frater3

Hi everybody! I'm new to the forum and I recently got a 1982 Corvette (White with Red interior) and I have a question. I love driving with the T-Tops off in nice weather. I stow them in the back with the covers and the tie down but what I wanted to know is is there a way to secure or actually lock them so that I can leave them off when I'm not with the car so no one can just walk up and steal the T-Tops?
I've tried to find locks for them online but haven't found anything.

Thank you for you help and concern.

Lakeside49

That is actually a good question, but I am not aware of any accessories that solve this problem - so, we'll see if any of our forum brethren have come up with a creative solution through the years.

Welcome to the forum, by the way. Be sure to post when you figure things out along the way 😊

Brack c

White with Red 82 , my fav...yeah , I'm kinda partial , LoL

Don't know of any locks ...

Put em back on , roll up Windows , lock doors ... Bam , T- Top locks ...lol

minitech

With them in the covers and secured in the back just roll up the windows and lock the doors. If there is a concern then with someone breaking the windows or climbing over to unlock the doors you should rethink where you are leaving the car anyway.

No special lock on the tops where they are needed.

Otherwise you could install an alarm system with the sonar sensors that sense when someone reaches in the interior and goes off like many new cars have.

Easy Mike

Excellent advice. I never leave either of my two open unless I'm sitting in the shade in close proximity.

Iceaxe

Either you guys worry to much or I live in a much better neighborhood as I leave mine out and stored all the time when in restaurants, shopping and such.

I have two thoughts on the subject, first being is if someone really wants your tops they are gone as any thief worry of the title can unlock your car and remove the tops in 30 seconds. Second thought is that's why I have insurance. YMMV

Easy Mike

You're a much more trusting person than me.

2TONE82

I'm not sure...need to try this on my 82 next time I'm where she's parked (was just there this morning) but try this test of the factory security system. Tops out, door locked with key. Now, reach in through window and open door by pulling lock or pulling interior door handle. Does factory alarm activate? I seem to recall that it should.

toobroketoretire

Gees, even if your car is locked two thieves working together can smash your windows and steal your t-tops in less than 3 seconds. BOOM, unlatch, and run away with them. That quick.

Rather than storing them out in the open at least cover them with a blanket or something.

Haggisbash

Hi frater 3, I have never seen one but perhaps you could be the first forum member to come up with a blind to hide the tops when they are stowed in the back. Maybe there is a lift back car out there with the correct width blind that could be adapted? Me, I have an alarm with a movement sensor, if you reach into the car it triggers the alarm but hiding stuff from view is always a good idea.

briankeery

softwarejanitor

With the stock type T-Tops they are trivial to steal even with the doors locked and the windows up... merely slide a blade of some sort between the top of the window and the T-Top seal so it goes between the T-Top release lever and the frame... Now twist the blade so the lever opens... Once the T-Top is unlatched it will just lift off...

The poor-man's remedy to this is to zip-tie the handle when the T-Tops are on, which will only slow down a determined thief (they can cut the zip tie). Someone used to make locks that would slip over the handles and lock in place so the latch couldn't be opened without a key. I have not seen those for sale in a while. I haven't looked though since my original T-Tops are all cracked up and I have an Astro-Top on my C3 which has a completely different latching method using thumb screws.

softwarejanitor

I should have looked, took me 10 seconds on Google to find these right where I'd expect:

http://www.ecklerscorvette.com/corve...1968-1982.html