I don't think you can. Look closely at how the windows work in the hard tops, they actually recess into the top of the door. You can't just cut the tops off the door and weld them to the roof. You also can't just put trim on the top fo the door for them to go into like they do on the convertables I believe.
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so you're saying can couldnt even swap doors with a convertible j body and build up edges to make sure it seals when the windows are rolled up?
this would be a cool mod.....original idea!
johnny.b wrote:so you're saying can couldnt even swap doors with a convertible j body and build up edges to make sure it seals when the windows are rolled up?
In theory, yes, you could.
You would need to take the top of the coupe door frame off the coupe door, weld that to the car.
Afterwards, you would cut out the outer part of the channel so that when the window is up, the window will still open. Otherwise it will bind in the channel.
Then you will need to find adequate weatherstripping to use for the inboard side of the window channel.
That's about the nitty-gritty of it.
hmmm...
nitty-gritty of it sounds like its possible. I guess im going to have to put this idea on the back burner. not ready to mangle my car trying to get it to work...
might get a door from a junk yard and hack it up as a prototype before i actually try it... thanks for the input.
Find a wrecked 'vert and see what all you could swap over. Having them side by side would be the easiest way to see what you'd be getting into.
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i had thought of this before because i was standing next to my buddies camaro and was like i wish chevy made the cavalier doors like that. but i cant chop my car up right now so i wont be doin it but wish i could try
I also thought about this a long time ago, I just like the feel of getting out of a car with the vert style doors and closing them, just feels better. And not like it matters to me but "vert" style doors look way better for lambo doors then the coupe doors do.
I've kicked around the idea of doing this before. I've got an extra set of vert. doors that I pulled off a salvage car (along with a lot of other stuff).
I think the easiest way would be to cut the front and top window frame off the coupe doors and weld them onto the coupe body. Then would come the hard work. Trying to trim and work the sheet metal to allow the window to swing out of the seal when the door is opened. You'd also have to deal with the "B" pillar as the window in the door and the quater window seals against the back edge of the door glass.
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I wonder if you could use the system they use on some of the new cars that "cracks" the winodw a little on opening and closing so that there is no drag on the seal. This would allow you to use the OEM seal, and get a better seal, but get the look you are aiming for.
I am thinking the new mustang has the "crack" stuff for the window, but this would also require power windows
Convertible Pt Cruisers have that feature too.
I drove an Infinity G35 that did that... pull the handle and the window rolls down 1/4 inch automaticly. close the door and it rolls back up.
Well before i got my new cavy and still had my old green cav. I looked into this ALOT farther because i wanted to make my cavy have a Targa top.
But if you want to use the convertable doors you might as well put your coupe doors in the gragae under some blankets. The vert doors window it shaped completly different from the coupe doors and would need to be customized to fit.
If you want to use the coupe doors listen up. The easiest way you would attempt to do this is like this.
Take the glass out of the doors and out of the fromt window.
Take all the seals out of the top of the door area and along the A pillar.
Take the interior door panels off, the mirrors, headliners, and dash (to be safe but not needed to be taken out)
Now ... plot the points were your going to end up cutting the doors using a sharpy on both doors and weld the doors shut. Not just outside welding ... i mean crole through the window with the welder and weld in there as well.
Once your done on both doors. crole out and brake out the plasma cuter or cutting wheel.
Cut the door free so you can open and close the door freely. now its time to finish up those cuts to make them as if they were never there.
Once you put the glass back in the front and the doors, look at how the glass sealed with the stock top attached to the door. There is a lip that actually makes the rain/water flow past the crack. Snip, Snip or use that "window crack" idea by taking a car that had its door accessories out.
re install ... and hope to dear lord the B pillar doesn't look like crap when its all said and done.
Im going to say this ... i wouldn't attempt to do with with out eather a roll bar that runs along the a pillars or with out some framing modifications or With out having any body welding skills.
the g6 does the window crack thing too
member nejbody
rawkfist wrote:Well before i got my new cavy and still had my old green cav. I looked into this ALOT farther because i wanted to make my cavy have a Targa top.
But if you want to use the convertable doors you might as well put your coupe doors in the gragae under some blankets. The vert doors window it shaped completly different from the coupe doors and would need to be customized to fit.
If you want to use the coupe doors listen up. The easiest way you would attempt to do this is like this. <snippy>
Couldn't the channel on the B-Pillar be trimmed down so that the window does not bind? That seems (in my opinion) to be the main issue in the mod...
Edited 1 time(s). Last edited Sunday, November 05, 2006 6:11 PM
ya you would need to do that as well kardain.
If i could P/S my car with the door open to show what a coupe door would look like to make it look like a convertable door style ... you all would hate the look of it.
My honest opinion is ... get a set of convertable doors, mount them ... and use the top part of the coupe door in spots needed to pull the roof areas to the window. The coupe door part would be for like the seals along the window and getting it to semi the right spot.
