0Hardtop (1)
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Hardtop: what is it, meaning, principle of work

In the aftermath of World War II, automakers gradually began to manufacture vehicles. However, such machines were no different from analogues of the pre-war period. Motorists needed to be interested in something, because the youth wanted to stand out somehow.

It was difficult to do on machines with a pontoon body shape (the front and rear sloping wings in them are connected by one top line). Such cars have already become monotonous and boring.

1Pontonnyj Kuzov (1)

The situation changed when the first hardtop cars appeared in America at the turn of the 40s and 50s.

Such cars stood out from other vehicles and allowed the driver to emphasize their originality. Let's take a closer look at this body style: what are its features, why it was so popular, and why this design has remained in history.

What is a hardtop?

Hardtop is a type of body design that was especially popular between 1950 and the first half of the 1970s. Rather, it is a modification of a sedan, coupe or station wagonrather than a separate body type.

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A distinctive feature of this design solution is the lack of a central door pillar. Some use hardtops to mean cars whose side windows do not have rigid frames. However, the key feature is the absence of a partition, which improves visibility and gives the car an original look.

The first model of the dawn of the hardtop era is the Chrysler Town & Country, which gained recognition in 1947.

3Chrysler Town&Country 1947

The “brightest flash” of the Hardtop period is the 1959 Cadillac Coupe Deville. In addition to the lack of a central door pillar, the model had original rear fins (this is a separate category of car design from the same period of history).

4 1959 Cadillac Coupe Deville (1)

Outwardly, the hardtop resembles a convertible with a raised roof. This idea formed the basis for the creation of this modification of the body. This design decision freshened four-wheeled vehicles of the post-war period.

To emphasize the resemblance to convertibles, the car's roof was often painted in a color contrasting with the main body color. Most often, it was painted white or black, but sometimes a more original performance was also found.

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To emphasize the resemblance to convertibles, the roof of some models was covered with vinyl with a different structure.

6Vinilovyj hardtop (1)

Thanks to this decision, the client bought an exclusive car, similar to a convertible, but at the price of a regular car. Some manufacturers on the roof of the car made special stampings that imitated ribs pushing through a soft roof. One of the representatives of this design is the 1963 Pontiac Catalina model year.

Pontiac Catherine 1963 (1)

The peak of the popularity of this style falls on the 60s. With the development of the culture of "Muscle cars" American automakers Ford, Chrysler, Pontiac and General Motors sought to interest the "capricious" motorist in models with more powerful engines. This is how the iconic Pontiac GTO, Shelby Mustang GT500, Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, Plymouth Hemi Cuda, Dodge Charger and others appeared.

But interest in cars of the period of “fuel madness” was caused not only by engines with incredible power. For many car owners, the design of the car played a significant role. In the post-war years, cars were still the same boring and monotonous with the bored pontoon styling.

7Hardtop Muscle Cars (1)

To bring a fresh stream to the design of four-wheeled vehicles, original design developments were used, and the hardtop was one of the most popular. Often the body in this style and the Muscle Car class went inextricably.

Hardtop Body Features

There are two- and four-door rack-less body options. The easiest way was to realize the idea of ​​two-door modifications, since the door did not need a rack - this function was performed by the rigid part of the body. Since the mid-50s, four-door analogues appeared. And the first station wagon in this design was released in 1957.

The biggest challenge for the four-door options was fixing the rear doors. So that they could open, it was impossible to do without a rack. In view of this, most of the models were conditionally rugged. The rear doors were fixed on a truncated rack, which ended at the level of the upper part of the door.

8Hardtop 4 Doors (1)

The most original solution was to install the door on the rear pillar so that the driver and passenger doors open in different directions - one forward and the other back. Over time, the back-loop fastener was terrifyingly called “Suicide Door” or “Suicide Door” (at high speed, the oncoming wind could open the poorly closed door, which was unsafe for passengers). This method has found its application in modern exclusive cars, for example:

  • Lykan Hypersport is the first Arab boxer supercar to gain popularity due to the shootings in the movie Fast and the Furious (you can read about other franchise cool cars here);
9Lykan Hypersport (1)
  • Mazda RX-8 - rugged body design;
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  • Honda Element is another representative of modern columnless cars, which was produced in the period from 2003 to 2011.
11 Honda Element (1)

Another constructive problem for hardtops was poor glass compaction. A similar difficulty is present in cars whose windows do not have frames. Budget options for cars equipped with fixed rear windows.

In more expensive modern frameless systems, windows raise windows with a slight horizontal displacement, which allows them to close tightly in the highest position. The tightness of such a system provides a tightly fixed seal on the side edge of the rear windows.

