% of Surviving Cars

[anlauto]

Obviously for Hemi cars, Superbirds/Daytonas AARs/TAs....etc... the survival rate will be much higher because the cars were special back in the day and most people knew that....but as for most of the 300+K.....E-Bodies....I would say 20% ....I read somewhere years ago that a general number of surviving classic cars was around 10%

[71vert340]

What about the survival rate of the E=body convertibles? Do you think the survival rate was higher than the hardtops?
Terry

[303 Mopar]

What about the survival rate of the E=body convertibles? Do you think the survival rate was higher than the hardtops?

I would think less verts survived just from the abuse the tops took.

[RUNCHARGER]

Driver convertibles rusted away quicker than hardtops and a lot of them died early.

[Katfish]

And now you realize why there's no aftermarket support like Mustang or Camero.
It's just economically feasible to tool up production and expect to make your money back when the potential demand is low.

[Morty426]

I think that the rarer the car the more likely to have survived.  I know if you look at 71 hemicuda convertibles they seem to be ALMOST all there.

My last find was a 68 Hemi Charger R/T - I would have thought a good number of those survived.  I was contacted by a guy that tracks them and he only knows of 70 cars still out in the wild and Galen supposedly knows of 98

I think that's under 20%   

[6bblgt]

I have info on 144 (I'm sure a few of those are dead & gone) of the 475+ HEMI '68 Charger R/Ts
- I need to catch up with "RAH", I'm sure we could fill in some blanks

but that's 30% & I'm sure there are in the ballpark of twice that number still out there

[Morty426]

I have info on 144 (I'm sure a few of those are dead & gone) of the 475+ HEMI '68 Charger R/Ts
- I need to catch up with "RAH", I'm sure we could fill in some blanks

but that's 30% & I'm sure there are in the ballpark of twice that number still out there

The list I have is from "RAH" - there might be a car or two added since I got the list and he had a couple of duplicates. 

If you want I can email you the list

[js27]

I would say the rate for convertibles was much lower that hardtops-the made less and they rusted quicker. You also have to figure on the locations of cars even though that will not effect the end number. Calif-AZ-NV--all have hot arid dry climate and no salt on the roads in winter so there is a higher concentration of older cars in these areas. Being from PA --salt heaven I saw so many cars in junk yards rusted out  that were only 5 years old.
JS27

[CudaMoparRay]

The bottom line is they are relatively rare in good condition and becoming more so as time goes by.

[6bblgt]

convertibles also were kept in "better" condition due to the fact that they were not offered by the big 3 anymore

[Morty426]

I would say the rate for convertibles was much lower that hardtops-the made less and they rusted quicker. You also have to figure on the locations of cars even though that will not effect the end number. Calif-AZ-NV--all have hot arid dry climate and no salt on the roads in winter so there is a higher concentration of older cars in these areas. Being from PA --salt heaven I saw so many cars in junk yards rusted out  that were only 5 years old.
JS27

Very true but cars migrate all over the place

My cars might be an example

1 Canada
1 Oregon
1 Minnesota
1 Hawaii
1 Unknown but not California
6 California

[IRON MAN]

convertibles also were kept in "better" condition due to the fact that they were not offered by the big 3 anymore

Mostly true. The Corvette T-top that first appeared in 1968, replaced the Corvette convertible from 1975 until 1986. Firebird 455 T/A offered T-tops in 1975 and 76. Should be mentioned the Mustang convertible was produced in 1973.

[BIGSHCLUNK]

My shop is right up the block from the local shredder.... you would not beleive what i've seen go by over the years. but back in those days there was always another in the paper on sunday....