T-Tops - How They Were Invented & Why They Went Away!

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  • Опубликовано: 4 дек 2024

Комментарии • 1,7 тыс.

  • @ShootingCars
    @ShootingCars  2 года назад +29

    CARS WERE BETTER IN THE 80’s STICKER NOW AVAILABLE!
    www.zackpradel.com/product-page/cars-were-better-in-the-80-s-sticker

    • @MarthaRoseMoore415
      @MarthaRoseMoore415 2 года назад +1

      Regular street cars were better, but supercars are kinda amazing right now, too.

    • @TheRealMrRoboto
      @TheRealMrRoboto 2 года назад +1

      You are wrong.... 2015 Jeep Renegade --- T-tops (well H Tops)

    • @crawl9828
      @crawl9828 2 года назад

      cars of the 80s were literally the 2nd generation of terrible design and functionality, and they were the 1st generation of cars that didnt last 10yrs. geeze talk to your elders before making a video. we know we were there and lived through it.

    • @DaiBowie
      @DaiBowie 2 года назад +1

      I seriously can’t believe KITT wasn’t brought up in this!

    • @JohnCunningham-sy5ug
      @JohnCunningham-sy5ug 2 года назад +1

      Cars of the 1980s or turds huge nasty turds holy smokes I owned a few and worked at a car dealership holy s***

  • @johngaltline9933
    @johngaltline9933 2 года назад +622

    I feel like the 3 reasons given are completely valid, but there's a 4th big one. Sunroof's caught on and provided nearly the same functionality as T tops with nearly none of the drawbacks. You have slightly less space open to the outside, but get a much stronger chassis. On the down side, older Sun roofs do like to leak from time to time.

    • @jaron312
      @jaron312 2 года назад +14

      25 years my Accord sunroof never leaked but I hear It happens

    • @1DEADBEEF1
      @1DEADBEEF1 2 года назад +41

      A big reason why i like T-Tops is getting in and out of a sports car is waaay easier... due to the non existent roof line. Sun roof is nothing like a T-Top or targa

    • @1DEADBEEF1
      @1DEADBEEF1 2 года назад +16

      @@jaron312 you have drain lines going from the rain gutter in the sunroof thru the A-pilar down to the front wheel area - if that gets clogged you gonna have issues

    • @johngaltline9933
      @johngaltline9933 2 года назад +8

      @@1DEADBEEF1 I think that’s valid, but niche. I think most people buy a car they can get in and out of easily. While it is not the same, I think most people as far as making a choice between the two when buying a car prefer the hassle free sunroof operation over having to get out and store t-tops for daily use if they want an opening in the top of the car at all… and if it is an important factor for them, prefer a full convertible over a small opening… with that added bonus that again, convertibles are mostly a push button operation.

    • @1DEADBEEF1
      @1DEADBEEF1 2 года назад +4

      @@johngaltline9933 old convertibles from that era were noisy rag tops and deadly during a rollover... obviously we are Talking sports cars so People do buy them for sport driving not for ease of access

  • @phillipmarlowe0525
    @phillipmarlowe0525 2 года назад +161

    I always felt the Sun / moon roof in the consumer’s eyes were more practical.
    No storage problem, way easier to use. If you were out and it started to rain unexpectedly no need to pull over and retrieve tops and put on in the rain. All you have to do with Sun/ moon roof is push a button. Plus there was the issue of having the t tops stolen.

    • @knrz2562
      @knrz2562 2 года назад +2

      Damn I commendable this I do like sun roofs on the Porsche

    • @ScubaSteveM45
      @ScubaSteveM45 2 года назад +5

      This guy at work has a 4th gen Camaro with a broken T-top on one side. For the love of a new glass he's got it with a heavy duty plastic sheet and an ungodly amount of tape holding it down

    • @laughingalltheway8399
      @laughingalltheway8399 2 года назад

      @@ScubaSteveM45 I can't even imagine what a glass shop would charge to replace the glass in a t-top. Perhaps point him to eBay...surely he can pick up a full set from a wrecking yard for a few hundred dollars. LOL!

    • @ScubaSteveM45
      @ScubaSteveM45 2 года назад +1

      @@laughingalltheway8399 i think that's just the problem. Nobody has one he's looked across the immediate tristate area. Crafting a new piece to fit from a glazier would probably cost as much as current Blue Book for the car as well

    • @laughingalltheway8399
      @laughingalltheway8399 2 года назад +5

      @@ScubaSteveM45 Probably so. My uncle is still daily drives an early Fox Body with t-tops and every few years one gets busted and he goes on the hunt for new ones. I've seen him buy a set from a wrecking yard just because he saw them while he was there for something else even when he didn't need them. haha!

  • @jaden.sanderson
    @jaden.sanderson 2 года назад +155

    My 2000 Camaro has T-Tops, and they are plain awesome! They lock safely into place in the hatch, and it doesn't take too long to take them off/put them off, and yes, they surprisingly DON'T leak!

    • @jamesnxslewis2875
      @jamesnxslewis2875 2 года назад +4

      Cool! My '99 had them. Certainly not 30 years either..😄

    • @bluetyphoon2100
      @bluetyphoon2100 2 года назад +8

      Greetings fellow 2000 Camaro owner. Mine HAD to have T-tops and thankfully that was the more common option. I absolutely love the car and the tops. Mine leak lol

    • @jaden.sanderson
      @jaden.sanderson 2 года назад +4

      @@bluetyphoon2100 change out those seals! and keep them clean

    • @eternal9195
      @eternal9195 2 года назад +3

      My 95 Firebird is the same deal. I take care of those seals religiously tho 😅

    • @thewisebanana29
      @thewisebanana29 2 года назад

      My trans am t tops leak 🥲

  • @jasonlommen4769
    @jasonlommen4769 2 года назад +59

    I grew up in the 80’s. I absolutely loved T-tops, I still do. I wish they’d make a comeback.

    • @txmade4371
      @txmade4371 2 года назад

      Hell naw, T-Tops are a pain and they freaking leak.

    • @zarroth
      @zarroth 2 года назад +7

      @@txmade4371 never had any problems with mine. Of course, I also checked them out each spring. Still don't have any problems with 'em as a result. Like anything, if you don't take care of it properly, it won't last as long. T-Tops are still my favorite.

    • @rockzhard2009
      @rockzhard2009 2 года назад +3

      @@txmade4371 my '77 Bandit T/A with NON leaking t-tops would like to say NOPE, not always.

    • @PumaPete
      @PumaPete 2 года назад +2

      @@txmade4371 I’ve had several Camaros with them and none of them ever leaked.

    • @TheEnd-eg6wq
      @TheEnd-eg6wq 2 года назад

      @@txmade4371 the older convertibles leaked way worse.

