I was checking online for 62 f-85’s and came across this thing. It’s on topclassiccarsforsale.com. Just search 62 f-85. They call it a Cutlass, but they really did a job on it. It’s hard to tell if they cut a top off a Jetfire or just swapped everything over on a Cutlass. The top looks like it has problems. I would like to see what you experts have to say about it.They never made a convertible 62 Jetfire did they? .
A 1962 and 1963 Oldsmobile Jetfire was a specific model of Oldsmobile, not an option added to a F-85. Unlike the 442, which was an option and could be ordered on a 2 door, 2 door hard top or convertible, F-85. The most unique feature of the Jetfire was the pillerless 2 door hard top, the only 2 door hardtop offered in the 1961-1963 F-85 line up.
Back when I use to search for parts on auction sites. I would run across a set of post cards of cars of the world or something like that. And in that set of artist paintings of cars of the time was a convertible 62 Jetfire. I saw that set for sale numerous times.
Yes, I have seen pictures of that red 1962 convertible many times. It is a Cutlass or even a plain F-85 trimmed out to look like a Jetfire. It is NOT a factory produced car. To the best of my knowledge, I made the first Jetfire convertible back in 1982. I still have that car today. It has been pictured in over ten books and has been in numerous articles in the past 40 years. It’s picture has appeared in cards, computer mouse pads and web sites more times than I can remember. It’ notoriety does not make it an original factory car. I have seen 4 other 1962 convertibles, including this red one, made to look like a factory produced Jetfire convertible. This picture might be the car you saw years ago. Pictures have been floating around since the mid 1980’s………….
I was restoring my mother’s’ 62 convertible in high school, in the late 70’s & 80’s. I also was tearing apart a running Jetfire ( minus the turbo) to put the neat body and trim parts on the convertible. I swapped the interior, hood, steering wheel and column, and console. The hood is the only outside part I swapped. I do not like the wide trim on the side of the Jetfire. My mother’s car had sat in the junk yard with the top down for seven years. The floors were gone and it had a dent and rust in every panel. So I replaced the floors and used about 50 lbs. of bondo on the body. I might have had you beat for the first Jetfire convertible, if I had swapped everything over. The shell of the Jetfire is setting in the woods on property I don’t own. The grill is the only part left I should go get. I still have the title for it. looking back now, it was a bad idea to tear it apart. I know they did not make a 62 convertible Jetfire. I also believe the cards I saw were made in the 60’s. I’ll let you know if I find another set. Thanks for everyone’s replies.
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