How much would it cost to change my Chevelle into a convertible?

Would it be possible to convert a 69 70 or 71 Chevelle Malibu into a convertible. How much would it cost. Who would I pay. Would it look good. Has anyone done this with their classic cars. Anything else I need to know.How much would it cost to change my Chevelle into a convertible?Convertible conversion can be and have been done, but they are by no stretch of the imagination cheap or easy. The best route would be to talk to a GOOD hot rod or custom shop in your area that has lots of custom body work experience. You would likely come out cheapest by finding a convertible parts car. This will be a long search for a car with all of the mechanical parts for the top intact that is pretty much useless otherwise, but I saw one for sale in my area that would've been perfect about 6 months ago, rust bucket, no title, but all of the top mechanisms were there, for about $1800.00. Expect $40-80 an hour labor for the conversion, I've never done one so I can't quote you a number of hours. But don't expect it to be cheap. Also, the convertible cars have more bracing and inner structure in some panels to account for lack of a roof, all of this will need to be added, and you will be best off with new parts here, as old rusty braces are kinda like using cooked noodles to splint a broken bone. Interior trim will be different from the doors back, all of this will have to be purchased if the parts car's originals are trash, as will all of the cloth and rubber parts in the top.



For what you will spend on the conversion, start to finish, to have it done right, you could restore the hard top car and call it a day. Or, you could build a damn nice engine/trans combo to drop in. But it would look good, and you would have the drop top that you want. It's all in how much you're willing o spend.



Another option would be to sell the car you have and locate a convertable. (they are out there, I had a '68, my uncle has a '70)How much would it cost to change my Chevelle into a convertible?Sure it can be done, a trim shop could do this but finding one that's willing to spend the time and know- how to do this is another question.

First you have to find a frame and from past experience dealing with older cars parts are not cheap and not so easy to find. So you'll be paying dearly.

Just to give you an idea my family owns a custom trip shop in the midwest if this was a convertible to begin with the top would run 1100.00 - 1600.00 depends on type of material you want, not including the back glass, or regal light( plastic back window) add another 300 for plastic or 600.00 for glass.



So your talking about cutting roof off, building a dam (top hides into when down), getting a frame, installing a top along with the hydraulics for the top.

6k-8k it all depends on parts (frame)



To be honest you'll lower the value of your car being it's not a true convertible.How much would it cost to change my Chevelle into a convertible?Possible? Yes.

I personally wouldn't attempt it unless I had a salvaged donor vehicle of the same make and model, but a convertible.

Without a salvaged donor car, I suspect that you would be spending far more time hunting down parts and components then actually working on the conversion.How much would it cost to change my Chevelle into a convertible?Why would you want to destroy the value of a classic by chopping off the roof? Why not just buy a convertible in the first place? The cost of doing it and the decrease in value of the car from the modification would make it a very bad choice.How much would it cost to change my Chevelle into a convertible?It can be done but be practical the cost would be astronomic.

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