  • @dsdonovan
    @dsdonovan 2 года назад +232

    My 1986 Mustang GT had T-tops. Removing them required that they be stored in dedicated vinyl sleeves in the hatchback area thus reducing what limited storage was available on a trip. Long term maintenance required treating the rubber gaskets periodically to keep them from drying out and causing the dreaded leaking roof. Still, was a cool feature when driving down the beach in Daytona!

    • @WALTERBROADDUS
      @WALTERBROADDUS 2 года назад +9

      That was a pretty rare Mustang option.

    • @davecaron1213
      @davecaron1213 2 года назад +9

      I feel you man. I had an 85 Mustang GT T-top. I had to make cardboard inserts because the Texas sun just beat through them. And, it leaked almost from the day i bought it., But, it did look kool!

    • @wetoolow8750
      @wetoolow8750 2 года назад +2

      I had an 85 Mustang GT with T-Tops in Los Angeles, California. I loved them and, for me, putting them in the vinyl bags was a minor inconvenience. Mine only leaked in heavy rain. Otherwise, I had some rattles on rough roads.

    • @rav-tv372
      @rav-tv372 2 года назад +1

      With today’s technology. All those issues have been resolved. For instance, two sunroofs side by side, a bit smaller of course. Auto retractable. They can be carbon fiber.

    • @theenzoferrari458
      @theenzoferrari458 2 года назад +2

      Better stock up on gaskets.

  • @joshualaw375
    @joshualaw375 2 года назад +71

    One old car feature you might consider making a video on is the digital dashboard. What makes it so interesting is that it was never necessary aside form vanity and 'futurism' but took off in 80s sports cars, died out in the 90s, and here we are over 30 years later and they're starting to make their way into modern cars again, albeit in a different form. The Buick Reatta instantly comes to mind with its digital dash and touch screen... in 1988!

    • @BastardX13
      @BastardX13 2 года назад +3

      The 1981 Yamaha Virago 920 has an integrated digital dash/instrument cluster. The tachometer was circular shaped and the speed was displayed as 55mph, for example. Had odometer, kph conversion, fuel indicator, etc. Was pretty slick back in the day. Digital was everywhere.

    • @AnonYmous-hu7jo
      @AnonYmous-hu7jo 2 года назад +4

      The analog styles of the past are better than today’s digital ones.

    • @laughingalltheway8399
      @laughingalltheway8399 2 года назад +4

      My dad had an '84 Lincoln that had a digital dash. It was cool then, but its alarm-clock look is far cooler looking back from 2022. haha!

    • @KameraShy
      @KameraShy 2 года назад

      I had a 1992 Cougar with digital dash. Towards the end of its life it started going wonky. Flashed and gauges went berserk. I had to pull over, turn the engine and ignition off and then restart. Like rebooting a computer.

    • @ScubaSteveM45
      @ScubaSteveM45 2 года назад +3

      @@laughingalltheway8399 that would be advantageous today in the face of today's glass cockpit dashboards of menus and adjustable screens that are complex and too intricate to read quickly. What if we had modern cars with digital dashes that just had simple marks and numbers so you could quickly see anything you needed in a split second 🤔

  • @christopherlaflam6383
    @christopherlaflam6383 2 года назад +19

    Love the T Tops on my 1992 Trans Am! No leaks! Perfect.

    • @kendallsmith1458
      @kendallsmith1458 2 года назад

      I have a 1993 4.3L V6 with 270000. Exceptions to the rule.

  • @placeholder2924
    @placeholder2924 2 года назад +44

    I love how the Suzuki Cappuccino is being used as an example here as the only production car capable of having all of these roof types.

  • @scarymsmary
    @scarymsmary 2 года назад +41

    I had a 95 Z-28 Camaro with T-tops. It was so much fun to drive that thing on one hand. And on the other hand, I constantly had a stack of towels in the car because the passenger side T-top leaked EVERY TIME it rained. The first time I drove it through one of those gas station car washes, my brother was in the passenger seat. When the spray hit that side of the car it shot inside like someone turned the hose on us! It wasn't just "leaking," it was SPRAYING in on both of us! Luckily I had those towels in the backseat already. We each grabbed one and used it as a shield! LOL Man, I miss that car! haha

    • @the_kombinator
      @the_kombinator 2 года назад +3

      I had an 88 IROC - yup, leaked too. That and the A pillar started rusting from the inside out.

    • @TomTom-qm4mq
      @TomTom-qm4mq 2 года назад +1

      I had a 91 Camaro. My t tops didn't leak. Well if you used a power washer at the right angel they dripped but in the rain they were fine. I got rid of the car because the girl I was going out with didn't like it. That was a stupid mistake. Also had a fiero with t tops. Rare option for that car. Those leaked. Also if you took them off they had to stay at home. No place to put them. The good old days.

    • @TomTom-qm4mq
      @TomTom-qm4mq 2 года назад

      @Shawn 🏴‍☠️ Stafford yeah. We all make mistakes. Keep the gta. Love those cars.

    • @the_kombinator
      @the_kombinator 2 года назад

      @@TomTom-qm4mq LOL my gf in high school had to deal with at least 6-7 shitboxes (maybe even more) over the course of 4 years of dating. She didn't like the cars, but liked that we could go places at any time with them, so there weren't many complaints. Even gve her a few lessons on manual, resulting in a bent rim and an alignment ;)
      And because it was a POS, I didn't even care too much.

    • @WhaleRacer
      @WhaleRacer 2 года назад +1

      I had a few 3rd and 4th gen camaros with T-tops and my complaint is that it felt like I was pulling a parachute after like 40mph. The extra drag is noticeable especially on a v6 car.

  • @jeffjackson9679
    @jeffjackson9679 2 года назад +25

    I've owned both, and the other issue with t-tops is they didn't quite have the open air feel convertibles had, it's hard to explain unless you drive in both. T-tops also had a lot more turbulence to deal with as the air would get "trapped" in the back of the vehicle giving you a bit less performance and gas mileage, and more air would blow back on the driver compared to a convertible. You also, had them rattle around as they got older (this simply may have been my experience with a GM vehicle). Lastly, and this is just an asthetic/opinion thing, the convertible simply looked better with the top down.

    • @kavinskysmith4094
      @kavinskysmith4094 2 года назад

      yeah that's right, and also on the Corvette they actually had an optional removable rear window for that reason on the 73 model to help with the turbulence

  • @dj7128
    @dj7128 2 года назад +30

    Love T-Tops and wish they would come back! Had a couple of Trans Ams and a MR2 Turbo with T-Tops and really enjoyed them. The 78 Trans Am had a bit of a rattle but I discovered if you removed the decorative trim piece of the T-Top handle area the brackets that held the retractable pins could be adjusted. Slightly adjusting the angle that the pins came out took the slack out and tightened them up. The cars were pretty tight though spirited driving over a railroad track would give you a little cowl shake. Surprisingly one of the most rigid open-air cars I owned was a Fiat X19. It had a targa top but seemed as rigid as a coupe. No shakes, leaks or rattles, it's like it was made out of granite. I miss those cars and wish I would have kept a few of them.

