Hardtop vs Coupe - value?

[bjbstewart]

I've spent a while trying to see which is more desirable / rare. Wondering if anyone knew, in general, which is more valuable these days. Also, was their a choice in 1972 for a Charger Rallye?

Thanks!

 

[flypaper]

i would say they are about equal in value and it
is more of about what the car really is.

the coupes were usually cheaper stripper cars without many options
and lower engines
so the hardtops should be worth more in just general
because they usually came with better options/engines
but
lets say you have a 71 sixpack coupe car
i don't think it would matter if the windows rolled down or not
in regards to value

 

[bjbstewart]

Thanks, appreciate the info!!

 

[HT413]

Generally, I'd say a hard top is more valuable, but with mopars there are many other options that have a greater effect on value. To me, the hardtop/post car debate is more of a tri-five Chevy thing, where a post could kill value.

 

[Runner 68]

I think if you research the numbers of each built, there were always fewer hardtops built than coupes. Does that make them more valuable? Your guess is as good as mine.

My 68 is a hardtop. Putting big HP in a hardtop has it's flaws. Many week points and a lot of body twist. The post cars are a little stronger hence the reason they make a better drag car.

 

[dodge1972]

Yes in 72 about 5500 charger were Rallye's were sold. 1972 was not a good year for charger. Typically 340 and 400, some 440 and very few 318. Just know of one 318. I own one but its in ruff shape (400 4 speed)

 

[hemihead]

I think you have that backwards . There are always less Coupes made . I have a 73 Hardtop and a Coupe and wayyy less Coupes were made in 73 .

 

[YY1]

Not to mention the potential confusion of the "29" body 73/74 SE that was actually a coupe, but coded as a fastback.

I agree post coupes were generally lower price class and fewer built.

Waters got muddy in 71, as the difference changed from body strengthening pillars to simply a fixed rear window (on 2 doors, anyway).

Let me get off track for a moment.....

Duster- no post around door window, but fixed (actually pop-out) rear window.

nova- posts around door window but roll down rear window.

Which is really a sedan or coupe?

to delve further into the tri five chevy analogy...

Not sure it applies here because for 55-57 full size gm, either there were posts around the door window, and a B pillar, or there were no posts and no B pillar.

Chrysler (after 1967 on B body) had no door window posts but a B pillar, or (after 1970 B) no door posts and no B pillar but a fixed rear window.

 

[hemihead]

68 Road Runner Coupes had a Post and Pop out windows .
My WL21 is a fixed window that Chrysler called a Coupe ( no pillar )
My WH23 is a Hardtop . They had SE's that were Hardtops also . Then the WP 29 SE's . And
they had the cars with the Square Opera type windows and I don't even know what those were .
Crazy .

 

[Bb70charger500]

Stop there's a lot of wrong info here !
The hard tops were the strip down cars the coupes were s.e. cars witch are higher option cars the hardtop looking couple is also a stripper but there were so few made there's no need to mention it.
Yes most higher end cars were hard tops but there were also couple versions. Like the rallye charger in 73-74 it was about the same production for both styles .
My preference is hard top it just looks better.
I May be wrong on this next part but I'm purity sure there were no coupes in 71-72 at all

- - - Updated - - -

Hard top


Couple
View attachment 313435

 

[super-bee_ski]

I know on my 1970 Superbee, (it is a POST car) they made fewer than the "no post".
Considerable amount less.

But, many do not like a "Post" car.

 

[YY1]

Post cars were generally cheaper if optioned the same otherwise.

Sorry BB70 you are wrong on your statement about hard tops being stripped down.

General rule is that hardtops where the upscale model and post coupes were the lower cost versions.

You will find many more coupes with manual steering, manual brakes, and/or no a/c (or all three) than hard tops.

You will find more slant six coupes. You will find more three speed coupes both column and floor.

You did illustrate my point about the confusion that ensues when you make an upscale model with fixed rear windows (even if they are opera windows) and call it a fastback, when the roof line is exactly the same as the hard top.

 

[moparmusclecars]

Agree, hardtops were generally considered the top car over the coupes. They generally also bring a little bit more money. As mentioned, many guys do not care for the coupes, but love the hard tops. BB, my coupe is not an SE car, but a rallye. Not to offend, but some of your info is incorrect, I believe.

 

[Bb70charger500]

My statement was off what I know if I'm wrong I'm wrong hell I'm only a kid ! But I stand by what I say yes in older years the hard tops were the best of the best and couple s were the poor man's car . But we're talking about 71-74 only I thought from the post . And the couple became the higher optioned car then in certain years as I stated as there were no couple s in 71-72 I believe but in 73-74 the couple was the expensive car and the hard top was the cheapest car yes hard tops can go both ways you could get the rallye package but you could also get it on the couple there was more striped down hard tops in 73-74 then there were couple s

 

[moparmusclecars]

Nothing wrong with being a kid, or being wrong. That is how we learn. We generally learn from those who have been around these cars a lot longer than ourselves. I personally learn from listening to others and taking what i can from the conversations. "then in certain years as I stated as there were no couple s in 71-72" I can assure you I now own a 1972 Rallye Charger which is an original 440, 4 speed car with a Dana 60 354 geared rear end. Its a hardtop, not a coupe (post car). I do have pics of it. I personally have seen more 72 Charger hardtops than coupes (post cars). I do know here in town of one post car that is a 72. As stated i like the hardtop a bit more. My car is suppose to be one of 165, according to Galen Govier's lil white book.

 

[moparmusclecars]

Here's my 1972 Rallye hardtop.

 

[moparmusclecars]

I think the confusion here is the years you are talking. In 73-74, yes the coupes (post cars) were the SE's generally, which of many were well optioned cars. I honestly can't say I remember looking at a two door hardtop for 73-74, but then again, I wasn't much interested in them. Here's a 73 Charger SE fairly optioned car. Since the body style changed after 72, its hard to say the 71-72 models are anything like the 73-74. Even the values are different. The 73-74 is generally lower in value than what a 71-72 will be worth. This also applies to saying a 68, 69, and 70 model Charger will be worth more than a 71 or 72. A 71 or 72 is worth more than a 73 or 74 model Charger (generally). We also need to keep in mind the engine variations can change value, also.

 

[YY1]

Here's the issue by the book-

Body code 21- fixed rear window coupe and generally a lower price class
Body code 23- roll down rear window "hardtop" and generally a higher price class
Body code 29- "fastback" and on 73/74 Chargers, used to denote SE with fixed opera windows
...and a premium price class in this case, thus creating a deviation from standard and the confusion.

My 72 SE is coded as a 29 even though it has roll down rear windows. I believe this jives with the special plug used to change the shape of the rear window, which then continued into the 73/74 SE, but with the fixed opera plug instead of the partially covered roll down on the 72 SE.

If you want the waters to get even cloudier- there were SE cars with opera window "delete" options- usually with a halo top. I don't know how the body was coded for those, but there's at least one member with one here.

The spring special alluded to above was simply a different set of plastic trim used for the "plug" on the outside that had one large squarish opening rather than three opera windows, and a corresponding interior piece.

That seems like an awful lot of work just to change the shape and function of the rear window, and at the same time create a much larger chance of corrosion and rot to set in.

 

[flypaper]

as I stated as there were no couple s in 71-72

that is incorrect
there were coupes made those years
they were stripper cars with fixed rear windows
and they were usually cheaper then the roll up window hardtop cars

 

[Bb70charger500]

Well org I said I was unsure , but I've never ever seen or heard of one . I've seen stationary window couple s in 73-74 but I've never seen any in 71-72 .
I would be interested in seeing one of anyone has any pictures.