I was watching a DVD from a Old TV show called Simon & Simon, which is from the early '80's, In the show the Private detectives drive a '82 Z28 that at first looks like a t-top car that the center bar was removed, when they have the top on it looks like a soft top, the car also has a band that runs behind the side window and over the roof, there is a logo on the band, but they don't get close enough that you can read it, does anyone know who did the conversion on these? the show takes place in San Diego, so maybe it was a southern California company? ... Chris

I always thought it was a t top car. Maybe it had a Targa top made?


I found this pic.......
http://www.famouscars.de/images/simo...n-camaro03.jpg

It was a T-Top car that was modified to be a targa...I think I only saw it with the top on once--remember, they filmed the show in San Diego--a very dry climate. Its very possible that a conversion like that would leak like a mother in other parts of the country where it actually rains.

I think that would be pretty cool if the top was a one piece hardtop.

Ah, I remember that show. I would watch that and Magnum PI w/my Dad.

Remember Magnum PI's Ferrari 308GTi was like that & I had an 86 Toyota supra like that. It is called an Aerotop & yes it is a single hardtop that went in the gap & then bolted in on the front & had steel pins that fitted into the back. Full convertible is still better.

Love Magnum. Awesome show. I believe Areotop is a specific Toyota term. Targa is the general term for that type of roof design. That's likely what you meant.
While not a big import fan, but that Toyota was probably a lot of fun. I liked the look of those.

OK Cool however I thought Targa had the bar down the centre where as Aero didn't. Learn something new everyday. I saw the light & got the z28 vert :-)

Did it look like this? I have seen F-body targas built by Steas and ASC. This photo is a Steas.

Often, coach builders would lend thier cars to TV/movie studios so that thier car could get some free publicity. I have seen several '79-81 F-body convertibles on Charlie's Angel's episodes that National Coach lent out to the TV producers.

Cool pic and good info.

Wow, I was just talking to someone and telling them about the targa top Camaro in Simon and Simon and someone else pointed out this thread. At least now, with the pics, they know I'm not B.S.ing them! I used to watch all the detective shows starting with The Rockford Files in the early 70's with dad.

Maybe someone can find another TV car.
On the television series of Alien Nation Detective Sykes (Gary Grahm) drove a red car. I think it was a third gen Firebird with a body kit (maybe a Camaro but I seem to recall pop up headlights).
I have searched but with no luck. But I am also poor at internet searching as well.

Det. Sykes car in Alien Nation ?
Pretty sure it was a Camaro Carralo a conversion by Knudsen Automotives in Omaha Nebraska .
Read this:
http://www.thirdgen.org/techboard/ca...re-camaro.html (For Sale. Very Rare Camaro)

That looks like it be the one!
Maybe the tail light panel and the nose threw me into thinking it was possibly a Firebird...... that and my memory trying to reach back 20+ years.
I do remember it being red though

I don't want to continue to dilute this thread, but another Carralo is for sale:
http://columbus.craigslist.org/ctd/1706601604.html

And the related Firebird Trojan also built by Knudson.
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2122868

Off topic because it's not a convertible, but I just had to mention a very cool scene in Steven Seagal's 2006 movie Mercenary for Justice. The bad guys have a scene about half way through and one of them is driving a very minty Camaro. The scene is short but sweet.

MAD................I also wanted to mention that that Alien Nation car might
have been a Tojan? which was the Firebird version????? also by Knudsen.
http://www.thirdgen.org/techboard/at...right-rear.jpg

Here's a series of pictures from the show. It looks like a Steas., but i also read somewhere that it was made by Targa top Inc., so i'm not sure!

I'll keep looking for pictures with the top on!

Would you ever have the top on if you lived in San Diego? Its like 75 degrees there everyday! I know I woiuldnt! Nice job on posting all those pics! I wish the targo was an option but oh well, T-Tops are very close and I know I love mine!

I just found pictures with the top on. It seems to be a soft top. It's a damn shame GM didn't produce this!

Thanks for posting those photos. Sure does look like a Steas/ISSI. Even though GM did not build these, anyone could have gone to thier Chevy/Pontiac dealer and asked for this conversion to be added to thier new car purchase. This was surely a rare conversion since it is so similar to the factory T-top offering.

Do you think the blueprints still exist somewhere?

Ha! Not a chance.

It`s amazing what could be found out there. You just have to find the right source.

Targa is the most used term.
My cousin had a 69 vette with a 2 piece (like T tops without the center piece, one T top fit inside a grove in the other) top, then the rear window went down leaving just the B piller band over the top.
A single fiberglass piece would look much better then that funky soft top insert.