  • @mikewiebel
    @mikewiebel 2 года назад +9

    I had an '88 300ZX with T tops and a 5 speed manual which I kept all thru the 90s. Whipping thru the mountain curves in Colorado with the tops out was a lot of fun. Finding a place to pull over and put the tops back in because a thunderstorm moved in, not so much. I had to store my in bags in the back so there wasn't room for anything else with the tops out. Happier with the sunroof.

    • @jamesrecknor6752
      @jamesrecknor6752 2 года назад +1

      Tops off drive from Denver to Central City would be tops

  • @jeremiahallyn4603
    @jeremiahallyn4603 2 года назад +96

    I agree with your assessment as to why they no longer are made. Maybe you can do a video essay on older cars that had bright light switches on the floor boards? I haven't seen those in years. Or, headlight wipers/washers, you don't see those much either on new cars.

    • @ClamBake7525
      @ClamBake7525 2 года назад +4

      I remember in '93 when I was in the Air Force I got a call out to fix something in the B-52 bombers cockpit that was waiting to takeoff, it was one of those stupid switches on the floor! I guess its used for the landing lights? I was so surprised to see it but it makes sense since they were built in the '50s....

    • @bwofficial1776
      @bwofficial1776 2 года назад +5

      I think headlight washers are still common. European-spec cars require headlights over a certain brightness (HID and LED, basically) to have auto-leveling and washing mechanisms. I think the floor-mounted light switch was phased out because putting them on the turn signal stick was slightly cheaper and more convenient. You can't flash to pass with a floor button that's either low or high. I have a car with a floor-mounted switch and it's annoying to flash the lights or even turn the high beams off sometimes because it's a manual.

    • @moldyapples
      @moldyapples 2 года назад +2

      @@bwofficial1776 My '67 Volvo also has the hi/lo switch on the floor, agree it's a pain with a manual trans! You can flash the hi-beams by pulling the turn signal stalk, so it's a little bit of both!

    • @OlegAryutkin
      @OlegAryutkin 2 года назад +2

      Headlight wipers phased out when glass was substituted for plastic - you can’t rub plastic with wipers without damaging it
      The washers are mandatory on all Xenon headlights where I live
      Maybe other types like matrix LED
      not sure

    • @jonathonrossebo1783
      @jonathonrossebo1783 2 года назад +2

      You mean floor mounted headlight dimmers? In practice I never seen anything wrong with them. They made for a less cluttered, complicated, and busy looking steering column.

  • @beingjohn392
    @beingjohn392 2 года назад +1

    Dude! I LOVE your creativity and sense of humor! Keep the videos coming

  • @catsaretasty
    @catsaretasty 2 года назад +423

    Electric Hummer brought T-Tops back baby.

    • @Wizardnil
      @Wizardnil 2 года назад +25

      Hell yeah 🇺🇸 🦅

    • @TechDove
      @TechDove 2 года назад +7

      Yessir it did!

    • @That-Guy_
      @That-Guy_ 2 года назад +34

      If you have $100k + to spend on a vehicle .

    • @sgtbuttersworth
      @sgtbuttersworth 2 года назад +4

      Yes it did!

    • @Mathos1985
      @Mathos1985 2 года назад +9

      Jeep Gladiator 2021 have t-tops but i prefer my Z28 1982 with them

  • @ElMatador-ws3in
    @ElMatador-ws3in 2 года назад +1

    I got a 73 corvette stingray, and the T tops are why I love it!! Semi convertible at my convenience!! Love it!!

  • @gnarzen8741
    @gnarzen8741 2 года назад +6

    I drove a ‘97 Camaro RS with the t-tops. Absolutely loved that car and in my experience the fit and finish was tight, no leaking even during outright monsoons.

  • @305ayeee
    @305ayeee 2 года назад +1

    T-top gang here.. my lil x90 has em and I do love em, I love nothing more than cruising with around topless. I'll give it you tho because they do leak and putting them in their bags to keep them protected is a bit of a pain but still... Love em

  • @reitsmaassociates
    @reitsmaassociates 2 года назад +8

    T tops were so cool, as a teenager in the 1980’s, my friend and I loved taking his dads “T” top 280Zx out for a cruse , oh and getting a bit sun burnt too :). Thanks for the trip down memory lane - cheers from Brisbane Australia

    • @bleachgarage
      @bleachgarage 2 года назад

      That is the best t-top car :)

  • @red_bearded_brian
    @red_bearded_brian 2 года назад +7

    I had an old 1987 Nissan Pulsar in high school. Not only did it sport t-tops, it also had a removable rear hatch. I rarely took the hatch off because it was a pain and it could never be left off for long because of security and weather concerns. But I tell you what, it was a fun car to drive as a semi-convertible. I still wish I had that car today!

    • @lewiskemp5893
      @lewiskemp5893 2 года назад

      My exwife pulsar did that. I took the hatch off a few times. I love ttops

  • @KenBober
    @KenBober 2 года назад +14

    2 out of my 4 firebirds had them. Loved every minute of them off. My 84 and 85 had them. My 79 and 87 didn't and they also had no A/C. I will own a 88 or 89 formula with t tops someday.

    • @Lawrence330
      @Lawrence330 2 года назад +2

      I feel ya, Ken. I had an 85, 86, and 88 Camaro at different times, as well as a 95 Firebird V6.
      The t-tops in my 86 Z28 always leaked, but on a nice day, ooh, they're neat to have.

    • @KenBober
      @KenBober 2 года назад

      @@Lawrence330 lol my 84 leaked but my 85 never did. But my 87 was the only of the 3rd gen that the hatch glass motor still worked.

    • @PeekabooGram
      @PeekabooGram 2 года назад +2

      Of the 4 Camaros I've owned over the yrs (79 6cyl, 82 Z28 Crossfire, 84 Z28, 88 5.7 TPI IROC Z) only the 88 had T-tops. When I 1st got it the question was always "are we taking the T-tops out?" whenever someone else was going somewhere with me (summer months). They had the effect of making each trip an event of sorts. Sold the car in 06 after falling for the whole "You can't have that car with a baby on the way, it's time to grow up" advice. Today? The baby has turned into a 6'1" 300lb destroyer of groceries, without T-tops. And I'd gladly trade him for my IROC back.

    • @KenBober
      @KenBober 2 года назад

      @@PeekabooGram I know the feeling. I sold my 87 supra turbo I rebuilt from scratch for the baby. A week after I sold it she miscarried.