Reasons for popularity

The perfect combination of hardtop modifications and the incredible power of the power unit made American cars unique in their kind. Some European manufacturers also tried to translate such ideas into their designs. One such representative is the French Facel-Vega FV (1955). However, it was American cars that were considered the most popular.

12Facel-Vega FV 1955 (1)
Facel-Vega FV 1955

The main reason for the popularity of this modification is its cost. Since the design of the roof did not imply the presence of complex mechanisms to put it in the trunk, the manufacturer could leave a reasonable price for his goods.

The second reason for this popularity is the aesthetics of the car. Even bored pontoon-style models looked much more attractive than their post-war counterparts. In fact, the client received a car that looked like a convertible, but with a more reliable body structure.

Among the popular cars of this modification can be noted:

  • Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu SS 396 (1965г.);
13Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu SS 396 (1)
  • Ford Fairlane 500 Hardtop Coupe 427 R-code (1966g.);
14Ford Fairlane 500 Hardtop Coupe 427 R-code (1)
  • Buick Skylark GS 400 Hardtop Coupe (1967г.);
15Buick Skylark GS 400 Hardtop Coupe (1)
  • Chevrolet Impala Hardtop Coupe (1967g.);
16Chevrolet Impala Hardtop Coupe (1)
  • Dodge Dart GTS 440 (1969);
17 Dodge Dart GTS 440 (1)
  • Dodge Charger 383 (1966г.)
18Dodge Charger 383 (1)

In addition to high-speed cars, the modification of the hardtop was often used in another class of cars - in bulky and clumsy “land yachts”. Here are a few options for such machines:

  • Dodge Custom 880 (1963) - a 5,45-meter four-door sedan;
19Dodge Custom 880 (1)
  • Ford LTD (1970) - another sedan with a body length of almost 5,5 meters;
20Ford LTD (1)
  • The first generation Buick Riviera is one of the American Luxury style symbols.
21Buick Riviera1965 (1)

Another original performance in hardtop style is the two-door station wagon Mercury Commuter 2-door Hardtop Station Wagon.

22Mercury Commuter 2-door Hardtop Station Wagon (1)

With the onset of the fuel crisis, powerful cars went into the “shadow”, and with them the original hardtops. Safety standards were constantly tightened, which forced manufacturers to increasingly abandon the popular design.

Only occasionally have there been attempts to imitate the hardtop style, however, these were classic sedans with a contrasting roof or frameless glass. An example of such a car is Ford LTD Pillared Hardtop Sedan.

23Ford LTD Pillared Hardtop Sedan (1)

The Japanese manufacturer also tried to interest its buyers in the original performance of their cars. So, in 1991, the Toyota Corona Exiv entered the series.

24 Toyota Corona Exiv 1991 (1)

Unlike motorists in the United States, European and Asian audiences were not so eager to accept this idea - more often they opt for practicality and safety of vehicles.

Advantages and disadvantages of the hardtop

Among the advantages of this design modification is:

  • The original appearance of the car. Even an ordinary car with a modernized body in a hardtop style looked much more attractive than its contemporaries. The development of rear-hinged doors is still used by some automakers, which makes it possible to distinguish their products from other analogues.
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  • Similar to a convertible. The car was not only outwardly similar to a convertible top. When all the windows are lowered during the ride, the ventilation is almost identical to the level of the gig. Thanks to this, such cars were very popular in hot states.
  • Improved visibility. Without a central pillar, the driver reduced the number of blind spots, and the interior itself visually seemed large.

Despite the bold and original performance, automakers had to abandon the hardtop modification. The reasons for this were such factors:

  • Due to the lack of a central pillar, the car body became less rigid. As a result of driving through bumps, the structure was weakened, which often led to disruption of door locks. After a couple of years of inaccurate driving, the car became so "flimsy" that even minor bumps in the road were accompanied by terrible creaks and crackles throughout the cabin.
  • Violation of safety standards. Another problem for hardtops was the fastening of seat belts. Since the central pillar was absent, the belt was most often fixed on the ceiling, which in most cases did not allow to fully realize the idea of ​​a non-pillar car (the rack was removed so that nothing would interfere with the view, and the suspended belt spoiled the whole picture).
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  • During a crash, hardtops were significantly inferior in safety compared to classic sedans or coupes.
  • With the advent of air conditioning systems, there was no need for enhanced ventilation of the cabin.
  • The lowered windows in such cars negatively affected the aerodynamics of the car, significantly reducing its speed.

For a period of just over 20 years, the car market was so full of hardtops that such a modification quickly ceased to be a curiosity. Nevertheless, cult cars of that era still attract the eyes of sophisticated motorists.

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