It just so happened that in most cases only representatives of the elite could afford a convertible, and the convertible itself is ranked as a luxury item. However, this does not mean that this class of car is not available to you, if you are not a wealthy heir, since now it is realistic to make a convertible with your own hands.

If you seriously decided to convert your car into a convertible for the summer season, then you should prepare long before its onset, since this is a rather laborious process. First you need to decide on the main points, such as:

• body type;
• the amount of required changes and planned improvements;
• the total cost of the necessary work, including the purchase of a car;
• storage.

In order to be more specific about what you really need, it is worth learning a little history of the appearance of the convertible.

From the first convertible to the present day

The first mentions of a convertible appeared in the early 19th century. At that time, a lightweight cart with a folding roof appeared in France, and into which one horse was harnessed. Later, with the development of technology, the name "convertible" began to be assigned to two-seater passenger cars with a convertible top.

As a rule, on modern convertibles, a canvas or soft vinyl roof, as well as a hard folding roof, is installed. In such cars, there are usually two doors, and in most cases they are made on the basis of hatchbacks or sedans.

Also, convertibles are created on the basis of such bodies as:

• phaeton;
• roadster;
• targa;
• speedster.

Regardless of the body type, high safety requirements have always been imposed on such cars, due to their characteristics. Therefore, manufacturers were forced to create a convertible on the basis of a reinforced body.

What is there?

If everything is clear with the bodies, then it is necessary to determine what the automotive market can offer, and which models are optimal for re-equipping their convertible.

In this case, two options are possible - to purchase a ready-made convertible and re-equip the car yourself.

In Soviet times, almost all convertibles that came off the assembly line in limited numbers were produced specifically for participation in military parades and for the personal needs of high-ranking state leaders. You can consider yourself the luckiest person if you manage to find and purchase one of the copies below:

1. GAZ-M20 "Victory" - 1949;
2. GAZ-21 "Volga" - 1965 modified for a convertible;
3. GAZ-24 "Volga" black and modified for a 1983 convertible;
4. GAZ-13B and 14B "Chaika".

You can find a suitable car in good condition on the market, study the topic in detail and start re-equipping the car. The following domestic cars are more popular among folk craftsmen:

1. "ZAZ" of the second generation;
2. most of the VAZ models;
3. UAZ-3151 due to the speed and simplicity of dismantling the top;
4. all available Volga models.

Foreign cars

Choosing among foreign-made cars, you can, as in the case of domestic cars, prefer a ready-made version, for example, a Ford Escort Cabrio or an Opel Ascona in a convertible body, or you can undertake an independent alteration. Opel (Monza, Manta, Ascona) and Audi (Coupe, C2) are perfect for this, since these models in the "convertible" modification look more impressive, and do not require large costs for rework.

Now let's take a closer look at the process of converting a car into a convertible.

Action plan

Before turning a usually sedan into a luxury convertible, it must be borne in mind that this is not just a car with a sawn top, but a significant and rather complex structural change in the body with high demands on its reinforcement in order to ensure the safety of the driver and passengers.

So, you will need:

• a car intended for conversion;
• workshop or garage with all the necessary equipment and tools;
• drawings and patterns;
• certain knowledge, skills, desire and skillful hands.

Now let's move on to the direct transformation of the car.

Strengthening the body

In addition to the direct function of protecting car passengers from wind, rain, and the roof, the car can be given the necessary rigidity. Therefore, when the roof is removed from the car, the strength of the car body and the safety of passengers and the driver are compromised. Therefore, in order not to lose strength, the following manipulations will be required to strengthen the car body.

Carrying out frame reinforcement with the help of two powerful spars, welding them to the bottom of the car parallel to each other. Instead of side members, you can use a connection between the car bottom and the power unit attachment points using a steel pipe with a diameter of 20 mm and a wall thickness of 3 mm. It is also possible to connect the bottom with the luggage compartment with thick-walled pipes;

Strengthening the windshield frame;

Reinforcement of the rear doors if it is supposed to make a four-door convertible;

Welding a rigid partition to the body, thereby dividing the interior and the luggage compartment;

Strengthening the body sills;

Installation of additional vertical tubes running from the lower border of the windshield frame to the bottom of the car;

Reinforcement, with a strong frame, front doors;

Installation of a solid beam that wraps around the rear seats.

