Targa top fabrication
01-31-2006, 05:51 PM
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Car: 88 camaro
Engine: 355
Transmission: rebuilt 700-R4
Targa top fabrication
i go to an auto body tech school so i have been in the process of re-doing my entire camaro and in the process i bought a hard top parts camaro so i decided to chop off the roof and convert my T-Tops into a targa top. (couldnt let it go to waste) so far its been two days and i have it all cut out and planned out just need to figure out how to mount the door seal weather stripping. heres a few pics of the cars roof with all the seals off i will have more tomarrow or thursday on the fabrication. also here's a link on the progress of my car in the interior/Body section. https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=342055
02-01-2006, 04:53 PM
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scratches head... The T bar is stil there. or havent you made it that far cutting that out yet?
As for the door sill weather striping which piece are you talking about? The B piller to window one?
As for the door sill weather striping which piece are you talking about? The B piller to window one?
02-01-2006, 07:00 PM
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Car: 88 camaro
Engine: 355
Transmission: rebuilt 700-R4
targa!!!
the seal at the top of the window! and no i havent cut it out yet im going to drill out the spot welds most likely. im going to put an 8-point in it before i take it out. i dont want it to fold up on me. heres some pics the one with the roof itself that i made didnt turn out so i will take another one soon.
02-05-2006, 01:09 AM
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Car: 85 87 87 91 92
Engine: 305 TPI 350 TPI 350 Carb
Transmission: B/W T-5 and 700R4
Why not just use the weather stripping off of a T-top it should be the same length and size
02-05-2006, 03:40 PM
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02-05-2006, 04:38 PM
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Car: 88 camaro
Engine: 355
Transmission: rebuilt 700-R4
did u use sub frame connectors before you took out the center piece? i know it will need more bracing i plan on doing an 8-point cage but everyone is going nuts saying that it will fold up if i take it out before i brace it with anything, i dont believe it will unless i took it out and beat the hell out of it. i plan on using the t-top sides like you said for the latch and weather stripping i took one apart the other day and tried getting the glass out of it, its glued in there like a mother f***er tho. i dont want to break it but we will see how it goes.
02-06-2006, 09:57 PM
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Car: '89 Formula 350
Engine: 5.7L L98 TPI
Transmission: 700-R4 Automatic
Axle/Gears: 7.5 disc posi 3.23
TPI383,
This has nothing to do with targa tops, but I need to get ahold of you about my parts. Write me!!
Like the targa top idea though. Keep it up guys. Can this be done on a hard top without compromising the body integrity??
This has nothing to do with targa tops, but I need to get ahold of you about my parts. Write me!!
Like the targa top idea though. Keep it up guys. Can this be done on a hard top without compromising the body integrity??
02-07-2006, 09:46 AM
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Car: 92 Firebird
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Like the targa top idea though. Keep it up guys. Can this be done on a hard top without compromising the body integrity?
02-08-2006, 07:25 PM
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Car: 1988 Trans-Am GTA
Engine: 5.7L TPI
Transmission: WC-T5
Axle/Gears: BW 3.27
this looks interesting. i enjoed looking at all of TPI383s pics a year or two ago before he went full vert on us. how did you make that targa piece? is it glass? i saw one onetime on ebay that was plywood painted black
02-08-2006, 10:18 PM
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Car: '89 Formula 350
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Aren't the roofs on T-top cars more supported at the windshield area? I don't think I have a whole lot of bracing up there. Plus I would have no edges to set the roof into or to seal to I think.
02-09-2006, 06:41 AM
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Car: 88 camaro
Engine: 355
Transmission: rebuilt 700-R4
yea i read somehweres a while ago that the t-top cars were build using a convertible platform for more strength. the easiest way to make a hard top a targa top would probly to just do a t-top conversion by cutting a t-top roof off at the a pillars and where the roof meets the quarters on the B. (Junk yard) and i used a hard top parts car roof i had laying around to make my top wich you already have, its alot of work but i think the fab work on a hard top to targa would be alot harder and more knowledge and engineering involved.
will have pics up monday!!!!
