Navy2711

I lost a t-top recently .. blew off on the highway. Must not have locked it down. (Boy was THAT an eye opener at 85 mph.) Got a new one at the dealership, only cause I live in Florida, where torrential rain comes out of nowhere, and I didn't have time to shop for a used on online. Here's what I learned:

If you can get them used, I say do it. Mine cost around $450 from the dealership, and it isn't in any better shape than the five year old driver side t-top that I still have. It doesn't look bad, but it has tiny tiny little scratches, probably from being shifted around the warehouse for years. Also, the plastic has a little bit of a faded look. It doesn't look terrible, but it doesn't look brand new.

So even if you have to buy two, but you can do it for less than , say, $350, do it.

If you do get yours from the dealership, be advised that it comes in four pieces. 1. The glass, with locking rod assembly attached. 2. Plastic cover (the part you hold when you lift them out.) 3. Handle. 4. Lock cylinder. The parts rep might not know this ... mine didn't. I told him exactly what happened to mine, and asked him specifically if the part I was buying was all I was going to need. "Oh sure," he said with a vacant look. He had that same look a day later when I was back in front of him, ordering the other three parts. He gave me a discount for the hassle, which is why mine was only $450. I think it would probably have been close to $500.

Oh, also be advised that it won't come with the two screws that you need to fasten the plastic cover to the glass.

Assembly-wise, everything is self-evident when you look at it except for the lock cylinder, so ask the dealer for any assembly instructions he can give you regarding that. Remember that you'll have to have that cylinder cut to fit you door key. (I never lock my t-tops, so I didn't bother.)

PipesTA

iTrader: (7)

Happened to me a few years back. Lesson learned: lock your T-tops!

Onyx Z

iTrader: (3)

It happened to me about 6 months ago. I went back and picked up the broken piece so I could reuse the same lock with the new top. It's definitely and eye-opener when it flies off!

djsanchez2

iTrader: (14)

It scared the **** outta me when it happened. I thought it was toast, but i guess the way it slid did do too much damage. I got lucky, you can barely tell it went for a ride. I'll never do that again.

Ell Ess Won

That's got to be dangerous as hell for other motorists! F-body's are going to be the next dump trucks to stear clear of...Watch for flying T-tops!

Silver02TA

iTrader: (6)

i keep mine unlocked, but they're always latched in with the handle... i don't see how they could come off like that?

FelixIlka

I just recently had a scare, I was driving on the highway and the noise from the wind was getting annoying, so I rolled up the windows and whoosh I heard this loud noise and my T-top popped up and without even thinking I grabbed the handle and pulled it back down, that scared the crap out of me.

As Silver02TA said, I always keep mine unlocked but latched with the handle, I have NO idea how this happened either.. I'm planning on keeping mine locked from now on, it's a simple saftey thing and only takes about 10 seconds extra to unlock them when I want to take them off.

Z95m6

iTrader: (1)

t-tops are gay. The should of only made hardtops. I've never lost a t-top by the way.

2000taws6

iTrader: (2)

The same thing happened to me. I got mine off of EBAY for $125 and it looked brand new when I got it. I felt like such a dumbass when it happened .

BigSteele

iTrader: (17)

so the people that lost theirs, are you sure the handle/arm was latched? my handle is pretty hard to "lock/unlock" and I dont think it would vibrate open from driving. Once I set the t top on and forgot to latch it and it started moving when I drove but luckily it didnt fly off.

so are you guys postive the handle came open, maybe it wasnt moved all the way into the "click" position and it vibrated loose

just wondering

djsanchez2

iTrader: (14)

I was going to take them off, but had crap in the trunk. I forgot to re-latch it , got on the freeway, then back off and while taking a turn at about 15-20mph it slid off and down the street .

komik

iTrader: (7)

I had never thought of them flying off. I can't lock mine. The key won't turn in the lock on the driver's side. On the passenger's side it turns, but still doesn't lock. Maybe the previous owner replaced one? How much would it cost to get two new lock cylinders and have them re-keyed?

Navy2711

Big Steele,

"so the people that lost theirs, are you sure the handle/arm was latched?"

I'm almost sure mine was not latched. I probably left it unlatched myself, but my girlfriend is also a suspect.

In my opening post, where I said, "Must not have locked it down", I should have said, "Must not have latched it."

YoungGunLs1

I had mine on my 94 Z28 fly off at about 65 mph 3 years ago... However I had full glass coverage so my insurance company replaced both of mine, rather than just the one that flew off so that they were Identical (Had the DOT Matrix style, went to Deep Tint style) at no charge, I got them 4 days later with new keys and slapped them on.

Oh and if anyone ever needs a Passenger Side DOT Matrix Style T-Top I have one in PERFECT condition that I will sell!!

Onyx Z

iTrader: (3)

Mine was securely (or so I thought) latched. Sometimes the bolts on the mechanism inside the top vibrates loose.

RGV_Z28

iTrader: (7)

Never let your girlfriend put a t-top on. I had to learn that the hard way.

BlackZCamaro

iTrader: (1)

I shot both mine off after I did a pushrod replacement. Had the car on the lift, and I always unlatch them before I put it on a 2 post. Well, a week went by before it got put back together and I completely spaced it after i got it off the lift and went for a drive. With both windows up, they popped off at about 80, and honest to god, I think my heart stopped when I realized I just let nearly a grand fly up in the air. To my incredible disbelief, both landed in an empty dirt field on the right side of the road, no more than 2 feet from the asphalt. Neither of them broke.

slick1851

I always kepted mine latched down, But one day I was doing arounf 90mph. It was latched but not locked boy that will make you **** your pants it flew up like 40 feet or more straight up in the air and then shot back like a bullet. Thank god there wasnt a on a Motor cycl behind me. I think it would have hurt or killed some one. Im glad no one was behind me but the t top was gone.




LOCK THEN AND LATCH THEM, I used to think the hell with locking them but now i think differnt.

SSilverSSurfer

iTrader: (8)

i was putting my gauges on and left it unlocked...but i wasnt finished...so my dad comes over to use my car and he didnt know well it flew off and broke.!!!!!!! oh well it got replaced

methane

iTrader: (1)

i just went outside and locked mine....i had no idea that they could fly off even if they were latched