Fixed heat through t-tops
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 6,692
Likes: 29
From: Texas
Fixed heat through t-tops
So, years ago I had the dot matrix trick. Stops some of the light through the roof but does nothing for heat. Then bought the hard liner inserts from Mid America. Sagged after a while and back not finished, so you could see the staples and unfinished liner through the roof. Terrible. So, bought some black, short nap outdoor carpet and cut to size of t-top opening. Used clear double sized rhino tape to hold in place. Ran like this for several years and worked rather well. But this hot summer, the tops would still get hotter than I wanted. So, went to Lowes and got some dense, but flexible, 1/4" foam sheets and again cut to size. Taped into place and then put the carpet pieces on next, tape again. Voila - out today in the hot sun and the tops are nice to the touch. Thoroughly pleased with results. Yeah, can't see out them, but never cared about that anyway. Just take tops off when things are cooler.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,062
Likes: 103
From: Southeast, Tennessee
St. Jude Donor '09 thru '26
not to mention the glare they often produced was blinding at times (unfortunately, i don't have a choice with my 78 pace car, but i always try to make certain the a/c is fully functional at it's highest efficiency, lol. it does help.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
I've seen a couple pace cars with black tops and one of them told me of a guy that used some kind of base plus clear coat that from 10 ft looked like glass tops. He said the guy even shadowed in the frame of the top under the glass.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 483
Likes: 3
From: d.d.o quebec
So, years ago I had the dot matrix trick. Stops some of the light through the roof but does nothing for heat. Then bought the hard liner inserts from Mid America. Sagged after a while and back not finished, so you could see the staples and unfinished liner through the roof. Terrible. So, bought some black, short nap outdoor carpet and cut to size of t-top opening. Used clear double sized rhino tape to hold in place. Ran like this for several years and worked rather well. But this hot summer, the tops would still get hotter than I wanted. So, went to Lowes and got some dense, but flexible, 1/4" foam sheets and again cut to size. Taped into place and then put the carpet pieces on next, tape again. Voila - out today in the hot sun and the tops are nice to the touch. Thoroughly pleased with results. Yeah, can't see out them, but never cared about that anyway. Just take tops off when things are cooler.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 6,692
Likes: 29
From: Texas
Actually, I like the look of the glass t-top. So thanks for the offer anyway.
Years ago on the tollway in Houston, a sprinkler head came off a service truck and hit the driver side t-top. Instantly shattered into a million pieces, but the static cling stuff held it in place. When replacing the glass - frame was OK -when pulling the static cling off, it all fell out. Something god about that stuff after all. The stuff I have on it now will be even more protection, heaven help I have something like that happen again.
Years ago on the tollway in Houston, a sprinkler head came off a service truck and hit the driver side t-top. Instantly shattered into a million pieces, but the static cling stuff held it in place. When replacing the glass - frame was OK -when pulling the static cling off, it all fell out. Something god about that stuff after all. The stuff I have on it now will be even more protection, heaven help I have something like that happen again.
).