02-10-2006, 02:24 PM
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Car: 91 Camaro Vert
Engine: 02 LS1, HX40
Transmission: 2002 LS1 M6
Originally posted by robbyho21
yea i read somehweres a while ago that the t-top cars were build using a convertible platform for more strength. the easiest way to make a hard top a targa top would probly to just do a t-top conversion by cutting a t-top roof off at the a pillars and where the roof meets the quarters on the B. (Junk yard) and i used a hard top parts car roof i had laying around to make my top wich you already have, its alot of work but i think the fab work on a hard top to targa would be alot harder and more knowledge and engineering involved.
yea i read somehweres a while ago that the t-top cars were build using a convertible platform for more strength. the easiest way to make a hard top a targa top would probly to just do a t-top conversion by cutting a t-top roof off at the a pillars and where the roof meets the quarters on the B. (Junk yard) and i used a hard top parts car roof i had laying around to make my top wich you already have, its alot of work but i think the fab work on a hard top to targa would be alot harder and more knowledge and engineering involved.
the convertibles were "built" off of modified T-top cars
there is no convertible 3rdgen fbody platform. the convertibles are all T-top cars with the roof/B-pillar cut off. and a U-channel brace rivited undernieth.
02-11-2006, 04:24 AM
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Car: 1988 Trans-Am GTA
Engine: 5.7L TPI
Transmission: WC-T5
Axle/Gears: BW 3.27
mr dude is correct. one more fun fact: for a good portion of the fbody 3rd generation GM did not make any convertables, they were all outsourced to ASC. i don't know if it was82-87 or 88-92. i'll try and find out. i think it was 82-87.
EDIT* ok, GM did NO convertable fbodys from 1970-1994. ALL were outsourced. most to ASC. cool thread about it HERE and yes, they used the T-Top cars. i wonder what ASC did with all those headliners?
EDIT* ok, GM did NO convertable fbodys from 1970-1994. ALL were outsourced. most to ASC. cool thread about it HERE and yes, they used the T-Top cars. i wonder what ASC did with all those headliners?
Last edited by Xophertony; 02-11-2006 at 04:27 AM.
02-11-2006, 05:55 PM
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Car: 88 camaro
Engine: 355
Transmission: rebuilt 700-R4
same difference, the only point i was trying to make wich blew over your heads was that t-top cars are just as strong as convertible cars (Fbodys) there for making it a targa top wont make it that much more vulnerable to twist as everyone thinks. unless you have huge amounts of power under the hood then any car can twist.
Last edited by robbyho21; 02-12-2006 at 03:33 PM.
02-12-2006, 05:40 PM
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Car: 1988 Trans-Am GTA
Engine: 5.7L TPI
Transmission: WC-T5
Axle/Gears: BW 3.27
ASC added frame bracing under the convertable cars. if you cut the tbar out and jump on the tranny tunnel with the doors open that car will FLEX big time!
02-13-2006, 09:29 AM
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Car: 91 Camaro Vert
Engine: 02 LS1, HX40
Transmission: 2002 LS1 M6
Originally posted by Xophertony
ASC added frame bracing under the convertable cars. if you cut the tbar out and jump on the tranny tunnel with the doors open that car will FLEX big time!
ASC added frame bracing under the convertable cars. if you cut the tbar out and jump on the tranny tunnel with the doors open that car will FLEX big time!
it wont severely flex just sitting there.
think about how "strong" your windshield A pillars on on these cars.. how "strong" your top frame is, and how "strong" that Tbar in the MIDDLE (not edges) is...
no, it doesnt keep the car from flexing much.
the largest gain in stiffness of the coupes is from the B pillar area... verts are heavily re-enforced there to make up for it.
yes id run SFCs (perimeter style) but he can chop it without a problem. he can even jump on it... or drive it.
