CARS WERE BETTER IN THE 80’s STICKER NOW AVAILABLE! www.zackpradel.com/product-page/cars-were-better-in-the-80-s-sticker

I feel like the 3 reasons given are completely valid, but there's a 4th big one. Sunroof's caught on and provided nearly the same functionality as T tops with nearly none of the drawbacks. You have slightly less space open to the outside, but get a much stronger chassis. On the down side, older Sun roofs do like to leak from time to time.

I always felt the Sun / moon roof in the consumer’s eyes were more practical. No storage problem, way easier to use. If you were out and it started to rain unexpectedly no need to pull over and retrieve tops and put on in the rain. All you have to do with Sun/ moon roof is push a button. Plus there was the issue of having the t tops stolen.

I grew up in the 80’s. I absolutely loved T-tops, I still do. I wish they’d make a comeback.

One old car feature you might consider making a video on is the digital dashboard. What makes it so interesting is that it was never necessary aside form vanity and 'futurism' but took off in 80s sports cars, died out in the 90s, and here we are over 30 years later and they're starting to make their way into modern cars again, albeit in a different form. The Buick Reatta instantly comes to mind with its digital dash and touch screen... in 1988!

My 2000 Camaro has T-Tops, and they are plain awesome! They lock safely into place in the hatch, and it doesn't take too long to take them off/put them off, and yes, they surprisingly DON'T leak!

I love how the Suzuki Cappuccino is being used as an example here as the only production car capable of having all of these roof types.

I've owned both, and the other issue with t-tops is they didn't quite have the open air feel convertibles had, it's hard to explain unless you drive in both. T-tops also had a lot more turbulence to deal with as the air would get "trapped" in the back of the vehicle giving you a bit less performance and gas mileage, and more air would blow back on the driver compared to a convertible. You also, had them rattle around as they got older (this simply may have been my experience with a GM vehicle). Lastly, and this is just an asthetic/opinion thing, the convertible simply looked better with the top down.

I had an '88 300ZX with T tops and a 5 speed manual which I kept all thru the 90s. Whipping thru the mountain curves in Colorado with the tops out was a lot of fun. Finding a place to pull over and put the tops back in because a thunderstorm moved in, not so much. I had to store my in bags in the back so there wasn't room for anything else with the tops out. Happier with the sunroof.

Electric Hummer brought T-Tops back baby.

Love the T Tops on my 1992 Trans Am! No leaks! Perfect.

I had an old 1987 Nissan Pulsar in high school. Not only did it sport t-tops, it also had a removable rear hatch. I rarely took the hatch off because it was a pain and it could never be left off for long because of security and weather concerns. But I tell you what, it was a fun car to drive as a semi-convertible. I still wish I had that car today!

I bought my wife's first car with T-tops and they leaked, someone tried to steal them twice, and they took up the entire trunk when they were removed. It became such a pain that she never removed them and they simply leaked in the rain. We now have several cars with a sun roof which don't leak, offer much better sun protection when closed and allow us to open them up while driving which we do once or twice a year. Great video.

My 1986 Mustang GT had T-tops. Removing them required that they be stored in dedicated vinyl sleeves in the hatchback area thus reducing what limited storage was available on a trip. Long term maintenance required treating the rubber gaskets periodically to keep them from drying out and causing the dreaded leaking roof. Still, was a cool feature when driving down the beach in Daytona!

Love T-Tops and wish they would come back! Had a couple of Trans Ams and a MR2 Turbo with T-Tops and really enjoyed them. The 78 Trans Am had a bit of a rattle but I discovered if you removed the decorative trim piece of the T-Top handle area the brackets that held the retractable pins could be adjusted. Slightly adjusting the angle that the pins came out took the slack out and tightened them up. The cars were pretty tight though spirited driving over a railroad track would give you a little cowl shake. Surprisingly one of the most rigid open-air cars I owned was a Fiat X19. It had a targa top but seemed as rigid as a coupe. No shakes, leaks or rattles, it's like it was made out of granite. I miss those cars and wish I would have kept a few of them.