However, such transformations will cause a significant increase in vehicle mass, so you should not count on improving dynamics and speed. It is important to pay attention to the quality of the body and that there is no rust in the welded joints.

Dismantling the roof

After carrying out all the necessary measures for the qualitative strengthening of the car body, it is finally worth starting to dismantle the roof. It is possible to carry out a partial dismantling, while leaving the sidewalls and the windshield with the frame. Behind the front and rear seats, it is necessary to install steel roll bars.

Installation of the roof opening mechanism

It is quite difficult to calculate such functionality, however, with the proper experience and knowledge, this will not pose any particular problems. First, a template is calculated, along the contours of which arcs are created. After that, a roof awning is sewn on the patterns from vinyl, leather or a waterproof two-layer canvas.

Interior update

After the interior of the car becomes available for public viewing, it already plays the role of a business card of the owner of the car, inevitably attracting the attention of others. Experts advise using leatherette or high-quality leather in bright colors as upholstery, since, in addition to aesthetic properties, the material should be immune to weathering and increased resistance to fading.

Thus, adhering to fairly simple rules and with certain skills and perseverance, you can make your dream come true and get a car that was previously available only to a select few. This requires a small amount for the purchase of a supported, but in good condition, car, basic knowledge and skills, as well as a great desire and imagination.

Volga GAZ-24 cabriolet in Mexican style: project - el Cabriofrom the EvilGaraGe team.

Craftsmen from EvilGaraGe brought to life the original project - el Cabrio, now the Soviet Volga has acquired a cabriolet body in a Mexican style. Quite an interesting project, then a few photos of work on the car.

To make a convertible out of the Volga, many changes had to be made to the design of the car, to strengthen the body and frame in order to maximize the strength of the structure.

Two channels were welded along the body, connecting the side members, a cross member was also welded, covering the cardan, along the thresholds - two square pipes.

In the cabin, a frame has been made connecting the front and rear struts, a transverse crosspiece has been installed between the middle ones.

They decided to leave the original wheels, however, they had to be welded up in order to change the rubber to a more suitable one.

The front discs are boiled down to 8 ″, the rear ones - up to 10 ″. Wide rear tires improve traction.

Under the hood of el Cabrio, the native 24 D engine remained,

The suspension is native, however, they underwent some modifications: the springs were shortened, the leaf springs were sorted out and put in a different order, plus spacers under the bridge. In general, everything is done for low ground clearance.

Every element of the el Cabrio's design has been carefully thought out before being installed on the vehicle. It was important for us to follow the custom culture.

The interior has been completely overhauled, all unnecessary switches have been removed, the radio and glove compartment are gone too. The doors underwent the same procedure, after which only the handles for opening were left on them. We put seats from Toyota Crown in front and from GAZ 3110 in back. The interior was covered with red leather and decorated with applique. But the main highlight was the gearshift lever.

Historically, most of the owners of convertibles were representatives of the elite class, and the convertible itself was classified as a luxury, because than on ordinary cars. However, this does not mean at all that if you are not a hereditary descendant of the Prince of Monaco, then the road to the world of elite open cars is closed to you, since it is quite possible to make a convertible with your own hands. It all depends on your preferences, the flight of creative thought and free funds. Therefore, if you are seriously thinking about converting the car into a convertible, then you need to start preparing as early as possible - there is a lot of work to be done. And first you need to decide on the answers to key questions about:

To better understand what you really need, let's turn to the history of convertibles and their first representatives.

History essays

The mention of the first convertibles dates back to the beginning of the 19th century, when a light horse-drawn carriage with a folding roof, which was harnessed to one horse, appeared in France. Later, with the growth of technical progress, convertibles began to be called two-seater or more with a convertible top.

Convertible is a convertible car

Modern convertibles are usually equipped with a soft vinyl or canvas, as well as a hard folding roof. In such cars there are four, more often - two doors and they are mostly made on the basis.

