coupe and hardtop differences

[tpodwdog]

ok....i have to ask a dumb question here. whats a coupe....and whats a hardtop? my understanding is this:

coupe= pop out rear windows (as in a 70 roadrunner) ..having a "B" pillar
hardtop= wind down rear windows (as in a 70 roadrunner)..having no"B" pillar

can someone please tell me if i am correct because i get into this argument ALOT !.

 

[detmatt1]

The coupe does have a B-pillar that is to a certain extent structural, making for a more rigid car and a little cheaper to build and therefore a little cheaper to buy. AKA sedan.

 

[EV2 GTX]

The coupe does have a B-pillar that is to a certain extent structural, making for a more rigid car and a little cheaper to build and therefore a little cheaper to buy. AKA sedan.

My unerstanding as well. B-Pillar for the coupe (with push out windows) and hardtop has no pillar. If I'm not mistaken the coupe was also referred to as sedan (by some) as noted by dematt1..which confuses that matter a liitle more. In later years sedan meant 4 doors and coupe meant a 2 door (not mopar specific). So I've been confused at times too...but safe to say that for 1970, coupe has a pillar and hardtop does not.

 

[696pack]

The coupe does have a B-pillar that is to a certain extent structural, making for a more rigid car and a little cheaper to build and therefore a little cheaper to buy. AKA sedan.

Here is the REAL story for Mopars.

OH boy!! This usually starts an argument or creates a lot of questions or comments so I am posting below what I have posted many, many times in the past when it comes up.



Sedans, 2 door or 4 door have the same boxey roof line. They both have a frame around the door(s) window. Look at the pre-68 cars and you will see what I am talking about. They also share the same windshield and rear glass.

Coupes, Have no frame around the door window. The 68-70 coupes share the same roof line as the 2 door hardtops. They also share the same windshield and rear glass.

Posts, They BOTH have a post between the front door and the rear window.

Both are referred to as POST cars but there is the differences I have stated above between a coupe and a sedan.

The short explaination is a post has a hardtop roof line and a sedan shares the roof line with a 4 door.

 

[Cranky]

It also depends on the car line and what the factory decided to call it....for example, my dad bought a new 1956 Plymouth Belvedere Sports Coupe.....and it had no B pillar and the back windows rolled down. Not real sure about this but iirc, the 2 dr sedan had the same roof.

 

[696pack]

It also depends on the car line and what the factory decided to call it....for example, my dad bought a new 1956 Plymouth Belvedere Sports Coupe.....and it had no B pillar and the back windows rolled down. Not real sure about this but iirc, the 2 dr sedan had the same roof.

I should have mentioned my post pertains to the performance years of 1962-1970. I have no knowledge or interest in pre-60s Mopars. Back in the 30s,
40s and 50s there were many different models such as business coupes that had no back seat from the factory. They were generally bought by traveling salesmen to carry samples etc.

 

[brandon64]

I've always thought coupe and hardtop were the same thing. You have 4 door or sedan (self explanatory), then 2 door post or 2 door sedan (2 door with roof line of 4 door and B-pillar post), and 2 door coupe/hardtop (no B-pillar post). The only thing I've heard different is a mustang which the (coupe) is the unwanted (notchback) rear glass and the fastback, or (fuckback) as I call it is the covenanted roof in the ford world.

 

[696pack]

I've always thought coupe and hardtop were the same thing. You have 4 door or sedan (self explanatory), then 2 door post or 2 door sedan (2 door with roof line of 4 door and B-pillar post), and 2 door coupe/hardtop (no B-pillar post). The only thing I've heard different is a mustang which the (coupe) is the unwanted (notchback) rear glass and the fastback, or (fuckback) as I call it is the covenanted roof in the ford world.

Not according to Chrysler Corp. The not only referred to them with different names they also gave them a different name 9coupes and 2 doorhardtops) but also gave them a different body type in the third and fourth digits of the V.I.N.

