Unique P15....or probably a Canadian Dodge......

[BobT-47P15]

 

Built by Western Flyer Coach for use by Canadian company 
Brewster Touring.  Wonder if any survived.  They also had some

glass roof buses in operation in the late 1940s....early 1950s,  

[knuckleharley]

I'm betting not a single of of them survived. I can't imagine them being very popular in the used car market back then. Can you imagine how hot it would be riding around in one of them in the summer?

 

My guess is when they became obsolete,they were traded into to  dealer for junk value,and the dealer sold them to junkyards that stripped them down for parts they could sell,and scrapped the bodies.

[Robin (UK)]

According to this archive listing, the Dodge was a one-off, built for Brewster Transportation in 1946.

http://www.angelfire.com/ca/TORONTO/builders/wfclist.html

 

Here's a color picture of the car, on the cover of Brewster's Canadian Rockies tour brochure...

Edited March 28, 2016 by Robin (UK)

[Labrauer]

This is probably the first roof of it's kind. I would be great up in the northern part of the states but down here in Texas near the coast you would roast in the summer and probably do the same in the winter. 

[BobT-47P15]

Pretty amazing -- all the things people have done with (and to) vehicles over the years. 

 

Too bad a few more of them didn't survive.  However -- I bet there are a few interesting vehicles still

hidden in barns and basements.......and they are slowly getting discovered as the owners get old

or pass on.   I like to watch the "Americarna" show on the Velocity channel and also "Chasing Classic

Cars".  They sometimes find some goodies.

[greg g]

There were still a handfull of these De Sotos running around NYC, when I was in college in Brooklyn.  They were real popular through the late 50's.  A portion of the roof retracted to provide views of the high rise skyline. I believe some Checker cabs of the era had a folding rear section like a cabriolet that lowered completely 

 

http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/w/waters/waters.htm

Edited April 8, 2016 by greg g

[Robin (UK)]

DeSoto SkyView movie star!

[DonaldSmith]

I believe the Checker had a pivoting rear section of the roof, all metal.  Pivot open, pivot closed. 

 

The DeSoto cab had a metal frame around on the rear door windows, probably to keep exuberant passengers from breaking the glass by leaning out.  The New York cabs were specially fitted out.