02-13-2006, 02:47 PM
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Car: 1988 Trans-Am GTA
Engine: 5.7L TPI
Transmission: WC-T5
Axle/Gears: BW 3.27
realy? i could swear i read a thread where somone jumped on the floor with no t-bar and it flexed down 6". i am going to have to assume i am wrong unless i can actualy find the thread... (not likely)
EDIT= well, i did not find the thread i was thinking of, but i did find this,. TPL383 said that when he cut out his tbar he felt the car give a little, and says you "need sfc's and probably a 4 point rollbar" so it was not what i was talking about before, but it's somthing TARGa PART 1....
EDIT= well, i did not find the thread i was thinking of, but i did find this,. TPL383 said that when he cut out his tbar he felt the car give a little, and says you "need sfc's and probably a 4 point rollbar" so it was not what i was talking about before, but it's somthing TARGa PART 1....
Last edited by Xophertony; 02-13-2006 at 02:56 PM.
02-15-2006, 06:07 PM
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Car: 91 Camaro RS 383
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Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.42 posi
Why didn't you finish fabrication the targa top and then paint it all at once. Don't you still need to take the t bar out?
02-18-2006, 03:47 PM
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Car: 88 camaro
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Transmission: rebuilt 700-R4
the fab of the roof is all done, im going to drill out all the spot welds and take it off after i get a 6 point in it. i need to buy all new seals for it now i wanted them out to paint it.
05-02-2006, 05:09 PM
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Car: 1991 RS
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any other news on the targa ? I'm pretty excited to see a finished product on this.
You said that the fab of the roof was done, how about pictures of just the top ?
You said that the fab of the roof was done, how about pictures of just the top ?
05-02-2006, 06:06 PM
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Car: 88 camaro
Engine: 355
Transmission: rebuilt 700-R4
i was getting behind on my projects at school so i made it no farther, hopefully i will get a chance to finish it this summer. finished the car though, came out really nice just do a search of my threads if your interested
05-03-2006, 12:42 AM
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Car: 1987 Z28 camaro
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oh no, now I want to do that....
but mines a hardtop...would it still work??? or would I need a T-top cars windsheild frame and stuff.
but mines a hardtop...would it still work??? or would I need a T-top cars windsheild frame and stuff.
05-03-2006, 03:09 PM
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Car: 88 camaro
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if your cars nice enough i'd leave it alone. or you would have to get a t-top car and cut it at the seams on the a-pillars and at the top of the quarters and then do the same on your car and then go to town.
05-03-2006, 04:56 PM
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Car: 1987 Z28 camaro
Engine: 305 V8
Transmission: auto
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt pozi
Originally Posted by robbyho21
if your cars nice enough i'd leave it alone. or you would have to get a t-top car and cut it at the seams on the a-pillars and at the top of the quarters and then do the same on your car and then go to town.
05-03-2006, 07:45 PM
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Car: 1989 RS convertible
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it shouldn't fold up...what do you think about convertibles that they just bend right down the middle or somethin lol
05-03-2006, 09:52 PM
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Car: 1987 Z28 camaro
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Originally Posted by gray89vert
it shouldn't fold up...what do you think about convertibles that they just bend right down the middle or somethin lol
05-04-2006, 12:08 AM
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Car: 1991 RS
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I had looked into doing this a few times, but my motor is going to be putting out some serious torque, so i've decided against it now for structural reasons, but it didnt look like it would be all the difficult to fab, though I've yet to see a completed one on here. Plenty of people have cut out their "T" bars in an attempt to start, but I've yet to see a finished top that seals / locks on, that why I can't wait to see yours.
05-04-2006, 05:11 PM
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Car: 1989 RS convertible
Engine: 305 TBI LO3
Transmission: TH-700-R4
Axle/Gears: stock axles 3.73 LSD
Originally Posted by CarterCarbureto
The convertibles have different frame supports.
