quadgoat

iTrader: (1)

Ok, I have been thinking about my car a lot (pretty much all I can do being stuck in NY at college when my car is in ME ). There is one thing I do not like about my car. It is a hardtop. I love my new 350 (still tuning it) and the T-56 is the best thing in the world that I could have done. The car is in decent shape, not much rust and the body is quite straight. The interior needs some help, but not as bad as some. The one thing I wish is that it had T-tops. I know they tend to leak, but they shouldn't be too bad with new seals right? I am toying with the idea of getting a complete rolling chassis with t-tops sans motor and tranny and dropping my powertrain into it. So far on my car I've put the new motor and tranny in, redone the entire front end (poly bushings, brakes, ball joints, tie rods, the whole shooting match) installed line lock and put a 120 MPH cluster and a new used headliner in. What are your opinions, would I be throwing a lot away if I did this? Are t-top cars really THAT weak even with subframe connectors? Let me know some opinions, call me a moron if you want to I don't care, but I'd like some people's thoughts and maybe even some past experience! Thanks so much in advance!!

-Paul

85SportCoupeto89RS

I'd go for it. I dont care what anyone else says but you dont see that many cars with removable tops. In the summer they are cool to have and in the winter they kinda suck cause you cant drive around with them off. Heck, i'm going all out and making a t'top car into a targa top car.

quadgoat

iTrader: (1)

cool....targas are sweet!! I sure wish there was an easy way to convert my car to t-tops so that I wouldn't have to swap all my new parts over onto a different car. More opinions?

-Paul

LT1guy

iTrader: (1)

If you can find a good rust free t-top bodyshell, that would be the best way to do it, unless you're pretty skilled with a welder and metalworking.

T-top cars are weaker, but once the SFCs go in, there's very little difference in stiffness.

MdFormula350

if you like your car, keep it a hard top.

if you want a t-top thirdgen then try and find a nice rolling chassis and transfer parts.

91Firebirder

I'd say go for it. I have aftermarket T-tops in my 1991 Firebird and I love them. Alot better than the hard top. It is unbelievably nicer to drive around in the summer with the tops out then with jsut the windows down.

Sickness91Z28

iTrader: (1)

Personally..I love t-tops...they are soo fun in the summer time. My old 84 Z28 had them..great in the summer. Now..my new 91 Z28 dosen't cause it was the 5.7 L98....which I love..but...I REALLY don't think I'd take my 91 and put aftermarket t-tops in it. But...you can do whatever you want since it's your car..it's cool man.

quadgoat

iTrader: (1)

91Firebirder, what do you mean by aftermarket? Did a company do it for you, or did you do it? 84CustomZ28, yeah, I'm quite undecided on what I want to do (that's why I started this thread lol) I'm really not sure if t's make sense with the kind of power I'm going to be puttiing out once my new motor is completely tuned, but man, I love them. Maybe I should just enjoy them in my dad's '00 TA and keep my '84 a hardtop...I just don't know...keep the opinions coming!!

-Paul

Cliff92Z

I have a 92Z with t-tops and i absolutely love them. The integrity of the strcuture may not be as strong but there are mods you can do to fix that.

I really like the option of taking the tops off when the weather is nice and cruising. When I was dating my wife, she always wanted to ride when I had the tops off. So if you're single, the gals like it

At night , you can look up into sky and see the beautiful moon and stars shining down into your car as you....yeah, yeah, yeah.

You've got to drive one and see for yourself. I haven't met a person who didn't like it.

quadgoat

iTrader: (1)

Oh, I know I LOVE t-tops, I love them on my dad's '00 TA and I like them a lot better than a convertible (Had a '69 GTO convertible) I just need some help figuring out if it's worth the effort of either grafting a t-top roof onto my car or getting a t-top body shell and transferring all my work over to it. Thanks for the opinions so far guys! keep 'em coming!

-Paul

quadgoat

iTrader: (1)

Also, I'm generally curious to see if anyone here on the boards has done a t-top conversion? I've searched and searched and read a lot of posts on how it's not worth it, but has anyone actually done it? (chopping the roof off, and grafting a t-top one on) Just curious....

