Epic fail!!! Targa top ejects at 80mph!!!
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 4,610
Likes: 427
From: USA
Well, I mean, we are all human and anyone can make a mistake so I do see that it can happen. However, when I bought my first Corvette in 2008 I read many stories about it and decided I would ALWAYS latch it right in immediately upon putting it on. In almost 7 years I've never lost one either.....but I don't wanna say never because I know things can happen. I've seen people numerous times at shows etc. put it on and say "I'm gonna latch that....(insert time frame)." I'm just thinking man you're gonna forget that one of these days!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 920
Likes: 81
From: Frankfort Kentucky
always use, read, and follow your preflight checklist! We all have not, and more often than not there are undesired consequences! I feel your pain. BTW, will your insurance cover it?
Last edited by Kyflyer; Jan 26, 2015 at 01:31 PM. Reason: Punctuation!
Racer
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 465
Likes: 29
From: Las Vegas NV
Needed More Down Force!
well, im a prod owner of a 2014 velocity yellow corvette for 7 months... second vette i've owned over the years.... The reason for this post is not to get more embarrassed than i already am but to just warn people out there that you must be very carefull not to forget to latch the top down after re-enstall (sounds like a no brainer!) I'm reffering to the targa top. well, i got side tracked the other day and forgot. I took off like a bat out of hell with the windows down and whooshhh!!! top came flying off at 80mph!!! 
So, whatever little ritual you can do to remind yourself i recommend you stick to it.... example... maybe before install, push visors toward windshield (this way before you drive you will maybe say hmmm why are the visors forward and will notice the latches unlocked. maybe tie a string to one latch that hangs down on drivers side and wrap around latch right before locking.... or you could not worry about it and simply lock latches without forgetting like i have in the past over 600 times.... either way, it only takes one time to forget and you will end up in my situation. luckily no one was injured (only my pride and wallet). That being said, believe it or not the top survived rather well (gotta love carbon fiber) minor scratches and chips. part of the interior frame where lock handle mounts to the underpanel is cracked. top fitted right back on, latched the locks, and was on my way! if this even only saves one other corvette owner from going through this i will feel this post served its purpose......
P.s. just incase you are wondering im only 42 years old!! So, go out there and drive your vette like you stole it!!! thats what corvettes are designed to do! JUst make sure you lock your top down before doing so!!!
So, whatever little ritual you can do to remind yourself i recommend you stick to it.... example... maybe before install, push visors toward windshield (this way before you drive you will maybe say hmmm why are the visors forward and will notice the latches unlocked. maybe tie a string to one latch that hangs down on drivers side and wrap around latch right before locking.... or you could not worry about it and simply lock latches without forgetting like i have in the past over 600 times.... either way, it only takes one time to forget and you will end up in my situation. luckily no one was injured (only my pride and wallet). That being said, believe it or not the top survived rather well (gotta love carbon fiber) minor scratches and chips. part of the interior frame where lock handle mounts to the underpanel is cracked. top fitted right back on, latched the locks, and was on my way! if this even only saves one other corvette owner from going through this i will feel this post served its purpose......P.s. just incase you are wondering im only 42 years old!! So, go out there and drive your vette like you stole it!!! thats what corvettes are designed to do! JUst make sure you lock your top down before doing so!!!
Well, anyway, you know what us pilots say, "You've either landed with your gear up or you're going to land with your gear up!" Hopefully that doesn't happen with my top!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,990
Likes: 346
From: Mt. Pleasant S.C.
Years ago I had a C5 coupe and got ahold of a "Pull pin before flight" streamer and attached it to the rear latch. If I could see it in my mirror the roof wasn't latched. Served me well for years.
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 51
Likes: 0
From: Clovis NM
Lost mine on my C5... I was putting the top back on and got interrupted and forgot to latch.... Came off at around 40mph, landed flat on it's top, spun around ... Just had to have it filled and painted, got really lucky. After that I had a 10in piece of Velcro on the top front when off to remind me to latch....
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 22,582
Likes: 251
From: Denison, TX
2022 C8 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
CI 3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 Veteran
St. Jude '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'16
I had a c5 coupe for about 11 yrs, top off and on alot, and never had this happen. However, I'm not going to laugh since I have a c5 coupe again, and I've read of this happening over and over again! Don't want to laugh and jinx myself!
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,847
Likes: 795
From: Longview Texas
I thought the poster was going to say that GM has another problem with the laminated top separating and coming off.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,526
Likes: 20
From: Santa Fe TX
There is a very good instructional video on installing the top where they set it on from the outside, but not flush, and then they pull it down flush and latch the handles from the inside.
Seems like that would be a good ritual to get into because you won't take off and forget if the hatch isn't flush.
Seems like that would be a good ritual to get into because you won't take off and forget if the hatch isn't flush.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,509
Likes: 107
This is embarrassing....but I too am a member.
So I had this super hot blond girlfriend back in the day. Awesome bod! I was admiring her as she was walking back to her car, and I totally forgot too latch down my targa top. This was on a 300z. Not so funny, was our flight commander driving over the glass I left for him......yeah I heard about that.....!
I also ripped down my garage doors once, with my surf rack.......
So don't feel too bad.......
So I had this super hot blond girlfriend back in the day. Awesome bod! I was admiring her as she was walking back to her car, and I totally forgot too latch down my targa top. This was on a 300z. Not so funny, was our flight commander driving over the glass I left for him......yeah I heard about that.....!
I also ripped down my garage doors once, with my surf rack.......
So don't feel too bad.......
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 122
Likes: 14
From: Las Vegas Nevada
Haha, my roof flew off at 80 mph on my C6 as well. Must be the magical number. Seems like a safety issue that should be addressed by GM. I'm lucky I didn't cause any accidents on the highway. A simple and cheap Hal switch on the laches and warning chime would prevent all of these.
New Member
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 0
Likes: 0
From: Ca.
At the Chevrolet launch of the C7 Chevrolet invited the Corvette clubs to the Chicago auto show for a private showing of the C7. The first question I asked was if the new car included a top warning light and a front curb warning system. You know the answer and the look I got from the engineering people there.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 2,204
Likes: 17
From: Fayetteville North Carolina
St. Jude Donor '15
Had a friend forget to latch his t top after attaching his gopro..
4th Gen Camaro Drag Race, T-Top flys off with GoPro attached! (HD) - YouTube
4th Gen Camaro Drag Race, T-Top flys off with GoPro attached! (HD) - YouTube
Also to the OP thanks for posting this, it takes ***** knowing the kinds of comments you'd get. I hope I never forget to latch it.