4:26 Bill Blass edition Lincoln Continental - that thing was a 2 door land yacht! My grandmother had one. She was a tiny old lady with this crazy fear of a car crashing down on her from an overpass. She figured the larger the car she drove, the better the odds that a falling car would impact her hood or trunk, thus improving her odds of survival. For being as big as it was, the thing only had 2 doors, 2 huge, heavy doors! Not a T-top, not even a convertible, but it was cool to see one in the video. Brings back memories!

Along with another commenter had an '86 Mustang with T Top. Loved it, never leaked and never had a storage problem since the car was seldom taken on a lengthy trip. The downside was chassis flex. Oh my did it flop around - that is until I added Ford accessory frame stiffeners along with strut tower to firewall braces, better shocks and way better tires. Took a bunch of car show trophys with it too since I kept the entire car spotless. My wife hated it with the 'sporty' very stiff ride so we ended up with a T-Bird in '94.

I had a 95 Z-28 Camaro with T-tops. It was so much fun to drive that thing on one hand. And on the other hand, I constantly had a stack of towels in the car because the passenger side T-top leaked EVERY TIME it rained. The first time I drove it through one of those gas station car washes, my brother was in the passenger seat. When the spray hit that side of the car it shot inside like someone turned the hose on us! It wasn't just "leaking," it was SPRAYING in on both of us! Luckily I had those towels in the backseat already. We each grabbed one and used it as a shield! LOL Man, I miss that car! haha

I agree with your assessment as to why they no longer are made. Maybe you can do a video essay on older cars that had bright light switches on the floor boards? I haven't seen those in years. Or, headlight wipers/washers, you don't see those much either on new cars.

I think this finally answers the question that I had for over 40 years as to why, on the bill of sale for a Trans Am, Pontiac would list the TTop roof as an “H” roof. GM didn’t own the patent to call them TTops.

Reason #4: In the 1980's it was extremely common where I lived (Providence RI) to have a car side window smashed out to steal the T-tops. They apparently sold for a lot at the junkyards and were very easy to steal. Remember it happening outside my apartment window. The thief saw me looking at him but still smashed the window, stole the T-tops, and drove away before the 911 operator even answered.

T tops were so cool, as a teenager in the 1980’s, my friend and I loved taking his dads “T” top 280Zx out for a cruse , oh and getting a bit sun burnt too :). Thanks for the trip down memory lane - cheers from Brisbane Australia

2 out of my 4 firebirds had them. Loved every minute of them off. My 84 and 85 had them. My 79 and 87 didn't and they also had no A/C. I will own a 88 or 89 formula with t tops someday.

My Toyota MR2 had a removable sun roof. You could pop it up or optimally remove it and there was a dedicated storage compartment in the front trunk. This was 1986 so yeah. Same kind of thing really. Loved that feature

Topic suggestion: The Air Cooled Motor! One of the nice things (among others) from the Corvair models were their rear located air cooled motors. I'd like to see you do a feature on them.

I drove a ‘97 Camaro RS with the t-tops. Absolutely loved that car and in my experience the fit and finish was tight, no leaking even during outright monsoons.

There used to be (and maybe still is) a company that would convert the newer Camaros into t-tops. I think it was the same company that did the Trans Am conversions. Another video essay idea: high-end sound systems. Back in the 80s you could spend as much as a small car and get a system with a couple modules put in your center console. Head unit, equalizer with sliders, tape deck, maybe even a CD player. Look at some of the Mercedes-Benz customs and you'll see. Today all of that can fit in a single-DIN head unit and sound just as good.

Keep up the good work homie your slaying it... ur channel has content that's up there with channels that use multiple creator's to crank out what you seem to be doing rolling solo... keep killing it you've deff found ur lane...

I got a 73 corvette stingray, and the T tops are why I love it!! Semi convertible at my convenience!! Love it!!

