BadBowTie

I just wanted to get everyones opinion on T-Tops. Love 'em or hate 'em, just curious, and why. Just for the record, I love my T-Tops, and when, or if, I buy/build a hi performance f-body I will do what ever it takes to have T-Tops in the car

------------------
'86 Camaro SC 2.8 V6, 5spd, T-Tops
Bone Stock, except for:

(Performance)
Flowmaster cat back exhaust

(Non-Performance)
Pioneer DEH-P4000 head unit
Pioneer 6X9 Tri-Ax speakers
Jensen 8" dual voice coil sub
Blacked out tail lights and side markers (VHT
Nightshades spray tint)

(Hopefully these lists will grow quickly)

I like to think of it as a empty canvas

3

David M

Hate 'em!!! They leak, rattle, and bake the interior. Go all the way and get a convertible. Just my .02 worth.

jobryan26

I love my T-tops even though they leak, but hope to soon have them fixed soon. There's nothing like driving at night during the summer with the T-tops out and jamming to Foo Fighters-Everlong!

------------------
'87 Trans Am:
(Engine)
305 TPI
180 Degree Thermostat
JET Fan Switch
TB Bypass
Accel 300+ 8.8 Racing Wires
Accel Super Coil
Bosch Platinium Plugs
Custom Ram Air with K&N
Removed Emissions Equipment & Cat.
(Stereo)
Full Kenwood Excelon System

EvilCartman

iTrader: (1)

Love'em but get this, I've never driven with them off in the year and a half I've owned the car! Waiting on a new headliner before I do

purpleworm

I love mine...I drive with them out all the time. I wouldn't own a car without them. I am the other way with a convert. I wouldn't touch one with a 10' pole. They are totally impractical for me because they can be broken into way to easy!!! I have the best of both worlds if you don't mind a little dampness every now and then.

------------------
91 Z28 Camaro
305 TPI
Flowmaster 3" exhaust
700R4 with 2000 Stall and shift kit
One sweet sounding system

cbpldc

Have 'em and I love 'em. They take 2 minutes to pull out and I still have almost the rigidity of a hardtop with the wind in your hair feeling.

I don't know what the deal is with you people. I have had my car in the rain 2 times and in the car wash too many times to count and have never gotten anything in my interior wet. Mine have never rattled or leaked, so I guess I get the best of both worlds. :P

Chris

jayman350

Love them! They only leak when i am in the car wash(not really a problem now that spring is here cause I will wash it by hand) Can't wait for some more warm weather to take them off again.
woo hoo 69th post!!!
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Jay

black 85 Z28, t-tops, 4bbl carb, flowmaster 80 series muffler w/ custom tips (hollowed out cat), edelbrock chrome air cleaner, Infinity 4" 2 way front speakers and Infinity 3 way 6x9s, Alpine CDA-7863 head unit. many more mods planned (holley carb 4160 and edelbrock performer intake coming very soon)
Jay's webpage

[This message has been edited by jayman350 (edited April 25, 2001).]

Nightcruzer

I love the driving experience with the t-tops off, but I would trade them in a half a heartbeat for the convenience of a convert.

burntblues

I'm mixed about it... Now that I'm broke from having them repaired I like the idea. Now that I'm broke from having them fixed I hate them since I have no money for anything else...

Mike

PAformula

iTrader: (1)

Love 'em, just wish I could find a better set to replace mine. Lexan doesn't last as log as glass. If anyone has a set of lexan tops in good cond. let me know!


------------------
1989 FIREBIRD FORMULA 350
K&N, ACCEL CAP & ROTOR,
FLOWMASTER AMERICAN THUNDER CAT-BACK

dnovotny

Hate them. No, they don't leak. But they rattle, and have less rigidity than a hard top (even with my KB SFCs). This flexing causes tons of rattles over time. Also, handling is sacrificed due to flex (I have half of the suspension mods on my GTA, but it already handles better).