  • @stevedeleon8775
    @stevedeleon8775 2 года назад +1

    I once owned a 1986 IROC Z CAMARO with T- TOPS...Really liked it

  • @isaks3243
    @isaks3243 2 года назад +14

    I absolutely love the targa top miata. they look great both with the roof up and down. and having that roll hoop just makes it feel so much more secure. porsche targa are also among the coolest cars where you can take off the roof for the same reason. looks great with the roof up, loogs great with it down.

    • @jeffwertz2953
      @jeffwertz2953 2 года назад +1

      They really aren't targas as the rear window goes away as well. And there is no structural safety added there. They still have the supports behind the headrests the same as the soft top. But I def agree about the looks. I have a 2020 polymetal gray RF. LOVE IT! 😀

    • @isaks3243
      @isaks3243 2 года назад

      @@jeffwertz2953 rear window stays in place with a targa with a roll hoop over the occupants of the vehicle

    • @jeffwertz2953
      @jeffwertz2953 2 года назад

      @@isaks3243 Correct, but NOT on the Miata. So that is why Miata is not technically a targa. 😏

  • @kevinintheusa8984
    @kevinintheusa8984 2 года назад +2

    I bought my wife's first car with T-tops and they leaked, someone tried to steal them twice, and they took up the entire trunk when they were removed. It became such a pain that she never removed them and they simply leaked in the rain. We now have several cars with a sun roof which don't leak, offer much better sun protection when closed and allow us to open them up while driving which we do once or twice a year. Great video.

  • @kenkooldad8900
    @kenkooldad8900 2 года назад +5

    As a fellow car enthusiast, I love your documentaries brother. Great quality! Great information!!!

  • @Hamsteak
    @Hamsteak 5 месяцев назад +1

    I love this channel and his humor

  • @bwofficial1776
    @bwofficial1776 2 года назад +24

    There used to be (and maybe still is) a company that would convert the newer Camaros into t-tops. I think it was the same company that did the Trans Am conversions.
    Another video essay idea: high-end sound systems. Back in the 80s you could spend as much as a small car and get a system with a couple modules put in your center console. Head unit, equalizer with sliders, tape deck, maybe even a CD player. Look at some of the Mercedes-Benz customs and you'll see. Today all of that can fit in a single-DIN head unit and sound just as good.

    • @Rapscallion2009
      @Rapscallion2009 2 года назад +2

      Back in the day you could upgrade a car stereo significantly for a few hundred. A good head unit, a couple of speakers and the sound was transformed. Many cars didn't even come with rear speakers.
      Now. Virtually everything has at least adequate sound from the factory. A typical setup is a pair of 6.5" components up front and 6.5 coaxials in the rear doors and a reasonably powerful 4 channel head unit.

    • @Lawrence330
      @Lawrence330 2 года назад

      American Sunroof Company (ASC) did the original T-tops in a lot of GMs, including some year Monte Carlo and F-body.

    • @SammyM00782
      @SammyM00782 2 года назад +2

      I think they still do. If I'm not mistaken, they have a piece of equipment that's specifically designed to cut the t-tops in perfect.

    • @will7its
      @will7its 2 года назад +1

      @@Rapscallion2009 In 1981 I paid $500 for a cassette deck with 2 speakers for a 69 camaro, Not installed. I still have the deck. Have to get it out and see if it works...

    • @fortheloveofnoise
      @fortheloveofnoise 2 года назад +1

      except the "sound just as good" is subjective...smaller speakers can never sound as good as larger ones to me...regardless of quality or brand

  • @tommartin2360
    @tommartin2360 2 года назад +2

    My Toyota MR2 had a removable sun roof. You could pop it up or optimally remove it and there was a dedicated storage compartment in the front trunk. This was 1986 so yeah. Same kind of thing really. Loved that feature

  • @kjdickson
    @kjdickson 2 года назад +16

    My favorite was the late 80's Pulsar NX (with pop up headlights), oddball little car, could be a hatch with a t roof, a little wagon with a t roof or a full on sort-of convertible with it all removed. Would love to find one for sale that isn't rusted out or beat to heck.

    • @my1vice
      @my1vice 2 года назад +3

      The Pulsar with the wagon hatch rocked..... I loved that car!

    • @shannonp4037
      @shannonp4037 2 года назад

      I had forgotten about those.

    • @artsmith103
      @artsmith103 2 года назад

      I owned 2 '88 SE models with bigger engine and hydraulic clutches. Clutches had short life but the car was great.

    • @my1vice
      @my1vice 2 года назад

      @@artsmith103
      I knew a guy with a black one. I was selling Nissans at the time. Never sold one, and we rarely even had one on the lot. Too bad. Everyone wanted a 240. LoL

  • @jdwht2455
    @jdwht2455 2 года назад +3

    Along with another commenter had an '86 Mustang with T Top. Loved it, never leaked and never had a storage problem since the car was seldom taken on a lengthy trip. The downside was chassis flex. Oh my did it flop around - that is until I added Ford accessory frame stiffeners along with strut tower to firewall braces, better shocks and way better tires. Took a bunch of car show trophys with it too since I kept the entire car spotless. My wife hated it with the 'sporty' very stiff ride so we ended up with a T-Bird in '94.

  • @Pauley_in_GP
    @Pauley_in_GP 2 года назад +9

    I owned a second gen MR2 for 26 years, and really liked having the t-tops. They were usually stored, but they were nice to have on those cold mornings on the way to a car meet. Toyota's storage solution - against the bulkhead behind the seats - was excellent. I don't know if mine leaked as I never drove the car in rain, but they did rattle a bit.
    OTOH, my pop-up headlights looked good when retracted, but seeing them sticking up in my field of vision at night always reminded me of why they went away.
    BTW, the designers of the original Miata didn't want to use pop-ups, but the smaller headlights they wanted (more like the NB) weren't available yet. Having also owned an NB since 2003, I'm real glad I didn't have a pair of 7" sealed beams sticking up at night. YMMV. Sorry.

    • @quillmaurer6563
      @quillmaurer6563 2 года назад

      Likewise, those 7" sealed beams are not particularly good lights, especially the original non-halogen ones. I've seen halogen ones that are more comparable - better perhaps - than most halogen headlights of the 2000s though. And the good thing is that - mostly thanks to Jeeps still using something similar - there are tons of nearly plug-and-play aftermarket options that are better than most other cars' stock headlights - I have such LEDs in my classic Beetle, but that's a more recent option.

    • @lockunknown5719
      @lockunknown5719 2 года назад +1

      I still rock my second gen mr2 2.4L Turbo, still in love with it!...

