The first automobiles were reflections of horse-drawn buggies, little more than four wheels under planks also known as a buckboard, and embodied all the comforts that one could imagine in such a primitive contraption. Others soon followed and as automobiles proliferated and prices became more affordable, the open-top option receded in favor of practicality. Early convertible tops were crude folding devices and offered little respite from noise and wind, but they did keep the sun and rain mostly at bay. As wealthier clientele gravitated toward drop-top motoring, less cumbersome mechanisms became commonplace, and power tops eventually came into being. It seems we've seen the apex of the ragtop, and retractable hard tops are once again burgeoning.

Source: Daily Sun September 06, 2016 22:52 UTC