-Paul

waltersb

Wouldn't you just cut out the hole for the t-tops and go from there?

Rather than an entire roof? either way it's a crap load of body work....

I dunno if there's extra bracing or what on the inside bcause the amount of roof you have left for the windshield and rear hatch are minimal...

quadgoat

iTrader: (1)

Yeah it's a lot of bodywork, and the roofs are different, unlike on the 4th gens where just the skin over the roof is different. The 3rd gens (from what I understand) actually have a different roof, so that the t-top roof has a stronger bar down the middle than does the hardtop roof, please correct me if I'm wrong though. Whether I get a body shell and transfer my parts over or I do actually convert the body I have now it'd still be a lot of work. I'm tryin to figure out if it's worth it or not...I love t-tops though

-Paul

waltersb

well the bar down the middle (between the t-tops) is an add on..

it comes off...

think it would be easier and probably look better to get a t-top shell...

WillWood

Go with t-tops, in the summer they are removable.

85SportCoupeto89RS

Changing a hard top car to a t'top car is one of the most difficult jobs to do on a 3rd gen. Markskittscustoms or something like that does it all the time, 1500.00 to just cut you roof and put a t'top one on. It goes all the way up to 7,000.00 to do the top sand, body work, and paint. If you think your up for the job then go for it, if not I would rather get a t'top car or have the pros do it.Better than destroying 2 fbodys.
On a side note I think someone in my area did do a t'top swap to a 3rd gen. There was a t'top fire bird that had its roof choped off one day at the junk yard that I frequent. I wish I knew who was using that roof, eh oh well I guess.

quadgoat

iTrader: (1)

yeah, there is a removable bar, but I believe that the actual structure of the roof framework is different, does anybody know for sure?

I'm quite aware of that, I've spent more than a few minutes admiring the work they do at Mark's Custom Kits, not that I'd want a KITT replica, but they do have some nice stuff going on there. I have virtually no bodyworking skills as I've never done any bodywork. I would not consider trying to swap tops myself, but I am considering discussing it with our bodyman when I'm home for the summer and see what he thinks about it. I kinda doubt I'd do it, but swapping all my work over to a new shell is a lot of work too so......

Thanks for the continued input, keep it coming!!!!!

-Paul

85SportCoupeto89RS

I know for sure that the t'top roof is different from a hard top roof. I looked for a long time at the roof's of hard top camaro's in the j/y and the top in my 82 Z.

waltersb

In that case I would cut it out, and add the necessary structure... that way you don't affect the rest of the skin of the outside of the car messing up the outside body work (which is where the expensive part of fixing it is )

But I'd still just get a different body and transplant...

quadgoat

iTrader: (1)

Ok, well thanks for all your input guys. I'm still undecided, but I think if I do anything it'll probably be with the car I have. I'm kind of doubting I'll get into it, but I am going to talk to our body man about it. If I do go through with it I will make sure and get lots of pics!!!! Thanks again guys!

-Paul

Confuzed1

iTrader: (4)

Well I gotta be honest. The way the interior rattles in these thirdgens, you may as well enjoy the sqeaking of the T-tops too!!

Seriously, if you play with the seals long enough, they won't leak....unless you spray water directly at the seal...then, hoooboy! Bust out the buckets and sponges!!

BIG_MODS

iTrader: (9)

I'm going to be the odd ball here, but I hate my t-tops. They leak water and air. The seals look to be perfect on the roof but water still makes it in the car. I wish I had the hard top b/c it is lighter, stiffer, looks better, won't look silly with a cage, and WON'T LEAK!aghhh I'm tired of a wet **** everytime it rains! I'm doing the whole debate between switching parts with another car or install a hard-top roof or sell the dang thing.

camarogirl18

iTrader: (2)

i say go for it on the ttops i wish mine had it

BirdsofPray

I hear this a lot, and honestly it doesn't have to be like this. If you have good weatherstripping and install it correctly - they will not leak. It's as simple as that.

