T-Top flew!

[NorthwoodDavid]

Ok, I was already running late for work. My car was going to be sitting in a sunny parking lot all day so I figured I would put the shades in. Well did my dr side first but didn’t lock it because I was going to center it better well finished with my pass and I took off.

Getting on 820 a minivan wont let me in:ar: so I leave it in 4th and pick it up to 80 85ish no big deal. Well just before I let off, I here this big gush of wind :sillyme:I put my hand up and knew I had something on my head and yea, I was holding the shade against my head.

Look at my side mirror and see traffic splitting and breaking. Check my pass top it was locked, so I put it back in 3rd and hit it. Stoped at a gas station took the other one off and drove 55 the rest of the way. Went by after work and picked up the little pieces.

After searching all day I found a savage yard that had one, he look through the window at my car and said “yep got one left 250” im like WTF I just need one “yep 250, you will be back”After about a week found one in Kennedale guy was like give me 45. So I took them both, now I got a spare, lol.

Sorry for the long read. Just check your tops.

[shaolink9]

thts happend to me b4 lol ever since then i lock my tops when i put them on , i paid 60 for mine the faqctory wanted lik 600 dollars. i saw mine fly in the air like a kite when it cam off lol

[chuckie669]

Ok, I was already running late for work. My car was going to be sitting in a sunny parking lot all day so I figured I would put the shades in. Well did my dr side first but didn’t lock it because I was going to center it better well finished with my pass and I took off.

Getting on 820 a minivan wont let me in:ar: so I leave it in 4th and pick it up to 80 85ish no big deal. Well just before I let off, I here this big gush of wind :sillyme:I put my hand up and knew I had something on my head and yea, I was holding the shade against my head.

Look at my side mirror and see traffic splitting and breaking. Check my pass top it was locked, so I put it back in 3rd and hit it. Stoped at a gas station took the other one off and drove 55 the rest of the way. Went by after work and picked up the little pieces.

After searching all day I found a savage yard that had one, he look through the window at my car and said “yep got one left 250” im like WTF I just need one “yep 250, you will be back”After about a week found one in Kennedale guy was like give me 45. So I took them both, now I got a spare, lol.

Sorry for the long read. Just check your tops.

holy crap, some crazy shit. I'm OCD about those when I take em off, put them back on. I'll check it two times at least just from compulsion. Glad you got a new one without much grief.

[NorthwoodDavid]

holy crap, some crazy shit. I'm OCD about those when I take em off, put them back on. I'll check it two times at least just from compulsion. Glad you got a new one without much grief.

yea and a buddie let me borrow one for a while becuse he has his car covered up but i still spent over a hundred at the salvage yard on other crap too lol

[1flynDO]

Happened to a friend in an 80 TA at 110MPH it flew like a kite and landed in a farmers field unharmed.

[01ws6er]

Fogot to lock mine and had it lift up on me but I was lucky enough to catch it in time. Another kid I know took his dad's SS out and his passenger was drunk and pulled the lever. Bye bye t-top haha. :sillyme:

$250 is pretty ridiculous, you can buy them for $150 a piece on ebay I believe...?

[Cronex]

Hahaha. I always lock mine. That has to suck though. You can find T-Tops all over the internet. There is one place that specializes in just getting T-Tops, replacing what needs to be replaced if anything and then reselling them. Don't matter what generation either. But im on my laptop right now, so I don't have the site saved on here. Ofcourse, depending on where you go, there will always be different prices.

[chuckie669]

Sponsor:
http://www.t-topsonline.com/

[TempleU_WS6]

damn that sucks. I always check them after i put them back on.

[egod]

i have never locked mine, i can't believe that they would just unlatch and fly like that, now i'm gonna be paranoid to check and lock them. How does it unlatch anyways?

[SpeedAddict38]

that happened on my 95 Camaro..........cost me $125

[qwk93ta]

My drivers side came off on my 89 IROC many years ago.

[Speed Psychosis]

when you guys say lock each time do you mean with the key of just lever? does the key help keep it there at all?

[SpeedAddict38]

when you guys say lock each time do you mean with the key of just lever? does the key help keep it there at all?

with the lever

[Silver Streak]

I never lock my tops.. just latch them.. as I like to be able to pull over and quick rip them off and get back on the road.. anyway... back in HS, I was Driving my 85 with a buddy... going down a county road at about 80... when I hear him say whats this as he reaches up toward the lever.. :eek: But before I could say don't touch that.. WHOOSH! THe t-top was gone... my heart sank.. I was staring at the rear view mirror for what seemed like an eternity... waiting for shattered glass... but nothing... then I hear "Hey man.. can you stop.. this thing is heavy!" :eek: He held onto the t-top by the handle at 80 and it never hit the car or did any damage... I stopped and we put it back on.. and kept driving!

