Since the Challenger was introduced at the North American International Auto Show In Detroit, enthusiasts have hoped and prayed for a convertible version. Drawings and edited pictures of droptop Challengers surfaced along the way, but nothing official has come from Ma Mopar, even though those “someone from Chrysler told me” rumors have kept the rumormill churning. However, Coach Builders Ltd. has come to the rescue with their own Challenger convertible, and their model shown at SEMA 2008 was dressed to the nines for the event.
Like so many other Mopars at the show, the Coach Builders convertible is finished in metallic green, with a flat black hood and trim items. The wheels are a bit much for me, and I think that they would look better on an Escalade than the Challenger, but the rest of the car is awesome. I only got to see it with the top down, so Im not sure what it looks like with the top up, but with the top down, its hard to tell that this wasn’t a factory option. The hard angled lines of the cover are more prominent than many convertibles in this area, but the addition fits the car very well. The custom interior serves to tie together the overall styling of the Challenger convertible, and the T/A style hood was a great touch.
Ive not been able to find out a conversion cost from Coach Builders Ltd, but for anyone really interested in having their Challenger turned into a vert, Coach Builders has put together a great looking option.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
Since the Challenger was introduced at the North American International Auto Show In Detroit, enthusiasts have hoped and prayed for a convertible version. Drawings and edited pictures of droptop Challengers surfaced along the way, but nothing official has come from Ma Mopar, even though those “someone from Chrysler told me” rumors have kept the rumormill churning. However, Coach Builders Ltd. has come to the rescue with their own Challenger convertible, and their model shown at SEMA 2008 was dressed to the nines for the event.
Like so many other Mopars at the show, the Coach Builders convertible is finished in metallic green, with a flat black hood and trim items. The wheels are a bit much for me, and I think that they would look better on an Escalade than the Challenger, but the rest of the car is awesome. I only got to see it with the top down, so Im not sure what it looks like with the top up, but with the top down, its hard to tell that this wasn’t a factory option. The hard angled lines of the cover are more prominent than many convertibles in this area, but the addition fits the car very well. The custom interior serves to tie together the overall styling of the Challenger convertible, and the T/A style hood was a great touch.
Ive not been able to find out a conversion cost from Coach Builders Ltd, but for anyone really interested in having their Challenger turned into a vert, Coach Builders has put together a great looking option.