  • @_WHEELMAN_
    @_WHEELMAN_ 2 года назад +2

    I think this finally answers the question that I had for over 40 years as to why, on the bill of sale for a Trans Am, Pontiac would list the TTop roof as an “H” roof. GM didn’t own the patent to call them TTops.

  • @jamesodell3064
    @jamesodell3064 2 года назад +4

    My first new car was a 1977 Olds Cutlass with T-tops. Loved that car and the T-tops even though they leaked. That was a small price to pay for the pleasure the T-tops gave me.

  • @MacedoinaChoirs
    @MacedoinaChoirs 2 года назад +1

    My 1979 T-Top Monte Carlo was the Bomb. When I had that car I was the Mack Daddy. I still have dreams of having that car.

  • @Hedmac
    @Hedmac 2 года назад +93

    Love the content man, you should do one on the old floor mounted foot dimmer switch. A lot of people probably haven't even heard of them. I have a 73 GMC pick up and an 81 Z28 that both have them. Old school tech for sure 👌

    • @rotarded1983
      @rotarded1983 2 года назад +7

      Yea my fathers 66 Triumph TR4A has that as well. Was always super convenient idk why it didn’t stick

    • @johngalt5205
      @johngalt5205 2 года назад +6

      How about floor-mounted windshield washer bulbs?

    • @ChristopherBurtraw
      @ChristopherBurtraw 2 года назад +1

      Idk where one would fit comfortably on a modern manual car.

    • @johngalt5205
      @johngalt5205 2 года назад +3

      @@ChristopherBurtraw The big problem is cost. My Model 3 uses Mercedes turn signals and left stalk, and the dimmer is built into that stalk, so the incremental cost of putting the dimmer in the stalk is functionally zero. To put in a floor dimmer, with, parts, wiring, carpet trimming, installation, etc., could add $100 to the price of a car today.

    • @Mechadondada
      @Mechadondada 2 года назад +2

      My Grandma’s Dodge Aspen had that.

  • @drone-time
    @drone-time 2 года назад +3

    4:26 Bill Blass edition Lincoln Continental - that thing was a 2 door land yacht! My grandmother had one. She was a tiny old lady with this crazy fear of a car crashing down on her from an overpass. She figured the larger the car she drove, the better the odds that a falling car would impact her hood or trunk, thus improving her odds of survival. For being as big as it was, the thing only had 2 doors, 2 huge, heavy doors! Not a T-top, not even a convertible, but it was cool to see one in the video. Brings back memories!

  • @mitchkelleher7972
    @mitchkelleher7972 2 года назад +10

    The BRAT T-Tops were called "Fun Roofs" IIRC and they could be held partially open like a sunroof in vent setting, though sideways like gullwings. Kind of neat, but it required the roof structure to remain on the open side, though that was probably a good thing with how flexible those chassis were. I wonder if the unusual vent setting might have been the result of someone trying to make a positive out of the need to retain the outer roof to prevent losing too much structural strength (and maybe to help prevent leakage).
    I think with modern chassis strength, T-Tops could come back, but people have lost their sense of fun and would complain about having to remove the panels by hand. I actually preferred the old manual sunroofs where the panel had to be removed to have it fully open to the power roofs of today as it leant a sense of occasion to the simple act of having an open sunroof. I usually tossed the glass in the rear seat footwell. If more people were in the car, it just stayed in the roof, but I wouldn't have wanted it out with passengers as it would make it too noisy to talk to everyone, anyway. Funny that you show a BRZ as I was thinking how the double bubble roof of my GR86 could have used a T-top with the bubble sections being removable body-color panels with the center section remaining fixed. Of course, it would be me and maybe 5 other people who would actually want them like that....

    • @fubaz
      @fubaz 2 года назад

      The safety sticker inside the BRAT called it the “Fun-Roof,” but the owner’s manual also called it the “Subaru HALO-TWIN” (all caps in every instance) roof.

  • @9ALiTY
    @9ALiTY 2 года назад +1

    T-Tops are awesome, first car was a 77 firebird with T-Tops

  • @badapple65
    @badapple65 2 года назад +4

    The t-tops in my 1979 Camaro leaked every-time in car washes I owned from 1982-1985. My Friend had her Camaro detailed and the guy failed to lock the latch in place on the passenger side and it flew off. She turned around to go back and a pick up truck was pulled over in that area and the guy was about to get out to look for whatever it was that he saw fly airborne off her car. Said no joking it shot straight up 6-7 stories high then flew a half circle like a boomerang and then shot at the ground. They found it together all shattered. It was an insurance claim to get it replaced because of the cost to get just one replaced.

  • @necrotoaster94
    @necrotoaster94 2 года назад

    When I was a young man I had that exact 1977 Trans Am. Those T-tops were awesome and friggin HEAVY. I remember wrestling them on and off many times. It's part of the charm of the vehicle as well as a period feature for sure.

  • @rushnerd
    @rushnerd 2 года назад +33

    I have no experience with T-Tops (though my 88' Supra does have a removable targa top, and it can drip a tiny bit depending.) But one while I was checking out my local mechanic's yard, he has an 80's MR2 that was there for about a month or two and the passenger seat was puddled with water from the glass T-tops.
    They seem kind of like a sealing night mare to me. Removable hard roofs I think are the best of both worlds (though they do flex a lot.)

    • @TheTruthKiwi
      @TheTruthKiwi 2 года назад +1

      It's kind of strange how car makers have no problem sealing doors and trunks but targa-tops are a problem. I guess it's because the tops don't have the heavy duty hinges and latches that doors and trunks have.

    • @andrewdonohue1853
      @andrewdonohue1853 2 года назад

      i had a 89 camaro, they leaked.... then a i had a 96 they didnt leak. it seems like they improved the designed and then phased them out

    • @2pugman
      @2pugman 2 года назад

      They leaked !

    • @darylkik777
      @darylkik777 2 года назад +1

      In the early 90s I had a 280ZX and then a 300zx and neither ever dripped a drop of water. You had to keep the door and t-top seals from drying out or replace the entire set for about $200.00 back then. (Loved my tops, was always jealous of the Supra and the Targa top.

    • @rushnerd
      @rushnerd 2 года назад

      @@darylkik777 Lol yeah the targa top is cool, but more so when it was new. Now it's something you have really work with the seals on. But you know what else? At least in mine the drivers side bolt likes to walk itself out (from all the major flexing) and if you don't tighten it in a long enough time , you'll have wind noise and a gap.
      Most the targa top kinda sucks because it has so much flex and noises to the chassis. The doors are reenforced to deal with the top being I've (I've never tried it yet, I've heard it's a little scary with the flex. So yeah, it's better than T-tops and sunroofs, but still has some issues!

