Question about targa tops.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 271
Likes: 0
From: Sacramento CA
Question about targa tops.
Okay. I kind of have a dilemma. I had a parts car that used for the motor and transmission, and I kept some of the other parts "just in case", the targa top was in beautiful condition except one smashed edge. I kept it around for a while, but it started getting in the way. I was going to toss it, then I thought, what the heck...and threw it on eBay. This top was off a '84 C4 and the guy that bought it also had a '84 (the buyer knew the edge was smashed, I took detailed pictures with a detailed description.) But here we are, two weeks after the top was delivered to his door and he says the top looks nothing like the one from his car. Is this possible? What if the top was off an '85, is there a difference? Corvette America puts different part #'s w/ '84-'86 and '86-'96. So, in theory, even if it was of an '85 it should be the same, right? Thanks in advance. I want to make sure I get all the info I can.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 36,175
Likes: 2,511
From: ...tearing up the highways, one state at a time™®©
Originally Posted by vettebldr1
Okay. I kind of have a dilemma. I had a parts car that used for the motor and transmission, and I kept some of the other parts "just in case", the targa top was in beautiful condition except one smashed edge. I kept it around for a while, but it started getting in the way. I was going to toss it, then I thought, what the heck...and threw it on eBay. This top was off a '84 C4 and the guy that bought it also had a '84 (the buyer knew the edge was smashed, I took detailed pictures with a detailed description.) But here we are, two weeks after the top was delivered to his door and he says the top looks nothing like the one from his car. Is this possible? What if the top was off an '85, is there a difference? Corvette America puts different part #'s w/ '84-'86 and '86-'96. So, in theory, even if it was of an '85 it should be the same, right? Thanks in advance. I want to make sure I get all the info I can.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,970
Likes: 21
From: Denville NJ
All the '84, '85 and early '86 tops are the same. The only possible difference could be either of your cars has a newer top mounted with an adapter kit. If you know your top is the original top, then he may have an adapted newer top on his car. In either case, let the buyer beware. I'm sure he can sell it.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 271
Likes: 0
From: Sacramento CA
Thanks for the replies guys. I'm probably going to get a negative feedback from this mishap. But I've been racking my brain to remember which car this top was from--including parts cars, I've had 8 vettes in my life recently-- and then it came to me, I specifically remember my dad bringing the '84 (clear blue top) to my shop and making me crawl upstairs in the loft to get down the top I had from an '85 (black top with liner) just so I could switch the two in the pouring rain, and then he didn't even take the car home with him. I'm sure the top I sold him was a stock top off of an '84.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 983
Likes: 1
From: Bergen County NJ
I hope that the buyer realizes that the mounting points are slotted for adjustability. Even with the correct generation top, usually you have to adjust the mounting points to get a proper fit.
Last edited by sraft; Jul 28, 2004 at 11:54 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 2,320
Likes: 2
From: Salem Oregon
I had a solid top on my 85, and then it blew off. So I went to the vette wrecking yard and bought a smoked top off a 85, it would not fit. Turned out my solid top was later 86 on, and they had changed the front mounts and modified the trim cover. So it was just a matter of me getting the front mounts and trim for the correct 85 to make it fit. So either his mounts are wrong, or the ones on your car are. simple, just find out which one is wrong and go from there. 
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 983
Likes: 1
From: Bergen County NJ
BTW, here's a link to a site that has a description and pictures of the 3 generations of mounting brackets.
http://www.corvettettops.com/84-96%20measurements.htm
http://www.corvettettops.com/84-96%20measurements.htm
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 271
Likes: 0
From: Sacramento CA
Originally Posted by sraft
BTW, here's a link to a site that has a description and pictures of the 3 generations of mounting brackets.
http://www.corvettettops.com/84-96%20measurements.htm
http://www.corvettettops.com/84-96%20measurements.htm
