obomb3277

So I have almost finished my installation of my brand new glass window top from tops online. Here is my problem, As I am trying to close the the top the glass is making contact with the seat belt towers. I have lowered the seat so that is not in the way. I have no idea how to fix this problem, any other glass tops out there run into this before?

yankeecarman

iTrader: (9)

I did. I had to take the towers out and replace with the tonneau belts. Took me ages to find a pair.

obomb3277

What drives me nuts is they say this is a direct replacement and no need to alter the car. This seems untrue. Anybody else find a different solution?

abray1

I have one ready to install and some of the guys have stated that you have to lower your rear seats to get the top to fold down. They all say they like the glass rear window better though.

obomb3277

The rear seat is completely down, the problem is the seat belt towers directly behind the seats. The glass hits these as you try to lower the top. I have not seen anyone else talk about this so I am a little shocked this is a problem.

yankeecarman

iTrader: (9)

The towers are only in the late 91s and 92s. Mine was the same and I went to the tonneau type belts.

madness

Call ez on and ask for tech support. They make the top for tops online. I called for info on the glass top and the guy said you had to give the top bow a good karate chop at first? Until it got memory to fold down correctly

obomb3277

Good idea I will contact there custoner service, but I am not sure this is a folding problem this all about clearance. If I pushed down on the top they contact the seat belt towers I think it would shatter the glass if anything.

obomb3277

I have read several people have 1992 trans ams with the glass rear window convertibles. I cant imagine everyone moved there seat belts, does anyone have a video or pictures of the clearance with the to closing avoiding the seat belt towers? Or a video? I know for me I just cant see how the glass could ever lay flat.

yankeecarman

iTrader: (9)

Like I said mine is like that too. There wont be a way to fix it. They would have sold very few of the glass tops to late 91s and 92s. Sorry.

TRANSAM82-92

iTrader: (1)

TOPSONLINE gets the tops from Robbins. I called Robbins directly because Im replacing my 89 GTA convt and want a glass window and different color. Robbins told me the top is available in the color I want but not with a glass window, TOPS told me I could order the top with the glass window. What i think is they're getting the top from Robbins and sewing in the glass window then send it. The woman at TOPS who answers phone not to knowledgeable about cars or anything for that matter...order taker Im guessing. Anyways the top can fit with the glass window but the towers have to be modified and use Toneau with belts which I've purchased 5 of them. I have 2 GTA convertibles. Remember when ASC put these car together they did whatever they had to get them done...quality control suffered some. Someone on this board stated he worked there and the things they did to get car finished. Regardless glass will work even though the top wasnt designed for glass, plastic was used for a reason. It can be done just takes a little manuvering and parts from another ASC vert...I know I've done it many times and studied the differences between builds. On another note the power pull down that were installed on very few cars were installed because ASC thought at higher speeds the top would undo itself from pin and back of top would fly open...at 95-100 MPH they're right

madness

The gentleman I spoke to from EZ ON said the he personally sewed the tops with the glass window. He went on to say that he had a 1992 trans am that he had done something special to his top (piping and material?) so yes Tops online gets some from Robbins , some from EZ on and who knows who else? The guy from Topsonline sounds a little shady to me on the two occasions that I called so speaking to the older gentleman at EZ was refreshing and helpful as well.

TRANSAM82-92

iTrader: (1)

Do you have WEB address for EZ ?

Are you talking about EZ on tops?

86T/A_Ram_Air

they also offer two different size rear windows

obomb3277

I spoke with the man at EZ on tops today, and yes I have the web address, he gave me a couple things to try tonight but I don't see how they are going to work. I am going to be sending him some digital pictures as well since he has a 92 and he says that his has just enough clearance to make it. I will post my digital pictures here tomorrow for anyone else who has some ideas.

obomb3277

I measured the top and requested the one needed I believe. I went by the dimensions for the original and used those. I don't think that is the problem, with the top fitting perfectly when up.

86T/A_Ram_Air

the size doesn't matter when its up...its when you try to fold it down is when you have the issue. the smaller glass window fits in the well much nicer. you have to remember the top was designed to fold in the middle of the window to get down there.

obomb3277

I spoke with a man at EZ on tops and he says I have the right top. He is asking for pictures but told me this should work. Does anyone have a video of there 91 or 92 top closing or pictures so that I can see there clearance?

obomb3277

So here are the images, I can only do a few of these at a time so here are a couple. I didn't want to believe it but to me is sounds like yankeecarman is right even though tops online insists this fits without modification. Here are the questions I have asked ez top and pictures that I sent to them.

• the first two are the top up so you can see that it looks basically done and right.
• Next two show about as far as the top will close
• Here is the clearance problem in the next the screw driver is to give you an idea of the distance that it is off the deck, this is as far as it can go due to the seat belt towers
• The last three are the seat belt towers and the measurements I made for clearance, it looks as though from the bottom bow to the top of the window you need roughly 16 inches, the actual size of the bay for the top to fit into is roughly 14 inches

obomb3277

As an update to this project to all that are interested, after three calls with Randy at ez on tops (great guy by the way) and being 5 minutes from taking the top off and sending it back, we worked out the solution. I understand with the tops new you need to get the folds right. With this glass window it is even more important. In my 92 you need to get the glass to rest on top of the 5th bow as the top is being folded down to allow the clearance to get by the seat belt towers. The top generally wants to go under the 5th bow due to the weight of the window. This can be difficult to manage at first but I think as the weather gets nicer and the top breaks in this will be easier. Even with all of that said, you need to push the glass past the seat belt towers gently to get them to fit (this is extremely tight), but it does work without any modifications.

86gn

iTrader: (3)

I am about to get the same top for my 92, if ya get some time a vid of you putting the top up and down would be GREAT!

obomb3277

I will try to make a video in 2 weeks still waiting for the top to stretch

graysmoke

I am interested in this too. I have a glass top to install here soon.

86gn

iTrader: (3)

Ever get a chance to get a vid on this? Thanks