Why some cars are expensive

[pflaming]

Several years ago I purchased a 53 Plymouth convertible. Met a fellow who got excited when he knew what I had so I sold it to him, glad I did. He has since had a body man fix all rust, so it will become a good car.

 

Here's the point. It was missing the drivers side door, so I purchased a door for the car @ $700 including freight. After my buyer got the car home he/we discovered that the hard top door and the convertible door are NOT the same. The door seller would not make the mistake right. He is not from California so too far to argue much. So buyer be aware!

 

We now have been looking for two years for a convertible door, to no avail.  The difference is the wing window, which is shorter on the convertible. The details often determine the value.

 

 

[Don Coatney]

Several years ago I purchased a 53 Plymouth convertible. Met a fellow who got excited when he knew what I had so I sold it to him, glad I did. He has since had a body man fix all rust, so it will become a good car.

 

Here's the point. It was missing the drivers side door, so I purchased a door for the car @ $700 including freight. After my buyer got the car home he/we discovered that the hard top door and the convertible door are NOT the same. The door seller would not make the mistake right. He is not from California so too far to argue much. So buyer be aware!

 

We now have been looking for two years for a convertible door, to no avail.  The difference is the wing window, which is shorter on the convertible. The details often determine the value.

Who made the mistake? The seller or the buyer?

[wayfarer]

If the only difference is the wing window then can it be modified to fit/work?

[pflaming]

Don, I verbally specified convertible, he discounts that a says we agreed that the convert and HT doors were the same, I countered that he was the old car supplier specialist and should have known, and so the BS goes.

 

Wayfarer, I think so, but my buyer is finicky. I said, put in the glass per correct, cut back the HT frame and then paint the glass to look like the frame extends.  No one would know, EXCEPT HIM!

 

There is a cambodian metal worker in fresno who can make ANYTHING our of metal and I do mean anything.  I will go to him and see what he will do.

 

". . . and the beat goes on . . . "

 

ED, below, yes it is and we've been looking for that frame. Maybe someone on the forum knows of a source, would be greatly appreciated. I understand that this thread maybe should be elsewhere, but it is not a buy / sell thread so maybe I can hang on by a 'thread'!!!

Edited May 21, 2015 by pflaming

[Young Ed]

Sounds to me like the doors are the same and you need to source the correct window frame. I believe this is a removable piece from the door.

[Dodgeb4ya]

Ed is 100% right! Go find the complete vent window and frame assembly for a 53-54 Plym ragtop.

The 1953-54 Hdtp and convert door shells are the same.

[Furylee2]

I had this issue with my 64 Fury convertible.  They guy I bought it from brought a whole two door hardtop parts car just for the door.  The top of the vent widow on the hardtop had a fin on it to close against the door frame rubber, while the convertible was flat to close against the top header.

 

I found the vent windows on eBay from a guy back east who was junking out a rusty convertible.  I won the auction, but the chrome was so pitted I couldn’t use them.  But I now had a pattern on how it was supposed to be.  The hardtop and the convertible vents were the same, except for that fin.  I had a friend who had a mill, and he clamped it up and milled off the fin.  Looks good, and no one had noticed.

[B-Watson]

The basic door shell is shared between hardtops and convertibles on 1953 and 1954 Plymouths and Dodges.   Remember 1953-54 Plymouths and 1953-54 Dodge convertibles and hardtops were all built on the same 114" wheelbase and shared the same basic body.  

 

One other thing - the window glass also differs between hardtop and convertible, and again the 1953-54 Dodges used the same glass as the 1953-54 Plymouths.