[OAKLEY389]

I JUST PURCHASED A 66 GOAT.ALL ORIGINAL.ANYONE KNOW WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS BETWEEN A HARDTOP AND A COUPE?

[mikediaz]

i believe a hardtop has no post between the front and rear glass, while a coupe has a post there. With windows rolled up its not noticable but if you roll all windows down on a hardtop there will be nothing , on a coupe there should be a post there.

Somone correct me if i'm wrong.

[Jack Gifford]

Literary note: "hardtop" is short for "hardtop convertible". If you look at some of the early hardtop convertibles ('50 Chev, '51 Ford, etc.), it's pretty obvious that they are a convertible with a steel replica of a convertible top fixed in place. Convertible doors and windows are used. My favorites are some of the GM hardtops from '62-64, on which the roof was shaped just like a convertible top, with creases where the top bows would be. I also like the '54 Chevy BelAir hardtop, which had the inside headliner bows chromed to give an interior "feel" of a convertible's bows over your head.

[64catdroptop]

I always thought the hardtop and coupe where the same. My sources always refered to a hardtop and a Sedan. Hardtop - no post, Sedan - post

??

-r-

[winbub]

MikeDiaz is correct in his description of differences betweenn a coupe and a hardtop. I own a coupe.

[vidguy]

My favorites are some of the GM hardtops from '62-64, on which the roof was shaped just like a convertible top, with creases where the top bows would be.

I always appreciated those as well.

[ctgross]

What they said.....and

hdt.=24217
cpe= 24207.....and welcome to the site!

Post some pics when you can!!

[OAKLEY389]

Thank you folks for the info.I will post pictures as soon as i can. This is a great site!

[Jack Gifford]

I purposely tried to avoid the "coupe" vs. "sedan" semantics, since no definitive answer exists. Up through the thirties (and even most of the forties) the two terms were quite succinct- a three-year old kid can tell a Model A coupe from a sedan. But at some point after that time, some idiot (employed by an auto maker?) applied the 'coupe' label to a vehicle that not only had a full back seat, but had virtually the same roof line as its companion 'sedan'- I'd like to shoot the guy!

[Bryan Jensen]

Post post post!!!

I'm a little bias though, as I own one.

I guess you could really call them both, although the big difference between the 2 is that a hardtop can roll down all the windows to have a pillarless appearance.

Posts have a permanent supporting brace for the roof, and are I think a couple hundred pounds lighter??? I can't confirm that though.

Bryan

[3 Deuce 64]

1967 Production Numbers
Coupes 7,029 ( post)
Hardtops 65,176
Convertibles 9,517
Total 81,722

[242177P]

Originally Posted by Bryan Jensen

Posts have a permanent supporting brace for the roof, and are I think a couple hundred pounds lighter??? I can't confirm that though.

You can't confirm it cause it's WRONG. The weight difference, according to AMA specifications, is 5 (five) pounds!