Fly top club
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,783
Likes: 400
From: Paoli, IN
St. Jude Donor '17, '19
Flying top club
Hey Guys,
Just curious. Has anyone with a C3 had the tops fly off after not securing them? I have had a 80 since 2011 and recently got a 2014. There a few threads about forgetting to secure their top and it got me wondering if it was ever a problem for the c3s.
Thanks.
Just curious. Has anyone with a C3 had the tops fly off after not securing them? I have had a 80 since 2011 and recently got a 2014. There a few threads about forgetting to secure their top and it got me wondering if it was ever a problem for the c3s.
Thanks.
Last edited by ~Stingray; Feb 19, 2019 at 02:39 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 32,264
Likes: 4,624
They're so heavy, I doubt they'd "fly." Just bounce off the car all the way down. The lever handles pointing straight down would be kind of hard to miss in not securing each side. There wasn't any talk of flying off t tops when C3s were new. Forgetting to secure is a new phenomenon.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 3,558
Likes: 548
From: Round Rock Texas
I’ve never heard of any C3 owners in the club. It seems the Targa tops are more prone to fly off (unlatched) than are the T-tops. (In all fairness, I’ve never even removed the Targa top on either C6 Coupe I’ve owned) l can easily remove my C3 T-tops by myself, but I haven’t tried to remove a Targa top yet. My condolences to all the members of the dreaded “flying roof club”. I’m hoping to never join the ranks.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 1,939
Likes: 477
From: NSW, Australia
C3 of Year Finalist (track prepared) 2019
I have. I was working on something in the area (don't remember what now) late the night before, I had popped the catch and then dropped the top back into position but not latched it. I can assure you that when I hit about 50mph the next day it flew straight up into the air, cleared the car travelling behind me, and landed on the verge on the opposite side of the road. Rather embarrassing and annoying.
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 95
Likes: 10
From: North Central IL.
Now, I don't want to hijack this thread but does anyone know what the proper repair would consist of??
Thanks.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 19,353
Likes: 654
From: Tampa, Florida
I can attest to the delamination event. I bought a nice pair of used Astro tops a few years ago. I loved them so much I always had them on. Last fall I took a 20 mile ride out of town and all of a sudden at 60 mph the passenger side top popped up about an inch along the leading edge. Lots of wind noise, startled the S@#t outta me. I pull over to investigate. The frame was still securely latched but the adhesive had partially released from the acrylic top. I limped home hoping not to lose the whole thing successfully and put the body color tops on.
Now, I don't want to hijack this thread but does anyone know what the proper repair would consist of??
Thanks.
Now, I don't want to hijack this thread but does anyone know what the proper repair would consist of??
Thanks.
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Just another Corvette guy
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 8,518
Likes: 3,865
From: Palm Springs, CA.
I agree with Skid Row Joe. The latch handles stick straight down in the driver's line of vision. I don't see how anyone could miss this? 
That being said, back in the day I had a '67 GTO with a fiberglass front end, lift off hood with pins. One day I left the gas station and forgot to put the pins back in. Made it half a block before the hood blasted off like Rocky the Flying Squirrel and hit the street about 4 car lengths behind me.
That being said, back in the day I had a '67 GTO with a fiberglass front end, lift off hood with pins. One day I left the gas station and forgot to put the pins back in. Made it half a block before the hood blasted off like Rocky the Flying Squirrel and hit the street about 4 car lengths behind me.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 19,264
Likes: 1,678
From: Long Island
Years ago : all I can say is I had a friend loose a top on his 76 passenger side. Don't know all the details but the roads speed limit is 55 mph He said it was after a day at the beach and a long dinner at a local pub.
I can say that passing a box truck ( 71 both windows down, rear window out, T tops in) caused my baseball had to exit out the rear window from on my head .. I had driven 2 hours before passing the truck on the right. Speed was about 50 mph.
I can say that passing a box truck ( 71 both windows down, rear window out, T tops in) caused my baseball had to exit out the rear window from on my head .. I had driven 2 hours before passing the truck on the right. Speed was about 50 mph.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 1,939
Likes: 477
From: NSW, Australia
C3 of Year Finalist (track prepared) 2019
I agree that you couldn't miss it on the driver's side, mine was a passenger side t-top. Combine a late night working on the car the night before with leaving home early in the morning for work, and I missed it.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 769
Likes: 95
From: Central Pennsylvania
I’ve never heard of any C3 owners in the club. It seems the Targa tops are more prone to fly off (unlatched) than are the T-tops. (In all fairness, I’ve never even removed the Targa top on either C6 Coupe I’ve owned) l can easily remove my C3 T-tops by myself, but I haven’t tried to remove a Targa top yet. My condolences to all the members of the dreaded “flying roof club”. I’m hoping to never join the ranks.
