Moparts

Challenger convertible decklid different than hardtop?

Posted By: Mastershake340

Challenger convertible decklid different than hardtop? - 09/02/09 10:14 PM

The front corners of my car's decklid are rounded, on hardtops they are square. My buddy's '71 convertible has square corners, and he has had the car 35 years.
Just wondering if my car is correct or if the previous owner modified them when he was restoring the car?

Attached picture 5458123-decklid002.jpg
Posted By: Daty Rogers

Re: Challenger convertible decklid different than hardtop? - 09/02/09 10:36 PM

Since the seam is gone I'd say bodywork produced the rounded corners.

-Daty
Posted By: domingo

Re: Challenger convertible decklid different than hardtop? - 09/02/09 10:41 PM

Those round corners seem like they've been messed around with.
Posted By: Mastershake340

Re: Challenger convertible decklid different than hardtop? - 09/02/09 10:45 PM

Quote:

Since the seam is gone I'd say bodywork produced the rounded corners.

-Daty


No seam on convertibles, that area between the dutchman panel and the quarters was leaded, and today you often see cracks in that area on many convertibles.
Posted By: conv71

Re: Challenger convertible decklid different than hardtop? - 09/02/09 11:13 PM

no seams on vert!!!
Posted By: DONS_BEE

Re: Challenger convertible decklid different than hardtop? - 09/03/09 01:37 AM

Vert is square too (at least on mine)
Posted By: mopargem

Re: Challenger convertible decklid different than hardtop? - 09/03/09 01:49 AM

square corners here if my decklid is original
Posted By: efisixpack

Re: Challenger convertible decklid different than hardtop? - 09/03/09 01:59 AM

I remember a few years ago seeing a 70 challenger convertible (yellow 383 R/T) with the rounded corners. I thought it was strange because my 71 is square at the edges. Could some of the 70's come like that? I found it strange and your is only the second one like that I've noticed. Hmmm.
Posted By: Mastershake340

Re: Challenger convertible decklid different than hardtop? - 09/03/09 02:08 AM

Quote:

I remember a few years ago seeing a 70 challenger convertible (yellow 383 R/T) with the rounded corners. I thought it was strange because my 71 is square at the edges. Could some of the 70's come like that? I found it strange and your is only the second one like that I've noticed. Hmmm.


I had never noticed before, but a few weeks ago at a cruise, someone pointed it out on my car, and said his '70 was rounded too, but he noticed my friend's '71 vert there at the cruise had square corners and was wondering what is correct.
Other than my friend's car, I haven't had a chance to look at any other Challenger convertibles since then to see what they have.
Posted By: RoadRunner

Re: Challenger convertible decklid different than hardtop? - 09/03/09 01:20 PM

Here is my take. The seam is leaded at the factory by some craftsman who did this job 8 hours a day. My guess is that the car received whatever the shape the worker put in when he did the job. He was probably supposed to have a squared off corner per some specification. But I bet it was much harder to shape the squared off corner than it was to round it out. Especially as you are doing the work on a line where the cars keeping coming and going.
Posted By: cataclysm80

Re: Challenger convertible decklid different than hardtop? - 09/03/09 02:00 PM

I'm thinking the seams were leaded when the quarter panel was installed, which would be before the trunk lid was installed. No Way the lead worker could have modified the trunk lid.

Have a look at the bottom side of those trunk lid corners and check for signs of modification.

Here's what my square cornered (hardtop) lid looks like from underneath. It's an early 70 style lid with no spoiler cutouts.

Tav

Attached picture 5459432-DSC02296.JPG
Posted By: efisixpack

Re: Challenger convertible decklid different than hardtop? - 09/03/09 03:00 PM

Quote:

Have a look at the bottom side of those trunk lid corners and check for signs of modification.

Tav



I was about to say the same thing. Post a picture if possible.
Posted By: Mastershake340

Re: Challenger convertible decklid different than hardtop? - 09/03/09 03:34 PM

I had looked at that, and can't say I see any definite evidence of modification. Here is a picture.
I got an email today from my friend Mark (greenJS27 here on Moparts) about his '70 'vert, his reply was "mine is rounded, I thought they all were like that?"

Attached picture 5459623-trunklid001.jpg
Posted By: Mastershake340

Re: Challenger convertible decklid different than hardtop? - 09/03/09 03:35 PM

Other side:

Attached picture 5459629-trunklid004.jpg
Posted By: cataclysm80

Re: Challenger convertible decklid different than hardtop? - 09/03/09 08:00 PM

Well, that's four different cars so far with the rounded corners. Sounds like a good case for being factory.

