installing t-tops in hardtop

[Red Regal T]

Originally posted by turbot2112
i had t tops cut into a 79 t\a and let me tell you they looked bad ass but leaked and rattled like a bitch. i put another grand into them and they were good for 6 months. then leaked and rattled like a bitch again. that car didnt have half the power as most of these turbos have. ill never get t tops again.

...............ENOUGH SAID!

 

[TurboBuickSix]

Originally posted by Red Regal T

...............ENOUGH SAID!

Yes, a unit-body car (half a frame!)with a set of "Hurst hatches"cut into a roof not designed for,nor braced like a factory T-top F--body would be, is indeed a fine comparison and example to use to rest your point John! Nice try.

 

[arista5]

i had after market T's in my first monte.... They didnt leak or rattle but one of the pins broke.... company who made them was our of business, and i was out of luck.... they never looked right either i would go with getting a sunroof put in before t-tops...

 

[turbot2112]

im gonna say it again, dont do it or you will be sorry. you think your doors sag now, you aint seen nothing. like artista said, maybe a sunroof, but noway t tops.

 

[Red Regal T]

Originally posted by turbot2112
im gonna say it again, dont do it or you will be sorry. you think your doors sag now, you aint seen nothing. like artista said, maybe a sunroof, but noway t tops.

......................HI !

 

[DMan]

I'm a little late to this party but as a 86 GN t-top owner for over 11 years, I would not do T-tops again. Someone else might say different, but I am *tired* of going over bumps and watching my whole WINDSHIELD shake back and forth, not to mention the NOISE NOISE NOISE NOISE!

I'm contemplating throwing some bucks at the problem - Both my A-pillars are cracked where they meet the body of the car, and a body shop colleague once told me that the T-top cars also crack in the thin section of roof that runs down the middle of the car. He said I could weld them up, but all the ones he has fixed ended up cracking again after a few years..

Anyone else have any experience REPAIRING creaky/noisy t-tops via welding and had a GOOD experience?

 

[turbot2112]

all i can say is do some research and go to the best place you can find. good luck

 

[Grumpy]

Dennis the solid roof cars do it to!!!! Melissa's car has'm an the car never even had slicks on it.. ya T roof's are noisier BUT they kick butt when ya take them out on a warm summer day hey you can hold the post with your arm when thier out to stablize the windshield post .. we still have a few of each body style...moonroof, t-roof an solid roof... I vote for a moonroof

 

[cimi4749]

I had that rust problem on my 84 cutty.. went throught the same evil t-top thoughts.. i have a vinyl top,,,.... yada yada yada... mudded it and painted it.... looks brand new lol now all i need to do is take that horrible 307 out and put the sweet stuff in

 

[WakkoSS]

I LOVED my ttops in my 87 T. P/S leaked a little bit at times, but they didn't rattle and I took them out constantly. I do like the clean lines of the hardtop I have now, but sometimes I wish I had ttops still.

Cutting off the roof is not that big of a deal. Check the prices, maybe it would be cheaper to buy a new body.

 

[redhotrod]

Just wanted to update everyone-
I didn't replace the roof (not because of you John D.)
I ended up sandblasting the sh*t out of the rust holes, sprayed on rust treatment, etch primed it and using usc all metal to fill it in. Smoothed it out with rage body filler. Painted it last Friday with Omni AU MBC9300 Basecoat and Omni AU mc quick clear. Man it looks good, should have reduced the clearcoat a little though, went on a little dry. Made for 2 many hours wetsanding!
All in all, It still looks good!

 

[GNandTTA]

I don't think I would cut into a solid roof car. But I would never own a solid roof GN. T-tops are just too damn much fun. Can't imagine owning a car like this without them. Kind of like buying a full size truck with 2 wheel drive - whats the point?

Both my cars had ratteling t-tops. With a little adjustment and alot of time you can quite it down. Adding the bushings, front frame braces and rear seat brace really tightened up the GN. The subframes made a world of difference on the TTA. That car should have come with those from the factory.

you think your doors sag now, you aint seen nothing. like artista said, maybe a sunroof, but noway t tops.

