Hey guys! I've always loved the targa tops of the vettes and the toyota supras, and wanted to convert my girls t-tops to a similar system, but I have no idea how id go about doing this. I know ill need to strengthen the subframe with stronger suspension parts and subframe connectors. After that I'm kinda clueless. Anyone seen or done this before and know of any guides I could go off of? Thanks for the help!

 

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/body...onversion.html

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/fabr...brication.html

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/fabr...onversion.html

 

Sweet! Ty

 

I had a C4. When the roof is in the car is pretty strong. With the roof out, the windshield/a-pillars dance around like you wouldn't believe. A company called Pro-street customs makes a bar that bolts in place of the targa when you have it out.

Cutting the roof off a hard top car, welding up some chanels and fabbing some weatherstrip shouldn't be more than a couple days project. Starting with a t-top car may or may not be easier. I guess you already have the lines for the channel so maybe it would be easier ?

I vaguely remember how they attach to the roof, but I'd probably make some sort of structure out of dom tubing, get all the bug out of latching and unlatching, then just fiberglass over it.

-- Joe

 

Sounds interesting ill look into that. And this will end up being my first major solo fab project, so I'm trying to do plenty of research so I don't end up making something that leaks like a mother.

 

I always figured the easiest way would be cut out the T-Bar, Take the 2 T-Tops and fiberglass a panel that'll fit into the trim/latches that the glass goes into (on the ttops) and span across the car, then get some weather stripping made that'll seal it up.

Maybe take a strip of T-Top weather stripping and cut it to fit into the gap left by the T- Bar and silicone any gaps left, use the latches on each side of the car as the only way to attach it

But hey, I'm not a professional. I'm sure that's not the best/correct/possible way to do it

I also thought once how hard it would be to cut out the T-Bar, and rig up a latching system for it itself, So you could remove the 2 T-Tops, then pop out the T-Bar. Maybe could get away without any custom weather stripping that way

 

so has any one seen or done the hole deal? i got my car apart and will love to do this to mine

 

i was hinking about doing this to my trans am. my plans were to use the two ttops, but to take the driver side ttop, trimming the top part of the center bar that meets and holds the two sides in the middle, and adhering that, trimed to minimum, to the driver ttop. underneath the center of the driver ttop i would now install a latch from a spare set of ttops and make the provisions on the body to acccept that now center latch. from there i would run weather stripping across front and back, along with the pass side of the center bar adhered to the driver ttop. from there u can install the pass ttop like normal, but when u want to remove them u can take it down in two pieces making it simpler to bring with u for the chance of rain. and they'll fit in the trunk no prob. only real hard part would be making the weather strippings work flawlessly together. thats my idea at least at this point.

 

What about the headliner anyone have any thoughts on what to do about that?

 

i think the headliner is the last thing people think about when cutting their cars up lol

 

I try to think about the whole thing ahead of time. And that seems like a necessary part. And I was also wondering, what would be the best thing to make the targa top out of? I was leaning towards welding two of the locking parts of the t-tops together, then to add some strength triangulating the inside. Then I'm thinking fiberglass to finish it off.

 

This has to be the most talked about and least completed mod on Thirdgen.org

I only say that as a warning to anyone who thinks it easy...

 

headliner can be trimmed up, front held in by existing clips and sunvisors. rear can be held by done light, sides, and rear panels, and use fiberglass to roll cut edges and then recovered with fabric. only real work would be to rewwire the dome light as the harness runs down tbar. i know this is making it sound simple, but the theory is there. and with some subframe connectors correctly welded in, the car should not flex. its already been proven that floor pans help, but are not necessary for a car to not fold in half. reinforcing rockers and trans tunnel may be necessary in addition to those frame connectors.

 

I'm not to big of a fan of the dome light so ill probably scrap it and just wire some nice blue leds around the interior like I was planning on doing anyway. I've never liked dome lights. As far as reinforcing the transmission tunnel and the rocker, what all might be necessary? Cuz this probably isn't something I'm going to do till the weather warms up, and the plan is to get my suspension updated by then.

 

you have freedom on how you want to reinforce them, but those are the three crutial areas to a unibody structure like our cars. there are a few people that have done the mod on thier third gens, noone ever sees too much of them though.

 

Alright. Hopefully ill be able to get this started and finished over my spring break. As soon as I get it started ill post it all up here with pics. Thanks for the help guys! Oh, one last question. What would be the best way to go about custom seals for the top? Should I get some from a supra or a vette, or would I need to have a shop custom make seals?

 

how is your targa top project going?

 

Its slowly coming along. I've been working on designs with my schools engineering computers. Have yet to find a design idea that looks good, seals right, and that id be able to make. Hopefully ill find one soon.