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Original Convertible?
Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2008 2:27 pm
by AdrianArmstrong
Can any nice person please tell me how I can tell if my car is an original convertible or has had an appointment with a hacksaw?
The chassis number begins M/A if that helps.
Best Regards
Adrian
Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2008 2:34 pm
by aupickup
one way is to see if you have any courtesy light switches on the hinge post of the car
as genuine convertables did not have any, also there was no hole in the hinge post for one either
Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2008 2:38 pm
by AdrianArmstrong
no there aren't any.
Thanks very much indeed, very grateful.
Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2008 2:41 pm
by aupickup
no problem, welcome to the board
Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2008 4:02 pm
by Sidney'61
Also, you can check the next letter after 'M/A' on the chassis number, if it is a 'T' then it is an original convertible but if it is '2S' then it was a saloonl.
Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2008 9:19 pm
by moggyminor16
the hole in the piller could of been welded up
convertible
Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 10:10 am
by Willie
The cast iron way of identifying an original convertible is to remove the door steps and see if the factory fitted 'U' section beams are present.
This is,of course, a bit involved and sometimes the beam has rotted away at the bottom (hopefully before the car was rebuilt). The strength can be replaced by fitting the 'oversill' which forms part of the conversion kit. You can check that the 'B' pillar strengthening struts are in place inside the car and that they are SPOT welded and also that the curved plates at the bottom of the dash board on the left and right ends are SPOT welded. If they are not spot welded they are not original.