mikemastro
Registered
I have a 78 Lincoln town car (coupe) and need a convertible top and window rubber for it. I was told that 50 cars were made as convertibles each year between 76-and 78. Does anyone know anything about them?
convertible tops
- Thread starter mikemastro
- Start date
RE: convertible tops
I know alot about them, even have a brochure on them. They were made by Andrew A. Hotton of Andy Hotton Associates in Bellvue, Michigan during 1975, 1976, 1977, 1987 & 1979. The number made per year was never disclosed, with the excetion of the final year, 1979 when 10 were made. It was available for order thru ANY American or Canadian Lincoln dealer. In 1988 (late) the company was moved to Ontario Canada, where is is today. Name was changed to AHA Manufacturing Company. Today it's under new ownership. Hotton is still alive as far as I know. The restrictions on the dealer's ordering were that said car had to be ordered without the optional rear windows defroster and without any style of vinyl roof. Also the interior optional overhead reading lamp would not be ordered, as the roof was laser beamed off. The customer was advised to order the BASE model - NOT the TOWN COUPE, but rather the Lincoln Continential COUPE, since the TOWN COUPE included opera lights & vinyl roof, both of which would be sheared off in the process, making the ordering of them a money waste. Any paint color could be had, as well as any interior color. Top colors were back, white, dark blue and light beige. There were other A.H.A. installed options, too, if you wanted them, among which was a continential kit extending the body by almost 2 feet. A Mark V style grille in place of the Lincoln Continential grille, which required add'l. front end bodywork and Special Order Paint Colors.
Pricing was as follows:
$19,895.00 for the conversion, on top of the Lincoln Continential Coupe as per your FoMoCo options Ford Factory installed.
$ 4,100.00 for Extended rear fenders & full continential kit.
$ 800.00 for Mark Style Trunk Lid with Tire Hump
(N.A. with continential kit option)
The company is STILL in business below:--
Continential Coach Division
A.H.A. Manufacturing Company Limited
5339 Maingate Drive,
Mississauga, Ontario L4W 1G6
That's the last know address. It may not be correct, BUT they ARE still in business! I have a phone # of 416-624-0306.
I'll look further for more info. They do have a parts center.
NICE CAR!
A friend had one & I drove it for a week. It did NOT have the extended fenders or continential kit, but it had the $800 Mark tire Hump trunk & the Mark front end. It also had special order paint color. It was a 1976 in 1976 Thunderbird "Lipstick Red" a NoNo on a Lincoln and white leather & white top. Man, did THAT get looks from OTHER Licoln owners!!!
I also once saw a sky blue one with double white.
Steve at baker's might help > sales@bakersauto.com
Your roof (material & frame are from any 1971/1972/1973 Ford LTD Convertible, by the way!
Okay....did the research in 2 minutes!
Melvin Stein now owns the company.
AHA Automotive DesignE
11 Vanley Crescent
Toronto, Ontario Canada M3J2B7
Tele: 416- 633-8988
He has parts!!
Good Luck !! HeII of a car, 'ya got there!
I know alot about them, even have a brochure on them. They were made by Andrew A. Hotton of Andy Hotton Associates in Bellvue, Michigan during 1975, 1976, 1977, 1987 & 1979. The number made per year was never disclosed, with the excetion of the final year, 1979 when 10 were made. It was available for order thru ANY American or Canadian Lincoln dealer. In 1988 (late) the company was moved to Ontario Canada, where is is today. Name was changed to AHA Manufacturing Company. Today it's under new ownership. Hotton is still alive as far as I know. The restrictions on the dealer's ordering were that said car had to be ordered without the optional rear windows defroster and without any style of vinyl roof. Also the interior optional overhead reading lamp would not be ordered, as the roof was laser beamed off. The customer was advised to order the BASE model - NOT the TOWN COUPE, but rather the Lincoln Continential COUPE, since the TOWN COUPE included opera lights & vinyl roof, both of which would be sheared off in the process, making the ordering of them a money waste. Any paint color could be had, as well as any interior color. Top colors were back, white, dark blue and light beige. There were other A.H.A. installed options, too, if you wanted them, among which was a continential kit extending the body by almost 2 feet. A Mark V style grille in place of the Lincoln Continential grille, which required add'l. front end bodywork and Special Order Paint Colors.
Pricing was as follows:
$19,895.00 for the conversion, on top of the Lincoln Continential Coupe as per your FoMoCo options Ford Factory installed.
$ 4,100.00 for Extended rear fenders & full continential kit.
$ 800.00 for Mark Style Trunk Lid with Tire Hump
(N.A. with continential kit option)
The company is STILL in business below:--
Continential Coach Division
A.H.A. Manufacturing Company Limited
5339 Maingate Drive,
Mississauga, Ontario L4W 1G6
That's the last know address. It may not be correct, BUT they ARE still in business! I have a phone # of 416-624-0306.
I'll look further for more info. They do have a parts center.
NICE CAR!
A friend had one & I drove it for a week. It did NOT have the extended fenders or continential kit, but it had the $800 Mark tire Hump trunk & the Mark front end. It also had special order paint color. It was a 1976 in 1976 Thunderbird "Lipstick Red" a NoNo on a Lincoln and white leather & white top. Man, did THAT get looks from OTHER Licoln owners!!!
I also once saw a sky blue one with double white.
Steve at baker's might help > sales@bakersauto.com
Your roof (material & frame are from any 1971/1972/1973 Ford LTD Convertible, by the way!
Okay....did the research in 2 minutes!
Melvin Stein now owns the company.
AHA Automotive DesignE
11 Vanley Crescent
Toronto, Ontario Canada M3J2B7
Tele: 416- 633-8988
He has parts!!
Good Luck !! HeII of a car, 'ya got there!
RE: convertible tops
Sandy, your knowledge is INCREDIBLE!!!
Happy to hear that all is good with "Greenkin" and that your trip went well. I'm waiting for the '04 TCs to come out and hoping to get a better deal on the '03 that my wife wants so badly. Checked with my dealer and I'd take too much of a beating trading the '02 in on an '03 now. I'll keep you posted.
Sandy, your knowledge is INCREDIBLE!!!
Happy to hear that all is good with "Greenkin" and that your trip went well. I'm waiting for the '04 TCs to come out and hoping to get a better deal on the '03 that my wife wants so badly. Checked with my dealer and I'd take too much of a beating trading the '02 in on an '03 now. I'll keep you posted.