Anybody Convert 68 Shelby to convertible?

[Len Woodruff]

Anybody convert a 68 Shelby to a convertible?

[MrObsessive]

I've not done this Len (yet), but I can tell you it's not as simple as cutting off the roof and putting on a top boot. Convertibles shared the same hip, rear quarters, and rear deck as the hardtop. Fastbacks were a bit "swoopier" in this area. Your best bet would be to use part of the beltline and rear deck off of the '66, and graft it on to the rear deck of the '68 among other things.

Interesting enough, a variation of this is going to be my next project after I get the '59 Chevy done. It'll be the one off Green Hornet Shelby EXP 500 that'll need the same type mods to be correct.

Hope this helps!

[Len Woodruff]

Please put the 59 aside and get the work on the 'Stang Bill. LOL!!

Thanks for the input.

[MrObsessive]

:lol:

The Green Hornet is a car that I built not quite 20 years ago ('96?) and I had did just that--------whacked the roof off of the '68 Shelby and only grafted the roof on to the lower body. To the casual observer, this might be OK, but looking back on it, the roof always seemed to sit up too high. Then I realized years later that I should have used part of the '66 body to get the proportions right.

Here's a pic of my model and then following I have pics of the Green Hornet, '68 Convertible, and the Fastback............

Len, you can see the difference in the "hip" area between the coupe/convertibles, and the fastbacks. Just one of those things that I've picked up on over the years, and the Green Hornet happens to be one of my favorite all time Shelbys!

I've got all the right pieces and parts to do a more correct one this time around........I even recently located some very good shots of the underside showing off that very unique independent rear end and suspension

Edited April 13, 2014 by MrObsessive

[Len Woodruff]

Thanks Bill for the pic comparison. I see what you mean about the "hip". It is much lower on the 'vert.

What pieces will you be using that will make a "more correct" Hornet?

[MrObsessive]

Well, I have the correct ten spoke wheels that I got from GMP......those have nice tires to go with them. As I mentioned, I'll be using part of the '66's bodywork which would include the roof, beltline with the more correct hip, as well as the rear deck.

The roofline would need some changes as well as the '68 coupe's rear window was more tunneled, and there's a distinct ridge that runs parallel to the window line down through the C pillar. I'll be using Keith Mark's decals as he makes some very nice side stripes among other things. Here's a pic from his Fotki page..........................

Color is a little tricky for this car, as I've read that the main car used was already painted 1968 Ford Lime Gold, and the candy green was painted over it. The green had some gold pearl in it, so I have to brush up on my candy painting once again! It'll be a little bit before I start on this one------I'm about to paint the seats and such on the '59 Impala, and then I can soon start on painting the body.

Stay tuned!

[Len Woodruff]

Very nice decals. I am sure you can nail the color Bill.