I just recently bought a '91 GTA with a hardtop to replace my '91 T/A (bought it new). I will never buy a t-top car again. So, I'll be stuck buying a '99 Formula instead of T/A. And non t-top 3rd/4th gens are very hard to find.

Dave

Dumperbird

Gotta love the T-tops! They just screem F-BODY! Yeah other $#!^^y cars got them but how many are still here? You just have to ignore the bad! If they leak or rattle- weather stripping, if they bake your car get the inserts, if you car flexes - sub frame connectors! Its all damn well worth it to drive! Plus its stuff you sould do anyway!

------------------
You put Mt. Dew in the gas tank!?!

Wow, look at it go!

Karps TA

iTrader: (2)

I would not buy an F-body without T-Tops. They are a big part of why the car is so enjoyable to drive. That said my TA is not my daily driver, and I may have a different opinion if it was.

------------------
1985 ASCD Ram Air Trans Am
Readers Ride at https://www.thirdgen.org/rides/index...ew&rideid=1067

-=ICON Motorsports=-

" I get drunk, I race cars and I fondle women. But... I have weekends off and I am my own boss"

EvilCartman

iTrader: (1)

Ok, just went for a drive with mine off for the first time.... me like

Mo

like em, have no probs with them either, but they don't come off very often cause I have no where to put them

------------------
90 IROC 5.7l (L98)
ram air, K&N's, air foil,Flows

LIKE A ROC

Christos

Thats funny. I love my set, but i hardly take it off. I like the way it makes the car look, plus, every chick who has been in my car has totally dug being able to look up at the sky, or stars while im driving.

good stuff!

------------------
1986 IROC Camaro
305 TPI "LB9"
3.23 gears
Doesn't know enough about cars.
AIM: jesusathome

86NiteRider

iTrader: (10)

LOVE 'EM. THE ONLY WAY TO GO. MINE DON'T LEAK, EXCEPT WHEN THE POWER CAR WASHES AND I WILL NOT BE IN THOSE NOW THAT IT IS SUMMER. NEVER DRIVING MY CAMARO IN THE WINTER AGAIN ANYWAY. NO RATTLES AT ALL, PLUS THEY ARE GLASS. IF IT GETS HOT ON THE INSIDE THAT MEANS I SHOULD NOT HAVE THE TOPS ON CAUSE IT IS HOT OUTSIDE SO I TAKE THEM OFF AT THIS POINT. INSTANT ATTENTION WHEN THEY ARE OFF. HAD A '69 PACE CAR CONVERT. I THINK IT GOT STOLEN BECAUSE OOF THE RAG TOP. ALARMS WERE NOT AS GOOD THEN, I GOT A MICRO WAVE SENSOR SO I CAN LEAVE THE TOPS OFF IF I WANT.I JUST LOVE THEM. ANY CAR COMES IN HARD TOP, HOW MANY MUSCLE CARS HAVE T TOPS. IMAGINE THE 5TH GEN WITH NO TEES AND FRONT WHEEL DRIVE. UGHHH. GOT TO HAVE THE TOPS OFF THIS WEEKEND BECAUSE IT IS GOING TO BE 80 DEGREES.

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86 Camaro Black SS Coupe, T Tops, Flowmaster, Custom Paint, Dunlop Road Kings S/R tires, Wheel Country Directional Chrome Wheels, New Leather seats, new carpet and headliner, complete front end suspension rebuild, new Valve seals, and more mods to come

AmorgetRS

iTrader: (6)

I would never buy a car w/o t-tops or a drop top. My t-tops do rattle and I have some weird leak (don't think its my t-tops but is caused by them), but when they come off... which is every day its actually in the 60, some days in the 50s, once in the 30s.... but if its not raining and there is sun chances are they will come off.. well, that makes up from every time they creak or rattle or any body stiffeness problems. T-tops turn peoples heads the same as a convertible on the same day.
Just to show how much I love t-tops I have the option of sometimes driving a 3000 GT VR4 over my V-6 Firebird and if the day is nice it isn't even an option, I will take the Firebird for the only reason it has t-tops. Heck, even my dad wishes it had t-tops!