I'm thinking the difference would be with inside trunk sheetmetal, not with the skin which is just crimped around it.

The next question becomes what is the plant & build date of these cars with rounded corners?

No one's seen the rounded corners on a 71 yet?

Tav
Posted By: sixpakchallenger

Re: Challenger convertible decklid different than hardtop? - 09/03/09 08:16 PM

I have a 71 Challenger Vert, still in original paint. Square corners just like a hardtop.
Posted By: gygeneral

Re: Challenger convertible decklid different than hardtop? - 09/03/09 11:32 PM

My 70 Vert in my signature is also square.
Posted By: cataclysm80

Re: Challenger convertible decklid different than hardtop? - 09/03/09 11:47 PM

Quote:

My 70 Vert in my signature is also square.



As far as you know, is it the original trunk lid?

Build date & plant?

Tav
Posted By: cataclysm80

Re: Challenger convertible decklid different than hardtop? - 09/04/09 12:00 AM

I've heard before about some LA built cars having minor sheetmetal differences due to a different vendor. These rounded corner cars don't all happen to be LA cars do they?

Tav
Posted By: 340SIX

Re: Challenger convertible decklid different than hardtop? - 09/04/09 12:30 AM

My 70 vert has square conners so did the 71 hard top
Posted By: gygeneral

Re: Challenger convertible decklid different than hardtop? - 09/04/09 01:01 AM

Quote:

Quote:

My 70 Vert in my signature is also square.



As far as you know, is it the original trunk lid?

Build date & plant?

Tav



YES IT IS. BUILD DATE OCT 70, HAMTRACK
Posted By: 71340vert

Re: Challenger convertible decklid different than hardtop? - 09/04/09 03:02 AM

I thought all verts were built at Hamtramck, so it couldn't be a plant issue.

You 70 vert was built in Oct of 1970? I thought they were already building 71's at that point. My 71 cuda vert was built Oct. 29 1970

By the way, my 71 challenger vert has square corners.
Posted By: 6bblgt

Re: Challenger convertible decklid different than hardtop? - 09/04/09 03:02 AM

ALL e-body convertibles were assembled at the Hamtramck, MI plant "B".

Any original paint round Challenger convertible decklids out there?
Posted By: cataclysm80

Re: Challenger convertible decklid different than hardtop? - 09/04/09 03:05 AM

Quote:

ALL e-body convertibles were assembled at the Hamtramck, MI plant "B".




oops, silly me.

Tav
Posted By: gygeneral

Re: Challenger convertible decklid different than hardtop? - 09/04/09 03:17 AM

Quote:


You 70 vert was built in Oct of 1970?



Opps, I meant October 1969

Sorry
Posted By: 1_WILD_RT

Re: Challenger convertible decklid different than hardtop? - 09/04/09 04:51 AM

Square corners on all seven I've worked on... Most started as original paint...
Posted By: xs29j8

Re: Challenger convertible decklid different than hardtop? - 09/04/09 09:24 AM

1970 Challenger Convertible with original deck lid... square corners.

Attached picture 5461375-BillieJean70ChallConvert500W.jpg
Posted By: Mastershake340

Re: Challenger convertible decklid different than hardtop? - 09/04/09 03:34 PM

When I bought my car back in the 90's, the guy I bought it from gave me a photo album, which contains a bunch of photos of the restoration. I just dug it out to look at, and from some pictures of the car when they were just starting out, I have to say it looks (from a 3x5 snapshot) like the corners were square.
Posted By: cataclysm80

Re: Challenger convertible decklid different than hardtop? - 09/04/09 09:04 PM

I just looked at several verts online and all had square corner trunk lids.

What's your cars build date mastershake? That might help if someone has another car with a close date.

Tav
Posted By: Mastershake340

Re: Challenger convertible decklid different than hardtop? - 09/05/09 03:18 AM

SBD 11/69, as I mentioned though, the restoration pictures of my car seem to show that the trunk lid was square at the beginning of the project.
I think I'm convinced that they were square originally, so I'll stop pondering that now and start thinking about my radiator which just started leaking!
Posted By: 1_WILD_RT

Re: Challenger convertible decklid different than hardtop? - 09/05/09 04:17 AM

I suggest...



Attached picture 5463181-patron.jpg
Posted By: HemiRick

Re: Challenger convertible decklid different than hardtop? - 09/06/09 05:53 PM

square corners in sig car original paint
© 2024 Moparts Forums