I was looking at parts for my car and I came across this http://thirdgenranch.com/-strse-726/...oof/Detail.bok how hard would it be to convert my hardtop to t tops using this? Anyone ever do it? I dont want to cut holes in my roof to make t tops i want to actually remove my roof and use this.

 

Look up
Madhatter
IIRC, he's done the complete swap

 

Why?

 

I think I was browsing his post last night, If I do this will the car lose any rigidity and if heaven forbid I get into a crash will the car crumple up like a pop can?

 

If you swap the roof correctly and use al the factory braces and metal, it will be fine. You will loose some ridigity.

Unless you do al the work and paint, it makes more sence to just leave it alone or buy a ttop car. Ttops are overrated anyway. I like my hardtop car more. And it doesn't leak....

 

I am thinking of getting a red fourth gen firebird it needs its VATS system disabled. It has t tops power everything it is a sweet car, I still love third gens though.

 

my t-tops don't leak
Unless you're willing to spend the time and money i suggest just going out and buying a car that already has t-tops

 

my t-tops dont leak, if you do this i would love to see the pics as you go

 

swapping roofs isnt as simple as cutting the old roof off and welding the new one on. you need to brace the crap out of the car before you make the first cut. otherwise you wont be able to line the new roof up to weld on. our cars are unibody, so even the roof is part of the structural integrity of the car.

 

Anything can be done, it is just a question of whether or not you got the time, money, and equipment to do it. My brother did a '78 TA that way. It turned out ok. But even if you strip the car down to do it, it has to be braced up, and secured on some sort of platform. setting on the ground (on the tires) will make it want to bend up like a pretzel (even if braced) and if it is up in the air, it will want to pull apart. The only way I would do a project like that is if I already had a project car stripped completely down (doing a complete resto.) Otherwise, for me it wouldn't be worth all the work involved.

 

You've got to be a competent welder, too. You really need a TIG. ARC or Wire fed are more likely to cause heat deformation unless you're very careful. THAT ASIDE - It's been done before and it's probably easier than swapping your whole power plant over to a new body. And also cheaper than finding a good rust free specimen.

If you decide to go for it good luck! Take some pics and let us know how it goes.