[02cetransam]

i didnt know so many people lost t tops

[ls1camino]

SFCs solve this problem...

[NorthwoodDavid]

i have never locked mine, i can't believe that they would just unlatch and fly like that, now i'm gonna be paranoid to check and lock them. How does it unlatch anyways?

yea i ment i didnt latch it in place. I never lock mine either.

i am guilty of taking them off at a stop light,lol.my younger brother can pop them off as fast as me. they just ride on top of the folded back seats for a bit.

[Speed Psychosis]

SFCs solve this problem...

how so? i heard they prevent twisting that can lead to leaking, but how do they keep the tops on without the lever?

[chuckie669]

how so? i heard they prevent twisting that can lead to leaking, but how do they keep the tops on without the lever?

Weld them on top of the car... Duh...

[Silver Streak]

how so? i heard they prevent twisting that can lead to leaking, but how do they keep the tops on without the lever?

The flex has been known to release the t-tops with them latched.. thus the SFCs would prevent the flex and not allow the t-top to let go...

[JoshieDoom]

My big ass head wont let me drive without them locked. Its in the damn way :(

[SAGGIN]

Ok, I was already running late for work. My car was going to be sitting in a sunny parking lot all day so I figured I would put the shades in. Well did my dr side first but didn’t lock it because I was going to center it better well finished with my pass and I took off.

Getting on 820 a minivan wont let me in:ar: so I leave it in 4th and pick it up to 80 85ish no big deal. Well just before I let off, I here this big gush of wind :sillyme:I put my hand up and knew I had something on my head and yea, I was holding the shade against my head.

Look at my side mirror and see traffic splitting and breaking. Check my pass top it was locked, so I put it back in 3rd and hit it. Stoped at a gas station took the other one off and drove 55 the rest of the way. Went by after work and picked up the little pieces.

After searching all day I found a savage yard that had one, he look through the window at my car and said “yep got one left 250” im like WTF I just need one “yep 250, you will be back”After about a week found one in Kennedale guy was like give me 45. So I took them both, now I got a spare, lol.

Sorry for the long read. Just check your tops.


another reason I luv my Hardtop!!!:hide:

[SpeedAddict38]

The flex has been known to release the t-tops with them latched.. thus the SFCs would prevent the flex and not allow the t-top to let go...

I cant see how "flex" could release a t-top. I got t-boned @ a red light by a 18 wheeler in my 95 camaro and t-tops didnt even crack

[johnb]

when you guys say lock each time do you mean with the key of just lever? does the key help keep it there at all?


I latch and key lock them. Only takes a few extra seconds to key lock them.

[Silver Streak]

I latch and key lock them. Only takes a few extra seconds to key lock them.

True... but then you'd need to shut off the car to unlock them.. I like to pull over and run around pulling them off and quick back on the road.. don't need to tunr it off and turn it back on...

[JoshieDoom]

Take the door key off the ring :)







:hide:

[Silver Streak]

Take the door key off the ring :)

:hide:

:lol: I knew someone was going to say that...

[JoshieDoom]

sorry bro had to do it.. I usually dont lock mine. My dad/uncle always told me to lock them(multiple bird owners) but i usually just latch mine and push up hard on them and if they dont move(never do) then I usually say screw it. I kept mine locked over winter tho.

[Silver Streak]

sorry bro had to do it.. I usually dont lock mine. My dad/uncle always told me to lock them(multiple bird owners) but i usually just latch mine and push up hard on them and if they dont move(never do) then I usually say screw it. I kept mine locked over winter tho.

I've only locked the 02's once.. (the g/f said we should do it at Bristol's track), and I think I locked the 85s a few times back when I bought it 11 years ago.. but then it was to omuch of a hasle for me and I said screw it. :)

[ls1camino]

Take the door key off the ring :)







:hide:

I keep my house key and door/t-top key in my pocket (off of my regular keys) cause I ALWAYS lock my keys in my car...also makes it easy to take the tops off with the car running.

[johnb]

True... but then you'd need to shut off the car to unlock them.. I like to pull over and run around pulling them off and quick back on the road.. don't need to tunr it off and turn it back on...

I usually put them back on when I get home after a cruise. After I put the car inside, I shut it off, then lock them. it's not a bother for me....

[JoshieDoom]

With the door open mine wont lock... must be a 98 thing...

[01ws6er]

I keep my house key and door/t-top key in my pocket (off of my regular keys) cause I ALWAYS lock my keys in my car...also makes it easy to take the tops off with the car running.