  • @howardm2642
    @howardm2642 2 года назад +5

    Reason #4: In the 1980's it was extremely common where I lived (Providence RI) to have a car side window smashed out to steal the T-tops. They apparently sold for a lot at the junkyards and were very easy to steal. Remember it happening outside my apartment window. The thief saw me looking at him but still smashed the window, stole the T-tops, and drove away before the 911 operator even answered.

    • @AtomicReverend
      @AtomicReverend 2 года назад +1

      My 1978 vette actually has factory locks so you can't easily boost them.
      I inherited the car when my father passed away in 2003 I think I've only had the t top off twice in all those years. Definitely fun to drive without them installed but honestly it's kind of a headache because you got to store them in the car if you go out more than a few hours.

    • @chickenmuffin
      @chickenmuffin 2 года назад +1

      My 2001 camaro had locks? Not a rocket science solution.

  • @ClamBake7525
    @ClamBake7525 2 года назад +9

    I miss the days of taking out the t-tops of my '87 MR2 on a very hot summer day in Kentucky and nearly getting 3rd degree burns on my fingertips from the glass. Or when we would have a massive hail storm and almost going deaf from all the ice hitting the glass. Really I do.

    • @PeekabooGram
      @PeekabooGram 2 года назад +2

      Got caught in a bad hail storm one spring on the Gene Snyder in Louisville in my 88 IROC Z. I remember looking thru the T-tops overhead and knew it was a matter of time before that hail was going to come crashing in on me. It still seems amazing to me how they withstood that onslaught without breaking.

    • @ClamBake7525
      @ClamBake7525 2 года назад

      @@PeekabooGram Good times.

  • @ihate_5x108
    @ihate_5x108 2 года назад +1

    I immediately thought of a Nissan 300zx when I heard T Tops

  • @AaronSmith-kr5yf
    @AaronSmith-kr5yf 2 года назад +5

    Man how could you not have a picture of the Camaro, that car along with the Trans Am is what people associate with t-tops, I mean they had them from the late 70's until both models were discontinued until 2002. Speaking as somebody who owned a 1999 Camaro Z28 t-top and a 1998 Camaro Z28 convertible, my vote goes convertible. Granted if you drive the car every day, t-top is the way to go, way more room in the hatch, doesn't leak(mine never did), quiet on a highway cruise. But if its garage kept and only taken out on nice days, convertible all the way, there is less wind buffeting than t-tops, you have a lot more open feel. At least on that 4th gen Camaro both felt pretty solid and didn't rattle. Never taking apart the interior is the secret to no rattles though lol.

    • @AaronSmith-kr5yf
      @AaronSmith-kr5yf 2 года назад

      @Shawn 🏴‍☠️ Stafford I guess so, but t-tops were a big deal in the 70's/80's/90's. Even Mustangs had t-tops in the 1980's.

  • @bongerman42069
    @bongerman42069 2 года назад +4

    I know they aren't cool anymore for most people, but this is one of my favorite car designs of all time. My best friends dad growing up had a 69 Vette tuned for thebtrack and to this day it's my favorite car even if it wasn't all stock I saw this thing blow the doors off Vipers and Lambos as a kid and to do that with a T-Top is just extra style points 😂

  • @copper589
    @copper589 2 года назад

    My 02 Trans Am has T-Tops and honestly I like them a lot more then I thought I would. I take them out as often as I can. They have a spot in the trunk to out them so I always have them with me

  • @garrettraakman6465
    @garrettraakman6465 2 года назад +4

    They are so neat!

  • @mr.woowoo8826
    @mr.woowoo8826 2 года назад

    Early 90's...85' Firebird w/ T-tops, 20's years old, and music rocking...GOOD MEMORIES. Loved my T-tops.

  • @KuberX1
    @KuberX1 2 года назад +9

    Do one on the digital dash? Also love the videos pretty good keep up the good work

    • @reecelogan8266
      @reecelogan8266 2 года назад +2

      I agree digital dash would make a cool vid

    • @mortenjorck
      @mortenjorck 2 года назад +3

      Whoa yes, digital dash is 100% one of those “why didn’t this catch on” (at least until full screen-based dashes 30 years later) automotive mysteries.

    • @zlinedavid
      @zlinedavid 2 года назад

      @@mortenjorck They weren’t exactly rare in the mid-late 80s.

  • @77chevy4x4
    @77chevy4x4 2 года назад

    8:04
    The only one it’s a great feeling in .
    Ty for the historical and write up of the T tops

  • @remo1wodmnetwork9605
    @remo1wodmnetwork9605 2 года назад +4

    Topic suggestion: The Air Cooled Motor! One of the nice things (among others) from the Corvair models were their rear located air cooled motors. I'd like to see you do a feature on them.

  • @ctphotographx
    @ctphotographx 2 года назад

    Excellent show. I like your assessments. Mine never leak. Not one drop. 89 300zx Z31. I store the panels in their leather-ette sleeves and take my old dad out for a spin on the cooler evenings. With the open top, old dad doesn't bump his head getting in and out.

  • @squirrel8296
    @squirrel8296 2 года назад +9

    I feel like factory sun roof technology rendered t-tops unnecessary. When t-tops were a thing, a sunroof was pretty rare, typically solid metal, and in most cases an aftermarket addition. As factory sunroofs became a more common option t-tops fell to the wayside.

  • @peteeastwood1635
    @peteeastwood1635 2 года назад

    You needed way more TransAm and or Camaro pictures in this video. I kept waiting for it. Finally one!

  • @Sal834
    @Sal834 2 года назад +4

    Other items no longer found, power antennas, floor mounted switch for bright lights, vent windows to name a few.

    • @glennso47
      @glennso47 2 года назад +1

      In addition to affordable prices. 🤑

  • @donaldroehrig7817
    @donaldroehrig7817 2 года назад

    Had a 79 Cordoba with factory T-tops. Loved it and they never leaked. It even had carry bags for the tops to store in the trunk.

  • @danielkapp9468
    @danielkapp9468 2 года назад +8

    Jeeps technically still make removable T tops (without the center T). With their removable hard tops the forward section of a 4 door wrangler is two removable sections (very similar to a T top), and for the renegades their removable roof is all based on T the tops concept (though rotated 90 degrees), I know those aren't the exact same as a T top in the traditional sense but if you look at what they are doing its the same concept.
    And on the concept of cars feeling new, the old saying goes, there are no new ideas, just old ideas recycled into a new product. With the new ford bronco and hummer I think we may soon see some of these older concepts like the T top actually coming back just due to consumer nostalgia.

    • @quillmaurer6563
      @quillmaurer6563 2 года назад

      Of course the Wrangler itself is one of those retro designs you talk about. It's lineage can be traced back pretty much to the WWII Military Willies Jeeps, it was fully re-designed several times (and it's probably at least twice as big now) but the aesthetic was kept the same all that time. It's probably stayed true to its origins more than most other long-running names like any of the muscle/pony cars that have only vaguely stayed the same in concept (unless you count the Mustang Mach E, in which case it didn't stay the same at all in any regard).

