coupe to hatch conversion? Options

[dliverance]

has anyone ever succesfully turned a coupe into a hatch? or is it even possible?

[Daftboy]

oh god....no just don't even try...it would require so much work... plus the frames are built up differnetly.... such so many factors....You would be better off selling your coupe and buying a HB

This post has been edited by Daftboy: Nov 15, 2008 - 1:18 PM

[dliverance]

yeah, i just did a search and it looks like someone else had the same question.thing is, i wont have the title for my coupe for another year.i was hoping that you could just cut the top rear portion of a hatch and weld it from the quarter panel up.but oh well.i'll just stick it out for the year and buy a hatch.

[njccmd2002]

i have heard of some people that have successfully turn a vert into a hatch. I think you may be able to do it with a coupe.

IIRCC, the guy talked about a place called "dealership", but he did not give details about it.

seriously, inpossible and waste of money and time. Just go trade it. or better yet, buy a hatch shell with blown engine, and swap your good parts.

[trdproven]

Not worth the trouble, plus you would be lucky if it even came out balanced overall.

[presure2]

i have heard of some people that have successfully turn a vert into a hatch. I think you may be able to do it with a coupe.

IIRCC, the guy talked about a place called "dealership", but he did not give details about it.

seriously, inpossible and waste of money and time. Just go trade it. or better yet, buy a hatch shell with blown engine, and swap your good parts.

if anything, vert to coupe, not to hatch.
the verts start as coupes.

[njccmd2002]

i was being sarcastic. Trading it will be your best bet.

[chode]

i have heard of some people that have successfully turn a vert into a hatch. I think you may be able to do it with a coupe.

IIRCC, the guy talked about a place called "dealership", but he did not give details about it.

seriously, inpossible and waste of money and time. Just go trade it. or better yet, buy a hatch shell with blown engine, and swap your good parts.

you totally got me
i was like wtf

[playr158]

you guys didn't get the joke..... "DEALERSHIP"

"IIRCC, the guy talked about a place called "dealership" "


+10 points for sneaky funny

[SeverX13]

yea i asked this question a WHILE back. Your better off keeping the coupe if its a GT. Hatchbacks are over rated

[D-Man]

if anything, vert to coupe, not to hatch.
the verts start as coupes.

we've got alot of similarities, but in no way is the roof the only difference. Us verts got different framing structures to support our lack of roof support, the hatch just has a wider rear paneling, but the framing is the same as the coupe. verts got this wierd O-hole looking rear framing support, opposed to the beams. Atleast mine does but i seem to have the gheyest vert that was ever created. (i got ripped man )

[MaskedMan]

if anything, vert to coupe, not to hatch.
the verts start as coupes.

we've got alot of similarities, but in no way is the roof the only difference. Us verts got different framing structures to support our lack of roof support, the hatch just has a wider rear paneling, but the framing is the same as the coupe. verts got this wierd O-hole looking rear framing support, opposed to the beams. Atleast mine does but i seem to have the gheyest vert that was ever created. (i got ripped man )

Actually, presure is right, the verts all started out as coupes and they were shipped from Japan to a place in Southern California where they underwent their transformation. All of the Convertibles were built off of GT coupes, that's why the Convertible didn't come out until 95, when the hatch and coupe were released in 94. The reinforcement on the convertibles were done to retain the original stability of the coupe (while the top is up ofcourse). The rear end on the convertible has extreme reinforcement to be able to maintain it's structural integrity even when the top is down.

[D-Man]

if anything, vert to coupe, not to hatch.
the verts start as coupes.

we've got alot of similarities, but in no way is the roof the only difference. Us verts got different framing structures to support our lack of roof support, the hatch just has a wider rear paneling, but the framing is the same as the coupe. verts got this wierd O-hole looking rear framing support, opposed to the beams. Atleast mine does but i seem to have the gheyest vert that was ever created. (i got ripped man )

Actually, presure is right, the verts all started out as coupes and they were shipped from Japan to a place in Southern California where they underwent their transformation. All of the Convertibles were built off of GT coupes, that's why the Convertible didn't come out until 95, when the hatch and coupe were released in 94. The reinforcement on the convertibles were done to retain the original stability of the coupe (while the top is up ofcourse). The rear end on the convertible has extreme reinforcement to be able to maintain it's structural integrity even when the top is down.

True. and all of this is well known. However structure isn't the only modifications made. It truely is a whole new car trim. But i see the comparison that you are trying to make. But to even attempt to convert a Vert to a Coupe is nowhere near worth the quality and cost (savings) that you would have by simply purchasing a coupe. While the 6th gens were in production it may have been cost effective to convert coupes to verts, however today, it is not. Nor the vice versa. That is all that I am saying.

