Hi, I have a 2002 Onyx black Camaro SS with T-tops and recently my passenger side T-top flew off after getting on the freeway doing less than 60 Mph. When I heard the wind noise, I looked up and saw it roughly 15 feet above my car. Incredibly, my T-top did not shatter but is horribly scratched. When i went to pick it up, it was latched. Two weeks ago I went to the SLP customer appreciation day in Ennis TX and witnessed a T-top fly off during a race.

I have not spoken with Chevrolet about it yet because I want to have some other examples of this issue before hand. I have found some instances already. If you reply, could you please send me an email also, describing any similar cases you have had, or know of, and what types of vehicle(s) they were?

Thanks, I would really appreciate it.
Shane Saukko
San Antonio, TX

 

I lost one once. I was a dumbass though and left it undone after a cleaning. There's no way it can come off when it's latched, but the latch could close itself while it's tumbling end over end at 60 MPH. You're barking up a tree if you're trying to get someone to buy you a T-top. If you get 50 people who sign a sworn document saying their locked T top flew off, they will just think you have found 50 dumbasses who left their s##t unlocked and wont admit it.

 

Whistler has a good point, I have only heard of one case where a car had a bad Weld in it from the factory, and after the top flying out multiple times it was fixed. Every other time i have ever heard it was do to operator malifunction or in a 2nd gen old part failure.

 

The T top latches with the 2 bars sliding into a steel hole on each side. The only way it could come out is if the bars were bent inward as a result of something pushing up on it with extreme force, or if the steel recievers in the roof of the car are torn out.

 

yeah or if someone tried to adjust the hole that the 2 bars go into and left the nuts loose and it messed up that way.

 

Been there... done that....




(2 times)

 

Go see Mark at HPSalvage. Down 1604 past Randolph AFB. He will probably cut you a good deal.

 

The only time of I heard of a T-top flying off is if it wasn't latched down (I've almost done that).

If anyone needs to replace their T-tops I have a set that came off of a '98 SS. They are $400. for the set.

Tom
www.tbyrnemotorsports.com

 

I was accelerating and had just left the on ramp. The weather was freezing and had been cold for awhile. There were no recent passengers and I had not messed with the t-tops in two weeks.

I previously owned a 1983 Z28 with T-tops and no A/C. The T-Tops were taken off and on almost everyday. I owned the car for ten years and did not have any t-top issues.

 

Although I do appreciate everyones input!

 

That sucks...knock on wood, hope it never happens to me!

 

i lost the passenger one accelerating up to about 60 or 65mph

stupid bitch of a (now ex) girlfriend used it as an oh-sh*t handle... OH SH*T there went the t-top!


now my t-tops both get locked EVERYTIME they get put on the car... doesn't matter how far the distance. those locks are there for a reason

 

You can break in these cars pretty easily through the T tops, pull the glass back, and a skinny arm can slip in and unlock the t top. Perhaps someone attempted this and you didn't know it..... then you hit the freeway...

 

YERFUNNY: could your latch be messed up so when you push the handle in the bars dont come out of the T-top to lock it in? this would make alot more sense to me.

 

Also been there...also done that. Heard some wind noise taking my g/f home...dropped her off and got on the freeway ramp and took my 95 camaro to about 80......then i hear....WHOOOOOOSHHHHHHHHHH and I look up as my t-top is sucked off my roof and flies behind me and hits the grass median. No scratches on the glass and it didn't break....landed on the rubber seal so now it leaks a little. My suggestion....go test drive a camaro somewhere and swap em..

Robert O.
1995 Camaro