T-top to Hard TOP
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On The Tree
Joined: Jun 2008
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From: Dayton TX AKA hicktown
T-top to Hard TOP I have a 94 Z28 and looking to convert to hardtop I searched the forums and can't find anything on this swap but 100 threads going the other direction. You may ask why go to hard top reason #1 less weight #2 tired of leaks #3 never take the damn things off. Please no dumb *** comments I don't have time to read stupid comments just looking on some info on the swap or someone willing to trade up some components.
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 681
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From: Watertown, WI
I'd guess just take one of the T-Top conversion swaps and just work your way backward. Instead of cutting you would probably welding the roof back on, shouldn't be hard to find someones roof that they cut off when they did their conversion to make it easier.
Theres really no difference between hardtops and t-tops. Under the skin, a hard top only has little bars weldin in place of the tops openings. Its really a cheap way for GM to get the optional money out of you for ttops in the early years. So all you would have to do is go to a junk yard with a wrecked hard top car and take off the b pillar skin. Weld in bars to "brace" your t-tops, then glue the skin ontop and add weather stripping. BUT ive never heard of anyone getting it off without breaking it (thats what she said!!!!LOL!) so if you find one intact, youll have to repair it most likely. Its always given me ideas i have yet to act on......
I think you could buy the metal from GM, if not you could easily cut it out of a junkyard hard top and then just add a new fiberglass roof. You need the factory metal though so the channels, weatherstripping, etc... will attach easily.
Should be a pretty simply job with a donor car. Again, you will need a brand new hard top OR if you want we could make a fiberglass targa top piece for you to simply fiberglass into your sail panel. Our piece will look like the roof of the new Camaro and C6 Vette... Here's our plug:
Should be a pretty simply job with a donor car. Again, you will need a brand new hard top OR if you want we could make a fiberglass targa top piece for you to simply fiberglass into your sail panel. Our piece will look like the roof of the new Camaro and C6 Vette... Here's our plug:
I think you could buy the metal from GM, if not you could easily cut it out of a junkyard hard top and then just add a new fiberglass roof. You need the factory metal though so the channels, weatherstripping, etc... will attach easily.
Should be a pretty simply job with a donor car. Again, you will need a brand new hard top OR if you want we could make a fiberglass targa top piece for you to simply fiberglass into your sail panel. Our piece will look like the roof of the new Camaro and C6 Vette... Here's our plug:
Should be a pretty simply job with a donor car. Again, you will need a brand new hard top OR if you want we could make a fiberglass targa top piece for you to simply fiberglass into your sail panel. Our piece will look like the roof of the new Camaro and C6 Vette... Here's our plug:
wondering how this will look on the t/a..im just not sure of the "groove" will flow with firebirds.
or will you be making a smooth version for us...?
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Don't want to hijack his thread so just keep an eye on this thread...
http://6litereaterdesigns.com/forum/...hp?topic=273.0
We should have the finished carbon fiber piece VERY soon. It is pricey but it is costing us a lot to make because it is SAFE (PURE CF, not CF over fiberglass so it is stiff and won't lift off) and also uses factory hardware so when we're done you won't know it wasn't a factory option
T-Top to hard top shouldn't be any more difficult than going the other way. You just have to get hard top weatherstripping, and there are metal rails that run down the front between the window & windshield. Of course then you just need the top bracing which you may be able to get from the dealer and the hard top sail panel since the sail panel/top panel is one piece.
I have the weatherstripping & the metal gutter rails that run along the sides of the windshield from when I did my conversion to T-Tops in 2002.
I have the weatherstripping & the metal gutter rails that run along the sides of the windshield from when I did my conversion to T-Tops in 2002.
^^It is harder because instead of hacking a bunch of stuff off you have to find a bunch of parts NOT hacked up and figure out how to get them in.
Not an extremely difficult task, just not as easily worked out as the other way.
Not an extremely difficult task, just not as easily worked out as the other way.
You would have to find a wrecked hardtop car and cut off everything 5" forward of the t-top area (into the windshield) and 5" past the "groove" in the SMC roof skin (10" extra for human error). From there it should be locating what and where to cut the old one, cutting, welding, and then gluing on a new roof skin. The hardtop roof skins are in the neighborhood of $500 from GM parts places, and good luck on shipping. On paper, you can actually separate the roof skin from the steel frame using piano wire or something, but in reality it's nearly impossible to remove one this way without cracking it...
This is if you want a "factory" style job... I'm sure it can be rubbernecked much easier.
This is if you want a "factory" style job... I'm sure it can be rubbernecked much easier.