Why are convertibles heavier than their fixed roof counterparts?

>>17503786
Because they need a mechanism to fold the roof away, and mostly because they need a shitton of additional chassis bracing not to be a complete floppy mess.

>>17503786
>make roof geometrical structural support element
>take it away
>have to put in less geometrically supportive structural support element somewhere else
>element now becomes heavier than roof

That basically, then ofcourse the mechanism to fold the roof away, like this gentleman here >>17503797 said

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Because If they flip, you kaput

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>>17503786
Because literally all the structural support has to be in the floor of the car. Not the roof, not even the doors, just the underside. The extra bracing has to be immense, since the heavy seats and driver are sitting exactly on top of this weak spot. At least with a roof you have a sturdy shell that needs relatively little strenghtening.

This is like standing on top of an I-beam/H-beam versus standing on top of a flat board. The board is going to bend considerably, but the I/H-beam with hold its shape perfectly.

I actually wonder why cars don't have T-tops any more. This gives all the room and sensation of a convertible, but keeps most of the strenght of an actual roof. Hell, even a sunroof seems immensely more spaceous than a fixed roof.

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>>17504059
>tfw no 996 Targa
I mean it's a glorified sunroof and rear glass hatch, but still.

Whoops I thought I posted this in the QTDDTOT thread. Thanks guys.

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>>17504105
This is now a convertible alternative thread. Post big sunroofs, targa tops, T-tops, and so on.

>>17504059
a T-top or targa top would qualify the car as a coupe
convertibles are exempt from the more strict rollover protection standards for the US

so much like CAFE has killed the small truck market, the NHTSA has killed T-tops through a shitty regulation

>>17504129
Corvettes are still Targa's from factory though.

But in the case of the corvette, they design with the intent of them being a convertible, instead as with most companies the convertible version is just a redesign.

The ND RF also comes to mind though in that particular case, I'd rather just have a coupe.

>>17504169
The vette is just a plastic shell not an actual body.