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  1. #1

    Default T top conversion considerations

    My 1983 Capri turbo RS has a non Factory hack job sunroof. Now that I'm in the process of restoring it I have considered replacing the roof and today ran across a 1985 Mustang GT t top roof. The roof with the glass and rust free doors is $300. Is this a good deal? Is this a sane thing to consider?

    For what it's worth I have restored over 20 cars and have experience doing fabrication and patch panels. It seems like this could be a straightforward conversion but I'm sure there's a few gotchas that some of the experts could chime in on.

    The interior trim, if there was any, is all missing. Is this a deal-breaker?

  2. #2
    FEP Power Member
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    FYI, there is a NOS roof panel on eBay with a factory sun roof cut out.

    UP FOR SALE IS A BRAND NEW FORD ROOF PANEL THAT FITS 1979-1982 FORD MUSTANG WITH A SUNROOF. IN ORIGINAL FORD BOX. PART# D9ZZ-6150202-B
    Last edited by KevinK; 10-31-2017 at 10:01 AM.
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  3. #3
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    The price is good if those doors have the correct glass .
    Interior parts are reproduced , so you will be good there.
    I have beld on to my T top 84 Gt ,for 20 years , just because of the Tops.
    I hate them , but love them, you know that love hate thing .
    Just my opinion , but i would do it .
    clowns to the left of me , Jokers to the right

  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by ashley roachclip View Post
    The price is good if those doors have the correct glass .
    Interior parts are reproduced , so you will be good there.
    I have beld on to my T top 84 Gt ,for 20 years , just because of the Tops.
    I hate them , but love them, you know that love hate thing .
    Just my opinion , but i would do it .
    I do indeed. What do you love and what do you hate specifically?

  5. #5
    Moderator wraithracing's Avatar
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    As stated if the doors are complete and have the correct glass, trim, etc. as well as the roof section having all the trim, t-tops, etc. that is a great deal IMHO. The door glass is generally the biggest issue since it is unique to the T-top cars.

    If you plan on doing a roof swap of some type and do a T-top conversion, then I say go for it!

    The T-tops are a love hate relationship to many. Some people HATE them and won't buy a car with them. Others LOVE them and buy one every chance they get! I am the later. I love them! I admit that the T-tops can really cause you to Hate them when you have leaking issues, wind noise, or just ill fitting T-tops, but when you pop them out on a nice summer day and go cruising all that is forgotten!

    I personally own 3 T-top Foxes and it would be more if I had room and could find what I really want with T's!
    ​Trey

    "I Don't build it hoping for your approval! I built it because it meets mine!"

    "I've spent most of my money on Mustangs, racing, and women... the rest I just wasted."

    Mustangs Past: Too many to remember!
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    1981 Capri Black Magic Roller Basket Case
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  6. #6
    FEP Power Member Broncojunkie's Avatar
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    Don't need to "roof swap" for t-top conversion, for those who don't already know. I'm going to do my 82gt soon and for the same reason (aftermarket sunroof). I have all the needed parts. Just need time!

    Attachment 116462

  7. #7
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    What i hate about my T top , when it rains , there are no rain gutters , open the door and get wet .
    Rattles more than a coupe .
    What i love about it , is no one else here about has one .
    When the sun is out , and i remove the tops , wind rushing over my head like a convertible .
    Hate , sun warms the interior like no other , even worse before i had the tops tinted .
    Other than those small things , it is great .
    clowns to the left of me , Jokers to the right

  8. #8
    FEP Super Member 83GTRAG's Avatar
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    There is absolutely no need to weld anything. That t top brace is pop riveted in. Just cut your roof with a saws all. It's minimal cutting since you already have a sun roof and exactly how the factory did it. Do not cut pillars or sail panels and weld. Look inside at the t top panel. Drill,out old rivets. Simple as can be. 1/4" rivets and a drill.
    Rob

    current cars:
    83 GT Convertible
    83 Project GT T-Top Coupe
    84 GT T-Top Hatch
    86 GT Hatch low mile car
    00 V-6 Convertible

    all white cars!

