Has anyone ever seen a pair of T-tops painted the color of the car? I could see this being pulled off. The only problem would be the bar in the middle.. I have an extra set of t-tops (minus weatherstripping) so i could do it..

 

Corvettes and supras has the targa tops body color. I dunno how well the paint would stick to glass. Maybe you can have some custom ones made or get rid of the metal bar on the very top and have a targa top cover both sides in 1 piece.

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-Tas
'89 Formula WS-6

305, TBI, 700R4, P.A.W. 14x3 open element with K&N, Milodon 160* thermo, functional Formula hood, cross-flow Flowmaster, '99z28 rear pipes and tips, Hooker 1-5/8" 50 state legal headers, Dynomax 3" I pipe (PN 44063 and 43248)
Super GRK_Taz World
F-Body Dual Exaust
EFI & Intake Options

 

Since you probably won't be able to see through painted tops, you could etch the glass prior to painting. This would give the paint a nice semi-rough surface to adhere to.

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89 RS V8,Borg-Warner 9-Bolt rear,Open element,Flowmaster.

 

Hey,

I don't think painting the t-tops will work or look good. First, I don't think you will find any paint that will stay on it. Second, it will look really really bad. Hell, if you wanted the roof the color of your car why didn't you buy a hardtop :confused Best bet is to sell your extra t-tops and buy something else useful for your car!!!

 

Hey thats no a Crazy idea man thats a COOL idea ¡¡¡¡¡¡
everytime i think about that ...a T TOP that match the body of the car
im also thinking about a Large (one piece targa)without the center line that would be cool ¡¡

cool idea ...someone make this reality ¡

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no that would be way ugly. i know a guy who got rid of the colored t-tops on his 70-somethin vette for some black ones

 

Check this out
https://www.thirdgen.org/messgboard/...ML/000371.html

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I think it would look downright awesome if you could somehow make it inot one giant piece and lose the top center divider. you wouldn't nessesarily have to remove the entire center support either, just get rid of the top rib. Now im interested, i just might have to make a few phone calls to get prices on glass

Eric


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My 1986 Z2814.59@95.6

GM350, T-5, 3.23's, lots of go fast goodies, 4th gen Firebird interior etc...
85 IROC w/ 1364 miles! no times yet, just got it to start.

You'll always find what you've lost in the last place you look

R.I.P Dale Earnhardt

Moderator at: www.generation-3.com

 

that "top rib" is only held in place by 6 screws 3 on each side and 2 screws in the front under the weather stripping and 2 screws in the back under the weather stripping. So a total of 10 small scews which can be removed with the t-tops off. BUT then there will be nothing to hold the weather stip in place along the center bar as the weather stripping is pressed into the rib.

 

I have the lexan T-top type on my 91 Firebird.As soon as I get some cash up I am planning on getting me a set of glass ones and keep the lexan ones for a spare set,but I am thinkin about maybe either painting them or possibly aquiring some of that 5+ year vinyl and cut it to fit over both T-tops.Just an idea

Brent

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Toys currently owned:
-91 MPFI Firebird
-97 Grand-Am GT
-96 Extreme Sonoma
-91 Suzuki GS500E
-89 Z28 Camaro(under construction)
-89 RS Camaro

 

I recall some of us using TRANSLUCENT CANDY APPLE RED paint to paint our tail lights. So how about translucent paint??

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un4givin89


Poor Mans White Face Guages
MikeKey.net - Camaro Enthusiast

 

Actually, if you were to have a Targa top, that channel & t-brace for the weather stripping/support, being there or not, wouldn't matter one bit for weather stripping placement.

If you were to remove the brace...
http://www.deadbird.org/z/ttop.jpg
... you can see that all you'd really need was a small piece to patch in for a straight across seal (assuming a 1 piece top is going in place). A targa top could easily be made from a junkyard hardtop donor & the latches from a pair of t-tops. All you would need is a template of your t-tops as they sit on the car, trace pattern to donor car & break out the saber saw (I don't like sawzalls for fine line cuts)

One for fun....
http://www.deadbird.org/z/ttop2.jpg

I started a similar venture on my beater CRX shortly before the motor died so, it ended up not finished & I scrapped the car.

Here's a few pics of that right after I cut the top out....

http://www.angelcities.com/members/gtaz/others/crx2.jpg
http://www.angelcities.com/members/gtaz/others/crx4.jpg
http://www.angelcities.com/members/gtaz/others/crx5.jpg

BTW,, cutting the roof out of the CRX didn't phase the integrity of the car (granted, it is about half the weight of an f-body)



------------------[*]my Formula Homepage [*]Collision P/Ns & Diagrams

"Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach
you to keep your mouth shut."

[This message has been edited by deadbird (edited December 03, 2001).]

 

One more thing to add,,, if you were to make a targa top,, you'll quickly your car is not a Del Sol & the top does not convienently fit in the back. Not that I discovered that later or anything tho...