Those rims were nice too...

does anyone know where the car is today,perhaps a member here on TGO

I have seen an identical car to this in my area even had the little rag top but it was trashed, it looked like someones tore up daily driver.. i havent seen it in a little while but i do see it from time to time.

Take a picture if you have the chance

For the fun of it, some additional pictures!

What Simon and Simon episode were these pics taken from? I want to watch it on Hulu!
Thanks!!

the first series of pictures were taken from S02E03 and S02E04

the second set with the top came from S02E07 and S02E08

the third came from S02E05, S02E06,S02E11 and S02E15

looks like this IROC is running Ronal R15s
here is a link fir the movie
http://extratorrent.com/torrent/2076...337x%7D-X.html

who ever did that top did the top on my MSE trans am I can tell you this much the edges around the cut is a plastic that screws down to the roof in the front and rear it wraps around the cut edge to hold the headliner there are 4 pins the rear pins are angled inward towards teh fron so that it locks in place once the front is pinned in inside the car hidden by the sun visos is a latch that pulls out to release the locks on the pins the front and rear edges of the top are plastic and fiberglass wraped in leather. there was a weather strip across both front and rear edges that seal when the top is on tight. there is also snaps that make the headliner tight inside also. then for the side windows there is a inner and outer flap that seals the windows from allowing water in when it rains. one other thing to mention it looks as tho there is a early set of sfc put on the car but to be honest. when i drove the car home the other night it didn't feel real stiff a new set will be on order or a roof conversion is in order . the guy we bought it from lived on a dirt road and driving down it my son said he couuld see the car twist from side to side while driving . but on a side note the doors line up great and close like they are new. weird

Your car is a Steas/ISSI targa conversion. It was probably completed at the same time the Mechum work was completed before the first owner took delivery.

Steas/ISSI targa conversion is this the company that did it?.....i would love to keep it a targa but i cant find any replacement parts

You won't find replacement parts. But like the Mechum parts, they are special and you would need to have them fabricated. Rare and off-beat cars have negatives, not just positives.

i dont normally write on these forums but i feel i should reply to this one cause the simon and simon camaro is something i have been searchin for info on for a long time and this is how i ran up on this page. my aunt has a 84 z28 ho car that has the targa top that she bought brand new here in upstate sc in 84. the vinyl side pieces on the sheet metal between the side window and rear window look slightly different on her model but the car definately has no bar in between where t tops would go. it also has odd looking subframe connectors underneath it that run very close to the ground effects. i grew up riding in this car and of many rides she let me take the top off probebly just twice. seems like she told me one time that when she purchased it that they told her that they only made around 78 with that conversion. i would like to find more info on it and if any of u guys have and about it i would like to hear from u. please feel free to email me at klopper92@yahoo.com
a cople of side notes i always suspected the car had a lot of gear under it like a 410 to 456 because even in overdruve with the 700r4 it turned a lot of rpms and car ran very well for a 305 and would get a lil squirrly when it shifted into 2nd. this was definately a unique car

pics of it today in current poor condition.

a few more pics

What does it read on that oval plaque near the driver window? I think I see letters? What year is the car?

It looks like it is still a good car, but it NEEDS to find a home indoors. Sad to see it rot outside.

i would be willing to purchase the targa vinyl top from you if your interested please contact me 678-508-1418 or if your willing to sell the car im sure my father would also be intrested

the side piece says magnum top and in small writing it says by west wind. its not my car its my aunts and ive been trying to get her to sell it for years and she wont come off of it. she has let it go to crap. it used to be soo nice even up until the late 90's it had plastic on the seats. it has right at a 100k on it.

West Wind/Magnum did several conversions in the 1980-1984 period. I have seen Riviera, Eldorado and Regal convertibles, but this is the first Targa I have seen by them.
If you happen by there again, please get a close-up photo of the Magnum badge for me. If she has any paperwork about the conversion, that would also be interesting to see a photo/scan of. Like...how much extra was the targa conversion? Thanks for the photos!

close up of badge

You rock! That is very helpful for my research. Thanks.
I hope your able to pry it out of her hands soon, before its too late.

Hi.I have camaro 83 in Russia with magnum top by west wind....my pics

I remember seeing a 89 or 90 Iroc in the Stephen King movie "it" The guy who was the judge on the sitcom "night court" was the owner in the movie. There was a blue Iroc in the Patrick Swayze movie Black Dog or something like that. It was a truck driving movie where Meat Loaf was the bad guy trying to steal his load. In the second Beverly Hills Cop "Eddie Murphy" there is a black 86 Iroc.

Thanks for posting photos. That is very helpful. Little is known about these targas.

What does this have to do with targa top camaro's or targa top camaro's that were used in Simon and Simon?