i have a 1978 Camaro, and this is the 1st year T-Tops came as an option, so i know it can support factory T-Tops, however mine does not have them. i was wondering if there is a certain Kit with perhaps the glass, weather stripping, template and a strengthener or something out there, i did look but cant find anything for my year, has anyone else tried this? any luck? ty.

 

This has been done before, there are several aftermarket kits available for a body man to do. When it's done right it will enhance the look of your car. Aftermarket T-Tops look....well....aftermarket. If you wanna go with the factory look (I personally thinks it looks better) this is the way to go......

1st you need this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/75-81...Q5fAccessories

then you're gonna need this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1978-...Q5fAccessories

then the weather stripping:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/78-81...Q5fAccessories

If I had available funds and a willing body guy to do the job....I would definitely do it.

 

thank you, i would like the factory look as well rather than aftermarket, i never thought of doing it that way though lol, yeah i had the funds, although after being laid off i have to save my money, although now i know its basically that easy lol, i just gotta hope these things are for sale when i actually have the money together.

 

One thing you want to consider before chopping the roof off, and installing T tops. They will eventually leak, and if they're not installed perfectly, they'll leak even sooner!
One other thing; don't go running a really radical engine with a T top car, as they don't have the body strength of a std. roof.

 

oh yeah, i know they leak, and i was planning on re-enforcing with struts and what not on the inside cabin, although im not going any bigger than a 350 with a few modds, and it cant leak more than my rusty-roof and bad window seals already do lol, i was going 2 patch up the roof although since i wanted T-Tops originally i might just go that rout, do u think a cammed 350 would be too much stress for the t-tops? is there a way i could re-enforce the car with out spending bingo-bucks?

 

There are pillar reinforcements that can be mocked up. I think your cammed out 350 will do OK with it though. Since the F-body is a non full chassis car, there can be constent body twisting from a strong torque monster engine. If you combine a manual tranny to that engine, swapping out your roof is not recommended.

If your gonna go ahead with this make sure that the body man has done roof swaps before, not necessarily T-Tops but roofs in general. Roofs tend to expand out when they are sitting without a body for a while. Combined with the good quality paint job and the labor involved with the roof swap, Yeah....bingo bucks will be layed out. Almost as much as the car is worth. A poor swap can lead to problems even with normal everyday driving through pot holes and stuff.

 

I doubt a cammed 350 will give roof problems to a original T top, or a refit that's done properly. Not much you can do to brace the top to handle more torque, as you've really just got that center strip that would allow for strengthening. It would be better to add subframe connectors, and even better if they were weld in that attach to both frames and weld into the floor.
But I would seriously consider another car before going to all this work and expense myself. Get some estimates of what a good shop will charge first, then you may change your mind, or trade to another T top car.