HARD TOP design

[mad cyclist]

we all know the story of how the car was designed but was the hard top done at the same time?

as said on previous subject on this forum,there arn't many cars that look as good in all the states of dress.

or am i just biased

[DJT]

imported post

The hard top was an optional extra right from launch, so I assume the design was done alongside the general design of the car.

Dave

[redstag]

imported post

In the book 'Triumph Stag The Complete History' there are pictures of the hardtop fitted to the first prototype car as it went through various stages of designin Michelotti's workshop.

His first attempt at a hardtop looked awful but his later attempt looked pretty much the same as the production item.

I think the book has been out of print for some time.

Strangely, the early cars could be specified with hardtop only - no soft top fitted at all.

Pete

[DJT]

imported post

redstag wrote:

Strangely, the early cars could be specified with hardtop only - no soft top fitted at all.

I believe this was to keep the initial selling price below the psychological £2000 barrier. At the time, the Mercedes SL (the car the Stag was pitched against) was around £4000.

Dave

[mad cyclist]

imported post

i actually heard of a couple who bought a stag with a hard top on and did not know it came off,for 20 odd years they thought it was a coupe version.

heard this from a trusted stag source.



bizzare

[stustag]

imported post

I had a Mallard Green stag which the previous owner had had for 20+ years and when I asked to look at the soft top he was shocked as he thought it was a coupe!

Needless to say the canvass had rotted away being tucked away for so long!