Z51JEFF

I wouldnt own any of these.If the slop in the car topless bothered me that much Id just leave the top on.

902066

I like driving with the top out. Have a R+B Targa Truss, it works well [not crazy about the looks]. Really wish G.M. would have gone with an electric moonroof. The car cost $60 thou. new, what's a couple thousand more for a moon roof from the factory?

Graybeard ZR1

Me too George. Seventeen years and I tried it out once. Too much cowl shake and flexibility.
But Nacho, it's good you're playing around with the top, snug those bolts up when it goes back on. Because they have a tendency to become loose over time. Even loose enough to have the top fly off at speed. Don't laugh, it's happened. It's a rare but scary, and expensive occurrence.

cv67

Think an electric sunroof would have been the way to go also.
Of course GM would have wired it somehow into the VATS system.

Peter Mahr

I like having the roof off occasionally but the car feels much looser. I have even convinced myself that the clear top is not as solid as the painted one. That is probably psychological.

When I put the top back on, I tighten the back bolts first and then the front ones. This settles the top in place and avoids squeaks.

Based on the comments, I am going to get an X brace from a convertible and see how that feels.

dbriana

I have the convertible X-brace, it hangs down an inch or two. You can feel a little improvement (20%?)with the top on, with it off it is about 70% of it being on, MUCH better than without the brace.

Peter Mahr

Good info! Do you have more trouble not bottoming out on speed bumps after you put on the X brace? Did you also use the bolts through the brace to the floor or just at the ends?

Z51JEFF

I wont put the glass top on the car out of fear it will crack.After I stiffin it up with the Bill B brackets and I see a difference Ill use it more.

Nacho_ZR1

My car came with a glass top but its cracked down the middle. Took the Z out for a loooong drive Saturday night but i must admit.....i was too chicken to take the top off

Rkreigh

anyone try gordons new chassis brace system.

it's light, uses fully stressed steel rods, and it should really help the car

I'm with you all that I don't like the "look" of the frankenstein top brace

but it's stiffer with it on that with the top and I like the targa OFF and the chassis stiff

planting all those ponies without wrestling the car is a good thing

rickyrj1

I have never had my top off but would like to. I'm thinking of picking up one of those targa braces but I think I will have it PC'd krinkled black to match my Brey-Krauss Harness Bar.

-=Jeff=-

Yes it is the same one that vette2vette is selling

I have it on my Z, I have to admit it does feel more solid then before the brace. I am happy with it and I am hoping to get more driving time this year on the car (unless the +$4/gal gas stops me).

only time the top is on is if I am at work and the car is sitting outside or if I get caught in rain. otherwise 90% of the time the roof is off

dbriana

It is a little easier to bottom out but not bad if you take it easy on bumps, low clearance, etc. I believe just at the ends, never added anything to the floor. If I remember right the front holes are pre-drilled but had to drill the rear ones.

LindenBob

AFSB Try it you will like it

VetteMed

I dunno, I just can't get used to the look of those contraptions.

cv67

Kinda like braces on teeth lol.

Guess if it helps it helps.
Too bad theres not a way to tie the cowl area in to the front frame rails like welding some tubing with a flange on the upper firewall then tying it into the front frame rails. Maybe a beefier K brace underneath may help reduce flex also.

anciano

Description doesn't don't describe where/how that thing mounts up. Can you fill me in?

mike100

to the OP...What gears do you run? like 4:30's with lots of traction?- no way I'd ever run without a lid with that much torque multiplication, lol...unless you have more self control than a buhhdist monk or something.

I wish I could have afforded a Z06 because the one thing that isn't as right as it could be on my C6 is the fit of the removable roof panel. What do people like about the targa top? UV and dust intrusion? that seems to be what it does best... I guess I live in the southwest- it's warm all the time and I don't need to overcompensate for the arrival of summer like people who live up north- it's true that 9 out of 10 people like it so GM keeps offereing it despite the engineering compromise.

5abivt

I will be buying that vette 2 vette system as soon as my car is back on it's wheels. I saved a pic a while ago of a zr1 in Japan that had a tubular cage style stiffener that connected the cowl to the a-arms and the frame. It looked gorgeous but ivthink it must have been at least 50lbs. I too prefer the roof on for the tightness but I will say the c4 is one if the sexiest bodies with the roof off. With a super stiff suspension (all poly everything, stiffest GM leafs, custom length and valved bilsteins and 32/26 mm swaybars I will say the flex got a lot better. I have a camber brace from r-d for the ewp and that REALLY helped with steering wheel wiggle with the roof out. I have a harness bar in the back that definitely helped a little too.

jrtoffroad

You guys crack me up. I can't imagine NEVER taking the top off!

Part of the reason I got a ZR-1 over a z06 was the removable top. The top is almost never on my car. In fact I've even done a few autocrosses with the top off and never had any side effects. I think people blow the chassis flex way out of proportion.

It's just such a better experience with the top off, you gotta try it on a nice warm summer evening.