The tops on my car leaked a bit when I first bought it earlier this year, but after buying some replacement weatherstripping and spending a few hours working on it they are completely sealed. Now, mind you, I had help from someone who does this sort of thing often. And it's really not terribly expensive to repair. All told this cost me around $150.

mikesz1984

It all depends on what you are going to do with the car, if you are going to be racing it all of the time stay with a hard top, but if you are in to driving around alot, go with the t-tops. I have owned a hard top and my present car is a t-top, i like both car equally, but the hard top i raced, the t-top car i like just taking the top out and driving around in.

ddn69

Ya from what I hear it would prolly be a big Pain to install t tops on a non t-top 3rd gen. The thing you to think of too is....Is the roller car your getting as good as your car. As far as rust, etc etc...Ive got a 1983 T/A with t tops. Ill sell it to you. Its in the classifieds!

LUVmy92

Riding in my Camaro with the tops out on a beautiful day is like therapy. You dont have anywhere to go but you drive around anyway! If this is gonna cost you close to 5 to 7 grand might as well buy a used T/A or Z it really depends on how much you love that exact car. Good luck , hope you can pop the tops soon!

chevypower

I checked into this a while back. Three bodyshops here (Panama City, Fl) told me that they had to replace the whole top if I wanted any type of warrenty at all. One said that he would only do a whole top swap. I asked about them doing two cars at the same tima, A '93 Camaro and a '91 RS. It was going to cost about $3500 a car. So I decided againest it, around here you can get you can get a mint 3ed gen with low mileage for $3500 and under, usually a good bit under.

frmns87

Here's another look at it. Do you burn easily? I'm redheaded, so I can get sunburns in no time. I found for that reason alone I only had my tops off maybe 5 times the entire summer this year. I originally bought the car because of the t-tops, but since I don't feel like putting sunscreen on whenever I want to drive my car topless, I only took them off on overcast days! The SC is for sale now anyways, I reciently bought a hardtop Z! Man, I hope I don't regret goin hardtop... and now that I'm thinking about it I think I will... dammit!

19doug90

Thats definitly a good point im thinking if i had ended up going with a t-top (which i wanted too but the car i bought instead was just too nice to pass up) i probably would have gotten burned really badly a couple times. Although i think one of the greatest things in the world would be on a warm summers night popping off the t's and going for a ride.

frmns87

yea those night rides will be missed, and being able to look up and see the stars is definately a plus (whether tops are on or off!) but I do know I burned myself badly on my face and scalp (buzzed/practically bald head) because the tops were off on several occasions. I should have bought a hat!

Daishi

To put is lightly, I would NOT have bought my car if it wasn't T-Tops

19doug90

HAHA where in BC do you live?!?! Sure hope you bought some sfc's for that car because it rains 8 days a week out there and ive heard too many stories about leaky T's

nolanr0413

i hate t-tops , they look like crap, they make the body weak , they leak . THey are the stupidest idea gm came out with . You have a nice looking car and then you go and cut most of the top off. It looks like such crap . If you have a nice color car then if you have t tops you have a nice looking car with tha stupid black roof. i wouldnt have bought my car if it had t tops.

FruityOne

Nolan, personally I love T-tops. Yes, they have their pitfalls. Its not hard to fix them though.

When I got my car, it leaked real bad on the passenger side. I played with the seals a bit, and started to made a few adjustments and now they are almost never leak. You'd have to take a hose and turn it on full blast, pointing to the area it used to leak from before you even get a drop of water in the interior.

To me, a thirdgen lacks something if it doesn't have T-tops. Its just my opinion.

CaysE

OK, let's see.. My first Camaro was a hard top and my current Camaro has T-tops. Surprisingly, my t-tops don't leak (though everything else does). They do make more noise than a hardtop car, especially in the cold. All in all though, I like the t-tops on my car more than the hardtop.

The color thing has always been an issue with me. I always see people with t-tops with a red, white, yellow, blue, green... any color really, and they leave the t-top strip above the windows black. I've seen only one car on this website with color matched t-tops (just the strip, not the whole thing). I don't know why more people don't do this.

My car is black, so I think t-tops are perfect for it. If I had a different color car, I probably would go with hardtop, because it looks smoother and you get more rigidity out of the body.

