9, 2019 by Bloo (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarlLaFong Posted January 9, 2019 Share Posted January 9, 2019 ...and to further muddy the waters, Volkswagen calls this a Phaeton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank DuVal Posted January 9, 2019 Share Posted January 9, 2019 And my 1950 Jeepster is called a Phaeton because it has a front and rear seat with two doors without roll up windows. Go figure. 😁 I hope that VW has a sunroof... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimy Posted January 9, 2019 Share Posted January 9, 2019 And the 1956 Mercury 4-door hardtop was called "Phaeton." That caused my teeth to grind, even as a teenager.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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