A question about T-tops,part II
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 14,089
Likes: 925
From: Fremont Ca
2022 C4 of the Year Finalist - Modified
A question about T-tops,part II
How much of the hardware for a painted top is compatible to a glass top? I'm going to look for a set of painted tops and start looking for NOS parts to completely build a set. The glass tops for my 81 and the hardware for the glass tops is in excellent shape. I'm talking about the latches and all associates parts,fasteners. Thanks for any tips.
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 4,171
Likes: 1,169
From: out of nowhere
Not really sure as I have not done a swap, but I do know that there were aftermarket tops made, with some having differences. I have a removable hard top on mine, which appears to be non factory, maybe. The reason I say this is some one here posted up asking for pics of the center latch area, to compare to their also aftermarket hardtop, which he had stated is different in that area from what would have been a factory hard top. That being said, I do believe the aftermarket tops, or t tops, would still align in the holes for the latches, etc. Maybe someone who has done what you are doing will chime in with a better answer. Best of luck with it!
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 12,596
Likes: 3,082
From: Shamong, NJ
Mechanically the glass and painted 78-82 tops are the same. To the best of my knowledge the front latches, rear pins, all the nylon bushings, side alignment tongues that go into the center bar, shims, and weatherstrip are all the same for both the glass and painted tops. Other than the material the tops are made out of (fiberglass verse glass) and the lack of a headliner, the only other thing that's different between the two types of tops is the outer trim. Where the glass tops have black plastic trim that goes all the way around the edges of the glass top. The painted tops have a stainless trim strip that only goes down the front and down the side. On 78's the stainless trim on painted tops was left natural, and painted black on 79-82 tops.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 14,089
Likes: 925
From: Fremont Ca
2022 C4 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Mechanically the glass and painted 78-82 tops are the same. To the best of my knowledge the front latches, rear pins, all the nylon bushings, side alignment tongues that go into the center bar, shims, and weatherstrip are all the same for both the glass and painted tops. Other than the material the tops are made out of (fiberglass verse glass) and the lack of a headliner, the only other thing that's different between the two types of tops is the outer trim. Where the glass tops have black plastic trim that goes all the way around the edges of the glass Itop. The painted tops have a stainless trim strip that only goes down the front and down the side. On 78's the stainless trim on painted tops was left natural, and painted black on 79-82 tops.
