I’m trying to find out who did the conversion on my car. I got it when it was about a year old. The original owner told me that he picked the car off the lot and the dealer sent it for conversion at a cost of about $5000. As I remember the dealer was Holland Chevrolet in Holland PA. Thats about all I know, no markings on the car that I’ve ever found. I’ve look though this site and unfortunately there don’t seem to be many pictures of the mechanisms of the different conversions. Mine has a short space between the top and the trunk and a zip out rear window which I don’t see in any pictures. Back in the day there where a few of the Auto Form two seaters around but I’ve never seen another 4 seater in person.

 

a few more pics

 

2 more

 

I've been picking thru old threads and it looks like a Custom Cars of Minnesota conversion. Anyone have any info on them?

 

I would guess, Matrix3, but that is a guess, as that is one of the only conversion companies that the top went to the sides of the car instead of all sitting on top of the fenders... Could be as you mentioned, but I only know of the one there... If you ever figure it out and its not in my list of aftermarket Convertible thread, I would like to add it to the list...

John

 

I don’t think its a Matrix3 conversion? I’ve been going through old threads, unfortunately most pictures posted are 3/4 shots without details of the mechanism. Also a lot of my speculation is based on the speculation of others, but: The Matrix3 cars seem to have had labels and badges, mine never did. The Matrix3 cars look to have had a well, like typical 60’s factory convertibles that hid the mechanics of the top and you could lay the boot in when the top is up. In mine the mounts for the top mechanism are open in the back seat and the seat can be folded down creating an opening to the trunk. The boot must be totally removed to put the top up. That open area in the Matrix3 cars contains a power top mechanism, mine is manual. The Matrix3 has a sewn in rear window, mine zips out. Lastly the mounts on the header look different. I’m basing the idea that its a Custom Cars of Minnesota conversion on 1 tread (https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/conv...le-custom.html) so the facts are pretty thin. My car is the only 4 seater I’ve seen in-person in the 27 years I’ve owned it so I’m open to other speculation or fact.

 

Something that just struck me, it appears that your car was not originally a T-top car, it appears that it was a hardtop that they converted.... The reason I think this is the way the top meets up with the windshield, and the spacing around the top of the windshields appears to be wider than a converted T-top car.

It actually looks a little like the ASC converted Sunbirds of the day...

 

The original owner told me that the car was a hardtop. Did ASC make cars with soft boots? Do you know which converters used hardtops? I just found an 85 trans am on car domain (http://www.cardomain.com/ride/214917...tiac-trans-am/), the opening part of the trunk is shorter but every other detail is the same. Unfortunately it does not give the name of the converter. I kick myself for not going back to the original dealer way back when I bought the car.

 

Based on all my research, here is my reply:

National CoachEngineering:I do not have any photos of this one.
Steas/ISSI: No, Targaonly
West Wind: Similar,but a different cap at rear seat area and base of top
Custom Cars of Minn.:Might be. Underside of trunk lid is same. Top lines match. Cut line matches behind door.
Custom Car Craft: Myphotos are terrible.
Autodyne Corp: I am yet to find a solid reference that thisconversion exists, so I know nothing about it.
Coach Builders Ltd: My photos are tiny of this.
AHA Manufacturing: I do not have photos of this.
Buffalo Conversion Corp: Cannot determine, my photos are terrible of this one.
R. Straman Company:No, different latch& concealed top mech. next to back seat and tiny trunk.
Auto Form Corp.(2-seater): No, Obvious reasons
Matrix3: No, different latch & concealed top mech next to bk seat
International Coach: Close. Similar latch and trunk lid, but the trim inside, at base of top around the back (below the back window) are different.
Convertible Concepts/Auto Sunroof Inc:: No, tiny trunk lid.
Greenwood: No, base of conv top does not line up with top of side doors andthe top mech. beside the rear seats is covered.
Hi-Line Customs: No, tiny trunk lid.
ASC Inc: No. Hard tonneau cover over stowed top
California Convertible Co: No, looks like ASCwith hard tonneau cover
Coach Conversions: No, tiny trunk lid.
American CustomCoachworks: No, same trunk lidsize, but top mech next to rear seat is enclosed and latches are different.
ChooChoo: No, ChooChoos are either by ASC or Cal Conv Co with the samehard tonnau cover over stowed top.
Griffith: Very close, but body cap at base of top is a bit different.

Here is a similar car that I had a similar reply to, but the CC of Minnphotos had not shown up yet.
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/conv...my-85-z28.html