RockinAl

My son and I have been debating what they are called. I call them roof panels, he calls them Targa Tops. Who is right?

runutzzzzz

I think it depends on the MFG of the car. Targa Tops, Removable Tops, same difference...

Vettin08

Targa just defines it as a one piece top, which by definition is removeable. You're both right.

not08crmanymore

RALPH!

ZeusC6

I'd have to give it to the kid. It is called a "Targa Top" which by definition is a rigid removable roof panel. You could have a roof panel that is not removable, like the roof flap panels on stock cars.
google it...

quickride

I think I'd have to go with 'Targa'. As has been written, the Targa top is a one piece removable panel. That was the main difference between the Targa top and a 'T' Top. Back in the day, when someone said they had a Targa top, it meant one piece. If they said they had a T-Top, it meant there were two separate removable panels.

ByByBMW

Vette_DD

GM refers to it as a removable roof panel on their website.

http://www.chevrolet.com/corvette/features/

torquetube

The term "Targa" in this context remains a Porsche trademark, which is why other manufacturers do not use the term officially.

http://tarr.uspto.gov/servlet/tarr?r...entry=72308882

When you say "Targa," everbody knows you mean "body style with a rigid removable roof panel and a fixed rear window," so it's used generically all the time. Just watch out for a cease and desist letter from Porsche if you use it in commerce.

Another Porsche mark, "Tiptronic," seems to be getting used generically about as often as "Targa."

ZeusC6

uh huh, thats what it says alright...

good thing I keep my feathers numbered for just such an occasion!

jazzlove

I've always called them targa tops.

JmpnJckFlsh

This is the correct answer. In 1968, the new coupe body was going to have a one piece removable roof section that GM planned to market as the "Targa Top". Porsche intervened to prevent the use of it's name for the removable roof panel. The new coupe removable roof panels became "T-tops" for...T(arga)-tops. Structural requirements, as much as Porche, forced the two removeable panel concept late in development.

I suppose you're both right. Conceptually and colloquially, the removeable roof panel is a "Targa Top"...but officially, GM can't (or couldn't and doesn't want to now) call it that.

FasterTraffic

That's how I think of them, also.

2005ArcticWhite

I like - removable roof panel. Targa sounds like Porsche

jojo26

(D-Top) Delaminating top!

dark_phantom

That's funny.

quickride

Yeah, this thing about the use of certain words can really get complicated. I think what has been written about Porche being the owner of the term Targa Top is probably correct.

For many years I used to hear people say: "I need to make a Zerox copy" and what they were saying is that they needed to make a photocopy. Zerox was the name that everyone associated with making photo copies even if the machine being used was a Canon or Kodak.

Finally, didn't Dodge loose the right to use the name Viper? I think those cars are now called SRT 10.

joeking

I believe removable top is the correct answer. They definitely are not T-Tops. T-tops were considered a two piece set-up and were never used on the c5-s or C-6's. They were used on previous years 68-82 I believe. The T-tops were also used on many other cars such as Camaros and Firebirds, Hurst Olds, and many aftermarket companies had these for sale. Some were factory and some were made by companies such as Hurst. I think the leak factor was much higher on the 2 piece T-tops and on the older cars they would leak like a sieve in heavy rain. Removable roof would be the best answer.

Lazerwolfe

Topus Removicum