How To: 93-02 T-top conversion

a few weeks ago i had mentioned in another thread about doing a ttop conversion that i had done it and would post some pics, now that i have quit my job and its a weekend and no class i finally have some time...well here are a few pics...me and my brother did this back in march, we have no body work experience at all so im sure if we can anyone can do this...the t-tops, weather stripping, a pillars and anything else im forgetting totaled up to around $350...lastly i want to appologise for some of the lower quality pictures its kinda dark in the body shop and this isnt a real detailed guide just some major pics of the process.......enough said...enjoy!

this is a picture of the top of the car before we got started
http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/296828camaro5-med.jpg

another pic before we got started in the body shop
http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/503/296828ttop3before-med.jpg

after the headliner was removed lookin up at the roof panel and ttop supports, sorry for the horrible quality
http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/503/296828ttop2-med.jpg

this is a picture of the roof panel after we had cut all the way across it following the front of the line thats already there, we were generous and sanded it down later just to be safe!
http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/503/296828ttop4.jpg

okay this pic is the ttop supports and such that are hidden underneath the roof panel
http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/503/296828ttop5-med.jpg

another pic of the same basic thing
http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/503/296828ttop6-med.jpg

another pic of pretty much the same thing looking up this time
http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/503/296828ttop7-med.jpg

this is a pic where you need to cut along the front part, its another bad picture so i tried to draw on there where it is needing cut, there is a bump there that you need to cut at on the car
http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/503/296828ttop8.jpg

this is where you need to cut at the back, its raises up a little then gets flat, where it starts getting flat is where you need to cut at
http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/503/296828ttop9-med.jpg

this is whats left after you cut the middle parts out, those cuts are VERY generous to be safe
http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/503/296828ttop10-med.jpg

this is the ttop mounting bracket in the back thats built into the car, you need to cut out i think 6 spot welds on the bottom to get to the ttop mounting brackets
http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/503/296828ttop11-med.jpg

same with the front...
http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/503/296828ttop12front-med.jpg

and here is a final pic with my ex girlfriend there...grrrrrrrrrr
http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/503/296828ttop13-med.jpg

and here is a pic with the ttops in...
http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/503/296828ttop14.jpg

tools that will be needed are a sharp knife to cut the silicone away to get the roof off, big screw drive to pry roof off, dremel for cutting out spot welds and little stuff, sawzall for cutting major stuff, cut off wheel for cutting some other stuff also, thats all i can think of...oh yeah lots of time and patience! thanks!

Leaks?

Leaks?

honestly it did not leak until my ex girlfriend and her new boyfriend kicked the driver side mirror off and ripped down the weather stripping and stuff, so it leaks a little now, but i plan on trying to fix that this weekend.

if you take your time with it and do everything as perfectly as possible its should be less likely to leak the factory t-tops.

It's not something I would want to try on a 3rd gen f-body as you need to replace the entire roof. One of my friends was involved in one, they had to separate the a pillar from the firewall and the b pillar from the body behind the door, all the while being careful not to flex the car while the roof was cut out of it. Nice job on yours, looks factory from the pictures.

there is no way i would attempt it on a 3rd gen, thats pretty awesome to have done that on a 3rd gen, this was pretty simple with a little research i found some pretty detailed guides...i had an 87 IROC that came coupe and the owner before me bought a wrecked t top 3rd gen and they cut the top off of both cars and swapped them which was pretty amazing to watch.

Wow dude thats freaking amazing work there. Goodjob.

dam dude nice job, you pressing charges against your ex

no im not pressing charges, just ready to get this over with, she's freaking crazy...he kicked the driver side mirror and ripped it out from the inside, i dont know how to explain that, but when he kicked it it broke loose from the inside so im gonna have to look on ebay for the whole assembly and most likely new weatherstripping....but thanks!

I want to do that sooooooo badly.

I want to do that sooooooo badly.

go for it! here's the site we used and it was great
http://members.fortunecity.com/gripenfelter/conversion.html

Imma talk to my friend about doing it. I love T Tops and I love riding around with the windows down, this would be amazing

its very possible, while going to college i didnt have the money to put toward a car with ttops, that being said i didnt have money to fix it if something got messed up so it took us right at 24 hours of actual labor but we cut everything very conservative to make sure and had to keep cutting stuff again but better safe than sorry. it will need some fiberglass fabricating on the corners to look factory and to be painted to match the color of the body neither of which i have not done yet, if you do it best of luck and if you have any questions i'll be around...

