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Concept Vehicle - 2024 Lightning Convertible - Clamshell Hardtop

MudDog

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As soon as I get my design finalized Ill post it.
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MudDog

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If your not familiar with ClamShell Operations there are several current vehicles using it. A good example is the BMW 4 Series. At this time there is no current production truck having a convertible top.
 

LightningShow

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OK, that would be something.
 

kdkool

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BMW (as do other manufacturers) add a good bit of structural reinforcement to support the missing roof (BMW F83 4series convertibles are ~500lbs heavier than the coupe counterpart w/ the added reinforcements). Even with all that, the body still flexes noticebly more than that of the coupe. There'd be no chance I'd trust my life (or my family) with such a concoction.
 

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corradoborg

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I love convertibles and I love trucks. Not sure the two should ever be the same vehicle, though.

A clamshell top for a supercrew cab is going to be huge and unwieldy. It'll also take up almost the entirety of the bed when it's down, but I guess you'd just put the top up when hauling.

Structural integrity might be better on the next gen Lightning BEV with the dedicated EV platform. That'll probably have a structural battery pack.
 

astricklin

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I love convertibles and I love trucks. Not sure the two should ever be the same vehicle, though.

A clamshell top for a supercrew cab is going to be huge and unwieldy. It'll also take up almost the entirety of the bed when it's down, but I guess you'd just put the top up when hauling.

Structural integrity might be better on the next gen Lightning BEV with the dedicated EV platform. That'll probably have a structural battery pack.
With a body on frame, unfortunately I don't think the battery is going to help the body stiffness that much. They would still need to do a lot of reinforcement in the cab itself.
 

corradoborg

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With a body on frame, unfortunately I don't think the battery is going to help the body stiffness that much. They would still need to do a lot of reinforcement in the cab itself.
The frame is the structural member, and would only be stronger with a structural battery. They would do some stiffening of the cab, and include a roll bar as @MudDog has done. But I realized after my earlier response that removing the roof really doesn't affect the vehicle much in a pickup. The cab only has to support its own weight and that of the passengers. It's not like a sedan where the roof adds to the stiffness of the frame (or, in most modern cars, IS part of the frame).
 

vandy1981

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Looks like ford beat you to that design (turn off audio and take some Dramamine before watching the video).
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