i read a few posts and saw some pictures of thirdgen convertables. Needless to say, i WANT one! i know it wouldn't be easy, but how would you go about doing it? theres a few things i'm worrying about in these beginning planning stages (cause i might do it

1.) Keeping the car ridgid enough for good handling, safety, etc.

2.) Appearence, when i'm done i want it to be an improvement, not a disfiguration. careful cutting with a torch at the sail panels and by the top of the windsheild, and i could probably acheive this.

3.) Where the convertable top would go......once i ditch that rear hatch, i'll probably be making a trunk area, well most likely will have to, so what would i do for that? Any ideas? Pics of this area being posted will definately be appreciated! Thanks for any comments/questions.

 

also, keep in mind, i'll be doing this to one cheap *** car......

 

i couldnt tackle a project like that..

but as far as support for the chassis, you would need subframe connectors at least, because the factory convertibles i believe came with factory bracing also...

 

PM or email Fatal88, He did the same thing to his Z. It began as a hardtop, then went to a t'top, and then to a vert. He used 2 wrecked verts for parts. Man I want his vert, G0D its soooo sweeet.

 

lol not too sure i can tackle it either, price wise, it might just be chaper to buy one after i'm done. i'm still going to look into the project, just in case it turns out to be possible as far as parts and funds. just might not be worth it though. another thing i have thought of, is the windsheild supported enough by just the bottom where it's attatched?

 

Heres a pic of his vert, even though I think everyone knows what it looks like

 

yep. she's a beauty. makes me want a camaro instead theres a nice one around here for sale, with the cragar rear louvres! i belive it's only a 6 banger, but i want it.!

 

My camaro is a 85, Im the second owner and the people who owned it before me took it to California and had it chopped. I guess it was a t-top before but not sure. The nice thing about the ones that were converted is they look a little different (better in my opionion), because the top lays down flatter. You know how on the newer factory convertibles, how when the top is folded down seems to stick up and doesn't flatten horizontal with the body? Well, on the conversions they lay really flat so they look a lot better.

Personally, I don't think I would want to try that project. You would have to be an engineer and a body man from way back to get it right. Then you have to make sure that when you get ready to actually put the top on, it would actually fit. That is the problem I am having now. It's time for a new top and even though theoritically the factory top SHOULD work, it would still have to be adjusted. The biggest problem I am having is finding the correct latches for the top. Somehow one of the latches got loose and fell off the car one day, I can't seem to find a matching latch so I may have to redrill the holes and buy two different ones. If I were you, and you want one that bad....maybe you should think about getting one with a t-top then converting it because I think the t-tops were already strengthened along the bottom but I am not 100 pecent sure of that. Well, good luck. Oh, if I can get the digital camera working I will send you a pic of my car...though it looks just like the one that is shown under the topic restoration and history, with the exception of mine having a tan top.

 

i can't find the assembly now, i thought a friend had one but it's gone now. looks like my planning may have been in vain. might still check it out though.

 

i'm a mechanical engineer with some minor welding experience, and i wouldn't even think of doing that. you'd spend literally thousands of dollars on the parts , many of which are rare if you can even find them. either find a beat/salvage convertible to fix up, it'll be cheaper in the long run and probably look better (no offense intended, but it's an extremely complicated project for one person)

 

I wouldn't cut it with a torch i'd use a demo saw or a cut off wheel on a grinder make your mark where you want it cut then cut it just a little short of the loine that way you could grind it down to perfectly match your line.a torch would be way to much heat on it

 

yep, too hard. see i thought i could get the top for it from a friend. turns out he no longer has it. I figured it wouldn't be worth the time or money anyways, thats kinda why i said "theoretical question". And no offense taken, patrick. I understand that it's hard as hell to get things like this to look right. I'll stick with trying to find a cheap convertable or another t top car (sold my formula and i miss it dearly)

 

there was a guy in NJ selling a pair of formulas, one a 90 w/ t-tops, for about $1000 or so. check the classifieds section. i asked about it for my brother, and it didnt sound too bad at all.

 

and if you're serious about a homemade project, maybe try a targa top. i always thought about that one. you could use broken t-tops to get the end parts, and make a fiberglass top to test it out before you have someone make you a plexiglass/glass version. i think it should be relatively easy, i was just too cheap to have someone custom make the glass, and i liked the see-through roof.

 

thats going to be my next project when I get me a fixerup t'top IROC. Oh if you do decide to do this its strongly suggested you get SCF's installed before you do any cutting.

 

actually, from looking at some t-top cars in a yard a couple years ago, i think some of the roof bar is held by bolts, other parts by rivets. so there may only be some drilling, and of course the weathersealing and targa fab that need to be done.

and SFC wise, that's part of the reason for a fiberglass prototype - might crack, but won't shatter, and is way cheaper in the event of excessive body flex.

 

Why drill stuff out. After you've installed the SCF's you can use a saws all to cut the tbar out. That way the body wont flex in some weird way due to the support has now been removed. I love doing fabrication work its so much fun. Maybe thats why I love monster garage

 

i meant drilling the rivets on the t-bar. that saves you a) a rough sawz-all cut, and b) finding another one if this happens to 'not work out'

as for the fab work, my working idea was to start with a plaster mold made from laying down the 2 tops, then filling with fiberglass or something similar with thin aluminum strips cross hatched 0°/90° and at 45° 's for some additional rigidity. and possibly even an aluminum frame around the whole outside, which would make attaching the weatherstripping/rubber seal and the side locking bars from the tops.

 

I was thinking about getting 2 1inch wide, 1/8 or 3/16 thickness, by how ever long it takes to get across the roof pieces of steel. Removing the glass from the t's and froming the two metal strips to whats left of the t top latching part. And putting a X brace on it. Then glassing or cutting the roof of another car to mate to the steel frame. I need to go to the j/y and pick up a set of t's. To start brainstorming on.

 

actually, i think 3/16" or smaller plexiglass would be flexible enough to bend to shape and attach to the metal frame.

 

For the final targa that would work. But as the test one I would rather fab up something quick and easy. Theres no local plexiglass places in my area, I'd have to drive 101 miles to the nearest shop. I'll just have to wait until Im ready for the real targa to be made.

 

you could make a convertable with no top and add a roll bar and make it look like an old school race car, or not. Just thinking about stuff.