F-body targa top

[darkz711]

I did a search and i was just wondering if anyone was able to post pictures or if someone else tried to do this and was successful. I know some people here tried and succeeded in going to t-tops.

how much chasis flex would be created from this. I dont actually want to do this i just want to see what it looks like. would be a cool idea.

[Trash man]

word of advice, ttops loose alot of strength. stay hard top

[Blevyou know]

word of advice, ttops loose alot of strength. stay hard top

I didn't know they lose "a lot" of strength.... I've been in both hard-top and t-top F-bodys and I feel there is no contest as far as what I like. T-tops can't be beat if you can choose! I'd give a little strength for them, of course I'm biased though.

[Injuneer]

Try a "search" on the "Appearance" forum of CZ28.com. I know someone there has posted pictures of a Targa conversion in the past year.

http://web.camaross.com/forums/index.php?

word of advice, ttops loose alot of strength. stay hard top

Maybe its a 3rd Gen problem, but I've seen a 4th Gen CONVERTIBLE lay down 1.30 60-ft times, and run 8.60@160+MPH, and the car felt as solid as any coupe or t-top 4th Gen that I've ever driven. Look at Ronnie Duke's CONVERTIBLE LS1..... 7.94@178mph. I wouldn't be worried in the least about the difference in "strength" between a coupe and a t-top 4th Gen. My own t-top 94 has been subjected to the stresses of 800HP/800lb-ft, and the chassis is solid and undeformed. It never even had SFC's until the roll bar went in.

Doing a full "targa" conversion will definitely cause a significant reduction in a car that wasn't designed for it, so thats another story.

[fastTa]

I think darkz711 might have been confused in that he was not aware of the difference between a targa top and a t-top. The one piece removable top like that of a corvette is a targa top. The 2 piece removable tops that came on most f-bodies were t-tops due to the obvious middle support that runs lengthwise on the roof.

I would have to agree with Fred on this one and say that there should be no sigficant difference in chassis flex when comparing a t-top car to a solid roof car. There are plenty of t-top f-bodies out there cutting awesome short times.

Actually I believe the majority of the LT1/LSx based record holders were t-top or convertible f/y bodies.

[Joe 1320]

the conversion is fairly simple...... the chassis uses additional bracing. KB double diamond subframe connectors will strengthen the chassis enough. The biggest challenge is fabrication of the one piece targa roof. I think it would be easiest to start with a hardtop car so that the cutout section of the roof can be used as the targa section. then the approptiate interior parts are swapped and or modified along with weatherstripping for a factory look. It can be done in a weekend, sans paint for the top. Even though simple, it takes a relatively decent amount of skill, this isn't for a novice mechanic.

this guy lives not too far from me and did this conversion:

[dgravois]

The camaro/firebird was designed as a t-top, then as a hardtop. Don't believe me? Take your headliner out on a hardtop car and you will see three bars; the center support with the two outer supports. You will also see the unpainted bottom of your fiberglass roof in between the supports. That's why it's so easy to do the conversion.

[FireFinder20]

The camaro/firebird was designed as a t-top, then as a hardtop. Don't believe me? Take your headliner out on a hardtop car and you will see three bars; the center support with the two outer supports. You will also see the unpainted bottom of your fiberglass roof in between the supports. That's why it's so easy to do the conversion.

yeah, when i bought my 93, they made a big deal about how they designed the car from the ground up as a t-top and that the option would follow in 94...i shoulda waited