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Wales
by Joske Vermeule, September 1
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Jun 14th, 2026
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Joined: Oct 2019
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OP
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Having tried a quick google and got the usual conflicting answers I thought i'd try the sensible and erudite denizens of TM.
What's the difference between a:
Drop Head Coupe
Convertible
Cabriolet
Roadster
Spider
And any others you can think of.
Some may be genuinely different and some just alternative names for the same thing.
K
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 2,121 Likes: 71
Talk Morgan Expert
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Talk Morgan Expert
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 2,121 Likes: 71 |
This may help a little:
A convertible (Cabriolet) is a car where you open the soft top when the sun is shining.
A Roadster is a car where you close the soft top in the rain.....
Last edited by bmgermany; 22/07/20 06:56 PM.
2005 4/4 1800ccm Duratec and a lot of HONDA CX500.......
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Joined: Apr 2017
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Talk Morgan Enthusiast
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Talk Morgan Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 1,799 Likes: 4 |
This may help a little:
A convertible (Cabriolet) is a car where you open the soft top when the sun is shining.
A Roadster is a car where you close the soft top in the rain.....  That's probably true.
Bob
2009 Black Roadster
1999 4/4 2 litre Zetec
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Joined: Apr 2008
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Scruffy Oik Member of the Inner Circle
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Scruffy Oik Member of the Inner Circle
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 12,265 Likes: 321 |
The other big difference is that a DHC or cabriolet has full height doors whereas a roadster has cutaway doors with removable tops.
Spiders live behind the glass of your wing mirrors.
Tim H.
1986 4/4 VVTi Sport, 2002 LR Defender, 2022 Mini Cooper SE
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Tricky Dicky Member of the Inner Circle
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Tricky Dicky Member of the Inner Circle
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I'm with you on this Keith, the DHC is only good as far as early Morgan are concerned to me they are the same thing, I shall be most interested to read of a clear definition of each though  Well an Audi with a jigsaw is a cabriolet in the making isn't it..
2009 4/4 Sport Henrietta
1999 Indigo Blue +8
2009 4/4 Sport Green prev
1993 Con Green +8 prev
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Joined: May 2010
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Needs to Get Out More!
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Needs to Get Out More!
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 9,554 Likes: 134 |
I am amazed at the number of soft top cars I see with the roof up in good weather. Why buy such a car if you don’t go topless whenever possible?
Plus Four MY23 Furka Rouge
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Joined: Dec 2009
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Tricky Dicky Member of the Inner Circle
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Tricky Dicky Member of the Inner Circle
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 37,486 Likes: 992 |
Whimps with the Aircon on  The giveaway is the windows wound up in high temperatures I see it a lot down here in summer mostly German and Japanese one's.
2009 4/4 Sport Henrietta
1999 Indigo Blue +8
2009 4/4 Sport Green prev
1993 Con Green +8 prev
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Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 5,608 Likes: 617
Charter Member
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OP
Charter Member
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 5,608 Likes: 617 |
DHC .... seems to be the full height doors that is important (tho the tops are removable on the Morgan DHC I think, but not sidescreens like the rest of the range) ... also a fixed hood rather than a hood frame with a removable cover (not sure if the Morgan DHC has this) .
K
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Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 396 Likes: 12
Learner Plates Off!
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Learner Plates Off!
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 396 Likes: 12 |
I'm with you on this Keith, the DHC is only good as far as early Morgan are concerned to me they are the same thing, I shall be most interested to read of a clear definition of each though Well an Audi with a jigsaw is a cabriolet in the making isn't it.. There are no definitions that are consistent over time, place or manufacturer. This page has some good definitions, but marketing has perverted these. For example Mercedes says a roadster is a sporty two seater convertible, because there's no chance their customers would accept something without wind up windows.
"this means the end of the horse-drawn Zeppelin!" - N Seagoon
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Learner Plates Off!
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Learner Plates Off!
Joined: Sep 2016
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A spider is another name for roadster (a sporty two seater convertible). All of these styles are convertibles. A drophead coupe is simply a convertible coupe.
JCK
1960 Plus 4 Roadster
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