Ragtops. Why?

[Doggiedog]

Can someone explain to me the appeal of these things? What purpose does it serve?

Granted, I usually see them on old people's cars like Cadillacs and Lincolns but occassionally I'll see younger people driving Camry's and Lex(i)us with these things.

What I want to know is, were ragtops the equivalent of a young guy ricing up a car to older people?

 

[xraymongral]

Define rag top. Around here, a rag top is a convertable. Has been that way for decades.

 

[cherrytwist]

I think he's referring to those pseudo-convertibles. The cars that appear to have a drop-top, but don't.

 

[Doggiedog]

Cherrytwist has it. They are cars that are not convertibles like Cadillac Cateras or Lincoln Grand Marquis whose roofs are covered with some kind of suede or vinyl and made to look like convertibles.

 

[Thegonagle]

I don?t have an answer. Those things are horrible! Everyone who sees one on a warm sunny day should try asking why they havn't put the top down on their "beautiful convertible."

The funniest pseudo-convertible I ever saw was on a Ford Tempo! I busted up laughing right there. I was glad when Ford finally put that thing out of it's misery. Ford of the eighties was so bad.

Fun fact:To save development costs on the Tempo, Ford used the same suspension/chassis design as the pre-Mazda based Escort.

 

[snakesnfrogs]

The TEMPO---LMFAO---what a horrible car. I think the worst thing I've seen w/ a carriage roof(which I think is the proper term for it) was a Ford Explorer. God, was that stupid looking.

 

[pudcox]

The only thing worse than the Ford Tempo was the Mercury Topaz lol...couple of genuined pos 's there :disgust:

 

[xraymongral]

I got ya both beat. Years ago, one of the homies on the next block had a carrage top put on his chevette coupe.

 

[Soybomb]

Bingo, its a carriage top, a ragtop is a convertible. I guess the're to dress up the car. The old people seem to like them

 

[Doggiedog]

So they are called Carriage Tops? Now I have the correct terminology when I make fun of them

Actually, the worst CT I've seen was one on a Lexus SC400. Ahhhh, what a hideous thing to do to that car! What were they thinking?