Hello All,

just wanted some advice.....

I just purchased 2 Camaros. One is a t-top (90) and the other is a hard top (92). Id' like to make a weekend canyon runner. I live in SoCal so it's mostly sunny year around (hence the t-top idea), but I know body flex is an issue on 3rd gens.

SFC are on order, I have Koni yellows (frt & bk), drop spindles, etc...

Is the t-top worth building???

Thanks in advance for the .02 cents.

BTW: I will most likely sell the one I don't use (if anyone is interested)

 

I would use the hardtop car for the track and the t-top car for cruising. I own a hardtop car and I have driven a couple of t-top cars... They remind me of my Bronco. I think I would only ever do full convertible or hardtop ever. Why not drive them both as a stock car and make your decision on which you like better?

 

I would think the T top car is a heavier car.................

 

SFC are required for all third gens. I don't know about cornering but my car has T-tops and I've never had any issues with them. I had SFC installed before I started racing the car and for the second year of racing, I had a roll bar installed.

 

I'm pretty sure nothing was added to stiffen the frame on t-top cars but I could be wrong - it's happened before.

 

I wouldn't worry about body flex after SFC's are installed. I'd install on both. Nothing better than driving with T-Tops off but if you're risking a rollover and deciding between the two I guess I'd pick the hard top.

 

Love my TTOPs and verts..

 

Some quick research I did recently, although this wasn't 3rd gen specific, I think they wre talking about Mustanks, but they seemed to imply that SFC's dont really do much for twisting forces. Theyre great for most other methods of frame stress, but they dotn do much for the twisting forces that are really the main thing Im trying to eliminate. Maybe the way they tie together on our cars plus the nature of our frame means it does resist twisting pretty well, but I dont know.

 

Thanks for the heads up! I won't be entering competitions per say, just trying to have some fun with friends and locals...weekend canyon carving so hopefully I won't flip the car


On another note: Does anyone know if there is a significant difference in chassis flex with t-top vs. hard top (pre/post sfc) or does it all get cured with SFC?

 

To reduce body roll in the corners, install some big sway bars in the front and rear. You should also install some springs with a heavier spring rate. It won't ride like an RS or a Caddy but will handle the corners a lot better.

 

Nothing was added bracing wise, but the glass tops are far heavier than the 20 gauge tin they replaced then the associated hardware just adds that much more.

Either chassis will be just fine with the proper prep. Quality sfc's & suspension components will go a long way in either body. - IMO, I'd do the t-tops because they'd be out when I was out enjoying those back roads.

 

Depends on HP. I had an 80 z28 with a 500-550 fwhp and t tops. I had weld in competition engineering frame connectors that required cutting of the floor boards and welding the frame connectors to the floor boards and I still started to rip the t tops and trans tunnel in half. I also had solid body mounts in the sub frame.

 

I am assuming I will have about 325 +/- rwhp, which I don't think that it should be an issue in regards to body flex

I guess if I start to see stress cracks, I will probably add to the structure (roll cage, more frame bracing, etc.)

 

every 3rd gen ever created has "solid body mounts" because the subframes are part of the body.

I've run these cars into the single digit ET's with just quality sub frame connectors w/o any chassis issues.

 

A 1980 z28 is not a third gen. Its a second gen.Thus the reason I added that little bit of info. Also the frame connectors and solid mounts made the car so rigid that if you jacked up the front on one one side the rear would raise just as high, and vise versa if you jacked it up in the rear on one side. It still was tearing through the t top and trans tunnel.

 

^ my bad, I missed where you had said 80.

 

what car is better for high speeds ttop or hardtop?

 

doesn't matter, if you're going high speeds you'd have a cage or roll bar in the car as well as subframes.

 

I'd say a HT car is much more aerodynamic than a TT car. When I did 140ish mph in my old TT RS, I couldn't even hear the straight pipes. All I could hear was the air leaking around the front of the TT's. After owning that car for over 10 years and driving thousands of miles topless, I sold it and now own 3 HT 3rd gens. I will never own another car that is not a hardtop.

 

sounds like you needed to adjust them or buy new weatherstripping....

 

I recall a roadtest article comment about hardtop window seals failing around the mid/low 100 mark.

So I'd reasonably reach a T-top with perfect seals, all adjusted correctly, will still let in quite a bit of wind-noise at 140