There’s weird, and then there’s weird. I’d put The Autopian’s Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet into the first category. It’s certainly strange, but as a vehicle, it’s perfectly functional and, in the right hands, even a bit capable off-road. But cars like this Trailblazer, which has had its roof and upper door frames fully removed in some sort of conversion, are just confusing. This particular example gets weirder every time you look more closely.
Custom and one-off convertible conversions are nothing new. Scour Facebook Marketplace frequently enough, and sooner or later, you’ll come across someone with enough bravery and Sawzall blades who decided their fixed-roof vehicle would be better off without all that metal above the cabin.
On the list of vehicles I’d expect people to convert into open-top roadsters, I have to admit, the Trailblazer was not even close to the top. In fact, it wasn’t even on the list. Yet, this one exists, and it’s listed for sale right now at a Nissan dealership for not that much money. I’m not sure if I should be tempted to take it on a rock-crawling adventure or stay as far away as possible.
Going by the specs alone, this Trailblazer isn’t anything remarkable. It has a healthy 172,000 miles on the clock and six previous owners. Orr Nissan Central of Oklahoma City has it listed for $7,775 on its website, paired with a generic description of a 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer, making no mention of the missing roof.
As far as the actual cut lines go, whoever did this conversion did a pretty good job of lining things up. The top of the doors line up with the back section of the car, almost as if this were a factory job. There’s still a normal back seat with two functioning rear doors, and a healthy trunk area for cargo. Look a little bit closer, though, and things get a little funky.
There’s a custom leather tonneau cover for the rear fenders, covering what is likely the remains of the cut lines. Look a little closer, and it appears there’s no soft top integrated into the SUV at all, suggesting that this thing is purely an open-top cruiser, with no means for coverage in case it starts raining. If anything, this Trailblazer can claim it has at least one thing in common with the roofless, $5-million Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Stirling Moss.
A representative for Orr Nissan Central confirmed this Trailblazer’s pure, roofless nature to me over the phone. Apparently, it came as a trade-in from a good customer of theirs who they described as “an eccentric guy” who “wanted something different.”
“He’s bought several vehicles, and was in here about a month ago—26 days to be exact,” they told me. “He had the top custom-cut on this ‘Blazer. And he’s kept the paint really nice. It’s always been garage-kept, but he was getting around on a cane, and he wasn’t able to use it. He wanted a ridiculous amount of money for it. We couldn’t give him that much money, but we settled on what we felt was fair, and we traded for the vehicle.”
Custom Chevrolet TrailBlazer Convertible Conversion
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u/Kyloz in
WeirdWheels
The dealership didn’t tell me which Nissan the previous owner bought, nor did they know who did the conversion. They did claim that it was a true one-of-one, though. While one might presume that to be true, I was able to find evidence of at least three other Trailblazers that have had their roofs fully removed. Here’s a photo from Reddit published six years ago of a tan-colored Trailblazer with no roof. And another painted in white, documented by AutoGuide when it was listed for sale back in 2010. Finally, someone published this video on YouTube three months ago of a red Trailblazer without a roof riding on 26-inch wheels.
So while this blue one isn’t totally unique, it’s at least especially rare. And aside from missing a roof, it does look to be in perfectly fine condition. The paint and wheels are in good shape, as is the cloth interior (for the mileage, anyway). There are a couple of missing interior trim bits, and other pieces that are starting to fall apart, but for the price, it’s probably one of the weirder running, driving vehicles out there.
I feel like this would be a killer adventure mobile for someone who isn’t worried about the weather. Theoretically, it should be just as good at off-roading as a normal Trailblazer, since these trucks are body-on-frame, and the roof being gone won’t affect the ladder frame’s stiffness. Our very own David Tracy took one of these trucks (without the roadster mod) off-roading and really liked how it performed.
The biggest downside (or “insanely huge catch,” see headline) is that the roof is gone. Forever. This is not a bolt-on hard-top situation, there is simply no roof available at all – hard, soft, or otherwise – unless you consider a hat to be a roof. There’s absolutely zero roll protection should you tip over. And because you’re exposed to the elements, any off-roading would mean you, your interior, and all of your stuff would quickly get covered in a thick layer of mud and/or dust. Honestly, I’d feel kinda bad off-roading this thing since it’s so special. But I think it’d be capable enough to hang with some serious metal on the trails, should you find yourself on one. With the rear doors, back seat, and cargo area, it’s only slightly more practical than the Polaris Slingshot, an open-top three-wheeler sports car classified as a motorcycle.
The dealership rep told me there’s already been some interest in the car, including a $4,000 offer from one gentleman, which they declined. Honestly, I think this Trailblazer roadster is earnestly worth around what they’re asking for it. For under eight grand, it’s a fairly attainable way to get into something that, while not particularly fast or exciting, will certainly be the most interesting thing at your local car meet. Between this and the 34 Corvettes that show up, I know which one I’d be checking out first.
Top graphic image: Orr Nissan Central
The major problem I see here is without a roof you need a dedicated garage or carport spot to protect it all the time. Also the interior does not contain weatherproof materials
They are going to regret declining that 4000 dollar offer in the en of summer when this thing is still sitting on the lot all caked in dust and bird shit.
That thing must flop around more than a politician.
If the dealership is very upfront about how unsafe it is are they fine to sell it? I mean nothing is stopping a future customer from bringing a lawsuit, it just doesn’t mean they’ll win. Seems like too big of a potential headache for a dealership.