75 mph with unlatched t-top = uh oh

[Christopherrr]

CRAP!!! CRAP CRAP CRAP!!!

I did it...I said I never would do it, but I did it. I pulled the tops off the car yesterday to work on her. It's tons easier to work on the interior with the tops off. Anywho, I place them back on for the night because of the dew and humidity...for some reason, I latch the driverside, but not the passenger.

So comes this morning...I'm entering the highway on the ramp and have my windows rolled down...I speed up to about 70ish or so and turn on the radio to listen to some news. As I do so, I roll up the windows and whooosh! The passengerside top rips off and gets blown into the air. I swear it rocketed 50 odd feet into the air. Thankfully, the top missed all the cars behind me. I pull over and swing back to see if I can salvage anything and nothing. It's like the top vaporized, all I picked up was weather stripping and the sun shade.

Where can I get another one? I hate the dealer and I know they will charge me an arm and a leg. Is anyone selling any? I need graphite...

Sucks I tell you...sucks! At least my car is about 20 lbs lighter.

[N20LT4Bird]

OUCH. Did you check ebay?

[bigtow]

check out the for sale trade section

[Steel2686]

I know eBay has a bunch for sale. Just make sure you don't make the same mistake my buddy did with his Camaro. Look and make sure it's the correct tint style. He had tinted t-tops and bought a driver's side top from eBay because his latch system was all screwed up. When he received it, it was the old dot matrix style tint.

[Kevin - Blown 95 TA]

I leave mine unlocked sometimes when I'm not driving the car for a while and when it's in storage, and I leave a note on the steering wheel reminding me about it so i don't forget they're loose.

[Christopherrr]

T-Top

Not sure if this is graphite...looks to be. I just might pick it up...

Gonna see what the dealer is selling em for. This is the tint not the dot matrix...so that's good.

Gotta keep looking...no one is selling em on the trade and sale forum.

[Mach83]

Same exact thing happened to me a little over a month ago. E Bay had 2 99 TA T-tops for $150. I was the only bidder and i got them for that price. However, It's been going on 3 weeks since the guy cashed my check and no sign of the things and he hasn't responded to my e mails . So i'm gonna give him another week and i might start looking in to reporting him to EBay and whatever i can do to either get the T's or my money back. If this guy turns out to be real bogus i'll post his Ebay name up to forwarn everyone. I did look in to my insurance and they paid out $220 to me and because it fell under glass coverage my premium won't go up. Sound low for a T-Top but they wouldn't pay me for a new one cause it's a 99. either way i made out. NOW ALL I NEED IS THE T-TOP . I may be posting soon looking for one myself depending on this guy. Well good luck.

[Christopherrr]

Same exact thing happened to me a little over a month ago. E Bay had 2 99 TA T-tops for $150. I was the only bidder and i got them for that price. However, It's been going on 3 weeks since the guy cashed my check and no sign of the things and he hasn't responded to my e mails . So i'm gonna give him another week and i might start looking in to reporting him to EBay and whatever i can do to either get the T's or my money back. If this guy turns out to be real bogus i'll post his Ebay name up to forwarn everyone. I did look in to my insurance and they paid out $220 to me and because it fell under glass coverage my premium won't go up. Sound low for a T-Top but they wouldn't pay me for a new one cause it's a 99. either way i made out. NOW ALL I NEED IS THE T-TOP . I may be posting soon looking for one myself depending on this guy. Well good luck.

That's what I'm afraid of...

Weather for the week shows rain all this week...not good.

[Steel2686]

Mach - If it's been three weeks since he cashed your check and hasn't responded to a single email, it's time to report him. $150 is a lot of money for someone to be as irresponsible as to not send the item or even respond to your emails.

Too bad he didn't have Paypal.

[N20LT4Bird]

Mach - If it's been three weeks since he cashed your check and hasn't responded to a single email, it's time to report him. $150 is a lot of money for someone to be as irresponsible as to not send the item or even respond to your emails.

Too bad he didn't have Paypal.

Report him ASAP. I know I got screwed over more than a month to report someone.

[Crazy Canuk]

Ouch!

Everytime I take my girlfriend for a ride and do something fun (scream tires and whip around a cornner or step on the gas or something) she reaches up and holds the handle I am like.....thinking that one day they will just fly out. It's a nightmare I have I am sad to here it happened to you

[95TransAm]

Man that s*cks......sorry to hear that. Thankfully that T didn't come blasting in to some guys windshield at 70 mph

I hope all works out with ebay if you choose to buy it from there. Gotta get that before the rain hits....wouldn't wanna drive a nice red t/a around with a big garbage bag on top

[JeffM]

Twice I almost lost mine..

Once it wasn't latched, and I got on the highway, and heard wind... Looked up and the top was bouncing.. I grabbed it quick and latched it.


Then about 3 weeks ago, I got to work, and realized I drove the WHOLE way with it unlatched.. About 25 miles, and up to 85MPH, both with the window up and down.. I have no idea why it didn't depart my car like the fuel tanks off a space shuttle.

[Injuneer]

Is there anything left of the piece of the frame that includes the latch and the weatherstripping over the door? I need both left and right side pieces to complete some "track only" light weight T-tops that I am trying to build. If there's some usable pieces left, I'd be glad to pay a reasonable price, plus shipping.

You will need to keep the lock cylinder, so you can swap it into your replacement and not need a new key.

A friend of mine didn't notice his driver's side top was not latched (he has a full cage and the halo bar blocks his view of the handle).... he lost the top on the track, going about 120mpg, at the 1000-ft mark. I loaned him my top so he could keep running in the class. At least one of my T-tops has made a low 9-second, 140+MPH pass.

[Christopherrr]

Found it...I'll get it tomorrow.

Billy Graham

$250 + $18.50 = end of story

That 250 could have gone elsewhere...like gears. Oh well...