I have a 91 rs that's won't start after spending about $1000 without without it getting fixed, I have found an 89 rs which does not have t-tops while my 91 does which one of my favorite features.
do you have any advice on finding the info i might need to convert the 89 if possible

I have a 91 rs that's won't start after spending about $1000 without without it getting fixed, I have found an 89 rs which does not have t-tops while my 91 does which one of my favorite features.
do you have any advice on finding the info i might need to convert the 89 if possible

in short you need to cut the roof off,

btw does anyone know how much weight the top conversion will add to a 4th gen?

All I have to say is amazing

that was a good damn job u guys did. i dont think i ever heard of anyone doing it themselves. and why would someone damage someone elses car like that? i would have had them thrown in the pokie for that one if they were still alive.

What was your ex and her boyfriend doing in YOUR car?

EDIT: Well I know what they were doing, :naughty: I meant why were they in it?

why would someone damage someone elses car like that? i would have had them thrown in the pokie for that one if they were still alive.
:iagree: i live in north eastern kentucky and these dumb hicks dont really have the mental capability to talk and reason out their problems and cant hold a normal conversation to confront the person so they go for the car...on the bright side its my last year of college for the requirments i need to go into the ksp...yeah they'll be sorry lol.

do you have any advice on finding the info i might need to convert the 89 if possible
the only real way i know of to do that is what Viper said...the ttop supports and mounting brackets were not built into coupe cars like they are from 93-02, i cant find the site im looking for but a company out west does it, they cut the top off of a t-top car and cut the top off of your car and swap them and bondo it on and paint it....im thinking it was around $3500 for everything.

What was your ex and her boyfriend doing in YOUR car?
they weren't in my car...i was at work and had the windows half way rolled down because it was to freaking hot...i worked at pilot (truck stop) on the other side of the store from where parking is so i couldnt have seen em if i wanted to, also had a set of tires get slashed there too....good times good times...but anyways THANKS for the compliments

btw does anyone know how much weight the top conversion will add to a 4th gen?

i tried looking it up and i cant find the answer, i weighed my ttops on a house scale just now and they weighed 12 lbs a piece, 24 lbs, 2 lbs for the center mounting bracked thingy = 26 lbs...subtract about half the headliner 1 lb (est), fiberglass roof 3 lbs (est), and coupe supports 3lbs (est) so that leaves 19 lbs, so my guess would be ttops add about 19-22 lbs.

i tried looking it up and i cant find the answer, i weighed my ttops on a house scale just now and they weighed 12 lbs a piece, 24 lbs, 2 lbs for the center mounting bracked thingy = 26 lbs...subtract about half the headliner 1 lb (est), fiberglass roof 3 lbs (est), and coupe supports 3lbs (est) so that leaves 19 lbs, so my guess would be ttops add about 19-22 lbs.

ty.

no im not pressing charges, just ready to get this over with, she's freaking crazy...he kicked the driver side mirror and ripped it out from the inside....but thanks!

....He would never see it coming and then when he's on the ground passed out, I'd wake his dumb ass up, just so he could watch me knock him out again. I'd do that sveral times, then I'd kick his nuts up to the roof of his mouth and ask him how HE likes having his shit kicked in when no-one's around to do anything about it. Then when I was ready to leave, I'd let Earl have a crack at his skank-ho girlfriend.

Oh damn... I just saw how old that last post was. Sorry fellas.

Somebody lock this bitch. Sorry, I got all mad and had to vent. Dude 6, you can't post links to thread that have Maro's getting vandalized on there...

:newbie:

Little wet behind the ears there Jim?

2 phone calls, an email, assembling a 990 and financial statement and an inter-office page.... :banghead: got confused and mad, and fucked up. :disappoin Will you ever forgive me??? :frown: :lol:

Only if you leave the tittles out of it :lol2:

:wtf: :newbie:

just kidding Jim

Haha, too funny.

tittles... we should make a breast flavored candy and call it tittles. Instant millionaires... all of us.

tittles... we should make a breast flavored candy and call it tittles. Instant millionaires... all of us.

Could have, but no, you announced it to the world instead of in a stinking PM!!! :cya:

You know what'd be the best, is have the rights purcheased by the company that makes 'Tang. :spit:

Actually, I'm glad this was revived. I just did my T-Top conversion last week. I will post pictures soon!

Tittles and Tang. BWaaaaaaahahahahahaha!

I have some more pictures of my t-top conversion and how the t-tops fit and such in a few days...

Actually, I'm glad this was revived. I just did my T-Top conversion last week. I will post pictures soon!
Hurry with some pics! How did everything go and turn out? How long did it take you to do it?

I just did the conversion in May.

Hey, ROUDA, I finally got to take some pictures of the fitment of my t-tops. I have been so busy and forgot you wanted those. I will try to get them developed as soon as possible for you. Sorry I forgot about them, I've been so busy.