Camaro conversion...t-top off and hard top on

Rusty Davenport · 02-22-2011, 11:45 AM

Recently I watched a U-tube 4 part video called " Time lapse camaro t-top conversion ". This video shows what appears to be a very possible solution for t-top removal and hard top installation for people like myself who are not particularly fond of t-top cars but own one. ( late model camaro 1998 to be exact). I was unable to run down who or where the work was being done from the video. Are any of you guys familiar with anyone who can do this, has done it or would be interested in doing this within a few states of North Carolina ???

Phillip marvetz · 02-22-2011, 01:01 PM

Any decent body shop could cut the t-top roof off and replace it with a hardtop.. The hard part will be finding a donor top. While the top is off it would be a good time to get cage welded up also.

Mark Yacavone · 02-22-2011, 01:45 PM

It should be noted here, that there is a good reason the factory used lead on the roof seams.
The technique of using a mig welder and then plastic filler over it, might work fine for a street car, but not on a drag racing vehicle.

First hard launch and you'll know exactly what I'm talking about....

Rusty Davenport · 02-22-2011, 01:53 PM

be sure and watch the video if you can find it......it may change your mind about whether it can be done or not especially on a late model f-body.

SPS · 02-22-2011, 08:28 PM

Not that difficult to do. We have done this a few times when building Stock or Super Stock cars.

First, you don't need to cut off the whole roof. Just replace the side pieces that are cut out for the T roofs.
You should be able to easily find the sections from a wreck. Trim them, drill out the spot welds and fit and weld them in place.

The inside trim and door/window rubbers are different too, so you'll need them. You'll also need the one piece fiberglass roof panel. A glass guy can remove the old one as well as one from a wreck if you find one.

.....and there are no leaded seams!!

Hope this helps.

FJ Smith

Mark Yacavone · 02-22-2011, 08:53 PM

.....and there are no leaded seams!!

Hope this helps.

FJ Smith[/QUOTE]

I figured that ,FJ. I was speaking in generalities . I'd seen a bad example recently.

Ed Wright · 02-22-2011, 09:15 PM

Didn't body-in-whites come with the roof panels, so they could go either way?

K Stubbs · 02-22-2011, 09:28 PM

FJ is right, not hard to do. On a previous car, we cut the other top off with piano wire and the fillers (drilled out spot welds) welded in with a little grinding and you are ready to urethane the new top on.

Rusty Davenport · 02-23-2011, 10:03 AM

Anyone east of the Mississippi with experience at this conversion want the job ???? Do you guys want to recommend anyone ????

Ronnie Smith Jr · 02-25-2011, 05:50 PM

Rusty,

Give Steve McCreary a call and see if this is something he would tackle.

02-22-2011, 11:45 AM	#1
Rusty Davenport Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Nashville N.C. Posts: 506 Likes: 4 Liked 101 Times in 27 Posts	Camaro conversion...t-top off and hard top on Recently I watched a U-tube 4 part video called " Time lapse camaro t-top conversion ". This video shows what appears to be a very possible solution for t-top removal and hard top installation for people like myself who are not particularly fond of t-top cars but own one. ( late model camaro 1998 to be exact). I was unable to run down who or where the work was being done from the video. Are any of you guys familiar with anyone who can do this, has done it or would be interested in doing this within a few states of North Carolina ???

02-22-2011, 01:01 PM	#2
Phillip marvetz Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Lynden ,WA Posts: 820 Likes: 0 Liked 3 Times in 3 Posts	Re: Camaro conversion...t-top off and hard top on Any decent body shop could cut the t-top roof off and replace it with a hardtop.. The hard part will be finding a donor top. While the top is off it would be a good time to get cage welded up also. __________________ 2009 V/SA Record Holder

02-22-2011, 01:45 PM	#3
Mark Yacavone Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Miles From Nowhere Posts: 7,815 Likes: 2,903 Liked 5,120 Times in 1,951 Posts	Re: Camaro conversion...t-top off and hard top on It should be noted here, that there is a good reason the factory used lead on the roof seams. The technique of using a mig welder and then plastic filler over it, might work fine for a street car, but not on a drag racing vehicle. First hard launch and you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.... __________________ "We are lucky we don't get as much Government as we pay for." Will Rogers

02-22-2011, 01:53 PM	#4
Rusty Davenport Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Nashville N.C. Posts: 506 Likes: 4 Liked 101 Times in 27 Posts	Re: Camaro conversion...t-top off and hard top on be sure and watch the video if you can find it......it may change your mind about whether it can be done or not especially on a late model f-body.

02-22-2011, 08:28 PM	#5
SPS Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Cayuga, Canada Posts: 298 Likes: 37 Liked 3 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Camaro conversion...t-top off and hard top on Not that difficult to do. We have done this a few times when building Stock or Super Stock cars. First, you don't need to cut off the whole roof. Just replace the side pieces that are cut out for the T roofs. You should be able to easily find the sections from a wreck. Trim them, drill out the spot welds and fit and weld them in place. The inside trim and door/window rubbers are different too, so you'll need them. You'll also need the one piece fiberglass roof panel. A glass guy can remove the old one as well as one from a wreck if you find one. .....and there are no leaded seams!! Hope this helps. FJ Smith

02-22-2011, 08:53 PM	#6
Mark Yacavone Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Miles From Nowhere Posts: 7,815 Likes: 2,903 Liked 5,120 Times in 1,951 Posts	Re: Camaro conversion...t-top off and hard top on .....and there are no leaded seams!! Hope this helps. FJ Smith[/QUOTE] I figured that ,FJ. I was speaking in generalities . I'd seen a bad example recently. __________________ "We are lucky we don't get as much Government as we pay for." Will Rogers

02-22-2011, 09:15 PM	#7
Ed Wright Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Sand Springs, OK Posts: 8,132 Likes: 896 Liked 390 Times in 170 Posts	Re: Camaro conversion...t-top off and hard top on Didn't body-in-whites come with the roof panels, so they could go either way? __________________ Ed Wright 4156 SS/JA

02-22-2011, 09:28 PM	#8
K Stubbs Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Benton, Arkansas Posts: 402 Likes: 0 Liked 20 Times in 3 Posts	Re: Camaro conversion...t-top off and hard top on FJ is right, not hard to do. On a previous car, we cut the other top off with piano wire and the fillers (drilled out spot welds) welded in with a little grinding and you are ready to urethane the new top on.

02-23-2011, 10:03 AM	#9
Rusty Davenport Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Nashville N.C. Posts: 506 Likes: 4 Liked 101 Times in 27 Posts	Re: Camaro conversion...t-top off and hard top on Anyone east of the Mississippi with experience at this conversion want the job ???? Do you guys want to recommend anyone ????

02-25-2011, 05:50 PM	#10
Ronnie Smith Jr Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Maryland Posts: 220 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Camaro conversion...t-top off and hard top on Rusty, Give Steve McCreary a call and see if this is something he would tackle.