Hey all, I was wondering if either GM or anyone else for that matter made / makes / sells removable hardtops for the F-body camaro. I have heard a rummer that they exist but have searched much and to no avail. The convertibles even seem to have a recessed groove (about 2 inches from the actual soft top) which would seem to fit a hard-top.

I know the 1989 Corvette (year might be wrong) had such an option and it looks very similar to fitting the body of the 1989 Camaro convertible.

Any input is appreciated.
Thanks !!!

 

I've never seen one. I think some good fab skills and a C4 ('84 to '96 vette.) hardtop might be the answer... I'd love to see it...

 

Though, maybe the size of the chrysler Lebaron GTC hardtop, might be right...

 

Doing a search will result in quite a few post of this topic. Here's one . . .
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/conv...e-hardtop.html
and another . . .
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/conv...-hard-top.html

 

Its a great idea, but expensive.......

it would certainly make my 'vert a daily driver with a hardtop during the rainy/hot season

 

The hardtop does make the car have a different look. Just remember it would take a lot of mods to fit a 1986 to 1996 Corvette hard top to fit. The corvette has two pins in the back and I believe the windshield rake is a lot different. I certainly would like to see one for the 3rd Gen Camaro as a cheaper option.

 

I like the idea of using a convertible top frame and building on that. I happen to have an extra to work with. A little metal work and bingo... just put the frame on and build from there. Now if i was capable, it would be a fantastic plan. Maybe ill try this summer.

 

Here are some conceptual drawings I made a while back when I got my car...

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/conv...-hard-top.html

Nothing ever came about... a lot of work...

 

I saw this done to a cutlass a while back & thought it was pretty cool.

 

I keep thinking this could be made by someone with the right fiberglass skills. Something like the way a jeep wrangler hardtop is made...

 

If only GM would have made a hardtop vert. I just think 3rdgen Irocs look much better with a trunk and without the huge glass hatchback. The body is beautiful that way! Thats why I got a vert.:0)

 

Honestly I was considering taking a hard top that I have for parts, take a splash off of it, and start with that... Make a mockup, and then work with it..

What I was thinking is to take a factory hard top shape, use as many factory parts as possible... I would use the weatherstrip from either a HT or vert. Use the headliner from a Hardtop, and make my own sail panel pieces or use coupe parts. Make the rear window out of plexiglas... That is easy enough to form for me...

I think it is very very doable, just the lack of time, and the fact I would probably never ever sell any for what I would have into them...

So there it is... d.o.a.

John

 

@ philiposki -- I know what you are talking about. I had a '99 Mustang convertible & there's a company that makes a convertible hard top for it. Basically, you put the soft top down, then put the (paintable) hard shell on. As far as I remember from last looking they include the headliner, too. At the time I lived in Ohio, & thought it would be a great thing to have in the winter, but never got one. I can't even remember what site(s) I found it on, but doing a search I did find this site that offers it for different vehicles, maybe you can get one custom made & they will start selling it for the rest of us...lol. Here's the link, http://www.smoothline.com/index.php.

 

Wouldn't the soft top be a mess after sitting folded for months while you use the hard top?

 

From a fabrication stand point I think starting with a vert frame and a fiberglass stringer gun (like they use to build boats) and try to build a mold. After looking at both a hard top and a vert from the rear (roof up) I dont think the hard top will fit, the vert roof has a sharp drop on the sides and rear. Maybe if you had both to work with, and the time to put in it could be done. I may look for a complete vert frame, there is a custom boat buildr not far from me. I would be interested to see if he could do some thing like this if he had the frame to work with. I am sure the original hardware would work to hold the top down, kind of like the old Benz 500's

 

In making such a top I would think that the windshield and tonneau mounts could be used, but think you would also have come up with a way to mount the hardtop in the conv. top hinge area for support (added strengh) and to prevent rattles.

 

WOW that is one sexy car!!

 

Galpin Ford has quite a coachworks division (they constructed the '68-style long-roofed Iacocca edition Mustangs) and recently built a retractable hardtop verison of the current Mustang (Google Image "Galpin Retractable") . The third-gen F-body tonneau/boot lends itself nicely to this kind of design... but as is usually the case you would have to work in a retractable side-quarter window.

A junked 1995 Mitsubishi 3000GT Spyder retractable might be a good place to start....

 

 

Is this photoshop?

 

It's a chop someone did in another thread. I like the way it looks though.

 

Yeah, it looks like a C4 Corvette hardtop.

 

I wonder what a C5 ZO6 back glass would look like on this idea?

 

Like this?

 

I prefer this one, but that is my 2 cents

 

Very cool, I would love that on my vert.

 

That one is very cool, When I get my car done that may be a project I look into. I have a great fabrictaor, need to set him free on that in his spare time. Between the two of us I am sure we could make it work, I would only want to use the same hold downs as the softtop.

 

http://dallas.craigslist.org/ftw/bar/5203954132.html

 

Why did you post this?

 

Seen this on Craig's list and never seen one before looked it up came acrossed this thread... not my car if you were wondering.

 

It is an Autoform Convertible Conversion.

John