Anyway, if you want t-tops, swap everything into a t-top car, and you MUST get subframe connectors with the power you'd be putting out. It would cost less to buy a nice rolling chassis than to get t-tops put in your car.

FruityOne

When I finally repaint my car the A-pillars are going flat black to match the color of the T-tops. You see 4th gens like this, and there are a few other thirdgens out there with this little touch.

Daishi

Ha ha... Oh isn't it the truth tho. Guess I'm just not used to our crap weather, I moved here 5 years ago. No SFC's yet.. But yes I do NEED them. The car isn't even on the road yet. So I've got plenty of time to get them... 8 days a week.. Its funny cause its true

BLURR

If my car wasnt a rare 91 350 Trans Am I'd put a t-top roof on it.

19doug90

i was out in vancouver last x-mas break and i remember going to the weather network and getting the weekly forecast and it was right along the lines of monday-rain tuesday-rain wednesday-rain thursday-rain friday-rain saturday-rain sunday-rain....they were predicting rain for every day of the week. Couldnt see t-tops doing too good out there, best of luck keeping your self dry

metalhead212121

I dont know if its been mentioned but the guy on here Fatal88(?) did a hard-top TO t-top TO convertable top on his f-body. So if theres ONE person to talk to about something like this...it would be him. Hope this gives you some more insite on what you wanna do.

Dan

Layne

I live in So. California, so rain isn't a big factor with leaks. Then again, going through a car wash the other day, this fifteen year old body started leaking for the first time. So eventually, new rubber weatherstripping will be needed. But as long as you get SFC's, and get t-top sunshades for days when it's too bright, the flexibility and option of the T-Tops is great. Now the only other problem is where to put them while you're driving , especially if you have a stupid f'ck#ng trunk motor which is useless and no longer works and has left your trunk inoperable (why why why did our cars have this???)

quadgoat

iTrader: (1)

Well, I'm bringing this one back to life because I'm really thinking about this again. I really think if I can find someone willing and competent to do the job that a conversion could come out all right. I figure if I have good SFCs installed that I'll be okay structurally and assuming all the measurements are done precisely I should be able to get the t's sealed up fairly well. I keep going back and forth on this one, but MAN I LOVE T-TOPS lol oh well...I'm going to try to talk to some bodyshops I know at home over Christmas break and see what they think. Maybe I'll have to take a trip to Florida and have MarksCustomKits do the conversion for me hehehe

-Paul

Agent13

iTrader: (6)

There has to be somewhere better that Marks. That is alot of money for t-tops. But t-tops rule all and both my cars have them (82 has them aftermarket by C&C) so I'd find someway to convert.

quadgoat

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, I'm hoping to find a cheaper alternative, but we'll see

jpk91rs

You will come out cheaper if you buy a rolling chassis. I know it is a lot of work to swap everything over, but it will be better if you buy a t-top car. Another possibility is, why not buy another 3rd gen with t-tops and keep your existing car also. You can pick up a clean, running car for less than the conversion will cost. Just my 2 cents.
:rockon: :rockon:



PS: Both my 3rd gen and 4th gen f-bodies have t-tops and I would not have it any other way. That is why I bought my cars, for the t-tops.

MrDude_1

step1: get sawzall
step2: cut roof off car
step3: enjoy new convertible.

hockeyplyr70

I wouldnt get t-tops they will start to leak, eventually, once that happens the car will start to smell musty. It ****s up the whole interior. Im not sure if its lighter with t-tops, (with the glass)
But as long as you like your disicion thats fine
Good luck

BlueAlice91bird

Here's a thought that I've had, whether or not it's do-able or even a good idea I don't know. But I've always thought it would be sweet to get an old set of tops bust out the glass and replace it with maybe a fiberglass insert instead, then match it to your car. This is just for streeting, that way if you felt like glass one day, throw'em on, feel like solids, throw'em on, or ya know go with nothing. I guess for those that like to complain about no place to put them this wouldn't be the best thing. Just thought it might look smooth matched.

By the way, it is a pain when you live somewhere it rains constantly to have poorly sealed T-tops!

MrDude_1

id like to point out....


convertibles dont leak.

ttops do.