Are T-tops bad...

[83turbomon]

I know they are cool, and much more common on the B4 black cars than the fuel injected cars and I think that is one thing that makes our cars unique, but the frame and body structure of the car is not as strong as a coupe and that they should be boxed. And if so how are they boxed?

 

[Pat83t]

Biggest thing I did to stabilize mine was I hit the wrecking yards. I got the "jounce bars" off an 80's Monte Carlo. These go from the engine cradle to the frame up by the radiator. You will see when you remove them from the monte. Then I got the F41 bar from the early 80's Grand Prix. It connects between the frame where the jounce bars connect. Upgraded the front sway bar bushings and the 16's with 55 series tires made it corner exceptionally well.

 

[83turbomon]

Biggest thing I did to stabilize mine was I hit the wrecking yards. I got the "jounce bars" off an 80's Monte Carlo. These go from the engine cradle to the frame up by the radiator. You will see when you remove them from the monte. Then I got the F41 bar from the early 80's Grand Prix. It connects between the frame where the jounce bars connect. Upgraded the front sway bar bushings and the 16's with 55 series tires made it corner exceptionally well.

do you have any pics... and specificaly what year monte carlo did you take the jounce bars off of? Also I thought that the 83 t-type coupes had the FE3 suspension?

 

[Pat83t]

I looked for pics of those but I didn't have any. I want to say it was an 82-83 Monte.

 

[mat231v6]

kirbans makes a kit that goes behing the rear seats like the gnx had. my buddy has them and it really stiffened the car up.

 

[mat231v6]

here are the two they offer.

 

[Renthorin]

I think boxing the frame is a bit excessive. At the point you need to REALLY make the car not flex (i.e. serious drag racing) you will probably get a cage and that will take care of flex.

To make mine tighter I did the usual:
1) rear seat braces - the 4 bar type as pictured
2) front engine cradle bars
3) front connecting piece from Kirban
4) poly bushings on frame/links up front.
5) ATR bar in the rear with solid lca's.

Car is VERY solid now and a bit jittery at times.

Will

 

[turbonut85]

These are the bars that are being referred to....They are the red ones...





In addition to the rear seat braces offered by Kirbans. HTH ---Keith

 

[Pat83t]

To make mine tighter I did the usual:
1) rear seat braces - the 4 bar type as pictured
2) front engine cradle bars
3) front connecting piece from Kirban
4) poly bushings on frame/links up front.
5) ATR bar in the rear with solid lca's.

Car is VERY solid now and a bit jittery at times.

Will

I never did get around to using the rear seat braces. The engine cradle bars is what I was referring to as jounce bars. Front connecting piece from Kirban has a "recess" for an intercooler. The wrecking yard Grand Prix F41 bar is the same thing, only without having to be recessed and doesn't cost a bunch of money. I think I paid $5-10 for mine. The poly bushings make a real difference. I never really noticed any thing jittery about it, but that could be that I didn't have the seat braces and the ATR bar in the rear.

 

[Pat83t]

These are the bars that are being referred to....They are the red ones...

View attachment 89230

View attachment 89231

In addition to the rear seat braces offered by Kirbans. HTH ---Keith

Yeah, those ones. The connector bar in front looks like the Kirban one though. The F41 is just more straight acrossed.

 

[turbonut85]

It is the Kirban bar. Using poly bushings helps IMMENSLY. I have poly all around, and it feels like the car "is on rails".:biggrin: When I say "all around" I mean control arms, body bushings, and sway bars too. ---Keith

 

[WarWagon]

I wonder why GM didn't put those front supports on every g-body.?

 

[Renthorin]

I did poly front control arm bushings on my 84 Cutlass and holy poop that thing didn't budge. I think I slid sideways in curves long before the car even thought about leaning

They did squeak a lot though and that drove me crazy. That car had T-Tops too.

 

[turbonut85]

I wonder why GM didn't put those front supports on every g-body.?

GM did alot of stuff that didn't make sense...like going from the Hydroboost system to the crapmaster.....

 

[DailyDrifter]

The biggest problem with the t-tops is the rust under them . At Gbody we have reproduction parts for them. We have a car in here now that has some pretty serious rust around the tops. GBodyParts.com Online. Other than that, I wish I had a t-top car myself

 

[charlief1]

To be totally honest, the T tops are a nice feature but I'd prefer to have a solid roof. Much better for handling and the B pilar doesn't crack as easily. The 82 will have a boxed frame under her when I get done with it. My reasons are my own and I'm sure some of you will try and talk me out of it but I'm doing it to make the car more stable in the long run. To box the frame you have to take it out so it's a pain.

 

[DailyDrifter]

To be totally honest, the T tops are a nice feature but I'd prefer to have a solid roof. Much better for handling and the B pilar doesn't crack as easily. The 82 will have a boxed frame under her when I get done with it. My reasons are my own and I'm sure some of you will try and talk me out of it but I'm doing it to make the car more stable in the long run. To box the frame you have to take it out so it's a pain.

Now you just need a intercooled motor for it :biggrin:. With all the bracing available nowadays its not to hard to get a t-top car to be "fairly" stiff, you can't beat a hardtop but t-tops are nice.

 

[charlief1]

Now you just need a intercooled motor for it :biggrin:. With all the bracing available nowadays its not to hard to get a t-top car to be "fairly" stiff, you can't beat a hardtop but t-tops are nice.

Well I am in Texas so the sun is a little hotter here in the summer DD. If you haven't followed the turbo thread you need to click on the second link in my sig.:biggrin: I'm actually hoping to break the 12.90 barrier these cars have been stuck with for so friging long.:biggrin:

 

[supercrackerbox]

GM did alot of stuff that didn't make sense...like going from the Hydroboost system to the crapmaster.....

It was Detroit in the '70s and '80s. Cocaine is a hell of a drug.

The biggest problem with the t-tops is the rust under them . At Gbody we have reproduction parts for them. We have a car in here now that has some pretty serious rust around the tops. GBodyParts.com Online. Other than that, I wish I had a t-top car myself

At least there are parts available for these cars. Try finding parts for an '80s Dodge Daytona with T-tops. I'd love to have one, but will never buy one just because the parts are nigh impossible to find.

 

[charlief1]

At least there are parts available for these cars. Try finding parts for an '80s Dodge Daytona with T-tops. I'd love to have one, but will never buy one just because the parts are nigh impossible to find.

I just looked at your sig. Three dodges? Just rememberber what it stands for.:biggrin: D@mned old dog got excited and look at the mess it made.:biggrin::tongue: LOL