Hardtop or Post Car

426Fred · 11-30-2013, 09:06 AM

Which 1964 Plymouth body style would be better for stock eliminator, a hardtop or a post car and why? Thank you for any information you could share. I am finishing up a post car but I also have a hardtop I was thinking of converting to a stock eliminator car as well.

Bob Pagano · 11-30-2013, 10:17 AM

Fred, I always favored the post cars, I think they twist less than a hardtop.

426Fred · 11-30-2013, 04:17 PM

Thank you Bob for you answer.

I have a 64 Plymouth Savoy post car in poor shape body wise and I have a 64 Plymouth Belvedere hardtop in very good shape body wise and was wondering if it would be worth the extra cost to repair the rust and do the body work on the post car. The hardtop just needs some minor dings fixed and a repaint.

Kevin Love · 11-30-2013, 06:29 PM

Depending on what type of rollbar or cage you're going to put in
would probably offset the stength advantage of the post car.
Isn't John Shaul's car a hardtop? I can't remember

I would use the better body as it will be stronger than a body that gets
cut apart and has panels replaced.

Mark Yacavone · 11-30-2013, 06:37 PM

I don't know about the Mopars, but the Chevy II hardtop roof is an inch lower.
I'm not sure it makes any difference though..There are some very fast post cars out there.

GTX JOHN · 12-01-2013, 08:39 AM

I raced several 64 Plymouths in the 60s to 70s with Max Wedge
power. I believe the posts were slightly lighter which help
when you could not adjust to class bottoms.

With the cars tied and caged which I recommend I have seen
no difference in stiffness or longevity. The Hardtop does look a little
more Aero.

When the car were not routinely tied and caged.......I did have
flex problems behind Door sill area of Quarters. The sheetmetal
deflected significantly in that area and truck seams seperated.
I could Jack up the car and not be able to get the door open

art leong · 12-01-2013, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTX JOHN

I raced several 64 Plymouths in the 60s to 70s with Max Wedge
power. I believe the posts were slightly lighter which help
when you could not adjust to class bottoms.

With the cars tied and caged which I recommend I have seen
no difference in stiffness or longevity. The Hardtop does look a little
more Aero.

When the car were not routinely tied and caged.......I did have
flex problems behind Door sill area of Quarters. The sheetmetal
deflected significantly in that area and truck seems seperated.
I could Jack up the car and not be able to get the door open

John we had that problem (the rears wheels trying to catch up with the fronts) With our Challenger convertible. We solved it by putting a bar inside the sill and welding it in 5 places. We were not allowed anything going forward in the roll bar and frame connectors were a no-no.. So we couldn't tie it together any other way. We also used thick wall seamless tubing to help with our weight problems.

Dyno · 12-01-2013, 06:34 PM

Post cars looks like race cars, hardtops look like show cars.

Tom Meyer · 12-01-2013, 08:42 PM

On the HT chevy IIs there are renforcements in the roof to keep the doors closing right making it weight more, check your shipping weights between the two cars and see what your breaks are for your class that you want to run.

Joe Schaechter · 12-02-2013, 01:56 PM

Here is a good picture comparison of the two Chevy II models. Our post Chevy II doors didn't close right when the car was jacked up until we went with a cage and a sill plate bar (2nd pic) for additional support.

sill post view

11-30-2013, 09:06 AM	#1
426Fred Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Sewell, New Jersey Posts: 74 Likes: 0 Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Hardtop or Post Car Which 1964 Plymouth body style would be better for stock eliminator, a hardtop or a post car and why? Thank you for any information you could share. I am finishing up a post car but I also have a hardtop I was thinking of converting to a stock eliminator car as well. __________________ Fred Palumbo 1025 STK

11-30-2013, 10:17 AM	#2
Bob Pagano VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: New Holland, PA Mooresville,NC Posts: 1,163 Likes: 240 Liked 16 Times in 11 Posts	Re: Hardtop or Post Car Fred, I always favored the post cars, I think they twist less than a hardtop. __________________ Bob Pagano A/SA

11-30-2013, 04:17 PM	#3
426Fred Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Sewell, New Jersey Posts: 74 Likes: 0 Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Hardtop or Post Car Thank you Bob for you answer. I have a 64 Plymouth Savoy post car in poor shape body wise and I have a 64 Plymouth Belvedere hardtop in very good shape body wise and was wondering if it would be worth the extra cost to repair the rust and do the body work on the post car. The hardtop just needs some minor dings fixed and a repaint. __________________ Fred Palumbo 1025 STK

11-30-2013, 06:29 PM	#4
Kevin Love Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: canada Posts: 113 Likes: 5 Liked 19 Times in 10 Posts	Re: Hardtop or Post Car Depending on what type of rollbar or cage you're going to put in would probably offset the stength advantage of the post car. Isn't John Shaul's car a hardtop? I can't remember I would use the better body as it will be stronger than a body that gets cut apart and has panels replaced. __________________ Kevin Love 5666 STK/SS

11-30-2013, 06:37 PM	#5
Mark Yacavone Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Miles From Nowhere Posts: 7,815 Likes: 2,903 Liked 5,120 Times in 1,951 Posts	Re: Hardtop or Post Car I don't know about the Mopars, but the Chevy II hardtop roof is an inch lower. I'm not sure it makes any difference though..There are some very fast post cars out there. __________________ "We are lucky we don't get as much Government as we pay for." Will Rogers

12-01-2013, 08:39 AM	#6
GTX JOHN VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Boulder City, Nevada 89005 Posts: 2,733 Likes: 2,799 Liked 2,483 Times in 697 Posts	Re: Hardtop or Post Car I raced several 64 Plymouths in the 60s to 70s with Max Wedge power. I believe the posts were slightly lighter which help when you could not adjust to class bottoms. With the cars tied and caged which I recommend I have seen no difference in stiffness or longevity. The Hardtop does look a little more Aero. When the car were not routinely tied and caged.......I did have flex problems behind Door sill area of Quarters. The sheetmetal deflected significantly in that area and truck seams seperated. I could Jack up the car and not be able to get the door open Last edited by GTX JOHN; 12-02-2013 at 04:40 AM.

12-01-2013, 06:34 PM	#8
Dyno Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 916 Likes: 1,135 Liked 684 Times in 204 Posts	Re: Hardtop or Post Car Post cars looks like race cars, hardtops look like show cars.

12-01-2013, 08:42 PM	#9
Tom Meyer Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Pierce NE Posts: 936 Likes: 78 Liked 354 Times in 120 Posts	Re: Hardtop or Post Car On the HT chevy IIs there are renforcements in the roof to keep the doors closing right making it weight more, check your shipping weights between the two cars and see what your breaks are for your class that you want to run. __________________ Tom Meyer 5240 SS Stock ???

12-02-2013, 01:56 PM	#10
Joe Schaechter Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Moline, Illlinois Posts: 194 Likes: 1 Liked 13 Times in 4 Posts	Re: Hardtop or Post Car Here is a good picture comparison of the two Chevy II models. Our post Chevy II doors didn't close right when the car was jacked up until we went with a cage and a sill plate bar (2nd pic) for additional support. sill post view __________________ Joe Schaechter 3168 STK