murukalo

Ive been staring at my car and the dang roof looks like an I or H depending on location so where did they come up with the term T-Top I mean theres the windshield top the support bar and the rear part of the roof Its not a T in my opinion its a fat bottom I roof

TraviZ

iTrader: (2)

The 'T' is just short for Targa.
Targa Top.
"Targa top, targa for short, is a semi-convertible car body style with a removable roof section"

murukalo

i thought the targa was a removable one piece top the whole length of the roof ?

IROC#1

You are correct--A targa roof is a 1 piece removable roof with no center support.
A t-top has the middle support and 2 roof sections. Its called a T-top because in theory the windshield and the t-bar make the letter T.

vindeezl

iTrader: (2)

They don't, they call them "leak tops"

JTNKTZ

iTrader: (10)

People make this mistake all the time. T-Top is NOT the same as a Targa Top!
T-Top comes off in 2 sections where as targa comes off as 1!

UNCLE TOM

iTrader: (1)

how about " TEMPORARY TOP " ????

IROC#1

I must have the best 3rd gen ever made! Not only do my T-Tops not leak, my car has no creaks or rattles (solid as a rock), have 99% of my original paint and clear coat and NO rust!
Pretty incredible!

murukalo

I Dont believe you iroc1 lol im just kidding you must have one of the 1% cars

duckmanquacker

My 87' still has the original weather stripping, no leaks, and even has paint on them.

iroc stangs

same here, only 1 leak which was my fault when i was trying to get my keys out with a coat hanger. i also have no creaks, rattles, nothing. but again 27k miles doesnt hurt

also the car was sitting for 5+ yrs outside and the weatherstiping have never been replaced, and so far it looks like they dont need to!

Sonymaster20

iTrader: (3)

If you fix the t-top seals right you can get them to seal up.. I did it on my car and I have no leaks. This was with the OER aftermarket weather strips

86NiteRider

iTrader: (10)

My T Tops on my 86 never leaked and I had OEM stripping until it's last day,270,000 miles. I guess it was hit and miss with tops that leaked.

TraviZ

iTrader: (2)

I dont know where by definition that targa has to be a one piece removable top?
its a removable roof by definition, the "T" bar is for structual integrity for sure. I think the term T-top is a popular term the general public created.
Please prove me wrong otherwise, I prefer to be correct, but for now i will stand by my targa statement.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Targa_top

murukalo

Targa top, targa for short, is a semi-convertible car body style with a removable roof section and a full width roll bar behind the seats. The rear window can be fixed or removable, making it a convertible-type vehicle. In common usage, any piece of metal or trim which rises up from the side of a car and continues in an uninterrupted line over the roof and down the other side may be called a targa band, targa bar or a wrapover band. Targa tops are different from T-tops, which have a solid, non-removable bar running between the top of the windscreen and the rear roll-bar
I fail to see the point you are trying to make, even wikipedia agrees with me, T Tops are not a targa

TraviZ

iTrader: (2)

and yet, further down the page Examples of traditional Targa-Top: and it lists the camaro lol.

murukalo

it say under the sub heading Examples of the Targa car and T-bar top body style include see targa and T-Bar Top

86NiteRider

iTrader: (10)

I feel like a kid in the third grade school yard yelling "FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT".
Just agree to disagree.

OUTATIME GTA

iTrader: (2)

Don't believe everything you read on the Internet folks. Wikipedia isn't always correct.

This ^ statement is correct. The "T" is not short for anything, just referencing the "T" shape.

It's a fact that the Targa refers to the 1 piece design. It was trademarked by the Porsche in the 70's and then other auto makers followed with their own name for the 1-piece removable top.

Some more facts:

TraviZ

iTrader: (2)

I hate you all

91firecrow

i have to be honest i am 40 and all my life i have only heard one other conversation about nothing WOW one is a t-top and one is a targa.
it's easy and simple who cares why?
its slang in any form of the words someone created it that doesn't make them god. NEXT STEP BE HAPPY

84 1LE

iTrader: (9)

Probably marketing! It just sounds right! Or T is targa without the "arga"!

CaliChevyLover

when people ask me I say "transparent." girls are always like "wow that's so cool" i don't tell em that the rain drops are transparent until they fall on their lap in the back seat

TraviZ

iTrader: (2)

can you go more in depth on how you fit anyone in your back seat?

CaliChevyLover

I have a height chart like at the roller coaster rides. must be this height or shorter!

OUTATIME GTA

iTrader: (2)

haha, nice.

Nateshawk392

Well, first I’d say the Patent holder “Porsche” would be a good start on “where by definition a that a Targa Top has to be a one piece removable top?”
Targa tops are a one piece removable roof section.

And then to the reason they’re called “T-Tops”.. Which has nothing to do with roof shape, or they’d be I or H tops..
The “TASCO” top was Patented in 1951. Originally seen on the 1948 TASCO prototype car by Gordon Buehrig which had removable glass roof sections with a center support bar…
Which was later used by GM on the 68 Vettes.


also, there have been Camaros with aftermarket Targa Tops. (5th-6th gen)

OrangeBird

iTrader: (1)

To answer this question, , , that's been burnin since 2010;

The "T" stands for "Trickle", cause the marketing peeps weren't buyin "Tinkle"

Seriously

OrangeBird

iTrader: (1)

If I could wave a magic wand at my car, the first change would be a 5 speed, and the second would be a hard roof........

LAFireboyd

iTrader: (3)

Nothing quite like reviving a discussion that began and ended 13 years ago.

GM called "T-Tops" Removable Glass Roof Panels early in the generation, then Removable Hatch Roof later-on.

To me, T-Tops are synonymous with F-Bodies. I couldn't own a 3rdgen without them, and I haven't: 3 for 3. My Formula's have never leaked and still don't: 37 years with original seals.

A 3rdgen without T-Tops is like a day without sunshine! And at night... starry skies and bright moonlight out in the desert, at a drive-in movie (some still exist), at a Big Boy or Sonic, on the Vegas strip...

taguy16

I think Smoky and the Bandit is what popularized T-tops with the F-body crowd. Unfortunately the early Hurst installed T-tops installed in Trans Ams were notorious for leaking, and if you buy one of these cars used that was stored and/or driven in the rain frequently they almost always have rusted out floors and seat bottoms.

My problem with T-tops in Third gen F-bodies is GM made so many of them and it's hard to find solid top cars if you're like me and hate T-tops. For one thing don't want sun beating down on my head when I'm out driving. Also, I've always felt hey weaken the body structure of the car and they make the car look ridiculous when you take the glass panels out. Plus those panels can come out if you don't have them fastened securely enough, wreaking all kinds of havoc.

erik69&85

iTrader: (1)

And I always thought it was left over from us yelling at the driver's girlfriend to " Take off te tops..!!!!.."