What's the Best Convertible of All Time?

Forbes ^ | Michael Frank

[billbears]

Now see? That's what I'm talking about. Drop a V8 in that, giving it a bit more rumble and more torque and you'd have the PERFECT car. Flashman, that IS beautiful

[E Rocc]

I'm on my second convertible now and completely hooked. While it's a somewhat mundane in absolute terms despite its GT engine and high speed navigational system (aka "me"), my '98 Sunfire has a top opening and closing mechanism that any convertible owner can appreciate. I rented a '97 in Tulsa and was sold.

-Eric

[wallcrawlr]

Next time one (1) picture would be sufficient.

[aShepard]

Wow! What was that, the batmobile???

[Flashman_at_the_charge]

Stop whining. :-)

[aShepard]

It should be automatically disqualified if there isn't at least a V8 under the hood

I'll put my 2002 Honda S2000 up against any piece of V8 iron ya got!

With 240 horses pounding out of a 2000 cc engine, it is the most efficient production engine ever offered. When you climb on her, at 6000rpm she kicks in her second chain drive cam, snaps your head into the headrest on her way to redline at 8,900 rpm, to the quarter mile at 115mph. Tested to be the stickiest car in a slalom other than a $400,000 Lambrogini. Four coils feeding spark to carbon fiber infused aluminum pistons, driven through six short throw gears.

An unbelievable car for $33k.

[CJ Wolf]

that would make three. They must last real long ;-) I had a yellow one for about two years. It was pretty fun but not for real long commutes. And I felt like a VW bug could squash me.

[Lamont Cranston]

Yeah, I don't have them anymore. The first was wrecked and the second finally bit the dust. I've often wondered about the safety factor myself, but they certainly are fun cars for city driving.

[billbears]

With 240 horses pounding out of a 2000 cc engine, it is the most efficient production engine ever offered

Well let's see. A 302 bored and stroked to a 347, SVO heads, 355 rearend from a stock 273. Dyno test was 505 HP at 5700 and 482 ftlbs at 5250. Runs low 11s 1/4 with street tires. Lord knows what she'll do on slicks. Bring it on.

[Palmetto]

I'll put my 2002 Honda S2000 up against any piece of V8 iron ya got!

Dude, the S2000 is quick and all, don't get me wrong. But it's no Z06 Vette or 390 hp Mustang Cobra.

With 240 horses pounding out of a 2000 cc engine, it is the most efficient production engine ever offered. When you climb on her, at 6000rpm she kicks in her second chain drive cam, snaps your head into the headrest on her way to redline at 8,900 rpm, to the quarter mile at 115mph.

Consider yourself lucky if you get it to 100 in 1/4 mi. 115 is way, way out of reach for a stock S2000.

Arriving at a lot of horses per liter is an interesting engineering endeavor, but not very useful in the real world. What you want is acceleration - look at hp/lb. of the car instead. Even better, look at the torque curve - the flatter, the better. Your S2000's peak torque is up around 7k rpm - what do you when you're in first gear below 4k? Abuse the clutch? The 9k rev limit is impressive, but the steep torque curve causes the Honda to lose 0-60 and 1/4 mi to the Subaru WRX, even though the scoob's short about 13 hp.

When Carroll Shelby said, "There's no substitute for cubic inches," he was pretty much correct (disregaring forced induction). Bill told you what he's done to his Mustang, and that 302 still has some power left in it. I bet it's got enough torque at 2000 rpm to smoke the rears (without slipping the clutch as you would have to in the Honda), and then some.

Tested to be the stickiest car in a slalom other than a $400,000 Lambrogini. Four coils feeding spark to carbon fiber infused aluminum pistons, driven through six short throw gears.

Yes, the lil Honda is quite a handling machine. No argument there.

[wjcsux]

1. Any of the Shelby cars.
2. Chrysler 300 C, preferably in black.

[billbears]

That's where the Mustang has always been weak to me. Looking at several options, think I'm going to go to a Kenny Brown suspension, just not sure of the level, to fix that. Want this car for road course and strip use

[aShepard]

causes the Honda to lose 0-60 and 1/4 mi to the Subaru WRX,

Subaru will beat 5.3sec to 60mph????

Not in the specs I've seen.

[LRS]

What's the Best Convertible of All Time?

Christine Jorgensen?

(Running away now...)

I'm right on your heels ....

[Charles Martel]

'66 Malibu, bright yellow

Mmm, that IS a nice pick. My dad had a '65, I believe, in that metallic aquamarine color.

[Skip Ripley]

I've had a '91 and '93 Olds Cutlass convertible which were ok. I loved our Z3 that my wife and I just got rid of because of our baby (no space for a car seat)

The all-time fav is our 98 BMW 328. It looks great, handles well and screams onto the freeway.

[Khurkris]

...MGB is certainly a nice one...Triumph Spitfire had a nice agressive stance...but cruisin' in a 'Vette 'Vertible is what its all about.

[Capt_Hank]

1962 Oldsmobile Starfire. Looked, drove and sounded good.

[Charles Martel]

As requested, the front of the big-block Shelby ragtop:

I believe that's a 428 Super Cobra Jet with dual 4-bbl carbs behind that grille. :-)

About two years ago, I was at the Sears car care center getting a new battery installed in my daily driver. I was distracted from my three-year-old copy of Popular Mechanics by a throaty exhaust rumble, which had a bit of stumble that suggested a hot cam grind. I walked out into the service area and saw one of these Shelby convertibles pulling in for an oil change. The mechanics just about rolled out the red carpet for the driver.

[wtc911]

Beat me to it.....the best drop top is whatever one you had in HS. Mine was a '63 Bonneville with leather interior.