With the Mustang reference, yes, the 2 door hardtop is referred to as a Coupe but it is really a hardtop. The 2 door hardtop TRUE COMPLETE name is 2 door hardtop CONVERTIBLE which got it's name from the new models that mimiced a convertible with the windows rolled down. If you look at the Mustang 2 door hardtop and the convertible they are basicly the same profile. I am not a Ford guy so I can't reference their V.I.N. designations but I would GUESS they too have a similar designation and names for the two different models.

The fastback in the Mustang is actually a coupe as it has no frame around the front side window. The Shelbys have a side quarter window that is fixed and it's case should REALLY be called a coupe for sure by definition but got it's name of fastback from the roof line justs as Mopar refers to the early Barracudas as fastbacks and coupes or notchbacks for the basic model. Chrysler made a distinction in the V.I.N. in the early Barracudas as 2 door hardtops and 2 door sports roof. Those are the corporate names, all the rest are hobbist nicknames that are common place in the market.

 

[Finallygotmine]

What exactly are you guys saying when you say "the roof lines are different"? Is the roof of the car a different shape on top of the roof? or just that there is a post coming up to the roof? There has been so much discussion, I am now confused.

 

[MRHWS]

A hardtop has a roll down rear window. When it and the door window are down, there is no obstruction from A pillar to C pillar.

 

[EV2 GTX]

[/B]Here is the REAL story for Mopars.

OH boy!! This usually starts an argument or creates a lot of questions or comments so I am posting below what I have posted many, many times in the past when it comes up.



Sedans, 2 door or 4 door have the same boxey roof line. They both have a frame around the door(s) window. Look at the pre-68 cars and you will see what I am talking about. They also share the same windshield and rear glass.

Coupes, Have no frame around the door window. The 68-70 coupes share the same roof line as the 2 door hardtops. They also share the same windshield and rear glass.

Posts, They BOTH have a post between the front door and the rear window.

Both are referred to as POST cars but there is the differences I have stated above between a coupe and a sedan.

The short explaination is a post has a hardtop roof line and a sedan shares the roof line with a 4 door.

Ok so I'm still a little confused...my car is an RS23 car which means hardtop 23= 2 door hardtop. But my car has no frame around the windows...so it's a coupe??

 

[696pack]

I am answering two questions here.

1. The roof line comments refer to the side profile look of the car. A 2 door sedan has the same boxey look of a 4 door sedan. A coupe has the same sleeker look as the 2 door hardtop.

2. Yes, a RS23 IS a 2 door hardtop. If you look back at my first post in this thread you will see where I was referring to the differences between the 2 door sedan and the 2 door coupe that may have confused you.

A 2 door hard top AND a coupe both have no frame around the top of the door around the window a 2 door or 4 door sedan does NOT.

After everyone is completely confused about this we can talk about FOUR door hardtops as well to make things worse. LOL.

It may have been less cofusing if i had not been compeled to comment on detmatt1's comment of "AKA sedan" in which I was explaining that a coupe and 2 door sedan are NOT the same.

 

[EV2 GTX]

A 2 door hard top AND a coupe both have no frame around the top of the door around the window a 2 door or 4 door sedan does NOT.


Getting there...just that I'm a little slow I guess....just reading the above...So the 2 door and 4 door sedans have a frame around the glass and the hard top and coupe DO NOT have a frame...

Not pickin' your reply apart but the way I read the above it sounds like both have no frame around the windows....

Just trying to keep this straight as I can never seem to remember this...:head_smack:

 

[Benji]

On a hardtop car if you roll the door windows all the way down and also roll the little windows in the quarter panels all the way down there will be a large open area in between the A pillar (that is where the windshield meets the front of the door) and the front of the sail panel (the sail panel is that little panel between the top of the quarter panel and side of the back of the roof panel) and when you open the door there is no upper frame around it. On a sedan when you roll the windows all the way down you will still have a frame all the way around the door and there will be a strip of metal at the B pillar where the quarter glass fits in to.

