* 1976 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible, sold, $11,500: This was the final year for the Eldo
ragtops, and the second-to-last Caddy convertible to date (the short-lived Allant was sold from 1987-'93).
With many
ragtops these days the whole electrical roof retraction takes up a vast amount of boot space.
The proliferation of
ragtops around these days may suggest that the four-seat convertible is a new trend, but in the 1960s they were must-haves and the Herald was one of the most interesting and desirable of them all.
"We see demand for convertibles at all times, but interest in
ragtops will increase as buyers contemplate open-top motoring in warmer weather," BCA spokesman Tim Naylor says.
But an increasing number of manufacturers are joining the party as the sophistication of the latest generation of
ragtops and coupe-cabriolets generate unprecedented demand.
Gone are the days when the design police deemed the convertible a thing of the history books and in has come a raft of folding hardtops and
ragtops that take the breath away.
Thanks to improvements in build quality the days of leaky, draughty sports car roofs are all but over - and car buyers are jumping into
ragtops whatever the weather.
The reasonable rear seat remains intact and the trunk loses just five cubic feet of room, leaving more cargo space than most
ragtops.
The route is all smooth sailing on two-lane blacktop, with passing lanes on the steepest mountain roads - ideal for everything from Harleys to Winnebagos, mountain bikes to
ragtops.
This included just under 100,000 domestically built convertibles - a whopping 64 percent increase over the previous year - the best year for
ragtops since 1969.