What's a "drop head coupe" anyway?

[RotoFlexible]

A little Googling informs me that "drop head coupe" is a British term for what Americans call a convertible or roadster, but what (if anything) distinguishes a DHC from a "roadster" or "ragtop"? In Elan terms, why is the 26 not a DHC while the 45 is?

[cdraper]

I think the anwser lies in the window frames. No frames - tourer - sports. Window frames - drophead coupe.

[cdraper]

I think the anwser lies in the window frames. No frames - tourer - sports. Window frames - drophead coupe.

[pamitchell]

Doesn't it also refer to whether the top is completely removable (roadster) vs stowed on the rear (DHC)?
Phil

[twincamman]

America and England --2 countries separated by a common language ----its a convertible --as opposed to a fixed head coupe --ed

[robcall]

XK120 diagram
http://www.xkengineering.com/PDFs/XK120.PDF

[cliveyboy]

I would also think there has to be a coupe in the product range otherwise how can you distinguish it is based on a coupe?

Cliveyboy

[Famous Frank]

Let's not get to carried away about what most Americans think in regards to a Roadster versus DHC (Drop Head Couple). What do we know anyway. But here lies the answer. All Series 1 and Series 2 Elans are ROADSTERS except for the very limited Series 2 Coupe. The Series 3 and the Series 4 cars are either DHC's or Coupes. The Roadster roof is dismantled and stored in the boot (trunk for those of us in America), thus leaving a clean, undisturbed body line from the cockpit to the the rear of the vehicle. DHC's or Convertibles as Americans call them, have a roof that folds back into a well for storage. Of course, there is nothing more beautiful than a Roadster and the fact that I own four of them proves it!!!

[twincamman]

welll the fact you own 4 of any brit car [as do I ] proves ----1 we really are not too concerned about reaching our destination in the rain [its the joy of brit car ownership after all ]---2 when we do arrive we are late because the car didn't start or we are greasy because we had to repair the widget that fell off - burned up or failed because of fine British craftsmanship 3 we don't have a Mistress because all our money is spent on obsolete car parts 4 our wardrobe consists of a Geordie cap a tweed jacket and string back gloves --5 a fun Friday night is setting valve clearances so we an get to the car show -swap meet to look for more obsolete car parts-- 6 we cant afford a shrink because of the cost of obsolete car parts so we don't realize we are not quite normal and are quite happy in our ignorant bliss --- ---ed

[1964 S1]

The nuance of language.
If I've got this right so far,,,,
... there must be a coupe before a model can have a drop head coupe version. Got it, but can a roadster store it's top in fold down position? MGA... XKE.... etc
Mercedes has made many coupes that are also available as drop head coupe convertible roadsters. What are they called in German?
I'm gonna guess coupe and convertible are French words and we should follow their lead. Time to research these words and
hood,
top,
(+ my favorite,)
roadster.

This will take me back to horse drawn days I bet.

[twincamman]

coup is an englishization of coupe[with a grave ----pronounced coopay--ed

[mikealdren]

Ed,
Isn't 'coup' the North American pronunciation of Coupe. Similarly, we English usually (but not always, of course) spell nouns ending ?...sation? with and 's' and not a 'z' (pronounced ?zed? not ?zee?).

My French isn't too good but shouldn't we pronounce it as though with an acute accent (coup?) rather than a grave accent?

Mike

[twincamman]

may be --my high school French sucked -thats why I never go to Quebec--here its phonetically 'coopay' or just coop -- as in chicken -ed

[Emma-Knight]

The Germans say coupe for FHC, cabrio (-let) for DHC, roadster for cars with hood in boot and removable side windows and maybe removable windscreen.
And speedster for cars with hardly any windscreen, sidewindow and tiny hood. At least I think so...

Anna

PS we forgot the OTS - open two seater

[twincamman]

hey Mike ----is the correct pronunciation of the river ----ziderzed???? and then we have zzzzumerzzzet' --OR IS IT ZZZUMMMERZED-- WHERE ZZZIDER HAPPLES GROW and the bus comes up from -- Im afraid the U.S. pronunciation and spelling has infiltrated here in the north also - ---ed