I absolutely love the targa top miata. they look great both with the roof up and down. and having that roll hoop just makes it feel so much more secure. porsche targa are also among the coolest cars where you can take off the roof for the same reason. looks great with the roof up, loogs great with it down.

Love the content man, you should do one on the old floor mounted foot dimmer switch. A lot of people probably haven't even heard of them. I have a 73 GMC pick up and an 81 Z28 that both have them. Old school tech for sure 👌

I'm absolutely loving this style of content. I binged all of them and love when new ones come out. ps, i miss when you were in gingium videos

I know they aren't cool anymore for most people, but this is one of my favorite car designs of all time. My best friends dad growing up had a 69 Vette tuned for thebtrack and to this day it's my favorite car even if it wasn't all stock I saw this thing blow the doors off Vipers and Lambos as a kid and to do that with a T-Top is just extra style points 😂

As a fellow car enthusiast, I love your documentaries brother. Great quality! Great information!!!

My favorite was the late 80's Pulsar NX (with pop up headlights), oddball little car, could be a hatch with a t roof, a little wagon with a t roof or a full on sort-of convertible with it all removed. Would love to find one for sale that isn't rusted out or beat to heck.

T-top gang here.. my lil x90 has em and I do love em, I love nothing more than cruising with around topless. I'll give it you tho because they do leak and putting them in their bags to keep them protected is a bit of a pain but still... Love em

You needed way more TransAm and or Camaro pictures in this video. I kept waiting for it. Finally one!

My first new car was a 1977 Olds Cutlass with T-tops. Loved that car and the T-tops even though they leaked. That was a small price to pay for the pleasure the T-tops gave me.

The t-tops in my 1979 Camaro leaked every-time in car washes I owned from 1982-1985. My Friend had her Camaro detailed and the guy failed to lock the latch in place on the passenger side and it flew off. She turned around to go back and a pick up truck was pulled over in that area and the guy was about to get out to look for whatever it was that he saw fly airborne off her car. Said no joking it shot straight up 6-7 stories high then flew a half circle like a boomerang and then shot at the ground. They found it together all shattered. It was an insurance claim to get it replaced because of the cost to get just one replaced.

When I was a young man I had that exact 1977 Trans Am. Those T-tops were awesome and friggin HEAVY. I remember wrestling them on and off many times. It's part of the charm of the vehicle as well as a period feature for sure.

Dude! I LOVE your creativity and sense of humor! Keep the videos coming

I miss the days of taking out the t-tops of my '87 MR2 on a very hot summer day in Kentucky and nearly getting 3rd degree burns on my fingertips from the glass. Or when we would have a massive hail storm and almost going deaf from all the ice hitting the glass. Really I do.

I owned a second gen MR2 for 26 years, and really liked having the t-tops. They were usually stored, but they were nice to have on those cold mornings on the way to a car meet. Toyota's storage solution - against the bulkhead behind the seats - was excellent. I don't know if mine leaked as I never drove the car in rain, but they did rattle a bit. OTOH, my pop-up headlights looked good when retracted, but seeing them sticking up in my field of vision at night always reminded me of why they went away. BTW, the designers of the original Miata didn't want to use pop-ups, but the smaller headlights they wanted (more like the NB) weren't available yet. Having also owned an NB since 2003, I'm real glad I didn't have a pair of 7" sealed beams sticking up at night. YMMV. Sorry.

I don't even care about cars but your videos are so well made and interesting, I have to keep watching them.

