From my searches I've discovered that the convertible cars were made from the T-Top cars. What I'm trying to figure out are the differences. Also from searches I've seen indications that there was an added frame support in the transmission tunnel, and that there were pieces riveted along the frame right under the rocker panels. Does anybody know exactly what these differences are? Are these welded in or are they riveted in that I could drill out the rivets and put them on my car? What would I expect to pay for these from a scrap yard?
I'm contemplating the Targa conversion but I don't want to trash my frame in the process. I have access to welders, a full shop, and so on for fab purposes. I understand subframe connectors are probably a must as well but I figured making the frame the same as a convertible frame would be a good start.

 

a set of good subframe connectors will do the trick, the factory stuff was just sheetmetal parts rivited to the car.

 

any SFC is 10x better then the factory brace used on a vert.
The only thing a vert had was a strip of angle looked like a L rivited on.

EVEN with welded in SFCs when I did the targe conversion you could feel a slight give/buckle when the car was on jacksyands and no top in.

 

I will have to agree with the others on the sfc's.The extra bit of frame my vert has isn't much.I too will be adding sfc's eventually.

 

Thank you for the input so far. In one hand, people seem to be saying that the car is structurally trashed once the center bar is cut out. On the other hand however, it seems that a TTop car + subframe connectors - center bar is still stiffer than a vert, and those haven't fallen apart yet as far as I can tell. The other thing complicating this is that I don't plan on keeping my car forever (Among other things the significant other may be heading to a masters/PHD program in California, and there was NO emissions stuff on my car when I got it), and I'm told the Targa thing will decrease the sale value of the car. It seems to me it would increase it, but oh well, that won't stop me from dreaming and planning.

 

Depends on what you say when you sell it and who buys it.
If they think it a factory vert they will pay more. Knowing it's aftermarket and not knowing you, they will look at it with a car with more problems, because they don't know how you did the work, and it was not done at the factory which means it's not as good.
Which is not always the case.
However, if you find a 2nd gen belive they were 78, 79, and 80. Their was a company back in the day that converted I think it was 500 78's and 500 79's, and they think 5 80's before they went out of buisness. Those can be worth something cause they were done new, and Chevrolet didn't make a 2nd gen convertable.
So take the value for what you will. It all comes down to the person that buys it.

 

That's sort of where I was going with the vert supports. I'd use them in addition to a set of sfc's, but at the same time I'd be able to use that as proof that the frame was more stiff than the verts.

 

if you anticipate selling the car, then why take on the huge undertaking of creating a targa top? It'll be a lot of work that will cost time and money, and you won't get a return on your investment when going to sell.

Reinforcing the body with SFCs and cutting out the center bar is the cheap and easy part. You then have to come up with a weatherstripping solution. Sure there is a front strip available from convertible cars, but there is no one-piece rear seal for a targa top. Then there is the fabricating of the top itself. How do you go about making a large piece like that and hold the curvature accurately enough to seal? Fiberglass loves to warp when curing; just look at most aftermarket hoods. The final targa top would also likely be fairly heavy. It would have to be rigid enough to hold its shape under the load of its own weight when handling. You'll then also have to modify your headliner.

In the end, I think you'll find that the center bar isn't so bad after all

 

why not just cut out the width of the t-tops from a hard top car cap the ends and fab up some latches and use any kind of weatherstripping. not as extravagant but alot easier. Just an idea, post some pics when you start, it may be a neat project to follow.

 

Its deff. not as hard as people make it out to be.
my pic's back from '04http://www.cecoatings.com/images/CarStuff/92Z/Targatop/low1.jpg

See the white x's. Those are the spot welds that need drilled out
http://www.cecoatings.com/images/Car...weldsfront.jpg

http://www.cecoatings.com/images/Car...tweldsrear.jpg

and out it came
http://www.cecoatings.com/images/Car.../targatop2.jpg
http://www.cecoatings.com/images/Car.../targatop4.jpg
http://www.cecoatings.com/images/Car.../targatop5.jpg

The center front theres a little tab of metal you will want to leave and roll over like they do with the convertable cars.

Easiest way to explain. is just go for it. once you start you will see what you need to do.