In addition to the above, there are similar types of bodies, on the basis of which convertibles are made:

Regardless of the type, due to their characteristics, therefore, manufacturers had nothing left in convertible cars, how to make them on the basis of a reinforced body using a rigid rear window or strong steel arcs in the structure. We will come to this point in detail in the description of the actions for converting a car into a convertible.

What we have

Well, we figured out the types of existing convertibles, but what really offers us and which models are most suitable for converting them into a convertible? Let's start the answer to this question with the domestic auto industry.

Domestic manufacturers

In the case of Soviet and post-Soviet cars, there are two possible scenarios for the development of events:

1. , a limited number of which were produced in the middle of the last century, and make him tuning, restyling, custom - whatever your heart desires. Almost all representatives of the Soviet "cabrio" of those times were produced for participation in military parades or as personal cars of great leaders. If you find one of the following surviving examples, consider yourself a big lucky one:

1. Choose any suitable domestic car in good condition on the market, study the material on how to make a convertible with your own hands and proceed to detailed revision. The most popular among craftsmen are:
   • UAZ-3151 1995 - due to the easy removal of the roof. Just a few keys and 20 minutes of time are enough.
   • The second generation ZAZ is the good old Zaporozhets.
   • Volga - all models available on the market.
   • "VAZ" - Lada of most models.

Imported cars

In the choice of imported cars, you can also either choose ready-made options, for example, such as the Opel Ascona in the back of a convertible or Ford Escort Cabrio, or engage in the author's alteration. For these purposes, the following models are most suitable:

This list can be continued, although the models presented above require less investment in revision and look much more impressive in the convertible version.

Finally, we come to the very essence of the question: how to make a convertible out of a car, namely, to modernize a car.

Action plan

Before making a convertible out of a sedan, you need to consider that a convertible is not just a car with a screwed (sawn off) roof, but a complex structural one with increased requirements for strengthening the latter to ensure the safety of passengers and the driver. Especially when it comes to making changes to the factory design in a private workshop. So, you will need:

Now you can start making changes directly.

Strengthening the body

In addition to its direct function of protecting passengers from rain and wind, the roof also provides the vehicle with the necessary rigidity. This means that simply by cutting down the roof, you will jeopardize the strength of the car and your safety. therefore you just need to follow these steps to strengthen the body your future convertible:

1. Make a reinforced frame from two powerful spars, welding them parallel to each other to the bottom of the car. An alternative to the side members can be the connection of the attachment points and the floor of the car with a steel pipe with a cross section of at least 20 mm, with a wall thickness of 3 mm. In addition, with thicker pipes, with a thickness of 4 mm, it is necessary to connect the floor to the luggage compartment.
2. Strengthen the frame.
3. Reinforce and weld the rear doors if you are converting a four-door car into a convertible.
4. Weld a rigid partition to the body, thereby dividing the luggage compartment and the internal volume of the body.
5. Strengthen thresholds.
6. Additionally, install vertical tubes extending from the border where the windshield frame ends to the bottom of the car.
7. Reinforce the front doors with a sturdy frame.
8. Install a sturdy beam around the seat.

Such changes will lead to a significant increase in vehicle weight, so there is no hope of improving speed and dynamics characteristics. Pay special attention to the quality of the body: it is important that there is no rust on the welded areas.

We remove our own roof

Only after you have carried out all the necessary steps to strengthen the body, the roof is dismantled. Partial dismantling is possible, while leaving the sidewalls. The windshield with the frame also remains. Steel safety arches are installed at the back.

Installing the awning folding mechanism

It is quite difficult to calculate such functionality, but with the proper skill, everything will work out. First, we calculate the template according to which we make the arcs, after which we sew an awning from leather, vinyl, or a two-layer waterproof canvas according to the pattern.

We update the salon

After you flaunt it, it already begins to play the role of your business card, invariably attracting the attention of others. It is recommended to cover the interior with high-quality leather or imitation leather in bright colors, since, in addition to aesthetic properties, it must have increased resistance to fading in the sun, and also be immune to wind and rain.

