I want to see if it is hard, or if there are any downfalls to having fiberglass t-tops. I want to make them as light as possible, while having it painted the body color on the outside.

I live in hell, I mean texas, where it get's pretty damn hot inside the car. I would like to keep some sun out, and the glass t-tops are not supposed to be tinted, any more than they already are. And if they are on/in the car, they can save some weight while out on Friday and Saturday nights.

Anybody try this yet?

TIA

 

I do NOt know of anyone that has done this, but I would assume that its possible...

As for the heat issue, I took some heavy cardboard I got from a upholstery shop, and painted one side silver to reflect the heat. I just rest it on the headliner and the t-top itself (there is a little lip on the outside that it fits nicely into.

As for wanting to make some out of Fiberglass that is a neat idea, I would recommend buying a second set of tops, and using the glass as a template, and removing the glass then bond your new fiberglas top in its place.

John

 

I know a guy that rebuilt a friends '62 vette. He does awesome fiberglass work, but I wanted to see if anyone has tried it and had negative results or things to say about it. I can ask him if he can do it, I might go out there this weekend. I will try and keep everyone posted about it.

If anyone else has anything to say, please do. I need to figure something out.

 

Just so you know, if youre only trying to keep out the sun, there are inserts that sit above in between the glass and the headline and they match the headliner... They sit in there and block out the sun completely, at least in my car...

Id search around for a set, unless youre hell bent on breaking out the resin

 

I've seen a picture of a one peice targe top made out of fiberglass. They then placed the black plactics parts from the orig tops on that. I'll see if I can find the pic.

 

the ONLY concern I would have with the Fierglass option is it is easy to make one side smooth, and the other side rather rough. To make both sides smooth would be more difficult. Not a big deal really, until you consider the t-top seal might get damaged from a rough surface, and would probably be more prone to leak.

John

 

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IMO that looks compeletly custom to me, the latches & everything do not seem to resemble the factory t-tops

ALTHOUGH it might be a better idea making them all one piece considering that might hold it down better, posibly, maybe.

John

 

a targa top like that would be awesome....

 

There are other reason for doing this. I want to keep the sun out, I want something lightweight and less prone to cracking and burning the crap out of my fingers when I remove them on a hot summers day.

I am going be installing a roll cage, and they wont be able to store in the rear any more. I am going to remove the rear seats and take the velcro pouch type bag and hang it on the rear floorboard, where the back of the rear seat would lean against. I would trust these to be stored away back there than the glass ones. That way if I am out and it's starts raining, not summertime anymore, I would have a pair with me.

I am not a big fan of the single targa like system. He would have had to take off the cross bar the the t's slide into. The center would no longer have something to hold it down and would be more prone to leak. If it is just held down on the sides, then what would it seal against in the front and back center? Maybe I just have trouble seeing how that works, maybe someone could explain.

By the way, thanks for everyones feedback!

 

Also, targa is not a good idea in a F-body unibody, where body flex is already a major problem.

 

A targa top fbody is not a bad idea. As long as you support the car like a convertible and even more bracing, then you'll be alright. I plan on doing this to a j/y camaro for fun eventually one day, I just have to get anykind of brace to support the unibody design. Weld in sub frame connectors, wonder bar, strut tower brace, and maybe make some custom parts to go with it as well.

 

Why not just get some lexan ones?

 

I thought the same thing, then paint them.

John

 

Lexans from the 90-92 cars won't fit in the 89 and earlier years. I might be wrong about the years, might be 88 and earlier. That is why I am wondering about fiberglass.

Unless someone can tell me for sure that they will fit. Thanks

 

I've tried my lexon tops on a '88 Iroc and they didnt work, I've heard that you can make them fit with some adjustments. But the main problem I could see beteen my tops and the other tops: Is the pin size, Mine are large and the other ones are small.

 

My lexan tops (technically there acrylic) fit fine in my 87, I just needed to adjust the cams inside the pillars.

When I got the tops from the junkyard I got the recievers that go into the pillars, and when I started to look at them on my car I noticed that they were identical, just adjsuted different... The plastic tops would pull down further to make a tighter fit when useing the glass adjustments.

John

 

the pin size is kind of a trick, that large black pin is on springs and push into the top...

John

 

Oh, I get it now, I never knew the plastic peice stayed in the t-top. It all makes sense now.

 

I think what it might do is put tension from the front to the back of the top to keep it from shifting & Aligned, because its a pretty stiff spring.

John

 

So what you are saying is I can take lexan tops and just adjust the cams in the pillers? And that is it.

Or could I take the locks from a glass top and put them on a lexan top? Then I wouldn't have to adjust anything, and then if I wanted to use my glass ones for the day, I would just take the others off, and then put the glass ones on. Would that work, or am I dreaming?

daniel

 

I t would be about a million times easier to adjust the hole in the piller, All you need is a screw driver, lossen the screw and move it up or down.

 

Hey, it worked on mine, so I would say, adjust the pillars and then it should work.

I am only 90% positive on this...

John

 

I've other people say it could be done but I never belived them (beacuse of the differnat sized pins) but now that I know the pins dont matter, Just get some lexon tops at a junk yard or used off ebay (dont by them new at GM they want over $1000 yes $1000 a peice for them) and use those.

 

Well, I am not trying to fully replace the glass ones. All of the girls that ride with me like to look out of the t-tops when they are on. Well, what you can see out of them, that reflective tint doesn't help. This would just make it lighter and I woulnd't have to be as cautious with these as the glass ones.

I am going to try to fab up a lexan top with glass controls first, if that works, I will post here and let everyone know. If it doesn't then I will just adjust for which tops I will be using at that time.

I just don't wont to become lazy and not want to adjust them.

 

I had the same problem, with too much sun passing through my '90 RS's T-Tops. I just drove to a local window tinting shop, and chose the darkest shade of 3M they had. Left them, drove around with no tops, and came back a few hours later. Now I don't have the problem, and it's cooler inside. cost: about $18.75.

I have worked with fiberglass before, I even made a one off custom body for a prototype, and molds for the tailights, so an acrylic shop could make them. It would be very easy to replicate them in fiberglass, just get from a junkyard an extra set of side rails, so you can switch between OEM glass and fiberglass. The glass would be an excellent plug for making a mold. I would retain the two T-top design, I don't think a Targa is a good idea, with chasis flex , and leaks. If you just replicate the original setup, you don't even have to worry about custom work on the car's roof, with increased cost of upholstery work, welding, paint, weatherstripping, etc.

Just make sure the edges, have the same thickness as the glass, so it will seal ok. The bottom can be made smooth with careful sanding and gelcoat. You could even upholster it in a lightweight fabric, coordinated to your interior.

Thunderboy

 

when my old 92 was painted, I had the t-tops painted black. They were the lexan ones. It looks completely stock and perfect from the outside....but on the inside when you look up it's a beautiful mirror shine black. That was the BEST mod that's ever been done to a t-top car, in my opinion.

 

thats all i had to do to make my 1991 lexans fit my 87 Z28