Quote:
Originally Posted by IOMike
This makes sense, but would a T-top have less structural integrity than a glass roof or some gigantic moonroof that some cars have?
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Ok, let's try this.
First, the biggest reason in any performance car to NOT have a T-top or Targa or convertible is structural rigidity. The new C7 is a miracle in this regard, but if you understand the construction of a Corvette, you would clearly see why a Camaro would be degraded. Go back and look at how much weight was added to the Gen 5 Camaro convertible simply to get the rigidity. Rigidity does several things, most importantly improves ride and handling.
Go back a little further. Remember the ride difference and cowl shake in a Gen 3 or Gen 4 convertible with the top down? Horrid. Remember the "bolt in" targa top in the C4 Corvettes that required a tool to unbolt them.
Yes, all of that has improved, but most convertible still require some extra bracing in the body.
Now that being said, a T-top has a bar that crosses between the windshield header and roof structure behind the rear seat. This feature alone is what classifies a car with T-tops as coupe, not a convertible.
Having the roof GONE over the driver and passenger, which a Targa does, is what classifies a car as a convertible.
You can go and read yourself, I think I've actually posted links and see the definition in the FMVSS 216.
Here is a video.
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=...96B8DD53F94A78
Having a structural "bridge" between the top of the a-pillar and the top of the b-pillar is important to pass this test. Having removable bridge with a latch at each end would be very difficult and expensive to develop. It might also require the a heavier panel to add the structure. One of the customer requirements for a t-top would be "easy to remove and store". This would also become increasingly difficult.
Now you could do a system similar to the jeep, effectively having the two panels link together in the middle making a 2 piece targa top. As we have discussed, a targa on the Camaro would have no place to store so you would have to leave it at home. Refer to the Pontiac Solstice hardtop here. But that type of system would effectively offer no structural rigidity and essentially be a weather protecting system. Works on a Jeep, might not work so well on a Camaro, but that would be the way to actually do it.
So the T-tops you all want are really hard to do because of FMVSS 216. Not impossible, but it would be expensive, might be too heavy and both would be counter to what you all want. Plus you would be adding weight to the car to maintain stiffness for ride and handling.
You could do the 2 piece Jeep roof and classify it as a Targa. That would likely be the end around.
So for those of you that want traditional T-tops, how much $$ would you pay and how much mass would you allow overall in the car?