    • @oramirez77513
      @oramirez77513 2 года назад

      The Jeep Renegade still has the center brace, so technically still a t-top, but they call it something else.. Jeep branding.

    • @BallisticGhast6
      @BallisticGhast6 2 года назад

      Also, that new Hyundai concept EV looks like it traveled from the 80s with its boxy design and stainless steel finish with modern looking tech. Would be sick to see those on the road

  • @lenbones7940
    @lenbones7940 2 года назад +2

    I used to date a chick that had a firebird and I'll never forgot the day the T top just popped off while we were rolling full speed down the highway... the craziest part was. It didn't break it just stuck In the grass on the side of the highway like a ninja star... this must of been a issue that they just didn't do a recall on cuz she took pictures and showed the dealer and after a few weeks they gave her a new one... so if anyone ever had the driver side T top of a firebird pop off at speed just know the people who designed and built it are chill about it and somehow this defect hasn't ended anyone's life horror show style lol good grief

  • @LuckyDogGaming
    @LuckyDogGaming 2 года назад +4

    I think a cool video would be the history of turbos how they came on strong as a performance option, then went away in favor of displacement and are now back to make cars more economical. #torquesteer

  • @grimson
    @grimson 2 года назад

    Got a '93 MR2 with t-tops and love them. Yes, they leak a little. Yes, it's sometimes a pain when you get home to have to put them back on. But on a nice day, it's great to have open sky and fresh air.

  • @DS-wo8wr
    @DS-wo8wr 2 года назад +6

    T Tops fell out of favor and have been replaced with panoramic sunroofs. More glass area for todays sedans and SUV’s. So much easier to hit a button than manually removing and storing 2 separate panes of glass.

  • @lenbones7940
    @lenbones7940 2 года назад

    Keep up the good work homie your slaying it... ur channel has content that's up there with channels that use multiple creator's to crank out what you seem to be doing rolling solo... keep killing it you've deff found ur lane...

  • @dwevors
    @dwevors 2 года назад +4

    I love my 3, 300ZX's with T-Tops! Among of the best cars ever made!

  • @y87_99Firebird
    @y87_99Firebird 2 года назад

    I love my 4th gen Firebird for its T-tops. I don't use them as often but the sun coming through the glass is such a great way to drive.

  • @cva1122
    @cva1122 2 года назад +4

    The current Jeep Wrangler hardtop has a front roof removed with two panels, much like a t-top.

  • @boxerbiker4672
    @boxerbiker4672 2 года назад

    Well produced and good talking points. Love it!~

  • @MrLocomechanic
    @MrLocomechanic 2 года назад +1

    Iv got an 87 mustang gt hatchback with ttops. And i wouldnt give it up for nothing!

  • @JakeyyFD
    @JakeyyFD 2 года назад +4

    I think a lot of why T-tops died is similar to why targa tops died, namely convenience. With a convertible top, you stow it in the rear deck area. With a t-top, the user has to leave the car, remove the tops, and stow them away. The fact that it is less convienient probably means consumers are less likely to purchase the option, and that influences manufacturers to cut it from their models, reducing manufacturing complexity. Plus, at least for car guys, the hard top is the desired option, so why produce t-tops?

    • @pdennis93
      @pdennis93 2 года назад

      Targa tops aren't dead. The corvette has had a targa top for almost 40 years.

    • @JakeyyFD
      @JakeyyFD 2 года назад +1

      @@pdennis93 One car has a targa top. Thats effectively dead.

    • @automation7295
      @automation7295 2 года назад +1

      @@JakeyyFD Targa tops aren't really dead, Porsche still produce Targa models for the 911

    • @bwofficial1776
      @bwofficial1776 2 года назад

      @@automation7295 Two cars, plus the new Hummer makes three. Not dead but barely alive.

    • @pdennis93
      @pdennis93 2 года назад

      @@JakeyyFD porsche 911 Targa, mazda miata mx5 rf, ferrari Daytona sp3

  • @ElmoUnk1953
    @ElmoUnk1953 2 года назад

    “Close your eyes…” Smokey and the Bandit. You were spot on.

  • @xp7575
    @xp7575 2 года назад +4

    Is there a vehicle with a T-top and automatic seat belts AND pop-up headlights with wipers? 🤔 🤔

    • @zlinedavid
      @zlinedavid 2 года назад

      Don’t think they ever doubled up and made pop up headlights with wipers. T-tops, auto seat belts and pop up lights? Sure, mid 80s Firebirds.

  • @heathmorris6100
    @heathmorris6100 2 года назад

    My 95 trans am has both t tops and pop up headlights. Even has a little storage spot for the t tops in the trunk. My favorite features on the vehicle by far

  • @overlando282
    @overlando282 2 года назад

    I've owned my 88 IROC-Z for 15 years, and I'm one of those "can't believe they don't leak" guys. Funny your video appeared on my feed just now, as my daughter and I just got home from a sunny afternoon drive around downtown Tampa with the tops in the trunk.

  • @ronde1135
    @ronde1135 2 года назад

    I had a 93 nissan NX2000. It came with T tops. Ooooh it was a such an experience to drive! I loved it. (Bought in 2002, sold it in May 2021) I missed that car the second the keys left my hand.. When I had my tops off there was nothing like it on the road (except for a 300Z) and I modified it too. Had a NEO vvl motor, Vodtland lowering springs, strut bar front and back.. I loved when I would come bearing down the road knight rider style and people would look "what the hell is that?", Mustangs and suped up civics would get no mercy from me.. My nephews and cousins that were little during early 2000s LOVED to ride in it with tops off. All i would hear is WOW wow so cool, this is nice while they put their hands up in the air... TTops = FUN FUN FUN

  • @MountainHomeJerrel
    @MountainHomeJerrel Год назад

    I don't even care about cars but your videos are so well made and interesting, I have to keep watching them.

  • @andreashauschild7757
    @andreashauschild7757 2 года назад

    I had two different camaro with T-Tops. I loved them. Driving with the T-Tops off was a completely different feeling then with a sunroof. I miss them.

  • @doncnunez6231
    @doncnunez6231 2 года назад

    I am the original owner of a 1987 Buick Grand National 31,000 miles, with T-Roofs, Love the breeze in the Spring, No leaks or rattles !

