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Questions related to post cars...

1K views 16 replies 11 participants last post by  Robinls5 
#1 ·
A buddy and I was sitting around the other day and we were discussing cars and got onto the subject of post cars. The two of us had some questions about these cars that neither of us could answer or even come up with a plausible reason as an answer so I thought that I'd turn to the you guys for answers, or thoughts, on this subject. So I'll start with this very basic questions that seem to bother me in one way or another...

Why do post cars exist? To me it doesn't make sense that the lowest level of a model, generally the least optioned, lowest price car is a post body. Wouldn't it have been cheaper to fore go the cost of creating new toolings and dies for a significantly different body when it seems that cost was the driving factor for this model in the first place?

I'd love to hear your thoughts on why these cars were built, fact or theory... thanks guys!
 
#2 ·
I think the window frames, simpler roof lines, are lower cost to design and less complexity to manufacture in both time and piece count. The C-pillar on the Chevelle hard top is a pretty complicated stamping. Hard creases take for expensive tooling to stamp. Fewer and simpler pieces inside the door of a post car to make the wind mechanism work.
 
#6 ·
I do believe a 2 Dr. or a 4 Dr. POST car would fair much better in a roll over type wreck or a side hit than a 2 Dr. or 4 Dr. Hardtop. My pea brain says any post car with the -A-B-C- post or pillars is just a stronger structural design than any Hardtop. :thumbsup:
I rolled my 56 Del Rey-220 P.Pac. It did very and I am still here. I prefer a post car anytime in a crash. Also I rolled my 1950 Ford 2 door flathead, in 1957. Went over 4 times, Four guys in the car NO ONE got hurt. A lot of broken glass, BUT that old Ford stayed together very well.
Bob
My 70 Chevelle Sta. Wgn.has = A--B--C--D-- Pillars
 
#7 ·
Zeke makes a good point, relative to design, which is kind of where I was going with this. There are generally a lot more hard tops in production than post models and since you already have all of the design work done and die to make them it would have to cost more to create a post model, especially for the bottom of the line cheaper offering. UNLESS, his theory is correct that while there may have been additional cost for design and toolings to start with, the overall cost to produce the offering, for whatever reason, justifies doing so. I was looking at it as they already have everything to build the car one way that it has to cost more to change it for a smaller run of something different, especially when the purpose of this model in the first place is to offer a cheaper version. But, if you can save 'X' amount of steps in production, less material, and it's faster and actually easier to manufacture, well it makes sense.
 
#10 ·
As for post/hardtop cars, I like how GM named them different. I'll have to look them all up, but I know that on Oldsmobile they were the "Holiday" models, and on Chevrolet the "Sport" models. We had a "1975 Chevrolet Impala Sport V8" That was the model name. It had the weakest engine choice of 4 options (350 2bbl,350 4bbl,400 4bbl, 454 4bbl), it was a 4 door, BUT it was a hardtop and a "Sport". Nothing cooler than a 6' hole on a 4 door with all the windows down. I also love the clean look of opening a hardtop car's door with the window down.
 
#11 · (Edited)
Lets go way back to the 30s. Chevrolet offered 2 Dr. Coupes that DID NOT have a back seat and also had the option of removing the trunk lid and sliding in a pre made box that had a hinged tailgate just like a pick up truck. I believe a lot of salesman and or farmers other type folks that needed a car and or truck for work.
In 1955 You could buy a 55 Chevy " 150 " Model. This " 150 " model could be bought from the factory with " NO " back seat.
The back seat area was just a VERY LARGE storage space.
I would guess other than the general public, The big three post cars filled a need, Law enforcement, Military, Sales people, many other uses. I do believe the word " SECURITY " plays a small part in post cars. ( Hey Now ) Could you picture the " Blues Brothers " in a Dodge Daytona ?:nerd:
Dont forget the tried a true " Coat Hanger " ! With this famous " Tool ", Goes the question..... Getting into a 2 Dr./ 4 Dr. " Post Car " or Getting into a 2Dr./4 Dr. ( Sport Model ) or NON post car. Your final answer is !
This is a post about post cars that have a post, If the post cars are better than non post car, You should write about post cars and post it here as a new post. :thumbsup:
Bob
To a degree automobiles reflect LIFE, Wadda Ya Mean? Young guy wanting to get l--d, drives a sporty type car. Gets married and gets a Station wagon or p/u ( with 4 doors). For his kids then (down the road) the grand kids.
That same (once young guy) retires, Wants to relive his youth, Gets some kind of old hot rod or something. BUT sitting in his driveway is a pick up truck (his) Or a SUV (hers). Thats my reflection. I have a Silverado and Chevelles, The wife has a Subaru Forrester. Both can haul the grand kids.
 
#13 ·
The only things a '66 or '67 2-door post could really use from a Station wagon or El Camino (that it couldn't for the 2-door Malibu/SS Hardtop) would be the front windshield, side windshield trim outer A-pillar sheetmetal, the small trim piece at the top of the interior A-pillar and the vent window assembly...

The dash assembly was basically the same (except for the obvious 300/300Deluxe/Malibu trim differences) for ALL models, same for the floor pans, rockers, wheel houses on non elco/wagon/convert models... trunk lids, rear panels, basic quarter extensions... rockers. And many of these pieces also work for other GM A-bodies...



The 2-door post shares the front windshield with all the 4-door, wagon and El Camino models (and IIRC all 64/65 models?). They share the rear glass and trim (and roof panel? Headliner?) with all the 4-door post cars (300/300D and Malibu). So that is really the economy of scale ...


I think its more the opposite... Just like today, the higher-end models get extra features to entice buyers (think front facia on how a newer Camaro SS differs from a base Camaro, etc...). So I think they wanted the Malibu/SS to standout, to have more of those exclusive features...

If you have the chance to see them side-by-side, the lower roofline and shorter windshield of the 2-door hardtop looks much sleeker and stylish than the taller 2-door post roof... And that's not even looking at the rear glass area with the "tunneled" rear window...


Strangely, the Malibu Sport Sedan (4-door hardtop) has a unique rear glass/trim/filler panel... That's a really questionable expense, since, IIRC, no other GM model uses those pieces...


Of course, I myself have wondered why other GM brands used the same rear glass/C-pillars as the Chevelle hardtop, on some of their 2-door models (thinking 442 and GTO post cars...)...

Pipe dream, but I also wanted to build a '66 SS clone using the GTO 2-door post body shell...
 
#14 ·
Can you name what exterior sheet metal parts from a 70 El Camino that will fit a 70 Chevelle? or a 70 Nomad / Concours Sta. Wgn.... Chevelle frame 112 " W. Base, Caminos & Wagons are 116".
Other than the front fenders, No other exterior sheet metal doors , Etc. from a 70 Nomad wagon fits a 70 El Camino. " Nutten Honey " :nerd:
Also: No where on a 70 El Camino or a 70 Nomad / Concours any Wgn. Body does the word "CHEVELLE " appear. :surprise:
I do not count the Domed and C.I. Hood. They fit all 70-72 Chevy " A " Bodys.
Bob
 
#17 ·
I just looked at the PA. titles and the wagon is listed as a 71 Chevrolet. The El Camino is listed as a 70 Chevrolet. On my Ins. card the wagon is listed as a Malibu, The camino is listed as El Camino.
Bob
 
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