If you can weld,cut ,measure and fab. I say go for it. If you dont have the confidence and 2nd question your skill or ability I say don't start on it.

 

Jeremy-
While I anticipate selling it, I've got some free time on my very idle hands and am looking for another thing to play with.
New top:
I have a spare set of T-Tops about for the side hardware and window seals, and have several sources of acrylic for the top. I don't think I want to try to get a piece of tempered glass that big curved, and I already have experience and access to facilities with thermal forming large sheets . As for the weatherstripping, I don't think that would be too difficult as it's a strait section so I'll use some generic stuff with an adhesive backing. In order to have it seal I was planning to give the top slightly less curvature than the car so it would be preloaded to press down on the seal. If the acrylic were the same thickness as the original T-tops I think if anything it would weigh slightly less due to the removal of the center bar.

The headliner I was planning on chopping like the center bar and then molding the ends with fiberglass. I have a little experience with fiberglass, and a bunch with carbon fiber which is more difficult anyways, including a recumbent bicycle chassis that turned out very well.

Unless my measurements are off the lock compartment and spare tire cover in the trunk would need to be modified a little bit in order to fit the top in the trunk. I did manage to get my T-Tops side by side in there with the spare tire cover removed.
----------
TPI383,
I can weld. Other than the installation of the SFC's where would welding be needed?

 

TPI383 got as far as what I referred to as the "easy part" and then decided to go to full convertible, which allowed him to use factory parts. Anyone can cut out the t-bar. The challenging parts are 1- forming a suitable one piece top and 2- forming a functional weatherstrip for the back side. Using a generic piece of weatherstripping isn't going to get the job done. The factory weatherstrip has a specifically shaped "block" on each end that lines up with the weatherstripping mounted to the t-tops, so a generic piece of weatherstripping would leave a significant gap.

I'm not saying this project is impossible, I'm just saying that you shouldn't take it lightly. If I were approaching this project, I would work on the challenging parts first and have a high degree of confidence that I have a viable one-piece top and custom/modified weatherstrip in hand before I start drilling out spot welds.

the idea of using a section of sheetmetal from a hard-top car is a pretty damn good one. Even doing this though, I would verify that the curvature matches. They welded in an entirely different roof structure for hardtop and t-top cars, so they may have a slightly different shape to them.And of course, you would have to fabricate a steel frame underneath it for the entire width of the vehicle for rigidity.

 

the curve is the same. I would go this route before trying to do a convertible conversion just because the vert parts aren't too easy to come by (at least not when you need them) but if you already have the stuff then yeah it would be an alright idea.

 

There's definitely not a full convertible in my future. I don't really like the way they look on all cars, and I really love the rear roof/hatch line on the hard/T-top cars.

 

Did you do careful measurements or are you just making an assumption based on just looking at them? I haven't measured so i don't know. I'd ASSUME that it's the same, but I would take actual measurements before cutting up my car.

 

It doesn't really matter if it's the same or not. I'd make the mold from my current car with the T-tops on so the shape would be the same.

 

Its the same. been there done that. If you drop the headliner on a hardtop car. You can see the exact shape of the t tops and where the t bar is.

I'll have to dig thru the rafters at my shop. I still have a formed lexan piece I planed to mold the targa out of.

I planned to use the sides as normal for latches and then do like my vette had. star/torx bits for the front extra hold down force.

 

I'm not very familiar with corvettes. Do you have any pictures of what you are talking about with the assembly "for the front extra hold down force"?

 

http://www.corvettesouth.com/images/C4roofpanels.jpg

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Corvette-windshield-targa-top-hardware-89-93-94-95-96_W0QQitemZ220326074255QQcmdZViewItemQQptZOther_Vehicle_Parts?hash=item220326074255&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=72%3A543|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/CORVETTE-TARGA-TOP-BRACKETS-REAR-PAIR-84-96_W0QQitemZ110324324547QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories?hash=item110324324547&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=72%3A543|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318

http://www.vettebay.com/auctions/86-...p/SANY0104.JPG
http://www.vettebay.com/auctions/86-...p/SANY0105.JPG

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Corvette-targa-top-roof-mounting-brackets-set-84-85-86E_W0QQitemZ350138173280QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories?hash=item350138173280&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=72%3A727|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318