RE: Coupe or Sedan?

["akoos@xxxxxxxx" <akoos@xxxxxxxx>]

>The absence of a B-pillar tends to mean it's a coupe.
>But it seems our own Matador is a glaring example of 
>non-conformity. The 71-73 two-door has no pillar, but 
>is called a 'two-door sedan'. The 74-78, with opera 
>windows installed, has a B-pillar (or does that not 
>count?), yet is called a 'coupe'.

Although 'true' hardtops have no 'b'-pillar and no window frames (and yes, there were plenty of 4-dr hardtops and even wagons circa '58-60), the way I always heard it was that the definition of 'hardtop' changed about '74 when 'true' hardtops fell out of favor.  Matador coupes were also known as 'hardtops' because they didn't have window frames...the hardtop definition came to refer to the 'sportiness' of having a windowless side door rather than strictly lacking a 'b'-pillar.

However, this definition means that Neons (even 4-doors), Olds Auroras, much of the Subaru line, etc. are 'hardtops'.  And that's decidedly a stretch!

I think Matador 'coupes' were called coupes because their NASCAR equivalents (Monte Carlos, etc.) were also called coupes, but I could be wrong.

I've never heard a 2-dr '71-73 Matador called a 2-dr sedan, though.  These are true hardtops.  In '67, however, there was indeed a 2-dr Rebel/Ambassador hardtop AND sedan, even though they shared a roof...one had 'b'-pillars and window frames, and the other did not.  So the lines are blurred!

Alfred Koos
Alamo AMC
San Antonio, TX
akoos@xxxxxxxx