To sum it up, only reason I bought an F-Body!

CanadianCamaro

I too have T-Tops & love them. They leak like crazy, or atleast until yesterday when i calked the ***** out of them, but I wouldn't trade them for anything not even a convertible. If it wasn't a T-Top F-body, it would be a T-Top Monte or the like

colinfinkle

You have to have T-tops in any performance car, if it is not a convertabe. Let's face it, Camaro's hate the snow! Summer is where it's at for them!!! I will blow by you guys in the hard tops, with the wind in my hair. If you are not fanning yourself profusely, you have air conditioning that steals about 10 hp. Either way, I am still blowing by any hard top!!! (Plus the convertables, although rare, are aerodynamically unstable)

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Colin Finkle
87 Sport Coupe Camaro, 5.0 L V8

Snuffit

Hello. ive got t-tops also. and i love em they dont leak rattle or anything for me! plus i love taking them off after school and making the mad dash to work with my g/f (i get half a hour to go 44 miles think thats doing the speed limit? .. hey anyone else notice with the tops out that big back glass seems like a parachute?
Snuffit

Sean

My Camaro was the first car i bought with t-tops. I love t-tops!!!! 2 secs to take them off and 2 secs to put them back on!! Beats the crap outta a/c on a hot day!!! They are just great!!!!!!!

Reno

I just bought a Formula with T-tops, but haven't gone to pick it up yet (about 200 miles away, and everyone is too busy with finals right now). Every day I see the beutiful sun and perfect air, and I get a little more impatient to get my hand on them! I can't wait!!

-Reno

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89 Formula

lukerene

l just bought a 82 / Z28 t top,,, in AUSTRALIA,,,car has 62,000 miles,,,,, aint taken delivery yet,,,,next week,,,, hope it dont leak,,,, the car looks like new,,,will it leak and which parts dont seal ,,,got to look into this,,,, this is new to me,,,,,i need all the help i can get,,,,,constructive critics please contact me ,,,,steve

baseman

oops,hit wrong key and submitted original post again.Love my t-tops even tho it does leak a little when washed. Anyone know if and where you can get parts for t-tops. I have the weather strip kit for them but see that the moulding or plastic trim has small cracks and enlarged screw holes. GM parts guy says they dont sell t-top parts, you have to buy the whole thing. sorry if this message gets screwed up,first posting on this board and am not a computer whiz.

[This message has been edited by baseman (edited April 27, 2001).]

BadBowTie

OK, it's sunny and 75 here today, and I've been driving around all morning with the tops off. Unfortunatly I have to go to work in about a half an hour.

When I originaly posted this question I had hoped to get feed back from both points of veiw, So I could better understand why some one would want a car without T-Tops. (I do understand from an all out performance aspect you can only go so far before you have to do some major work to a T-Top car to hold it together) The hardtop guys seem to have avoided this one. (I've seen them make remarks in other threads, but only a few have here)

To me nothing says GM more than T-tops. GM introduced America to T-Tops with the '68 Corvette, then expanded it with a select few late 2ndgen f-bodys, then went full on with the 3rdgen f-body, as the C-4 Corvette went to the European Targa style top, and along the way the G-bodies (Monte Carlo, Cutlass, Grand Prix, and Regal) joined in. Sure the Blue Oval boys gave it a try with the Mustang, (you can't really blame them for giving up, after having that many cars fold in half, I would have given up as well) and even the Mopar camp gave it a try with the Daytona, (I just couldn't bring myself to put IROC in front of that name) But when all the dust settled after the 80's, it was still GM producing pop-top cars with the 4thgen f-bodies, and the C-5 Corvette. I always have had respect for the guy who is the first to the party and the last to leave.