 

yeah, i was just gonna say that, i would think that a removable 1 piece top would be too big to put in the back of the car.

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87 Camaro LT
bone stock 305 w/ 700r4 0-60: 3 minutes
mods to come:
ground effects
93 camaro seats
99 camaro center console
91 z28 rims
white 145mph iroc gauges

 

I have seen the stock tops painted to match the car and it looked plain awsome. They also painted the center rib as well. They just ruffed up the glass before painting. When I saw it the paint had been on there for over a year and still sticking.

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My old firebird was repainted and I got the t-tops painted at the same time. They were painted gloss black and the body shop uses some kind of adhesive spray before painting to make sure it adheres to the tops. It came out look beautiful . From the inside you saw your reflection in the ts and not any scratches or scuffs at all. Well worth it and he didn't even charge any extra for it. So.... YES IT WILL WORK!

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~3.1EyeCandy~
"The car that started my craze" -'92 Firebird 3.1 (A car sold)

My new baby: '87 flame red GTA 350 w'auto, ported and polished plenum, custom cold-air intake w/K&N, Hooker SuperComp Exhaust, Splitfire plugs, Hypertech Airfoil,
Carmine interior with pioneer all around
THE GTA

 

i would bet that if someone was willing to take the time, you could come up with a way to make a targa top, but have it come off in two peices, that you could store in the back. shoot in just five minuets a couple of diffrent ways of doing this come to mind.

 

You could steal the wonderful engineering idea those crazy dodge boys had & pitch a canvas over it,, very handy storage

 

To those saying it would look bad, look at a the original T-top cars, the 3rd gen/Sting Ray/Mako vettes. They look really good! I want a 69 vette (actually convertible, not T-top) with a rat someday.

 

A targa top would be ideal. But yea all you would have to do is spray on some adhesion promoter then the paint.

 

My lexan tops are cracked all to hell and I've thought about painting them, but I'd have to see one thats already been done before I risk my only set. A full on targa top would be sweet, and who cares if you can't put it in the car!

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'91 Camaro RS - TBI 305 - medium garnet - '91-'92 Z28 wheels - leather - all power options (except power seat) - t-tops - Clarion head unit - Pioneer 4way 200watt 6x9s - Rockford Fosgate Punch amp and 2 Fosgate 12" subs - Edelbrock open element w/ K&N filter - Random Technology highflow cat - some free mods, more coming soon...

 

dead bird i was just wondering about the pics you posted did you really cut your center brace out or are the pics photo shopped

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91 formula 350
mods: ram air II hood, 4th gen console

 

deadbird, just checked the pics on your site. That TA is gonna be sweet when you finish it! Keep us updated on the targa top.

 

or you could paint your car black.



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previous ride: 87 Camaro LT
350, A4.Comp Cams 268H, Edelbrock Preformer intake, Hedman Headers and y-pipe, gutted cat, No AIR/smog pump. 14x3" Open element K&N, Q-jet w/ D hanger and DA rods, adjusted AV spring tension and quick can.

Current ride: 1992 Camaro RS, K&N, Flowmaster, 305, T5, Black, T-tops, 84k miles.

 

Hey guys, didn't mean to fool anyone to thinking I'm actually doing this to my 'bird (I am looking onto some different doorhandles tho). I edited those pics. with PSP 7. If the camaro holds out long enough, I really would consider doing it to that since it has those junk t-tops for that one-off company that put tem in for GM. I'd love to ditch those crappy things.

 

check out the Targa Top post in the body/interior......this is where this post shoudl be now that we are talking about modding the car but then again we are still talking about painting the T-Tops....ahhh who cares

 

i got an idea~!!!!!!!!

if we can take off the center rib that easily..........

we should be able to fabricate some sort of "quicky" release for it.........................

and just use our normal t-tops

now we just need to work out the weatherstripping!!!!!!!!

this was a great idea!!!!!!!
(the original, not mine)

in the morning i shall go outside and take a good look at my t-tops and my idea

then someone can submit this as a tech article once we get it all done

 

I would just love to have a set of fiberglass ones made in the body color and keep the glass ones too. That way when you wanted to have no sun in the car you could put on the fiberglass ( but carbon or some light sheat metal ones would be nice)

 

Ney..... I wouldnt do it on my car. I like the Black tops on the Redbird.

 

It's not a crazy idea, especially if you live in the desert where the sun can really beat through the glass and attack you. Don't think it will work though.

 

It does that here in Texas too. SUX! Probably not as bad as it does in the desert. But I gets up to 110 sometimes.

 

sinces you have the extra T-Tops Id say get them painted if you dont like it at leats you have your Old set to put back on.

I think its a bad a@@ idea and it look cool as He!! and you could allways Stwitch back and Forth from to painted to None painted