Need help sourcing convertible boots for 2 upcoming builds.

[Railroad]

I have 2 two upcoming build ideas and I need help figuring out what kits convertible boots would work on the projects. The first is a Cadillac Eldorado promo that I picked up that I want to convert to a convertible to represent Big Enos's Caddy from "Smokey and the Bandit". The second is an MPC 1979 Firebird that I want to convert to a convertible to represent Mason Dixon's convertible Firebird fron the Dukes of Hazzard episode "The Mason Dixon Girls". I'm not a big fan of convertibles in real life and have only built one Johan Bossman Cadillac to represent Boss Hogg's Cadillac from the Dukes of Hazzard and one Revell VW Beetle  to represent Hewey Hogg's VW from the Dukes of Hazzard and those kits were both convertibles out of the box. I'm hoping one of my fellow builders here might have done these conversions and can point me in the right direction for a kit source for the boots I would need for these builds.

Thanks in advance for any advise.  Randy

[Ace-Garageguy]

The '79 Firebird convert was not a "factory" offering, the rear body contours of that car are different from anything else, so you're probably not going to find a boot rom anything that's very close. Scratch-building looks like the best option.

I believe the Caddy was a '74 Eldo. Any big '60s or '70s GM convert boot should get you close, but the boot is fairly flat in reality, so scratch-building is a viable option there too, and probably easier than doing the Firebird piece.

[Railroad]

45 minutes ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

The '79 Firebird convert was not a "factory" offering, the rear body contours of that car are different from anything else, so you're probably not going to find a boot rom anything that's very close. Scratch-building looks like the best option.

I believe the Caddy was a '74 Eldo. Any big '60s or '70s GM convert boot should get you close, but the boot is fairly flat in reality, so scratch-building is a viable option there too, and probably easier than doing the Firebird piece.

Thanks for your reply. I figured the Firebird would be hard. Now thanks to you, I have some ideas for the Eldorado.??

[espo]

As Ace pointed out a direct fit may not be available. Consider making a "Parade Boot". These were usually light metal or even fiberglass and were a hard cover for the top when folded so that dignitaries and pretty girls used to sit on the in parades, thus the name. 

[Can-Con]

The Firebird has been done. there was also a Camaro version but not exactly easy to find.

 

[Can-Con]

The boot for the Eldorado is indeed flat, as Bill says. 

I made the one for my '74 Caprice with sheet stock covered with some masking tape for texture. I also did a hard fiberglass "parade boot" the same way but with thicker plastic. 

The real Caddy and Caprices used the same convertible roofs and boots Here's a few pics of the Chevy,,

I never did paint the parade boot to match the car so it never got used. Note the filler piece added between the rear seat back and trim panel.

This is the correct shape for these boots. 

Also remember, the windshield on the big GM convertibles has rounded top corners, not squared off like the hardtops and sedans.