Anyway, on a Sunny day with the Tops popped, my plain jane Camaro SC gets just as many looks, and smiles, as a hardtop RS or Z (I'm sure the canary yellow paint helps too )

Just in case you haven't figured it out yet, I love T-Tops. I can't wait until my brother gets his '86 Olds 442 finished and we can hit the local cruise nights together, with the tops popped of course

------------------
'86 Camaro SC 2.8 V6, 5spd, T-Tops
Bone Stock, except for:

(Performance)
Flowmaster cat back exhaust

(Non-Performance)
Pioneer DEH-P4000 head unit
Pioneer 6X9 Tri-Ax speakers
Jensen 8" dual voice coil sub
Blacked out tail lights and side markers (VHT
Nightshades spray tint)

(Hopefully these lists will grow quickly)

I like to think of it as a empty canvas

3

[This message has been edited by BadBowTie (edited April 27, 2001).]

Jza

nm

[This message has been edited by Jza (edited April 27, 2001).]

BadBowTie

Just to give you an idea of how much I love T-Tops, When I bought this car, it came down to two cars for the money I had to spend. My '86 Camaro SC, 2.8, 5spd, w/t-tops, won out over a '91 RS, 305TB, Auto, HARDTOP. There were other considerations as well, like mileage, and interior/exterior condition, but if the RS would have had T-Tops I would have forgone the high mileage, and poor interior/exterior condition, and it would have been the perfect project car. But, it didn't so I bought the one with T-tops, and I am having a blast

------------------
'86 Camaro SC 2.8 V6, 5spd, T-Tops
Bone Stock, except for:

(Performance)
Flowmaster cat back exhaust

(Non-Performance)
Pioneer DEH-P4000 head unit
Pioneer 6X9 Tri-Ax speakers
Jensen 8" dual voice coil sub
Blacked out tail lights and side markers (VHT
Nightshades spray tint)

(Hopefully these lists will grow quickly)

I like to think of it as a empty canvas

3

scottmoyer

I never had issues where leaks or rattles were a problem on my past Camaros. If they rattled, they were either adjusted too tight, or not tight enough. As far as adjusting them tighter to stop the leaks, it ain't gonna happen. Chevrolet has this posted on their Camaro FAQ section...Q. Is it okay to take my Camaro through high-pressure "touchless" car washes?
A. No, it is recommended that you avoid these car washes. Many of the newer automatic car washes - often called "touchless," in that there are no brushes that contact the vehicle - direct jets of water at pressures greater than 1,000 pounds per square inch. The high-pressure water jets will likely deflect the door glass weather-strip seals and allow water into your vehicle. In addition, never spray jets of high-pressure water directly at roof panel joints, like T-top seals, convertible top edges or side window and rear hatch/trunk seal areas. Doing so may cause leaks.



------------------
87 IROC 350 TPI with less than 10k original miles
www.users.uswest.net/~smoyer/iroc.htm
Northstar Camaro Club of Minnesota

cursedz28

i think t-tops are part of the F-body heritage. Its what (not all) that makes our cars popular. Example. Fred" hey mike I just bought a camaro" Mike " is it a z-28?" fred "yup" Mike "does it have t-tops?"
Thats almost everybodys first or second question.

88TArascal

I dunno about choosin one w/ t-tops over a v-8 i just woulda waited but i love t-tops! My old ones didn't leak; they do on my camaro but man i dont care i love t tops

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'88 Trans Am 305
2.5" dynomax cat back
open element aircleaner
3" fiberglass cowl hood

Trent257

i love em, i think a f-body with a convertable top looks like ****, mine dont leak or rattle, and the chicks love it

MTCAMARO

iTrader: (1)

Love my T-tops.I don't think i'd own a camaro without 'em.I've got to say though ,when i bought mine,the headliner was in really rough shape and i was pretty bummed everytime i took the glass out.I think the previous owner must have left the glass out during a rainstorm or something.The cardboard was too soft and brittle to re-cover,so i put up with this for a long time before i got lucky last fall and found an Iroc-z with a good liner.It's almost impossible to find a camaro around the northeast that doesn't have this problem.Junked or not.I backed the new liner with fiberglass matting to make sure this doesn't happen again.