So, by adhering to simple rules and with the proper level of perseverance, you can make your old dream come true. And for this it is not at all necessary to lay out a tidy sum, because all you need is a little savings for, a minimum level of skills, a creative approach, and most importantly, your desire.

What dreams and plans do you have for the future convertible? Share your opinion by leaving a comment under this article.

For a long time, it so happened that convertibles are mainly cars for the rich. Even at the dawn of the domestic and foreign car industry, cars in the back of a "convertible" were not only a rarity, but for most of them. As a rule, they were produced in limited quantities and cost significantly more than the same brands of cars in a sedan or hatchback body. In Russia, the first convertibles were produced in very small quantities, and were used most often by high-ranking officials, for example, during parades, or other important state events. Here it is worth remembering the 1949 Pobeda (GAZ-M20), the Chaika (GAZ 13B, 14B) or the GAZ 21, 24 Volga, which were modified for a convertible and were often used at parades.

Abroad, such cars are a little more common. These were at one time phaetons (produced by Skoda, Horch, Packard) or targa cars - a kind of roadsters with a removable top. Today models with a convertible top are present in the model range of many foreign manufacturers. The most famous models are Honda S2000, Peugeot 206 CC, Mercedes-Benz SL-Class, Buick Cascada, Lexus SC 430 and many others.

However, over time, almost nothing has changed. Convertibles remain a class today due to their significant cost. Indeed, there are practically no such cars of domestic production on the market, and for a foreign brand you will have to pay a fairly round sum.

But for our craftsmen who want to have a stylish and beautiful convertible car in their garage, this did not become an obstacle. Given the limited resources, but at the same time rich imagination and very skillful hands, domestic motorists, by trial and error, still came up with a way to make a convertible with their own hands from an ordinary car.

What brands are suitable for tuning for a "convertible"?

In order to remake a car, to make a convertible from an ordinary car, it is not enough to cut the roof off. Indeed, in all brands of cars, the roof is not only an element of decor or protection from rain, snow, wind. It serves as a powerful force element that does not allow the car to break in half. That is why, when choosing a car, it is preferable to take a rhinestone car with a reinforced body. For example, UAZ-3151 1995. In order to remake it for a convertible (remove the roof), you will need about an hour and a set of wrenches.

You can also make a convertible from a sedan, or from a hatchback, but you will need to additionally strengthen the body. For these purposes, almost any car is suitable. From domestic - Zhiguli, Volga and even Zaporozhets. Of the imported ones, the most popular among craftsmen (Monza, Ascona, Manta) and Audi (C2, Coupe).

How to modify a car?

Before proceeding directly to the alteration of the car, you must be prepared for the fact that it will take a lot of time and money. Among other things, you should get a garage, templates for tuning and tools. And, of course, you need a car. If you do not have one and you are going to buy it, pay attention to the fact that the body is in good condition, because there are a number of difficult work to modify it. And the rusty body is unlikely to withstand them.

Before starting work, you will need to remove all of the trim inside the cabin. Only after that you can proceed directly to strengthening the car body. For such purposes, metal pipes with 3-mm walls with a diameter of 2 cm or more are suitable. They must be welded parallel to each other, thus connecting the bottom and the motor mounts. Then we connect the bottom with the luggage compartment. Here you will need thicker and more powerful tubes, with a wall thickness of 4 mm. After that, the side window frame is strengthened, the rear doors are welded and reinforced. If you decide to leave 4 doors, then you need to thoroughly strengthen the back door. Next, we strengthen. It will not hurt to install an additional partition between the body and the trunk, as well as vertical pipes from the windshield frame to the bottom of the car. The front doors should also be reinforced. This can be done with a sturdy frame. Well, the last element of reinforcement is the installation of a metal beam that will bend around the car seats.

To make a convertible out of a car, you need to cut the roof off. Here you can do it at your discretion: either it is screwed on completely, or the sides are left.

After the roof is dismantled, it is necessary to start making a new roof, removable, from a waterproof fabric or awning. After all, you are going to ride not only in warm sunny weather. And accordingly, protection from wind, rain or snow is necessary.

