RWG75
Well-Known Member
The topic came up in a recent thread. Some hadn't even heard it as rumor, so a thread on what I know of them with pics to prove it.
We all know Chrysler was up to some odd and interesting things at the end of the 70s. Adult Toy truck line including shaggin wagons, Warlocks, etc. Aspen Super Coupes, sponsoring 2 legendary off road racers and top nascar drivers. Developing the boring but dependable front wheel drive revolution. They were also going broke and I think some of the adventures were about doing something interesting on the way out. I did have opportunity to talk one on one with Dick Maxwell, just before his death, about a lot of things but not that one. He was a father of the LRE among other things.
http://www.semahof.com/Dick_Maxwell_2006_Inductee
I think the 77 only Doba Drop falls in that "interesting before we leave" category like the later 300. While selling Dobas like hot cakes helped keep the company afloat, the handful of drop tops build and sold through dealers couldn't be given away. I find that very surprising.
Only Chrysler knows the exact number built as I think it was their idea. The first number I ever remember hearing is 17. I've heard smaller numbers. I think the most believable number is probably how ever many fit in one train car. Built in Windsor like the rest, shipped to Florida for conversion, shipped to dealers. I don't know sequential build or not but never checked VINs. My guess is a pool of orders placed in the system and the truck loaded when they came out.
Every one I've seen was 400-4 ELB, floor shift, dual round mirror, power widow / lock/ seat, air, cruise, tilt, leather. Colors and rims varied. All but one that I've seen looks like it was built by Emess Coach Builders and was called the "Classic II". These all had air shocks, compressor, reservoir and dash mounted pressure gauge. Emess notched out the rear seat and wheel houses to make room for the folded top. The air shocks raised the body so the tire didn't rub.
I've had my head under more than one of them and haven't seen anything added anywhere to the uni-body. No frame connectors, no nothing bolted, welded, nothing. On these examples the doors worked nice, gaps were 70s typical and in one case, the car drove absolutely great. Only one I ever rode in.
This looks like a copy of the placards given to dealers. Might have been "drum up orders" like other dealer docs or show room display.
We all know Chrysler was up to some odd and interesting things at the end of the 70s. Adult Toy truck line including shaggin wagons, Warlocks, etc. Aspen Super Coupes, sponsoring 2 legendary off road racers and top nascar drivers. Developing the boring but dependable front wheel drive revolution. They were also going broke and I think some of the adventures were about doing something interesting on the way out. I did have opportunity to talk one on one with Dick Maxwell, just before his death, about a lot of things but not that one. He was a father of the LRE among other things.
http://www.semahof.com/Dick_Maxwell_2006_Inductee
I think the 77 only Doba Drop falls in that "interesting before we leave" category like the later 300. While selling Dobas like hot cakes helped keep the company afloat, the handful of drop tops build and sold through dealers couldn't be given away. I find that very surprising.
Only Chrysler knows the exact number built as I think it was their idea. The first number I ever remember hearing is 17. I've heard smaller numbers. I think the most believable number is probably how ever many fit in one train car. Built in Windsor like the rest, shipped to Florida for conversion, shipped to dealers. I don't know sequential build or not but never checked VINs. My guess is a pool of orders placed in the system and the truck loaded when they came out.
Every one I've seen was 400-4 ELB, floor shift, dual round mirror, power widow / lock/ seat, air, cruise, tilt, leather. Colors and rims varied. All but one that I've seen looks like it was built by Emess Coach Builders and was called the "Classic II". These all had air shocks, compressor, reservoir and dash mounted pressure gauge. Emess notched out the rear seat and wheel houses to make room for the folded top. The air shocks raised the body so the tire didn't rub.
I've had my head under more than one of them and haven't seen anything added anywhere to the uni-body. No frame connectors, no nothing bolted, welded, nothing. On these examples the doors worked nice, gaps were 70s typical and in one case, the car drove absolutely great. Only one I ever rode in.
This looks like a copy of the placards given to dealers. Might have been "drum up orders" like other dealer docs or show room display.