I really miss T-Tops. They were like having a convertible and double sunroofs simultaneously, without the ugly cloth roof. I had a 1989 IROC-Z Camaro with T-Tops back in the day. It was a fun car, and the T-Tops made it even more fun. Luckily, the T-Tops never leaked in the rain, and I always hand-washed the car (no leaks then either), so I never tested the T-Tops at the car wash. The T-Tops came with two padded and fur-lined faux leather zippered storage bags that fit down inside the cubby hole (vertically) under the rear hatch back. That cubby hole eventually became the twin 10-inch subwoofer box, so there went the T-Top storage....lol. Although, the T-Tops could still be laid flat under the hatchback, as long as you had nothing else to tranport in the car at the same time. The T-Tops were about $500 a piece (back in 1989), so you didn't want to damage them. I had a friend with a Trans Am that found this out the hard way, when he dropped one of his T-Tops and the glass cracked. Who knows, maybe T-Tops will make a comeback someday, but for now I'll have to stick with my sunroof. 👍👍

The BRAT T-Tops were called "Fun Roofs" IIRC and they could be held partially open like a sunroof in vent setting, though sideways like gullwings. Kind of neat, but it required the roof structure to remain on the open side, though that was probably a good thing with how flexible those chassis were. I wonder if the unusual vent setting might have been the result of someone trying to make a positive out of the need to retain the outer roof to prevent losing too much structural strength (and maybe to help prevent leakage). I think with modern chassis strength, T-Tops could come back, but people have lost their sense of fun and would complain about having to remove the panels by hand. I actually preferred the old manual sunroofs where the panel had to be removed to have it fully open to the power roofs of today as it leant a sense of occasion to the simple act of having an open sunroof. I usually tossed the glass in the rear seat footwell. If more people were in the car, it just stayed in the roof, but I wouldn't have wanted it out with passengers as it would make it too noisy to talk to everyone, anyway. Funny that you show a BRZ as I was thinking how the double bubble roof of my GR86 could have used a T-top with the bubble sections being removable body-color panels with the center section remaining fixed. Of course, it would be me and maybe 5 other people who would actually want them like that....

I have no experience with T-Tops (though my 88' Supra does have a removable targa top, and it can drip a tiny bit depending.) But one while I was checking out my local mechanic's yard, he has an 80's MR2 that was there for about a month or two and the passenger seat was puddled with water from the glass T-tops. They seem kind of like a sealing night mare to me. Removable hard roofs I think are the best of both worlds (though they do flex a lot.)

A 1983 280zx was my second car when I was 21 - awesome car! It had t-tops and I loved them. Fast forward to my 2015 C7 Corvette which had a removable roof which was great but best handled with two people. Note that in both cases there was a dedicated space or container in the rear for the removable components.

Man how could you not have a picture of the Camaro, that car along with the Trans Am is what people associate with t-tops, I mean they had them from the late 70's until both models were discontinued until 2002. Speaking as somebody who owned a 1999 Camaro Z28 t-top and a 1998 Camaro Z28 convertible, my vote goes convertible. Granted if you drive the car every day, t-top is the way to go, way more room in the hatch, doesn't leak(mine never did), quiet on a highway cruise. But if its garage kept and only taken out on nice days, convertible all the way, there is less wind buffeting than t-tops, you have a lot more open feel. At least on that 4th gen Camaro both felt pretty solid and didn't rattle. Never taking apart the interior is the secret to no rattles though lol.

Other items no longer found, power antennas, floor mounted switch for bright lights, vent windows to name a few.

I've owned my 88 IROC-Z for 15 years, and I'm one of those "can't believe they don't leak" guys. Funny your video appeared on my feed just now, as my daughter and I just got home from a sunny afternoon drive around downtown Tampa with the tops in the trunk.

Had a 79 Cordoba with factory T-tops. Loved it and they never leaked. It even had carry bags for the tops to store in the trunk.

Do one on the digital dash? Also love the videos pretty good keep up the good work

Is there a vehicle with a T-top and automatic seat belts AND pop-up headlights with wipers? 🤔 🤔

Excellent show. I like your assessments. Mine never leak. Not one drop. 89 300zx Z31. I store the panels in their leather-ette sleeves and take my old dad out for a spin on the cooler evenings. With the open top, old dad doesn't bump his head getting in and out.

Early 90's...85' Firebird w/ T-tops, 20's years old, and music rocking...GOOD MEMORIES. Loved my T-tops.

