Anyone ever try making a Duster a hardtop?

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392Mopar

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I was just looking at some pictures and saw one of a Duster with the back windows out and the fronts rolled down, and it looks great as a hardtop. Has anyone ever thought of or heard of someone converting the rear window to roll down making it a hardtop. I'm sure it wouldnt be easy but with all the fabrication out there I'd be surprized if it has never been done before.

What do you think, is it doable? I've always loved to one big opening look of a hartop, I think my 72 Duster would look great like that.


Butch
 
do you have a pic of a car that has had that done? could be interesting.
 
I havent seen one done, just one in the body work stage that got me thinking, heres some pictures... may be a members car... Think its what Ma should have done.

Butch
 
thats pretty wicked lookin,probably set off that sharks tooth grille
 
That is the way it SHOULD have been done, agreed. However, from what I have read, the engineering feat just to get the front windows to roll down into what is essentially a Valiant door was quite consuming for Plymouth. The issue is the very narrow roof that required a glass curved double what the Valiant glass was. With the limited budget Corporate gave Plymouth to make the Duster happen, it wasn't able to be done.

Good luck to anyone who can do it, or have it done. I think it would be awesome.
 
Hey thanks, guess I never look at the general section, at least I'm not the only one thinking it would look cool.


Butch
 
You couldn't use the existing glass because you need some glass below the body to attach the regulator too. Having curved glass made would be very expensive. I had a chopped top '67 Impala years ago and found out how much custom glass was.

The best (cheapest) thing to is find a piece of glass out of another car that has the same basic curve. The shape doesn't have to be that accurate becuse it really does matter what is hiding behind the body. You only need two sides to match, the front that seals againt the front side window and the top that seals to the roof. The rest can just hide behind the body.

This is exactly what I did with the Impala. I put a rear side window in it that was too big for the car and basically some of the glass was still below the body. Even though I adjusted the glass to seal against the roof it technically wasn't rolled up all of the way.

Also don't try and cut tempered glass it will shatter (tried it).


Chuck
 
True, I'm sure that would get pricey. I'm gonna have to take a look to see if it would be posible to use the existing glass afixed to a frame that would swing down manually into the quarter. Have the front bottom as a pivot point and have the whole window rotate down, using and attachment point at the top front to secure in the up position. Wouldnt be as cool as a rollup/rolldown, but would still look cool when down. I quess I'm just dreaming, sure would look sweet though.


Comeon guys arnt there any briliant Chip Foose, think outside the box kind of guys out there to work it out :mrgreen:
 
No doubt it would be pricey, but our cars are pretty much all a labor of love, with money being secondary (when it is available) to the joy and satisfaction. Pop outs are cool on some cars (like Beetles), but this has always been a pet peeve of mine about the Duster design.
 
I agree, should have been like that from factory, and seeing as my was was a /6 and now is a small block 4 speed, mini tubbed, and front buckets out of a 2001 Audi TT, I realy dont care about keeping it original. Maybe when I get some time next weekend I'll take a good, hard look at it. Maybe I'll just sit in the back seat with a beer and see if I get a revelation.

Butch
 
392Mopar said:
If the Plymouth design team had done this in the prototype stage, they might have gotten farther than they did on the rear windows!

Worst case scenario, you enjoy a beer in your car. Not a bad way to spend time in my book.
Click to expand...
 
I saw a thread like this in the general section, and it got me thinking (dangerous for me). What about removable speed-glass? It would be a lot easier to make removable windows and mounts than to try and re-engineer the rear quarter structure. Just my thoughts.
 
Think that may be a good idea too. As long as the pillar in the front came with it. It would be like owning a Jeep, nice day pop out the rear windows and go cruising. Keep a little padded pag in the trunk for them.


Butch
 
It would be damn fine for that back window to go down. I have a '67 Firebird, the curve in the rear window is not as sharp as our Dusters, but it is curved, and it does roll down.
If GM could do it, surely you can too!
A couple things to think through; the top seal would probably have to be fabricated, and also the front edge of the rear glass would need some type of seal where it goes against the door glass. Perhaps items from a Scamp or Swinger could be modified for that purpose.
I think it could be done, and it may not be that difficult given all of the other cars on the road with them already.

I do wish you would hurry up though, I'm starting to assemble my Duster and if you had this doable, now would be a great time for me to install!
C
 
Don't the windows roll down in the 71up Sebring/roadrunner? THey look like a similiar shape. Maybe the mechanicals would work IF you can devise a way to mount the glass.
 
Learn a new thing everyday, I'm not too familiar with Duster's, my thing is Barracuda's, had no idea the rear quarter glass does not roll down on a Duster.
Having all the side glass rolled down while driving in the summer looks cool and feels great if it's hot out.
 
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