I beleive these cars have frames. I would hope that the roof is not responsible for keeping the doors aligned.

I am *tired* of going over bumps and watching my whole WINDSHIELD shake back and forth, not to mention the NOISE NOISE NOISE NOISE!

Hard top GM cars rattle too. It's not the t-tops is the quality of build, design, and assembly. My buddy has a Nissan 300Z TT w/t's that I gaurantee is quiter than any GM hard top.

 

[Red Regal T]

Originally posted by redhotrod
Just wanted to update everyone-
I didn't replace the roof (not because of you John D.)
I ended up sandblasting the sh*t out of the rust holes

GLAD YOU TOOK MY ADVICE.................

 

[Red Regal T]

Originally posted by GNandTTA
I don't think I would cut into a solid roof car. But I would never own a solid roof GN. T-tops are just too damn much fun. Can't imagine owning a car like this without them. Kind of like buying a full size truck with 2 wheel drive - whats the point?

TTOPS.....TOO MUCH FUN? ALL YOU GUYS THAT LIVE IN THE DEEP FREEZE WANT TTOPS. WHAT DA HELL, IT'S ONLY SUMMER TWO MONTHS A YEAR IN CHICAGO, SO I GUESS YOU WANT TO GET THE MOST OUT OF IT. NO YOUR TTOP CAR ISN'T WORTH MORE BECAUSE OF THE TTOP OPTION.

 

[GNandTTA]

ALL YOU GUYS THAT LIVE IN THE DEEP FREEZE WANT TTOPS. WHAT DA HELL, IT'S ONLY SUMMER TWO MONTHS A YEAR IN CHICAGO, SO I GUESS YOU WANT TO GET THE MOST OUT OF IT. NO YOUR TTOP CAR ISN'T WORTH MORE BECAUSE OF THE TTOP OPTION.

You are right John! It hate living here. I guess I am trying to make the most of it. But I think your wrong about the t-tops not being worth more. When I was buying my GN both times (90' for the first one and 97' for the second) I only looked a t-top cars. They were always at least $500 to $1000 more than similar millage/condition hard top cars. Maybe everyone here values them more? This is even more evident with the Trans Am's.

BTW it is cold here, but it is t-top weather for about 4 to 5 months. The next move I make will be to a location where the only time I see snow is in postcards.

 

[Red Regal T]

.......JUST TEASIN' 'YA!

 

[c&cgn]

Originally posted by Renthorin
Don't think I would try it. I have had several T-top G-bodies and even from the factory (Cars and Concepts) the workmanship is iffy at best.

I saw a GN this summer that had an after-market t-top setup and it just looked wrong. Nothing lined up.

If you plan to use the car for a daily driver (rain) I would bet it will leak.

If you really want a T-top car (and we all do, even closet t-top lovers like RRT) better to go get one that came from the pros (C&C).

I'm pretty late to this post, but I just got throught converting my T-top car to a hardtop. Looks great, and you cannot tell that it was ever done.

FYI, C&C t-tops are the aftermarket dealer installed option on all of the g-bodies (That is what my car had). The factory tops were done by Hurst.

BTW, If anyone is looking for C&C t-tops and seals, plus the rest of the trim etc I have everything from my old t-roof still that I am looking to sell. Send me an email if interested.

 

[Red Regal T]

Originally posted by c&cgn
I'm pretty late to this post, but I just got throught converting my T-top car to a hardtop. Looks great, and you cannot tell that it was ever done.

YEAH, YOU MISSED ALL THE FUN. CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR SUCCESSFUL ROOF CONVERSION. TTOPS WILL ULTIMATELY GO THE WAY OF THE POWERMASTER.......INTO EXTINCTION.

 

[TurboBuickSix]

Originally posted by Red Regal T
TTOPS WILL ULTIMATELY GO THE WAY OF THE POWERMASTER.......INTO EXTINCTION.

Yes, but you will most likely go first