Jared N259

So I'm coming up with as many different ideas I can for my camaro so I can figure out what I want to do. I don't know if this is feasible and I am not claiming it is. My question is has any one seen a camaro with a hard top convertible. The kind that folds up, not the kind that pops off. I was thinking this would be meet to have but I wasn't sure it was really possible to do. I think that If the rear seats were removed it would allow the best chance of such a top fitting...

Benc1

iTrader: (10)

The engineering required would be mind boggling. the back seats gone would help give it a little extra space but I think the rear hump would cause the most problems. The fuel tank and rear axle is under there. The rear trunk would need to hinge differently. It just goes on and on. While not impossible I just can't imagine all it requires.

ktthecarguy

I agree, something for a professional automotive engineer to tackle.

OTOH, what about taking a removable hardtop from a C4 Corvette, and stretching it? They are fiberglass, so if you carefully cut it in two, and added some length in the middle, it might fit. Except the front latches may be in different locations, and the rear has two hold-down pins instead of the Camaro's one... the list goes on and on.

Oh well, forget it.

okfoz

The Best case scenario I would think would be a removable hard top, kind of like the old Corvettes from the 1950's & 1960's or the Cadillac Allante

How I would do it is take a Coupe (Not T-top) and take a mold or splash from the top, Make a Fiberglass mold, use a short rear window from Plexi, and then attach it at the rear top release hole, have it sit in the two holes behind the doors and attach with similar clips

Jared N259

Okay thanks guys! I'm getting that its not practical to do so without a very large amount of money and professional help. Thanks!

loneroad

iTrader: (3)

i remember another thread about this ayear or so ago.
do a quick search, he might of done it

okfoz

I think the problem you will ultimately find is I have almost a hard time getting the soft top stowed in the boot, let alone hard pieces to fit in there as well.... Didn't Knight Rider in the later years have a hard top convertible? I thought I read about that... But that was an aftermarket conversion...

Benc1

iTrader: (10)

I know there was a convertible K.I.T.T in season 4 you can google images of it all day but they are all with top down of course. Will have to look into it further.

slimwhitman

A coach builder made fiberglass hardtops for the '80-81 Firebirds/Camaros they converted when new. I have never seen this done on a 3rd Gen.

TRANSAM82-92

iTrader: (1)

I own 3 convertibles
89 GTA 350 convt
89 TA 350 convt
89 FB FOR 350 convt

I bought convertibles because I wanted convertibles. To put a hardtop on a convertible is like a driving ....well a hardtop ????

The only thing I like is the tops you can get with glass instead of the yellowing dried out plastic.

Benc1

iTrader: (10)

My whole thought on it was to do it like the 02-05 t birds. They had an optional hardtop, or maybe it came with the car. Anyway you can stow the top like normal and then there is a way to attach the hardtop using factory attachment points. It makes the car more user friendly in winter months.

wheelboy

I'm working on a hardtop now with my father in law!! We going to use a convertible top as the mold and use the front latch section,the rear bow,and the side window seal.. looking for a vert frame now.

HankL69

iTrader: (1)

Some cars just do not look good in convertible form and the 2nd gen F-bodies are top of the list. Don't get me wrong, I love the 2nd gens but once the top is off they look baaaaaaaad.

TPIVette

wheelboy

Yes!!!!!!! You have this car...or info on it...i want one!!!!!

MY87LT

iTrader: (2)

Nice shape it gives the car.

TPIVette

Its a photoshop from awhile back. I believe its a chop of a Corvette C4 convertible hardtop.