First, a template is developed, steel arcs are made (you get something similar to a folding visor in a baby carriage). You can additionally build a mechanism for automatic folding and unfolding of the roof, so that in the event of a sudden onset of rain, you do not stop the car and do not unfold the roof manually.

Do not forget that after a series of welding works you will need to repaint the car body. This means that you will have to spend additional time on leveling, cleaning, sanding, and filler. Well, and, directly, the application of layers of paint and varnish.

The last stage is salon renovation. After all, now the interior of your car is visible to everyone, and, accordingly, it should be made beautiful and at the same time resistant to the sun, moisture, dust. For upholstery, high-quality leatherette or leather is best suited. They fade less, are easier to clean and dry faster when wet. How best to arrange everything is up to you. Here you can do almost everything that your imagination and funds are enough for.

After all of the above is done, your car is completely ready to use.

And finally

All of the above changes to the bodywork will heavily make your car heavier, which can directly affect its speed. However, they are necessary, because the roof we removed played a very important power and protective role. If you want the speed indicators of the already converted car to be preserved, then you can start improving its engine. True, it is still better to trust in this matter to specialists from the workshop.

If you take the whole history of motor vehicles, it will become obvious that only people from high society drove convertibles. A car without a roof is still highly valued compared to conventional cars. Many Russian people wish to own such a car. Therefore, they collect information, the necessary tools and materials in order to make an "elite" class out of an ordinary car.

It looks like a convertible made of the classic Volga Gaz-24

Painting option for the Volga cabriolet

This dream haunts many, knowing that a luxurious convertible can be made from a Soviet car. GAZ-24 convertible is highly regarded by the great "experts" and lovers of Russian classics.
To get a car of this type, you need to do a lot. To do this, preparatory work with everything you need should begin in the fall, so that next year, with warming, a car appears on the streets of the city and at auto exhibitions.

GAZ 24 convertible finish option

The first convertibles appeared long before automobiles. In European countries, carriages with a folding roof began to appear. Only one horse was harnessed to such carriages. Then convertible cars appeared. They accommodated 2-4 people. Now, a convertible is a convertible top of a car, a modern design, a cozy interior.

An example of exterior decoration and design of the Volga convertible

Most of these cars have 3 doors, but there are other types as well. There are also big differences in the bodywork. Most convertibles are sedans. Hatchbacks may occasionally be encountered.

Today, many people are engaged in the styling of Soviet cars. fine car, with a rich past, excellent external data.

Classic interior design of the Volga

Before making a convertible out of GAZ-24, you need to know the basic rule, the long process of creating a convertible requires serious body moderation.

An example of the design and construction of a convertible with your own hands

Beginning of work

To get started, it is necessary to mark on the body of the Volga the places where you want to cut down unnecessary for a convertible:

• Main door pillars;
• It should be noted the point of reunification of the rear rack with the trunk.

• Remove all glass except for the windshield;
• Disassemble the salon. Pull out the seats, remove the trim.

After these completed works, go to the places where the marks stood with a grinder. All jays, except for the front ones, should be on the same level with the body.

An example of an arrangement of racks at Gas 24

Cutting is required carefully and as smoothly as possible, so that later you do not waste precious time on alignment. The rear strut should be cut off slightly above the level of the body. Then it will be seen why.

Strengthening the body

The roof of the car protects passengers and the driver from the "whims" of nature and from the cold. Among other things, it is an excellent protection against cold in winter. For a car, the roof plays the role of rigidity. When the car body is deprived of its roof, the entire car can be robbed of its strength. To strengthen the body of the GAZ-24, a special frame is needed. It needs two large spars. They are mounted on the underside of the vehicle using a welding machine.

The process of strengthening the Volga body

The connecting pipe should be steel, with a diameter of 20 mm, the wall should be 3 mm, then there is another pipe. It should also be made of steel, but larger in size. It is installed on the floor across the entire length of the car, up to and including the trunk. Then you need to strengthen the windshield pillars.