I think a cool video would be the history of turbos how they came on strong as a performance option, then went away in favor of displacement and are now back to make cars more economical. #torquesteer

Jeeps technically still make removable T tops (without the center T). With their removable hard tops the forward section of a 4 door wrangler is two removable sections (very similar to a T top), and for the renegades their removable roof is all based on T the tops concept (though rotated 90 degrees), I know those aren't the exact same as a T top in the traditional sense but if you look at what they are doing its the same concept. And on the concept of cars feeling new, the old saying goes, there are no new ideas, just old ideas recycled into a new product. With the new ford bronco and hummer I think we may soon see some of these older concepts like the T top actually coming back just due to consumer nostalgia.

That first prototype T top looks like something I wouldn’t mind driving. Seriously cool design.

I once owned a 1986 IROC Z CAMARO with T- TOPS...Really liked it

They are so neat!

The current Jeep Wrangler hardtop has a front roof removed with two panels, much like a t-top.

My 02 Trans Am has T-Tops and honestly I like them a lot more then I thought I would. I take them out as often as I can. They have a spot in the trunk to out them so I always have them with me

T Tops fell out of favor and have been replaced with panoramic sunroofs. More glass area for todays sedans and SUV’s. So much easier to hit a button than manually removing and storing 2 separate panes of glass.

I feel like factory sun roof technology rendered t-tops unnecessary. When t-tops were a thing, a sunroof was pretty rare, typically solid metal, and in most cases an aftermarket addition. As factory sunroofs became a more common option t-tops fell to the wayside.

I love my 4th gen Firebird for its T-tops. I don't use them as often but the sun coming through the glass is such a great way to drive.

Well done for a young man who was not alive in those times, well done.

I think a lot of why T-tops died is similar to why targa tops died, namely convenience. With a convertible top, you stow it in the rear deck area. With a t-top, the user has to leave the car, remove the tops, and stow them away. The fact that it is less convienient probably means consumers are less likely to purchase the option, and that influences manufacturers to cut it from their models, reducing manufacturing complexity. Plus, at least for car guys, the hard top is the desired option, so why produce t-tops?

Had a 1981 Datsun 280zx Turbo. The most reliable part of the car was the T top. Never leaked, but maybe that was because the car itself was so unreliable it rarely left the garage.

I literally thought of Bandit when I thought T-Top. You nailed it.

“Close your eyes…” Smokey and the Bandit. You were spot on.

Just like pop up headlights I believe T tops are still cool. Hope for a comeback of both. Think about no more yellow plastic covering your lights and way less hair to get messed up by the wind. The final nail for t tops was three things. One you said,leaks. Two was rattles, noisiest part on the car. Lastly was weakness. Like the mustang in 87 and earlier. More horse power more issues. Cars were breaking. Especially if a lot of performance after market exists. But placed in the right cars these things could still be a hit. What's old is new and it's been long enough that many noobs to cars have never seen them and will be amazed

I literally pictured a firebird lmao. Spot on! Nice job👍😂

8:04 The only one it’s a great feeling in . Ty for the historical and write up of the T tops

I love my 3, 300ZX's with T-Tops! Among of the best cars ever made!

Growing up my dad had a 98 firebird with t-tops the nostalgia of being in a car with one is unreal 😅

And here I thought T-Top was just short for Targa Top. Great vid!

Liked your channel, subscribed! Remembers how cool T-tops where back then!

I am the original owner of a 1987 Buick Grand National 31,000 miles, with T-Roofs, Love the breeze in the Spring, No leaks or rattles !

What is it called when the structure above the doors runs along front to back, but the roof is either transparent or removable/retractable? (sorry, I'm not good at remembering car models and stuf, can't give specific examples of the top of my head)

My 1979 T-Top Monte Carlo was the Bomb. When I had that car I was the Mack Daddy. I still have dreams of having that car.