Joe_L

I love my T-Tops, they don't leak, I haven't had them leak yet. But I spray slicon spray on the Rubber seal to keep them from cracking. I think they add to the car (Especially if its a V-6)

Chaotic Firehawk

Girls love them,like Christos said,girls can look up.Anyway,a red F-body with Ts is awesome.


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Chaotic Firehawk can be found wondering NEThirdgen.org and 3rdgen.org

"A musclecar, by definition, is a powerful and sporty vehicle that must be able to spin its tires at will. The Firebird Trans Am is capable of laying down twin black streaks of rubber several hundred feet long. We wanted to be sure it could, so we did it a half dozen times in the name of automotive science."-MotorTrend

elder

I love my t-tops. The passenger side is okay, but on the driver's side when I wash the car water gets on the seat, and in heavy rain it'll ocasionally drip every few minutes. The woman I got the car from said I can spray some kind of silicone "Black Magic" sort of substance where the leak comes from and it'll stop, but it never irritated me enough to even bother.

And it is kind of a pain to be taking them on and off and storing them and the like when you're going places, but it's very well worth it. Drive with them off on a warm summer night with a full moon and you'll see what I mean.

Zackpak

T-Tops are the best of both worlds. They let the air in when you want, but don't rot (like convertible tops), don't have plastic windows that crack and yellow, they don't stain or tear, and don't have expensive hydrauylic cylinders to go out. The only time I have had water come in is when pressurized water hit's it wrong (i.e. car wash, pressure washer). Any more than that, and it's time to replace the weatherstripping. Body flex and rattling can be virtually eliminated with frame connectors (which are a must anyway). I'll take 'em any day!

------------------
'88 Formula/305/Ported & Polished TPI
Poly's all around
Accel Super coil/Billet Dist/8.8's/Bosch+4's
Long way to go . . .
Gearing up for 350HO/t56 swap-in over summer.

Zackpak

2 words. Salvage yard.

BadBowTie

Everything I looked w/t-tops and a V8, for the money I had to spend (2Gs or less) was totaly ragged out. They all had well over 100k on the clock, (most were topping 150) needed work done to every exterior panel, and don't even get me started on the interiors. (most looked like Godzilla's play pen) This one '86 TA I looked at had better than 175k on it, had racing slicks (aka bald tires) at all four corners, had colision damage (convienently covered up by a bra) to the right front corner so bad the headlight wouldn't open, the radio had been removed, (very hastily I might add) and the seats (front and back) were nothing more than metal frames and foam rubber, (no cloth left what-so-ever) and this guy was asking $2900, and wouldn't budge on the price. I got my '86 Camaro SC, 2.8, 5spd, t-tops, solid body, (except for a few dings, and a little surface rust) good interior, (needs a new dash pad, and console lid) w/just over 89k on the clock for $1600. I may swap in a 3.4V6. As far as a V8 swap, if you're going to dream, dream big. I see an 8-point cage, SF connnectors, 12 bolt rear end, and a GMPP 502 BB crate motor. (handling be damned, the shortest distance betweem two points is a straight line anyway )

Until then, I'll just enjoy the sun shining trough my T-Tops

------------------
'86 Camaro SC 2.8 V6, 5spd, T-Tops
Bone Stock, except for:

(Performance)
Flowmaster cat back exhaust

(Non-Performance)
Pioneer DEH-P4000 head unit
Pioneer 6X9 Tri-Ax speakers
Jensen 8" dual voice coil sub
Blacked out tail lights and side markers (VHT
Nightshades spray tint)

(Hopefully these lists will grow quickly)

I like to think of it as a empty canvas

3

[This message has been edited by BadBowTie (edited April 30, 2001).]

jm91rs

personally, i love my vert, but if i had to go any other way it would be with a t-top f-body. A buddy of mine who has a t-top camaro says that he prefers the looks of a non-t-top car over a t-top one because he says it looks more finished. I personally disagree, I think a non-t-top camaro looks too plain (unless black)(especially 4th gens) but you said you wanted to hear both sides.