  • @robertchandlerjr5672
    @robertchandlerjr5672 2 года назад

    This video made me shed a tear for my Iroc of my younger days... man I miss that car... and the leaky T-Tops. Went well with Van Halen, Busch Light, cutoffs, and my mullet

  • @stan4d1969
    @stan4d1969 2 года назад +1

    A 1983 280zx was my second car when I was 21 - awesome car! It had t-tops and I loved them. Fast forward to my 2015 C7 Corvette which had a removable roof which was great but best handled with two people. Note that in both cases there was a dedicated space or container in the rear for the removable components.

    • @mouser485
      @mouser485 2 года назад

      Yep, had a 1983 280ZX Turbo with T-Tops. Loved that little car. You could easily take the tops out while sitting in the car. I had them stolen twice though as t-top theft was rampant back then.

  • @markshaver3138
    @markshaver3138 2 года назад

    I bought a brand new black Formula Firebird in September 2001. It had t-tops and loved it!! I drove it for 16 years and put 229,000 miles on it. Super fast and fun car!!

  • @Varmint260
    @Varmint260 2 года назад

    99 Camaro here, and I definitely fit in the camp of "I can't believe my T-Tops don't leak!" I love 'em, though, and I still think it's cool to be able to watch the rain sheet over the top of the car at speed, then get that open air experience on a nice day.

  • @MyTv-
    @MyTv- 2 года назад

    Liked your channel, subscribed!
    Remembers how cool T-tops where back then!

  • @phillhuddleston9445
    @phillhuddleston9445 2 года назад +1

    When I went to buy my first car around 1990 I went to a dealer and was looking at a 1977 or 78 Firebird Formula with T-tops and asked the used car salesman it leaked or not, he said "I can guarantee you that it does leak, all T-tops start to leak when they are a few years old." I passed on that and got a fourth generation 1982 Trans-Am instead. I kind of regretted that decision but I thought the girls would like the newer T/A better and ended up having a sun roof installed on it.

  • @batmaster75
    @batmaster75 2 года назад

    My first car was a 91 Firebird, with both pop up headlights and t-tops!! Miss that car!

  • @donrobinson5662
    @donrobinson5662 2 года назад

    I had T-Tops in a brand new 1989 Chevrolet IROC-Z that I purchased. I rarely removed them, but it was cool when you did!!

  • @howardgreenman2908
    @howardgreenman2908 2 года назад

    Bought my 82 Corvette in 2003 and the original T tops did not leak or rattle. Sold the car 11 years later and they still did not leak or rattle. My 2004 Corvette had a Targa. It was harder to lift for a small guy like me but took less time to remove and replace as there was just one piece to deal with. I liked both the t’s and the targa and miss them both.

  • @imderrickjed
    @imderrickjed 2 года назад +1

    Theory 1: Because car manufactures are forced to give warranty's a t-top that will always end up leaking is seen as a liability. Convertibles dont fall into this since they always receive less coverage since the owners at some point will forget to "pop the top" and the inside floors will get soaked. T-tops (I love them) are notorious for ruining rocker panels.

  • @whiskyguzzler982
    @whiskyguzzler982 2 года назад

    I literally thought of Bandit when I thought T-Top. You nailed it.

  • @derekm9155
    @derekm9155 2 года назад

    Being a Gen X who grew up in the 70’s and 80’s, I loved cars with T-tops. As far as why they’re no longer available, I’m going with #3. They’re no longer fashionable. Cool video.

  • @GregNTech
    @GregNTech 2 года назад

    My 1987 Nissan Pulsar NX SE has both, pop up headlights and T-tops..... and I love it.

  • @TheGuitarman1968
    @TheGuitarman1968 2 года назад +2

    I really miss T-Tops. They were like having a convertible and double sunroofs simultaneously, without the ugly cloth roof. I had a 1989 IROC-Z Camaro with T-Tops back in the day. It was a fun car, and the T-Tops made it even more fun. Luckily, the T-Tops never leaked in the rain, and I always hand-washed the car (no leaks then either), so I never tested the T-Tops at the car wash. The T-Tops came with two padded and fur-lined faux leather zippered storage bags that fit down inside the cubby hole (vertically) under the rear hatch back. That cubby hole eventually became the twin 10-inch subwoofer box, so there went the T-Top storage....lol. Although, the T-Tops could still be laid flat under the hatchback, as long as you had nothing else to tranport in the car at the same time. The T-Tops were about $500 a piece (back in 1989), so you didn't want to damage them. I had a friend with a Trans Am that found this out the hard way, when he dropped one of his T-Tops and the glass cracked. Who knows, maybe T-Tops will make a comeback someday, but for now I'll have to stick with my sunroof. 👍👍

  • @kingzach74
    @kingzach74 2 года назад +2

    I love my 1984 Nissan 300ZX 2+2 with T-Tops, I LOVED my T-Tops they were incredible. I loved them so much.
    My car came with Vinyl and faux leather bags specifically designed to put the T-Tops in to keep them protected and safe.
    There was also a place to put the under the floor in the back, not sure if that was stock or not.
    Therefore no space was lost and they were protected from the elements.
    Mine never leaked and the only time they did was because I didn't fully latch them into place. So it was entirely my fault.
    My end goal is at some point to get a 1984 Nissan 300ZX Anniversary Edition with the Digital Dash and T-Tops. That will be one of my dream cars to get again some day.
    Either that or a Nissan Z32 300ZX with T-Tops and Twin Turbos. Sigh...
    Cars these days are so boring. Why would I ever want a car that doesn't have Pop-Up Mother F**king Headlights! Pop-up up and down headlights!

  • @rogeredwards3563
    @rogeredwards3563 2 года назад

    I had an 82 Z-28 with T-Tops...in Texas. While they didn't leak (very much), they BAKED the inside of the car on hot summer days. I always had issues with the a/c on that car...as in, if I ran it too much on those hot summer days, my car would overheat. SO, I just left the T-Tops off most of the time because it was cooler with them off than on. Lots of good memories and fun times in that car tho! Ahh...the 80s were such a special time! LOL

  • @tacotue4eva677
    @tacotue4eva677 Год назад

    I currently own a 86 mustang gt with t-tops. Great car and fun to drive. T-tops are rad!!!

  • @raulcastro7633
    @raulcastro7633 2 года назад +1

    Well done for a young man who was not alive in those times, well done.

  • @albertmorel2771
    @albertmorel2771 2 года назад

    I really enjoyed the video. Great Job. I own 1983 Datsun 280zx with T Tops , the one that talks. No Leaks

  • @hemdupone8224
    @hemdupone8224 2 года назад

    Had several different makes/models of cars with t-tops & absolutely love them!

  • @MarcG7424
    @MarcG7424 2 года назад

    Had a 1981 Pontiac Trans Am I loved taking the tops off in the spring summer and early fall months

  • @Richie5480
    @Richie5480 2 года назад

    We use to install T-Tops in the late 1970s, this was in Vegas at a place called Trim Line, we also did body side molding, and pin-striping.