All Barracudas were either hardtops or convertibles.

Benji

 

[Budnicks]

B-pillar "Post Coupe" VS "Hardtop"

Here more to add to the mix... The 68-70 Roadrunner, GTX, Belvedere, Satellite & others, were referred to as a "Post Coupe" with a B-pillar & push out rear quarter windows & a "Hardtop" with no B-pillar & all 4 windows, doors & quarter windows, roll down, hence the term "Hardtop" includes 2 doors or 4 doors.... The Lighter Turquoise 69-1/2 A12 RR is a "Post Coupe" the Dark Blue 69-1/2 A12 RR is a "Hardtop"

 

[EV2 GTX]

On a hardtop car if you roll the door windows all the way down and also roll the little windows in the quarter panels all the way down there will be a large open area in between the A pillar (that is where the windshield meets the front of the door) and the front of the sail panel (the sail panel is that little panel between the top of the quarter panel and side of the back of the roof panel) and when you open the door there is no upper frame around it. On a sedan when you roll the windows all the way down you will still have a frame all the way around the door and there will be a strip of metal at the B pillar where the quarter glass fits in to.

All Barracudas were either hardtops or convertibles.

Benji

Here more to add to the mix... The 68-70 Roadrunner, GTX, Belvedere, Satellite & others, were referred to as a "Post Coupe" with a B-pillar & push out rear quarter windows & a "Hardtop" with no B-pillar & all 4 windows, doors & quarter windows, roll down, hence the term "Hardtop" includes 2 doors or 4 doors.... The Lighter Turquoise 69-1/2 A12 RR is a "Post Coupe" the Dark Blue 69-1/2 A12 RR is a "Hardtop"

Thanks guys, I understand the coupe vs. hardtop better but it was the sedan thing that was screwin me up more....I've always called the post cars coupes but as soon as the "sedan" issue comes into play it gets a little more difficult. Now that 696 has pointed out the differences I better understand...it's easier to think of a sedan as having a frame around the window ...if the drivers door was open it has a frame around the window, the glass doesn't just roll up into the roof line..

 

[EV2 GTX]

Sedan or Coupe????

Ok, here's what was really confusing...if I understand 696 correctly the attached pic is of a sedan.....and i would have called it a coupe before we got into all of this...

And if I'm still wrong I'm gonna start drinking....:gah:
Edit; added another pic showing the 2 door and 4 door sedan...

 

[yellowdartdave]

Another way to look at it....

Dart Swinger/ Plymouth Scamp 2 dr hardtop..No B pillar

Dart Sport /Duster 2 door coupe B pillar

 

[65DODGE]

simply put like this hardtop no b pillar, post or sedan depending on what you call it has a b pillar i think it depends on car line year etc as to the defintion but a hardtop is a hardtop no b pillar regardless of the make or model i would say but the term coupe can really depend on manufacters defintion on the make and or model like for example chevrolet would call a 2dr hardtop 1966 impala a sport coupe but yet mopar would call a roadrunner with pop out rear windows with a b pillar a coupe so i think it all depends on the manufacter and model line just my to cents to how i see it.

 

[696pack]

a 2 door hard top and a coupe both have no frame around the top of the door around the window a 2 door or 4 door sedan does not.


Getting there...just that i'm a little slow i guess....just reading the above...so the 2 door and 4 door sedans have a frame around the glass and the hard top and coupe do not have a frame...
not pickin' your reply apart but the way i read the above it sounds like both have no frame around the windows....

Just trying to keep this straight as i can never seem to remember this...:head_smack:

correct!

Here is a picture of my 1966 Coronet 2 door SEDAN. Notice how boxey the roof line is. Someon can certainly post a picture of a 1966 2 door hardop and you will see a big differece in the roof lines.