Has anyone here have t-tops on their bird or cat? Just wondering becuz i'd like to see how it looks like.
It'll probably look like your car folding in half. Takes away a huge amount of the structural integrity of the car.
Not gonna happen.
I've dreamed about it before too, it is too bad it can't be done.
Jim
What about the convertible? Why this one will not fold on itself and T-Top will?? :dunno: :dunce:
It was on my plan to make my ExCougar T-Top but the car was totalled before i could send it to the shop because of some BMW driving ass didnt do his red light... :mad:
The shop was asking me 4500$ for the job with complete body done and paint.
Because Eric quote "Has Subframe Connectors from hell" on the cat.
Yeah, from what I understand it can be done. It would just cost a ton of money. I'm surprised you got a quote for $4500 to get it done. Because you would need different doors, the tops, and all of the reinforcement to the frame. Were they going to try and use GM t-tops on it or something like that? I think it would be cool if someone did it. It is just the cost that would really suck and then look at all the problems Eric says he has with his car on how loose it feels.
Jim
OK, this is the best way I can put it. The roof panels on our cars are absolutely integral to the structural rigidity of our cars. Did you know that where the A-pillar meets the roof, that section can hold 2 1/2 times the weight of our cars?! Yes, that's how much stress it must handle and was designed to handle from the start. Once you compromise that integrity, though--whether it's a moonroof/sunroof, T-top or convertible conversion--you are changing the entire dynamics of the vehicle. The best choice (moonroof) has a separate roof panel that has been reinforced, so it's not nearly as compromised. The convertible conversion is, well, just plain frickin' weird. But there are lots and lots of changes made to my car to at least keep the flexing to a minimum. Hence the quote "subframe connectors from hell." ;) Since we have aircraft-style doors with full frames around the windows, T-tops are practically impossible in a traditional "Monte Carlo"-style fashion. The only--ONLY--way they would work is if the door tops were cut, and those cut sections were bonded to the glass frame for the T-top. Then you are compromising the rigitidy of 200 lb.+ doors. Take a good, long look at the part where the door meets the roof and you'll understand. I have seen one person in my area attempt to make a "targa"-style roof on his '85 orange Cougar. And then he added hydraulics. And if you can imagine such a thing, THAT is why I said that the car folds up like an accordion. Because it did.
not to change toppics, but eric,... do you have any pix of your cars chassis upgrades? id love to see it. id love to go to catjam, but every year it seems like i will then something comes up:(
or better yet, just go look at any mustang t-top that has had any power added to it, or even a stock one, especially without a roll cage and subframe connectors. The bodies on those cars are completely useless after jumping on the gas one good time. On a side note, though roll cages might say bolt in, all cages need to be welded in.
deffenatly, bolt in's only make for elongated holes
When I asked the shop at the time, they said 2000$ in parts and 2500 for the job... (or something like that....)
He did told me that he need to cut the doors and reinforce the body...
I never tought it could be that complex... :(
A photo of the infamous subframe connectors are here:
http://www.coolcats.net/eric/86convertible/history/2001.html
Poke around the 2002-2004 years and you can see some of the reinforcements around the back seat area. These aren't all the mods but they're the major ones.
no... *t-top dreams shattered!!* oh well, i just put that imaginary money into something esle. =P
Eric.... are the bends in those exhaust pipes the work of that shop we talked about? If so then deeeeamn.
Yes they are. Get this Bri..they took the afternoon to make the pipes, in the middle of their busy schedule. As if that's not enough, they made sure both pipes are visually the same so that if you see them from behind, one pipe won't be lower than the other. Yeah, the shop's that cool.
Sorry for the hijack. ;)
If some day a coconut hits too hard the roof of my car and ruin it, it will be a Custom Convertible, jajaja. Ive thinking it for about 2 1/2 years and its not a bad idea (its better than sold the car for 50 bucks to the junkyard) I have too many mental plans to do it (Cut the metal roof, fiberglass molding,frame reinforcement, custom doors, custom glasses, weight reduction,aerodinamics, custom skeleton, hand made vinyl top, custom bla bla bla). Yes, sounds funny, but if it going to happen, its 98 percent sure....
(http://usuarios.lycos.es/racingtrykes/cougar/cougar4.jpg)