T tops install? My new plan

[Nightrage]

How much would it run me to have t tops installed on my car?

I recently came up with a good idea. I want to get a Honda Civic as a daily driver and keep my car as a recreational car. Since I'm all over the place now due to martial arts training, my girlfriend and school, I need something that's good on gas. I hear from several sources that Civics get around 30/ 35 MPG. They're front wheel drive (winter tends to be rough around here), plus if I find one with dual airbags my insurance will be cheap. All along, I've been afraid to modify my car because I didn't want my fuel mileage to plummet. Now, it won't matter. My priority is setting it up for the summer though. I want to have t tops installed. I can easily afford a Civic and I think that my stepdad would let me keep both cars under his insurance, so my rates won't go up.

After that I can start a total upgrade of my car. I would prefer to do work to my car as opposed to buying an LS1. Anyone can run low 13's or high 12's in an LS1. It actually takes some effort to get that out of an LT1. That might not seem like it makes sense but by the time I'm in the 12's, the whole car will be my creation.

One way or the other, I want my car to have t tops. It's been getting warm lately and I'd really like to pop the tops out.

[Gary94Formula]

Why don't you do the install yourself. It's not that hard. I did mine about 4 years ago. Check my link below.. http://community.webshots.com/user/ggj1028
You can get most of your parts off a donor car. I bought a conversion kit off of ebay. I used Dave's site here as a reference. Dave used to be a member here a few year back and documented the install very well. http://dw-zone.gotdns.com/ The site looks down now, but it was working a few months back. Also search the forum for this topic and you'll see all the previous threds.
Good Luck...

[ryan34]

What about making it a targa top? Would def. be different.

[Nightrage]

I'd rather let a professional do it. My hands aren't very steady anyhow. I'd probably butcher my car.

What about making it a targa top? Would def. be different.

Wouldn't that require me to have a piece of glass made custom for my car? It would be expensive and hard to replace should something happen to it. It would definitely be cool though. F-bodies are basically set up to have t tops, judging by what the interior of the roof looks like. It would probably be easier and cheaper to go this way.

[raroZ28]

I don't think a shop would charge too much for it. Doing it yourself is going to take some time, and your car will be down, and you need to be good with fiberglass/bondo. I saw a good how-to on it a while ago. A member here. KnightFire was his name I think. I don't remember, but he had a good write-up on it. I'm the biggest do it yourselfer, but that's not something I would attempt. You F up and you just hacked up the roof of your car.

[Gary94Formula]

Ok... If you don't believe me just ask blackthunder50. He just completed his install a few months back. http://www.f-body.com/forum/showthre...=t-top+install
A targa top would be MAJOR work. The cars are built for t-tops, you just have to remove the extra side braces and bolt in most of the parts.

[Injuneer]

This is really getting to be a relatively common do-it-yourself conversion. Dave Wendland (who used to post here) also has a "how to" page. He did this about 4 years ago, as noted above.

Then there's this one:

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/514505/4

[ryan34]

I'd rather let a professional do it. My hands aren't very steady anyhow. I'd probably butcher my car.


Wouldn't that require me to have a piece of glass made custom for my car? It would be expensive and hard to replace should something happen to it. It would definitely be cool though. F-bodies are basically set up to have t tops, judging by what the interior of the roof looks like. It would probably be easier and cheaper to go this way.

Well you could use the existing roof as the top, but if you were looking for glass (so you can look up at the sky) then i guess it would get pretty pricey.

[Injuneer]

The "targa" roof has been done. Go to the "Appearance" forum at CamaroZ28.com and do a "search".

To me, it would seem that also removing the metal "tee" down the center of the factory roof would produce a major reduction in chassis rigidity. The convertibles have quite a bit of additional sheet metal added to the unibody, compared to the coupe/t-top cars.

[Steel2686]

The "targa" roof has been done. Go to the "Appearance" forum at CamaroZ28.com and do a "search".

To me, it would seem that also removing the metal "tee" down the center of the factory roof would produce a major reduction in chassis rigidity. The convertibles have quite a bit of additional sheet metal added to the unibody, compared to the coupe/t-top cars.

Agreed. I believe the convertibles also have a stronger winshield frame (a-pillars, etc...). Plus used T-tops can be had relatively cheap.

[Nightrage]

So far luck has been against me. My stepdad is against letting me put another car under his name, but my mom said she's going to work on him. Also, out of about 12 places that I called, there's one maybe on installing my t tops. Worst comes to worst, I should get a huge insurance reduction when I turn 20. That will mean I've been driving for three years. From what I understand, my insurance will drop then. Hopefully it will work out.

[raroZ28]

not for turning 20 man. At least not in MI. You get a drop when you turn 21, and the big drop is 25. My insurance dropped DRASTICALLY when I turned 21. I was very happy with it. I still felt I deserved a better rate for how perfect my record is, but for being 21, and the cars I drive, I think I get a decent rate. When I turn 25 my agent said it will drop a ton. I'm hoping that when I turn 25 I'll be paying like 50/month full coverage on my car.

[Steel2686]

When you turn 25, insurance will drop quite a bit. Nothing makes it drop more than getting married though. I got married at 26, and it dropped about 60% more than it did when I turned 25.

[Nightrage]

When you turn 25, insurance will drop quite a bit. Nothing makes it drop more than getting married though. I got married at 26, and it dropped about 60% more than it did when I turned 25.

I'm workin on it, I'm workin on it lol

I hope to propose soon. Too bad that doesn't count for anything

[TraceZ]

I'm workin on it, I'm workin on it lol

I hope to propose soon. Too bad that doesn't count for anything

If you do propose, set a wedding date right away and make sure it is not any more than 6 months out.

I read a statistic somewhere that a very high percentage of engagments longer than 6 months fail.

I would also strongly recommend you live together for at least 6 months before you propose to her. You have no idea how sharing a place to call home can reveal issues that you might have otherwise overlooked. If yu can handle 6 months and not feel the need to kill eachother, you'll likely be ok.