05-05-2006, 10:17 PM
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Car: 1988 Trans-Am GTA
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Originally Posted by gray89vert
are you sure about that
05-27-2006, 09:32 PM
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why not take a convertible and cut the roof off a t-top car and make a targa from that? no extra frame strengthening required
06-02-2006, 01:29 PM
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Car: 1989 RS convertible
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Originally Posted by johnnyboy
why not take a convertible and cut the roof off a t-top car and make a targa from that? no extra frame strengthening required
02-25-2007, 11:35 PM
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Car: 87 GTA
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Axle/Gears: Dana M78 3.27 posi
I guess I'm resurrecting a dead thread... 
Any finished pics, of the body portion, and how the targa piece was finished out?
I like this i9dea more than converting my GTA to a 'vert! Although, by starting with a '91/'92 Firebird, I could simply unbolt/bolt sheetmetal, with no welding required, so it would be easier, but a Targa top would be WAY COOL!
Any finished pics, of the body portion, and how the targa piece was finished out?
I like this i9dea more than converting my GTA to a 'vert! Although, by starting with a '91/'92 Firebird, I could simply unbolt/bolt sheetmetal, with no welding required, so it would be easier, but a Targa top would be WAY COOL!
02-26-2007, 07:33 PM
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Car: 92 RS, 02 Tacoma, 2 73 Porsche 914s
Thought I'd throw up some old renderings when i was seriously contemplating this.
http://members.***.net/snflupigus/tops/one.jpg
http://members.***.net/snflupigus/tops/two.jpg
http://members.***.net/snflupigus/tops/three.jpg
http://members.***.net/snflupigus/tops/four.jpg
http://members.***.net/snflupigus/tops/five.jpg
http://members.***.net/snflupigus/tops/one.jpg
http://members.***.net/snflupigus/tops/two.jpg
http://members.***.net/snflupigus/tops/three.jpg
http://members.***.net/snflupigus/tops/four.jpg
http://members.***.net/snflupigus/tops/five.jpg
07-17-2007, 07:02 PM
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07-18-2007, 01:40 PM
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Re: Targa top fabrication
I was wondering about this one too ......... Maybe he was standing on the trans tunnel while cutting the t-top brace out and the car folded up ... sorta just swallowed him .... Guess that answered the question if one will fold up .... J/K
hey nice work though if he ever finished it.
hey nice work though if he ever finished it.
08-28-2007, 12:27 AM
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Re: Targa top fabrication
I don't know if theres any info about it, but during the 80's there was a TV show on called Simon & Simon that had a targa top Camaro in it, always liked that car.
Maybe do a search for it and see if they did any special prep work on it, I know they beat the hell out of that car and never seen any damage to it, not like the Charger in the Dukes..lol.
Maybe do a search for it and see if they did any special prep work on it, I know they beat the hell out of that car and never seen any damage to it, not like the Charger in the Dukes..lol.
08-28-2007, 08:18 PM
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Re: Targa top fabrication
I don't know if theres any info about it, but during the 80's there was a TV show on called Simon & Simon that had a targa top Camaro in it, always liked that car.
Maybe do a search for it and see if they did any special prep work on it, I know they beat the hell out of that car and never seen any damage to it, not like the Charger in the Dukes..lol.
Maybe do a search for it and see if they did any special prep work on it, I know they beat the hell out of that car and never seen any damage to it, not like the Charger in the Dukes..lol.
http://www.cecoatings.com/images/oth...RO/forTGO1.jpg
http://www.cecoatings.com/images/oth...RO/fortgo2.jpg
http://www.cecoatings.com/images/oth...RO/fortgo3.jpg
Since my vert got totaled Ive been debating on doing / finishing a targa project this time around. And selling off the vert parts.
08-28-2007, 09:51 PM
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Re: Targa top fabrication
That plywood targa looks good cept I would use sheet metal or something. then get a nice house of kolor paint job lol. Showmaro...lol. I am somewhat of a fab newb I have only welded 1 or 2 times but I think it could prolly be done. In those pics the t brace is still there so it is obviously possible to include it.