------------------
91 rs, convertible, K&N, Edelbrock open element cleaner, 3.73, B&M mega-shifter, goodmark cowl-induction hood,tinted windows,MacEwen Overlays
Coming soon......"Custom" non-red material.

kiztope

I love my non-T-top car... but when I buy a second thirdgen, it will either be a 92 Z'vert, or 89 TA 'vert... if they made em.

It will be nice having the best of both worlds.....

Matt86Z

I recently fell in love with a 91GTA that was for sale around here. The only thing that held me back were the tops. I felt like a total goomba on the test drive, everyone gawking and looking at the car. I felt like I was driving a girl car, no offense to fans of tops.

I wounln't trade my HT Z/28 for anything but maybe a convertible 88-90 IROC, and only then if it fell into my arms, and I wound't sell my car.

HT lends a racy edge to the car, it's not a ***** car with no roof, it's not a car girls like because it's nifty to look through, it's a performance oriented vehicle. There's no comprimise between structural integrity and looks, no half-assed convertible option, it's a car that was meant to be a performer.

Much respect for fans of Tops, and I know there is always going to be another car come along that's faster and handles better, but my preference stays on a shaded ****pit. Each option has its merits, but for me, no contest.

Pino91Formula

Just to add to anyone who says they will never buy another t-top car , that all 4th gens are made as t-top cars , and if you want a hard top they add a solid roof ,, the t frame is still there . so 4th gen t-tops are are just as good a solid roof cars ,, Plus I love mine ,, i passed up many a car that didnt have them ,

BadBowTie

Another reason I love a T-Top car. The T-Tops give me another inch or so of head room. At 6' tall I have to have the seat reclined into the Laz-e-boy position just to clear the headliner in a HT F-Body. It's not real high on my "reasons to have a t-top car" list, but it does make it more enjoyable to drive when I have to have the tops on.

------------------
'86 Camaro SC 2.8 V6, 5spd, T-Tops
Mods:

(Performance)
Flowmaster cat back exhaust

(Non-Performance)
Pioneer DEH-P4000 head unit
Pioneer 6X9 Tri-Ax speakers
Jensen 8" dual voice coil sub
Blacked out tail lights and side markers (VHT
Nightshades spray tint)

3

Boes04

I love em because you can pull em out when u want....also you have the option to put yourself in a traga top!! It's way easier to start with a t-top then a hardtop just my .02

Orinackra

I hate em, but I wouldn't trade em for anything. They leak like crazy, and I don't feel like spending 200 some dollars to redo the weatherstripping, but damn are they nice on the 10 days of the year when its nice enough here to take em out.

novadk13

I got a hard top only because it was the cleanest 3rd gen I ran across in my area. But if I get another it will have t-tops only because I drive my bird only on nice days where tops of would have been a greater feeling.

Z28 Boy

LOVE them.

i would NEVER want a Camaro without them. They make driving the car so much better.

the only think i dont like is the fact that it weakens the structure of the car a lot. after i put my engine in, i cracked the paint at one of the corners within a couple weeks from the body flex.

but, thats not enough to change my mind...

-Brian

Boes04

With the whole body flex thing all you would have to do is add a few more suports or add a nice subframe connector (you should do this anyways with a decent size hp motor because all of you guys knoww our frames weren't built for that many ponies anyways lol

BirdsofPray

I do love the t-tops in my car. My first car, a '91 RS, was the absolute definition of the base model Camaro....and I began to wish I at least had power windows, or better, t-tops.

When I got the Z28 earlier this year, I got exactly what I wanted this time. A great looking car with t-tops. Mine only leak under pressurized water - like at the car wash, and in my opinion are a million times more fun and unique than a convertible. I have to agree also with the guy who said it gives you a bit more clearance, I'm 6'3 and every bit helps.

The only thing I want to do now is get some glass tops to replace my slightly scratched lexan ones.