I've been thinking....... I might want to turn my hard top into a T-top. however... I'm not sure of how big of a job that would be....... here are my options... I could just cut out of my current roof(Heard that this way can cause leaks). Or.. I might be able to just cut the whole roof off of both my car and another one with t-top already into it.. which do you guys think would be better???


Maybe just cutting out of my roof might be better.. Since if I dont get it cut 100% on both cars.. the windsheild might not fit properly... or is this a problem?

 

i have heard of people doing it both ways but in my honest opinion if you want t-tops go look for a different car with t-tops .....

 

yep, way too much work and agravation, i'd rather a hardtop anyways.

 

also cutting off the roof to do the conversion = bad, hurts the cars structural integrity alot.

 

This question comes up a bit. The only problem with TGO "sometimes" is that you get 20 replys from ppl that say it is too much work or too hard, but none of them have done this before.

I would aggree to just find a T-top car save the headaches we can all think of, but I never tried the conversion. Does anyone know where GM seams the roof at, how hard it would be to cut the tacks off and then cut the T-top at the same spot... just a thought, but until you find someone that did this conversion before you won't really know all the facts about the swap.

 

if you want to buy a whole t-top roof ive got a parts car ill sell ya the whole roof t-tops and all let me know then you can put it in ....

 

Just sell him the chassis.

 

i could do that too if he wants ill let it go cheap too ....like 400 bucks but it wont have anything on it ...LOL....its stripped and being parted out as we speak ..but id do that for him if he wanted....then he could build a nice t-top car with his parts and my shell and chassis ........

 

I did a ttop conversion to my 4th gen, it was pretty easy really, however I heard 3rd gens are not capable of this (4th gen roofs are all the same, just cut away the roof and modify around the windows a bit)

 

That is correct, the 4th gen's are cake to convert. All you have to do is remove the t-top roof panel, then with a sawz all cut the roof frame out above the side windows for the top's to fit properly. Install the t'top hardware and weather stripping and enjoy. Luckly GM figured out that it was more economic to make all the cars with the nessicary frame for t'tops and convert them in house rather than sending them out to outside vendors.

3rd gens are a tottaly different story, to bad it took GM to long to figure it out in time for the 4th's but not the 3rd's. The t'top roofs are different from the hard top roof. From what I know the hard top roof has more of a curve to it and the t'top roof is much flatter. Thats the reason why there are two different headliner consoles. 1 for the hard tops and 1 for the t'tops.

Basically what has to be done with a 3rd conversion is the complete removal of the roof's. 3/4th's of the way up on the sail panels is the brass braze where the quarter panels and roof were made in to one. You have to cut there, then cut the A pillars on both cars in the same exact spots. Some people cut halfway down the pillars and other remove the pillars near the base of the cowl. Now you just have to simply"which isnt easy to do" put the t'top roof on the car and weld it in. The hardest part of all is getting everything squared off perfect. Its by far not an easy project to do for a novice fabriactor but if you know what your doing and take your time then it should be an easy to accomplish project.

I myself have never done the project, but I have read what others have said about it when they did it. IIRC, a guy on here who has a vert iroc-z, prowler, and a 4th gen " I cant remember his name" converted his 87-89ish Iroc-z from a hardtop to a T'top then a few years later he converted it from a t'top to a vert
Theres also a company who does the conversion from 1500-7000 IIRC. They do KITT car retrofits "that car from Knight Rider"

 

the roof is seamed at the very top of the pillar between the side window and the rear window. it would be easy to switch, but i wouldnt waste my time to make a t-top...i would make it a targa top

 

So are you saying that basicly all 3rd gen Ttop moddels where origanaly hardtop models that went to a chop shop? Because if that would be the case then the structure of the car wouldn't actually be weakend by swapping roofs, or am I wrong on this one?

 

How about going with a Targa top? Would a vette Targa fit on a camaro? You would not really have to worry about curves except the curve from left to right. But even then I am sure you could make it work. I would like to do this method myself but I got way too many projects on the table as-is. Maybe after I get the car painted, the new salad shooter rims powder coated, and the custom vette rear bumber made and installed would I do this.

 

I'm doing a targa top conversion to a 82 Z28"link in my sig" I plucked it out of the junkyard. TPI383 is doing one as well. I dont think the Vette targa top would work on a 3rdgen. Roofs are different in width IIRC. With a 3rdgen targa subframe connectors is a must since the tbar is removed, even extra supporting my be needed. Tribaldaze did the targa conversion to his firebird and he just added subframe connectors and didnt have any problems with body flex.

I'm not too informed on the ways GM did it but from what i've heard, GM delivered the cars minus a roof to the GM verified conversions shop's "ASC" Then they put on the t'top roof and installed the hardware. I think Ede knows exactly what they did, or at least someone from the history board does.

 

So if you can not use the vettes how would you get glass for the top? Would you just use the cut up roof?

 

well I know that paint, overall shape of the body etc is a factor. But youd better know what your doing with this or its gonna be a mess. So dont have t tops its not the end of the world. Hell I wish I had t tops in my olds but I would never cut the roof apart. If your actually gonna do it we'd love to see pics, progress, procrastination, what have you. But it would be alot cheaper/easier to buy a t'd car already and sell yours. Im not trying to sound like everyone else but we would hate to see a nice 3rd gen ruined over t tops.

Nate

 

I can fabricate a top, 1 out of fiberglass and 1 out of glass. I'm not converting a hardtop to targa top so I dont have a section of roof to use. I'm using a T'top car, then adding in subframes and a plethora of other chasis braces. Then cutting the T'bar. Then I can modify a set of t'tops to work for my targa top frame.

 

I have done that to a 74 duster back about 20 years ago. I cut the sections out and used the sections for the final t's. Be prepared for a lot of work and reinforcing the roof. What happened when I cut the sections out the car buckled about 3 inches. I had to then strengthen the roof to replace the structual steel that I took out. But it can certainly be done. Sometimes doing it that way can be more rewarding that just getting another car.

 

well I think from what I have read you are better off buying a ttop car.

 

I'll stick with my hardtop.

better reinforcement, better looks, smoother style. :hail:

 

Saw a Camino at a show last week with just what you need; sawzall to roof, rivet buttons to top of windshield and back of rear window, button in a piece of cloth! Easy, quick and fun. Car was starting to fold in half tho!