Hall’s 2015 Sublime Dodge Challenger R/T Convertible!

Convertible Conversion done by: Droptop Customs by Convertible Builders, LLC

How did Hall Dodge get a 2015 Sublime Dodge Challenger R/T Convertible in the showroom if Dodge never produced one? Well, it all started with the attendees at the 2008 SEMA (Specialty Equipment Marketing Assoc.) trade show in Las Vegas who got to see first Challenger conversion, a “Snakeskin Green” convertible prototype commissioned by Chrysler. The company cited it for Design Excellence. It was exhibited in the Mopar display area with credit going to a company called Droptop Custom.

Not long after that, another conversion appeared on the March 26, 2009 episode of TLC's “Street Customs” TV show. The guys from West Coast Customs built a one-of-kind wide body Dodge Challenger R/T for Josh 'Chop' Towbin, co-owner of Towbin Dodge and star of A&E's “King of Cars”. The main highlights of the vehicle were the convertible top, which was built by Droptop Customs. It also had a full custom suspension by West Coast Customs, one-off Asanti wheels, Prototype Gibson exhaust and the custom interior.

One of Droptop Custom’s next highly visible conversions was initiated by an upstate New York Mopar dealer, Bill O’Gorman. It appeared at the 2009 SEMA show, the car was a “Deep Water Blue” Challenger R/T, owned by Mr. O’Gorman’s brother, R.W. “Bob” O’Gorman (president of the Automotive Lift Institute), the project was christened the “Project N96: Drop Top Revenge” to evoke the memory of the “Snakeskin Green” car, which, as a prototype not having a VIN number, had to be crushed after its period of legal use. Certain parts of the prototype, like a set of Foose wheels, were not covered by the crush requirement. They were salvaged and used on the Project N96 car to imply a resurrection of the prototype.

The Revenge was seen on a short TV series, Modern Hot Rodz. The series featured Convertible Builders top conversions along with Richard Petty, “The King” himself, appearing in the segment, along with California customizer George Barris and stand-up comic Charley Murphy. The show would later go on to document a collaborated build between Petty’s Garage and Droptop Custom.  It featured a very specially painted Petty Blue Convertible Challenger that has significant meaning to the rest of the story. (pic 5)

By chance in the spring of 2011, I was invited to drive my Mopar’10 Challenger down to attend the first Spring Fling Car Show at NASCAR legend Richard Petty’s Garage. It was held in his home town of Level Cross, NC where Richard Petty, the “King” was present to help in the delivery of the historic “Legacy by Petty” Challenger.

What is the “Legacy by Petty” Challenger? It is a custom Dodge Challenger build done by Petty’s Garage for the President of the Automotive Lift Institute (ALI). It was the result of more than 11 months of design and development, and the first like it done by Petty’s Garage. The car tells the story of Petty’s professional life, from his NASCAR Rookie of the Year start to his record-setting 200 race wins, and from his seven NASCAR championships to his recent work promoting lift safety. The car, named “Legacy by Petty”, is a Dodge Challenger unlike any other. First of all, it’s a convertible. Dodge doesn’t produce a stock Challenger convertible, so Petty’s Garage had Droptop Customs do the fully functional convertible conversion. This was the first convertible to come out of Petty's Garage, Richard Petty’s high-performance speed shop.             

So why is this story so important to Hall’s new Challenger Convertible? Well, after seeing the presentation of the car, I got to meet and talk with Jeff Moran owner Drop Top Customs by Convertible Builders LLC. We discussed the conversions and how he could help our dealership become the first In Virginia to make the convertible Challengers available to our customers. When I returned back to Hall Dodge, I discussed the convertible conversion with our General Manager that Droptop Convertible did and got the”OK” to send immediately a Redline 2011 Dodge Challenger SRT8 to be done!

Since then we had the 2011 done, we have had 3 more Challengers done. In 2012 we sent a new Deep Water Blue Pearl Challenger R/T. We had Droptop Custom add the twin white stripes and the white/blue Katzkin leather interior.

Next there was the 2013 Pitch Black Dodge Challenger R/T. Once the customer purchased the car he had us add the stripe and T/A Hood to make it his own!

Now we have the first new body style 2015 Dodge Challenger R/T that sports the limited first time run color since 1970, Sublime Green Pearl Coat!

Also all the convertibles that are built by Droptop Customs have come with a strut bar to support the front cradle, but new for 2015 Droptop Custom have installed the lightweight, high strength aluminum strut bar. The rear cradle also has steel bars to support and strengthen the rear strut towers. Also before the tops are removed, Droptop Custom welds steel supports to the frame under the car in several places preventing the convertible from flexing and allowing it to handle over 700hp!

The original cloth seats were also upgraded by Droptop Custom to Katzkin leather with the red embroidered R/T emblem. These seats are factory heated and cooled and are covered under the Katzkin 3 year/36,000 mile warranty.

There is a charge for transporting the vehicle back and forth to Droptop Custom’s shop, but the good thing about purchasing it new through the dealership is that all costs associated with the conversion can be financed under the new car interest rates!

Droptop Customs has also done convertible conversions to Chrysler 300s!

And Dodge Chargers! For more information about purchasing or ordering a new Challenger, Charger, Chrysler 300 or having your current vehicle converted, contact Butch Hora at 757-498-2386.    

The following is some background information about Droptop Customs:

They were originally founded in 1976 as “Coachbuilders Limited,” and have over 35 years of experience. They are proud to say that they are the oldest aftermarket convertible converter in the United States and they have designed more convertible conversions than anyone else in the world. Their resume is impressive: They have done conversions on Cadillac, Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Ferrari, Jaguar and other makes, and their masterpieces have been shipped to customers everywhere from California to Maine and farther to places like Taiwan, Saudi Arabia, Norway, Thailand, Switzerland, and Germany.

They offer a one-year, parts and labor warranty and an additional three-year warranty for mechanical parts. Contrary to what many people believe about conversions, their work does not void the vehicle’s factory warranty. Their warranty covers the areas we affect and the remaining areas are covered by the manufacturer’s factory warranty.

To make getting to know your new conversion easier, we provide operator manuals that include detailed instructions on the use and care of your new convertible top. And in case you need any parts for your conversion in the future, they maintain a full inventory of spare parts. In most cases, they can ship you your parts the day you need them! On the convertibles done for Hall, we have not had any need to order replacement parts!

Jeff Moran, Owner and President of Convertible Builders, LLC heads the design team and is quoted: “Every component in each conversion is designed for that specific model. We do not rely on outside engineering sources, nor do they copy another company’s efforts. The key to a successful design is to achieve solid, functional operation without sacrificing aesthetic lines. That is the foundation of Convertible Builders’ design experience. We are proud to offer our customers the same award-winning Dodge Challenger convertible that won the “Chrysler Design Excellence” award at SEMA 2008 as commissioned by and developed in cooperation with then Chrysler’s President and CEO, SRT Brand, Ralph Gilles.”