Or pull the e-brake so that it lets you open the trunk ;) :sillyme:

[ls1camino]

Or pull the e-brake so that it lets you open the trunk ;) :sillyme:

I meant so i could unlock the tops...not the trunk

[01ws6er]

I meant so i could unlock the tops...not the trunk

Ah, thought you meant so you could start the car, then take off the tops. I haven't ever locked my tops, I just latch them and that's that. I don;t even know if the locks work.....

[Speed Psychosis]

i don't think the lock is there for structural reasons. i always thought it was so someone can't steal your t-tops if windows are open. they are worth a lot and a lot of people seem to get leaking ones...

[egod]

^yeah that's what i thought too, but i never leave my windows down. i few times i ran into the store with the tops off but only in good neighborhoods.

[Speed Psychosis]

^ yeah I leave them off too. I just close my windows so No one can reach inside quickly without being noticed.

[QtrWhore]

yea i had mine do that shifting from 2nd to 3rd while i had my sfc welded on...still lost a d/s t top...pissed me off but not so much losing it as having to explain it to the wife...

[alewis]

will they only fit on one side or both

[greenTA]

haha I have forgotten to lock them and I'll see it when i'm doing 90. Scares the shit out of me everytime.

[Obsession]

What is a SFC?
I always latch and lock my T-Tops

[johnb]

What is a SFC?



Sub Frame Connectors.

[Obsession]

Oh ok, Thanks

[Mastermindc3pro]

Happened to my friend, he was driving with his sister and she didnt lock the passanger one, he made a sharp turn and it off it went, it almost hit a kid.

[QKSLVR99]

Happened to me bout 2 yrs ago.. Believe it or not it didn't break... Flew off at about 95mph and landed in a field with tall grass.

couldn't believe it didn't break

[sic2001]

I did this too,"wheres that wind noise comming from?....WHOOSH hahahahahah landed in a million pieces in the emergency lane, no drama

[Hi-Po]

This happened to me last sunday. It landed in a big field of hay/tall grass. It did skip across a hot wire electric fence. I have a 8 inch scratch on the glass. BUT IT DIDNT BREAK!!! wooooo hooooooo!!

Still sucked. I saw it pop up just alittle on my passenger side. I looked over and thought ohhhhh fuckkkkkkk.... this is what all the LS1 guys have been talking about
!!!!! I reached over to grab the only thing you can on a t-top... .the latch. Right before, i mean, RIGHT before... it took off like it had a jet pack attached to it. I t very windy that day. That sum bitCh flew 30 feet off road. I got her back, and she's sitting pretty on my car.... LOCKED!

[BIG GUNS]

My 7 year old daughter does the canopy check every time she rides. She has reminded me mulitple times that the canopies were unlocked and saved me. That kid gets dairy queen every time she saves a canopy.

[Hi-Po]

^^^^^ :lol: awesome!!!!

[BIG GUNS]

she has saved multiple canopies at 30mph or less. Never lost one yet. I'm getting better at checking them myself though. I'm just getting old and forgetful............lol.

[Silver Streak]

she has saved multiple canopies at 30mph or less. Never lost one yet. I'm getting better at checking them myself though. I'm just getting old and forgetful............lol.

You mean you just set the tops on and don't lock them?

[BIG GUNS]

Sometimes I prop them up for display and forget to lock them. I'm a dumb ass.......sorry............lol.

[billsbarham]

I have 2001 trans-am that T-top came out driver side by the time I looked up and said oh s**t it was gone I was only 3 houses from home the car had about 1000miles when it happen (they was u lock)

[Mr. Bobo]

Fogot to lock mine and had it lift up on me but I was lucky enough to catch it in time. Another kid I know took his dad's SS out and his passenger was drunk and pulled the lever. Bye bye t-top haha. :sillyme:

$250 is pretty ridiculous, you can buy them for $150 a piece on ebay I believe...?

Yeah... I've seen them on e-bay for $150.

[01' Sevan Series TA]

Happened to me as well on the way to work doing about 80
passing someone then hearing whoooosh on my driver's asking
the hell was is that? and looking just in time to see my t-top about thirty feet in the air all the way home a was :cuss:

[BIG GUNS]

How the hell does that happen if the T-Top canopies are closed and locked? Any clue?

[Hi-Po]

Yeah... I've seen them on e-bay for $150.
150? I searched right after mine flew off and found two for 90 bucks a piece!
How the hell does that happen if the T-Top canopies are closed and locked? Any clue?

No, if the t-tops are locked in, with the lever, they will not fly out.

Everyone here who is talking about them flying out are the dumb forgetfuls that didnt lock them. Me included. :lol:

[BIG GUNS]

So, my daughter has saved me a few times then........lol.