T-Tops

[TheGr8Schlotzky]

So, I'm thinking about doing the conversion, however, it rains quite a bit around here. I talked to my dad about it, he said it would be very stupid to do here because of the humidity through winter and all. I will be driving this car in the winter at least for the next few years. He said he's had some friends through the years that had cars with t-tops..said his best friend in college bought a brand new dodge with t-tops, and they had to hold towels up to the windows when he went through a car wash even brand new.

He says it takes away from structural integrity making the car flex and leak..that i know isn't so true for our cars, though I'm sure it's true for other cars.

Basically, I want to know if it's going to leak and get my interior moldy if i do the conversion. It's going to be outside year round, and it does snow sometimes here, though normally once or twice every 2 years.

I was also thinking, maybe there was a way to just put a curved piece of glass/Plexiglas in place of the roof for the T-Top without the removable aspect.

I don't know..gimmie some input.

[FireBird_Fr3ak]

Re: T-Tops

If you do it right they wont leak. Mine only leak in touchless car washes, but thas b/c water sprays up at the right angle. The cross bar thats in the roof now stays so you wont loost integrity. I say go for it and prove him wrong.(the leakage part not the integrity part lol)

[DAS BOOT]

Re: T-Tops

mine occasionally leaks in a carwash but its only from a almost vertical or horitzontal hard spray of water.

just normal rain it doesn't leak... and my car sees alot of rain in FL...





also my car is a t-top conversion...

[Smoke Panther]

Re: T-Tops

with regards to structural integrity your dad mentioned, that's kinda a false assumption on his part...When F-body frames are built, they're all intially made as hardtops, then T-tops are added later in assembly. So, aside from the T-top itself, there's no structural difference b/t a hardtop and a t-top

[Fireball27]

Re: T-Tops

Well its a good thing you came here and asked instead of listening to your dad... i know how it is.. my dad makes all kinds of assumptions too.

[Meatyshells]

Re: T-Tops

if it does end up leaking after your done, you can always go buy some kind of sealer and your problem is solved, my friends 99 ss came with t-tops and they leak by them selfs, but he says it barly leaks when he is going thru a car wash
oh and i am doing my t-top conversion tomorrow at about 11am, wish me luck

[stevethepirate]

Re: T-Tops

my t-tops leak probably 2 drops when im driving through bad rain. i wouldnt know about car washes... WASH IT YOURSELF!

i know kristen's doesnt leak... and she did the conversion herself.

the biggest problem i have with t-tops is the cold. because the roof is all glass, it gets pretty damn cold in my car during the winter and takes a long time to warm up. maybe t-top shades would help that a bit though.

[kristen]

Re: T-Tops

like steve, my only might get a drop or 2 in BAD rain. but i haven't had her out in rain in a long time. but as for car washes, i do it myself. and no leaks at all.

you just have to do it right. and play with it till it's perfect.

it won't mess up anything on your car. our cars were made of t tops.

CUT OF THAT ROOF!

[HokieBird]

Re: T-Tops

Mine will leak a drop or two every now and then, but if I get out and take the top off then reseat it the drip usually goes away.

[Greg94Red392]

Re: T-Tops

My dad said the same thing before I got my Ttop camaro. They do not leak, at least in rain. I dont go through those carwashes. Too expensive and some are bad for your paint. I say go for it. My last Camaro didnt have Ttops and now that I have this one, I could never go back. There is nothing like cruising around with the wind in your hair and the radio up. And of course, for me, the sound of that LS1.

[3.4 slow to go]

Re: T-Tops

My last Trans AM & Firebird didnt have Ttops and now that I have this comero, I could never go back. There is nothing like cruising around with the wind in your hair and the radio up. And of course, for me, the sound of that L32.

fixed for my applications. :naughty:

[TheGr8Schlotzky]

Re: T-Tops

Thanks guys for the responses.

How much does it rain where you guys are at?

It rains a ton around here, sometimes nonstop for days, even weeks. I can't seem to convince my dad that I won't regret the conversion. If I can convince him they won't leak and reduce the value of my car, I'll still have to pay for it, but he would at least help me do the conversion..

[Camarorulz]

Re: T-Tops

IF that's true about the car washes, here's the solution: DON'T GO THROUGH CAR WASHES. Wash the car yourself! :) Anyone who goes through automatic carwashes doesn't deserve a nice car. The brushes will mar your paint.

I think the conversion might de-value the car though: any kind of modification that's irreversible will do that.

[TheGr8Schlotzky]

Re: T-Tops

I have never taken my car through a wash and don't ever plan on doing it.

As for the retail value..it's not like I really care, I don't ever plan on selling my car. The plan is to pass it down to my son when it's a classic and I'm old enough that I can no longer enjoy it.


I just want to hear about how many inches of rain you guys get, prove to my dad that my car won't get damp and moldy if i get the TTops

[Smoke Panther]

Re: T-Tops

If I can convince him they won't leak and reduce the value of my car, I'll still have to pay for it, but he would at least help me do the conversion..

haha...cars, in and of themselves, are depreciating assets...so, unless you plan to never drive your car again, I'd put "reducing the value of your car" at the bottom of your list of priorities