This video made me shed a tear for my Iroc of my younger days... man I miss that car... and the leaky T-Tops. Went well with Van Halen, Busch Light, cutoffs, and my mullet

I had T-Tops in a brand new 1989 Chevrolet IROC-Z that I purchased. I rarely removed them, but it was cool when you did!!

Got a '93 MR2 with t-tops and love them. Yes, they leak a little. Yes, it's sometimes a pain when you get home to have to put them back on. But on a nice day, it's great to have open sky and fresh air.

My 95 trans am has both t tops and pop up headlights. Even has a little storage spot for the t tops in the trunk. My favorite features on the vehicle by far

I had two different camaro with T-Tops. I loved them. Driving with the T-Tops off was a completely different feeling then with a sunroof. I miss them.

Theory 1: Because car manufactures are forced to give warranty's a t-top that will always end up leaking is seen as a liability. Convertibles dont fall into this since they always receive less coverage since the owners at some point will forget to "pop the top" and the inside floors will get soaked. T-tops (I love them) are notorious for ruining rocker panels.

These type of videos are interesting. You have to continue with these :))

We use to install T-Tops in the late 1970s, this was in Vegas at a place called Trim Line, we also did body side molding, and pin-striping.

When I went to buy my first car around 1990 I went to a dealer and was looking at a 1977 or 78 Firebird Formula with T-tops and asked the used car salesman it leaked or not, he said "I can guarantee you that it does leak, all T-tops start to leak when they are a few years old." I passed on that and got a fourth generation 1982 Trans-Am instead. I kind of regretted that decision but I thought the girls would like the newer T/A better and ended up having a sun roof installed on it.

I bought a brand new black Formula Firebird in September 2001. It had t-tops and loved it!! I drove it for 16 years and put 229,000 miles on it. Super fast and fun car!!

I had an 82 Z-28 with T-Tops...in Texas. While they didn't leak (very much), they BAKED the inside of the car on hot summer days. I always had issues with the a/c on that car...as in, if I ran it too much on those hot summer days, my car would overheat. SO, I just left the T-Tops off most of the time because it was cooler with them off than on. Lots of good memories and fun times in that car tho! Ahh...the 80s were such a special time! LOL

The custom t top trans am builds off the Camero chassis kinda got me into wanting a t top again. Convertibles are great but the look of a t top is just dope.

I will never forget the time I lost a driver's side t-top at 75 on the freeway. I saw it detonate behind me in front of a semi. The semi almost jackknifed, but thankfully he was able to correct and continue driving. I did not wait around to make explanations.

I had a 93 nissan NX2000. It came with T tops. Ooooh it was a such an experience to drive! I loved it. (Bought in 2002, sold it in May 2021) I missed that car the second the keys left my hand.. When I had my tops off there was nothing like it on the road (except for a 300Z) and I modified it too. Had a NEO vvl motor, Vodtland lowering springs, strut bar front and back.. I loved when I would come bearing down the road knight rider style and people would look "what the hell is that?", Mustangs and suped up civics would get no mercy from me.. My nephews and cousins that were little during early 2000s LOVED to ride in it with tops off. All i would hear is WOW wow so cool, this is nice while they put their hands up in the air... TTops = FUN FUN FUN

I 100% thought of Smokey and the bandit when you said think of T tops lol

Although I approve of your Smokey and the Bandit as the "what did you think of as a T-top" For me my first thought was: -A red light on the front moving back and forth. -A talking car -A car that jumps over any object at the push of a button.

My first car was a 91 Firebird, with both pop up headlights and t-tops!! Miss that car!

I was fortunate enough to end up with a 79 Z28 Camaro right after high school, taking it up the street with no tags, no exhaust past the headers, and the t tops down was a lot of fun 😂

I think you nailed it with practicality. Cars come with panoramic sunroofs the entire length of the car now, at the push of a button. It would be a hard sell to have something you need to remove yourself, and then store it somewhere. Even if they were automatic somehow in today's cars it would seem redundant.