i bought an 89 rs a month or so ago and it came with an "extra" ttop i think somewhere along the line the ttops were replaced as i have one locking one and one non-locking ttop and the "spare" it came with is a locking and it feels like lexan or some sort of plastic. any info on these?

 

There are plenty of threads on it. The Lexamar t tops were used in 1989-1992. They were a lighter, plastic t top. The dealers got a bunch of complaints about them scratching and looking like crap so GM decided to replace the tops with glass when they got complaints.

 

BTW they are Acrylic, not Lexan. Lexan is Polycarbonate, Acrylic is Plexiglas. Leximar was the company here in MI that made them.

I know- I know Details- Details.

John

 

Anyone selling the LEXAMAR panels?

My driver's side t-top cracked during a freak accident in an event involving David Hasselhoff, self-driving cars, and a Velodyne LIDAR scanner unit taped to the t-top with double-sided tape.

I just got a set of glass t-tops, and I didn't realize they were so heavy. I mean, they're crap, scratched, the paint is chipped off, and the weatherstrip is ****ed, so I'm returning them. But I thought I was buying the LEXAMAR ones instead of the glass ones... then they arrived and, Jesus Christ, they are so much heavier than the original ones that came with the car!

So I need to replace the panel on my t-top, and I need the replacement part to be in good shape. Any idea where to find them?

 

The only time I've ever found new Lexmar T-tops was when I bought a NOS set on eBay for my 91 RS back in 2006. I think I paid around $400 for the set, including a new t-top bag. It was nice having new ones as they were not spider webbed or peeling like the old ones I had (although all of them do eventually), however in limited use they still managed to get scratched.

Along with all the other problems they suffer from, they also have a metal brace that runs along the windshield and targa band edges. If those edges rub against the t-top they're stacked on top of in the t-top bag? SCRATCH...ask me how I know

After that, I used to put tape over the edges of the driver's side one so it wouldn't scratch the other one when I put it in the storage bag. Keep your glass T-tops and change the receivers to accept the glass tops. Lexmar tops suck.

 

My 91 RS had the Lexmar tops. I absolutely hated them! They scratched if you looked at them wrong. I like my glass ones so much better even if they are a little heavy.

 

I have considered making them, I make Aircraft Windows, which is no different. The problem I ran into is the tint of the material is twice as dark as anything I can get... AND if I might have to invest in an entire batch of material.. IE spending $20,000 to get the material, for something most people would never spend more than $500 for a pair... It would take forever to recoup any investment...

Is it doable? - Yes only if people would be willing to take a color that was not exactly the right color.

John

 

In principle, I'd like to have a set for the weight savings. And I could live with lighter tinted, or even clear material. It would be easy enough to tint them, just like any other piece of glass.

My problem would be coming up with the $500.00.

 

The thing people probably do not realize is for a quality material, you have to expect about $150 at least for material for each part, they are not tiny, To top it off (no pun intended) there are milled edges where the front and rear stiffeners are on the tops, so really $250 each is really inexpensive... its a number I pulled out of my butt, but like I expected, its too expensive for this application at this time... If I could get an order of 20 sets and sell them for $1000 each I would do it, and that might pay for the custom run of materials and tooling setup... The dies alone are on the line of $7000 each to have them made, then the special cutter to mill the edges...

 

I can certainly appreciate the cost that would go into such a venture. I don't find the proposed prices unreasonable, but for me, with good glass tops in the car already, it would be an extravagance that I could not afford.

 

i have an NOS set of Plastic and an NOS set of Glass Tops

 

Does anyone know where to find T Tops for a 1992 Anniversary Edition 5.7L? My left one is leaking, after having the seals replaced and they are telling me that the t top is "bowed"?

 

I have certainly thought about finding a good set of Lexan T-tops just for weight savings. Glass T-tops are so heavy

 

Doubt its bowed they just notoriously leak. My Dad has been in bodywork business since the 70s and he said he has seen them leak in every car from 70s Trans Ams on up - all of them. Every now and then you get one that doesn't leak. Mine has new seals and will actually leak a bit in the hardest rain if its sitting still in it.

 

My Glass tops do not leak... Check the center bar, make sure it is not rusted, they will leak there if it is.

I do not park it outside either, unless at a show, and it has not seen rain in probably a decade. When I wash my car the T-tops do not leak, the late 91-92 T-top seals are 200% better than the 82-91.5 T-top seals BTW. I changed my seals to the 91-92 style, you have to change all of the seals BTW.

With that said, the plastic is flexible so it is completely possible that they are leaking. If you can find a set of Glass tops they will fit, you have to adjust the pin holes on the car however because the Plastic tops are adjusted differently than Glass tops. Any Factory Glass top should work from 1985-1992, they were all the same. 82-83 had hooks, 85+ had pins, I think 84 had pins too...

 

^^^^^^Yes.

Not to mention the Tempered-Glass (Safety-Glass) T-Tops tend to shatter into a few hundred little pieces of glass, when your Engine starts making some Horse-Power!


Even with both style Sub-Frame Connectors, a 10-Point Roll-Cage, and addition Tubing to connect all three systems together...
Slamming down from a wheel-stand, and/ or Frame twisting, is guaranteed to make Glass rain down on you!

I guess it is time to "Back-Half" the Car, and go to a "Funny-Car" style Cage.

Or maybe I can just have a Solid-Roof (from a donor Third-Gen) installed/ Body-Worked...
and finally get rid of the T-Top Roof.

 

I got a free set of lexan t tops that are quiote nice...i don't even have a t top car lol.....yet....


sadly im in hawaii and shipping would be crazy!!!

 

$500 for a set of reproduction Lexmar T-tops is not bad. I would pay that. These cars are getting very collectible. There is a market that would pay that. The days of cheap rednecks driving these cars is a thing of the past.

 

I wish that was the case, many still on FB asking the same questions over and over like it's on a daily schedule. Point them to answers yet want info spoon fed until it's what they want to hear.

 

500$ for a plastic t-top set? Wow... over here in germany nearly ALL V6 cars with RPO MAE/EXP came with plastic t-tops. And we have A LOT 91/92 V6 with the 3.1 over here (V8 cars were also available but cost a lot more, so they are rare over here)... and everyone wants to swap to glass. A plastic set is worth nothing over here, if you get 50 € for a set you can be happy. Maybe I should collect a few sets and export them to you US guys...

 

My '92 tops stayed in the trunk most of the time and still scratched.

 

Might be a good idea. There was a NOS set on ebay a few years ago that were selling for $800-$1000. I can’t remember exactly, but it was a mint. I polished my originals out and they look good, but they still have that cracked hazy appearance when you look through them. The lighter plastic ones are nice. They have that super dark smoked appearance from the outside and they’re much lighter to take off and on than the glass ones.

Actually, I bought a set of glass tops too so can I switch back and forth as needed. I just have to get the rest of the car back together again. lol!