V Vette

Ok all you coupe deville people: Help me understand how we can forget to latch roof. My understanding the ONLY way to put the roof back in is to swivel OUT the latches for it to go in at all. If you lay it on roof with the latches in closed position it won't even look like the roof is on... SO, when you swing the latches out even if you forget to close it, its perpendicular to the windscreen and in your face...How can we miss that? Please tell me Im missing something as this IS scary... No, we don't need an electronic notice for the roof latches, GM has enough problems...

4thC4at60

34-years driving Corvettes --- almost 1,000,000 miles -- flying roof? No way!

wayback

On my 8th Corvette and the closest to a flying roof was my C6 targa top flapping in the wind due to GM using the wrong glue on them.

Hard to explain how one could go flying otherwise.

Acpantera

There is a dash warning that my phone is still in the charger, but I still leave it from time to time.
Wifes Genesis has a voice telling you left it in the charger. I don't think you can idiot proof everything.

Bluehinder

Darwin awards.

EvanD

It happens but like anything we have to think about the things we do. Like seeing a car with the fuel door open.

Didier9

Here is the sequence of events for me.
1) when I remove the roof, I do not fold back the handles before stowing the roof, so the roof is ready to be put back on. That's the difference between what I did and what you assumed I did above. I would need 3 hands (at least) to push back the handles while holding the roof
2) when I put the roof back on the car, I slightly press on it from outside to make it go all the way down because at first I did not do it and when trying to turn the latches from inside if the roof is not completely in place, sometimes it would get stuck, and I had to go back outside to align it better. By pushing it down, I know it is ready to be latched.
3) as described in my original post, I was distracted and forgot to get back in the car to latch the roof after pushing it down. Since the roof was apparently in place when looking from outside, I went home.
4) when I got back in the car early in the morning, it was still somewhat dark outside and I did not notice the handles were not in position. Black handles against a black background with limited light, it is easy to miss. I missed it even though I had to click on the garage door opener to open the gate! That's the part that blows me the most because I had to look up to press the right button, and I did not notice the handles being sideways, not even 2 inches from the button I pressed.... I was as awake as one can be when going to work at 6:30 in the morning.

I have since put yellow tape on the handles, and before I get on the highway (where the speed goes from ~35 to ~65), I have caught myself looking at the handles. The yellow tape makes it easy to see if the handles are not in place, even without specifically looking so if I can keep up with that, I will be OK.
Anyhow, it is getting quite a bit warmer in NW Florida this time of year, so the roof probably won't come off until fall now.

Didier9

and at one point or another, we have all been idiots... (no offence meant, just a fact of life. You can disagree but I won't change my mind)

dale fehrenbach

I’m on my fifth corvette, all but one had a removable top. So far I’ve removed the top on the four, zero times. If I wanted an open air vehicle, I’d get a Harley. But I know I’m in the minority.

V Vette

You mean about the Hardly?

V Vette

But like I mentioned , even if you don't fold the handles back, they are sticking in your face (they need to be opened all the way to get on) when your sitting.. you were driving with the handles sticking out at you ? That's how mine are if I don't close them... Maybe paint your handles RED?

hawkgfr

There isn't a living soul in this world who hasn't done something that is seeming impossible and certainly stupid to do....In fact Corvette drivers probably do more than their share of impossibly stupid things....... We might be a smidge better than mustang drivers...maybe, but I mean what other group of people will buy a 100k dollar car and sit in the garage swigging beer and looking at it but never drive it...


Come on corvette peeps keep your rocks in your pocket... **** HAPPENS.





I do agree should be a sensor to let you know if its unlatched....especially with what it could do flying off on a highway...

Didier9

I never had a convertible, never wished for one. I had sun roofs in many previous cars, hardly ever used them. My wife is the "convertible" person in the family (she really enjoys the targa roof in her car). Yet, when I got my C8 last year, I found taking the roof off for short trips enjoyable, like coming home from work. Not so much for longer trips. But yes, I get a lot more air on my Yamaha FZ1

Didier9

The handles do not stick out, they are flat against the roof. I am not short 5'11" and I have the seat pretty far back to be comfortable.

V Vette

You misunderstood....You have to "open" them up to install top, hence they stick (toward driver) out perpendicular to windscreen. Im 6'1" and If I put top on and do NOT close latches, they stick out and I clearly see them.. THE OP indicated "when I remove the roof, I do not fold back the handles before stowing the roof, so the roof is ready to be put back on"..... We all know **** happens and I thank the OP for alerting us all to this potential danger.

Glen e

I definitely think there are convertible people, and not convertible people… Put me in the not convertible category, I have never had my roof off on my C7 nor my C8, I just don’t like the buffeting and the potential that I could drop the roof when trying to do it by myself. it’s also a major production for me because I have my backend loaded with detailing supplies, additional crap, etc., etc. My brother is exactly the opposite. He’s got a 5.0 Mustang convertible and his top is down anytime he can possibly do it even if it causes him to get cold or hot in Philly…. to each his own…

sTz

Personally, not sure how it happens, but there are a lot of related posts, particularly w/the C7s. Nonetheless, there are door, hood, hatch… and even tailgate ajar sensors. Adding one to the roof is long overdue.

RKCRLR

There is already a sensor in the roof pin that shuts off the interior motion detector when the roof is removed on the 2LT/3LT cars. However that probably would still show that the roof is in place even if it was just set in place. It gets a little more complicated to verify the latches are in the closed position since they are on the roof. Not impossible, just more complicated.

Deepdiver

https://www.flyingroofs.com/

Kevin A Jones

I don't believe it's idiotic at all but more a matter of being responsible. You have to realize that you are preforming a task that if not done correctly could possibly kill someone of even an entire family and you can't allow yourself to be distracted until you are 100%s sure that you have secured your targa top safely.

Not sure what bothers me the most about this subject, that people allow it to happen or so many thinking it 's a joke/funny. "Flying Roof Club".