I called a upholstery shop today to get the back window replaced and they told me that GM never made the convertible and that a company called ASC did the conversion, or basically just chopped the top off, any body else here of this.....

thanks for help

 

I don't know what vehicle you have but guessing from your user ID, I assume you have a '91 Z28. And yes, they do exist in the convertible version, quite a few of them. I believe the 6th VIN digit is 3 for those.
And the upholstery shop is right in one thing: there is a company named ASC/Autoform and they do make conversions for lots of models, not only Camaros. See this earlier thread.

Hope this helps.
Lou

 

Lou, Thanks for the rply....

 

ASC and Autoform are two different companies. ASC indeed did the convertible conversion initially they did it as an aftermarket conversion. From what I understand GM liked the conversion so well that they contracted for ASC to be their supplier of choice. This required some minor changes since their conversion was engineered to do hundreds vs. the thousands GM contracted for. Short answer; yes the conversion was done by an outside company called ASC. Yes it was authorized by GM and designated by a code in the vin, hence them being called a "factory convertible". "Factory Authorized" would be closer to the truth.

I guess there is no mystery why the dozen or so aftermarket companies that had been doing conversions since '82 dropped by the wayside once one was available as a factory option.

ASC had a facility near each of the two plants manufacturing F-bodies. The City of Industry location converted cars from the Van Nuys plant. I still kick myself for not dropping in and asking for a tour while it was still in existance.

Oh, while your at it look up ASC's web site. You'll see they've been working with GM and many other auto companies. Do the names GNX, Corvette, Cavalier and Sunbird convertible, Dodge Dakota convertible, Toyota Paseo and Celica convertible, Mitsubishi Spyder, BMW Z3, Z8 and 3-series ring a bell? Funny, our beloved F-body convertible doesn't even register a mention on their history timeline.

Lon

 

Why does the upholestry shop care who made the top?

I had my window replaced (it was all hazed, but the top was in perfect shape). The shop I took it too had rolls of the window vinyl, they just stitched a new window in and then cut the old one out. You would never know anything was ever done.

 

I guess they don't really care, we just got to talking that's all.