Keeping in mind that structe isn't the only thing modified. our speaker panels were redesigned, our speakers themselfs were positioned stright across instead of angled Carpet was modified. Trunk was modified, extra paneling was installed there, extra framing bars were installed, and so on... But we all know this, and everything that happened.

All i'm saying is that a conversion (from any trim to any trim) isn't worth it.

[njccmd2002]

All i'm saying is that a conversion (from any trim to any trim) isn't worth it.

Only if you do it at the "dealership"

[DEATH]

Well - this thread ought to kill the age old debate over which looks better Hatch/Coupe/Vert

[njccmd2002]

Well - this thread ought to kill the age old debate over which looks better Hatch/Coupe/Vert

[MaskedMan]

if anything, vert to coupe, not to hatch.
the verts start as coupes.

we've got alot of similarities, but in no way is the roof the only difference. Us verts got different framing structures to support our lack of roof support, the hatch just has a wider rear paneling, but the framing is the same as the coupe. verts got this wierd O-hole looking rear framing support, opposed to the beams. Atleast mine does but i seem to have the gheyest vert that was ever created. (i got ripped man )

Actually, presure is right, the verts all started out as coupes and they were shipped from Japan to a place in Southern California where they underwent their transformation. All of the Convertibles were built off of GT coupes, that's why the Convertible didn't come out until 95, when the hatch and coupe were released in 94. The reinforcement on the convertibles were done to retain the original stability of the coupe (while the top is up ofcourse). The rear end on the convertible has extreme reinforcement to be able to maintain it's structural integrity even when the top is down.

True. and all of this is well known. However structure isn't the only modifications made. It truely is a whole new car trim. But i see the comparison that you are trying to make. But to even attempt to convert a Vert to a Coupe is nowhere near worth the quality and cost (savings) that you would have by simply purchasing a coupe. While the 6th gens were in production it may have been cost effective to convert coupes to verts, however today, it is not. Nor the vice versa. That is all that I am saying.

Keeping in mind that structe isn't the only thing modified. our speaker panels were redesigned, our speakers themselfs were positioned stright across instead of angled Carpet was modified. Trunk was modified, extra paneling was installed there, extra framing bars were installed, and so on... But we all know this, and everything that happened.

All i'm saying is that a conversion (from any trim to any trim) isn't worth it.

Woah woah, some of this information is new to me. I was unaware that the carpeting was different.

I do believe that a worthwhile conversion would be a hard top option for the convertible. Ok maybe it's not a convertible to coupe conversion (I'm not sure where we got on that topic), but I think it would be nice. People may complain about structural safety and stuff of adding a hardtop that might not be "safe", but the way I see it is it's definatly more protecting us than compared to when we have no top at all. And some might say, "oh, well the material you made the top out of could be dangerous in a crash or rollover", but dude, seriously, if you roll your vert while the top is down, chances are it's going to suck anyways.

I do believe that one member on this site had tried converting his hatchback to a convertible. I do not believe he ever finished the project. He had pictures of the entire top cut off the car, but I think that's as far as it got.

But yeah, it's just easier to buy one or the other. Us Celicas were fortunate enough to come in 3 different body options, so we should be grateful for that .

[richee3]

Hehehe... "dealership." I actually got that the first time I read it

Conversions just aren't worth it, no matter how you look at it. I'm not the smartest guy when it comes to body work or mechanical work. I only know enough to get myself in trouble. But I know that you'd be throwing your money and a perfectly good car away if you even tried this. I've owned 2 hatchbacks and a coupe. From the front seats back, everything was completely different in the body styles.

It doesn't matter to me though. I love my hatchie

[D-Man]

Well - this thread ought to kill the age old debate over which looks better Hatch/Coupe/Vert

Answer is and always will be..... Personal Preference.

Woah woah, some of this information is new to me. I was unaware that the carpeting was different.

all 3 have Different doorstill clicks, Vert has no "corner tuck" to tuck into the back seat. And the HB has an extra 3 or so inches in legnth. Thanks to CStone for the coupe visual, and DEATH for the Hatchback/Convertable carpet swap.

Hehehe... "dealership." I actually got that the first time I read it

From the front seats back, everything was completely different in the body styles.

Good job :thmbsup: but he laready got 10pts for sneaky joke.

If you've had different body styles, then you can verify the difference between carpets, yeah?

[richee3]

I actually can't verify the differences for the carpet Sorry! I just pulled it out, shampooed it, stuffed it in a box, and shipped it out.

This post has been edited by richee3: Nov 24, 2008 - 5:29 PM