  9. #9

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    I did the swap in my '79 coupe. There was nothing wrong with my roof. I don't think I would do it again if I had a chance. Was pretty much the one thing that turned the car from a daily driver in the warm months, to a weekend cruiser. Some info in this thread.
    http://vb.foureyedpride.com/showthre...a-little/page3

    Jess
    Previously owned;
    1979 Mustang, v6 swapped to EFI 393, custom installed m122 blower, 4r70w trans, Megasquirt II, T-top swaped in.
    1990 Mustang, 545 BBF, C-4 with brake, ladder bars.
    1983 Mustang, 1984 SVO Mustang
    1984 Mustang convertible, v6 swapped to 351
    1986 Mustang GT, 1989 Mustang GT convertible
    1992 Mustang coupe, 4 swapped to 302

  10. #10
    FEP Senior Member E2ZZGLX's Avatar
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    I would have t agree with all the above...My first new Fox was a T-top car and not by my decision. Its always been a love/hate with these things, love it with the tops off and stored at home, other than than that its miserable! If i wanted a flexi flyer i would just get a vert. Doing a swap/install is fairly easy and can be made better than factory when taking the time to do so. We did one with a buddy's Capri years ago and was noticeably better than factory, we started with adding vert inner rockers and all factory under chassis bracing from the vert doner car. Through the floor sub frame connectors all before cutting the top off. Took the extra time on the install welding the parts into the car and not using rivets as the factory did. All this and did not even have to to any real paint work except at the a-piller reinforcements.
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  11. #11
    FEP Super Member erratic50's Avatar
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    Wow. Good info!
    -- James

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    My four eyed foxes:
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    Also in the stable - my son’s car. 1986 Mustang GT Convertible. Black/Black/Black conversion. 93 leather. VM1 ECU. T5Z

    past foxes -
    1989 Mustang LX Sport 5.0 AOD white/tan black top. Once I ran this one down I caught a wife.
    Wife also had a 1987 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe in the 90's.

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  12. #12

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    I'll probably gonna buy the parts but I'm still unsure. A friend found a hardtop roof for $50 - $100. The ttop roof doesn't have any interior parts for the roof with it. It will for sure need all the seals, etc. I really don't need the car to be anything other then a weekend cruiser.

    How to answer the question.... hmmm.

  13. #13
    FEP Super Member erratic50's Avatar
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    I'm still kicking this one around on my Saleen clone. If a nice factory sunroof skin comes up it will likely end my contemplating it.

    My 86GT will also need different roof skin one way or the other - it's beat all to hell now with hail damage for a second time. Took 3 months and countless bottles of gas and gallons of cold water to do the old heat trick to pop the dents out last time. So be it I guess. At least my family stayed safe during severe weather rather than going out into harms way with a nice car seeking shelter so mine could stay in the garage.

    After 90 minutes of melting.......
    Attached Images Attached Images  
    Last edited by erratic50; 10-31-2017 at 09:56 AM.

  14. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by E2ZZGLX View Post
    I would have t agree with all the above...My first new Fox was a T-top car and not by my decision. Its always been a love/hate with these things, love it with the tops off and stored at home, other than than that its miserable! If i wanted a flexi flyer i would just get a vert. Doing a swap/install is fairly easy and can be made better than factory when taking the time to do so. We did one with a buddy's Capri years ago and was noticeably better than factory, we started with adding vert inner rockers and all factory under chassis bracing from the vert doner car. Through the floor sub frame connectors all before cutting the top off. Took the extra time on the install welding the parts into the car and not using rivets as the factory did. All this and did not even have to to any real paint work except at the a-piller reinforcements.
    So with your experiance above do sub frame connecters address the flex flyer aspects? Will new seals and tinting the ttops very, very dark deal with the other negatives you experienced?

  15. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by erratic50 View Post
    So be it I guess. At least my family stayed safe during severe weather rather than going out into harms way with a nice car seeking shelter ....
    I appreciate your attitude on the subject. I'm a diehard car guy but we've gotta keep first things first! I've watched a few car guys do things which put at risk themselves or their family to save she metal and it just doesn't make sense.

    On power tour 2017 we ran into a bit of hail in my 69 Chevelle.... people started doing some really stupid things to get out of the rolling traffic jam which is power tour... just made it worse!

  16. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by 83GTRAG View Post
    There is absolutely no need to weld anything. That t top brace is pop riveted in. Just cut your roof with a saws all. It's minimal cutting since you already have a sun roof and exactly how the factory did it. Do not cut pillars or sail panels and weld. Look inside at the t top panel. Drill,out old rivets. Simple as can be. 1/4" rivets and a drill.
    In my case the back section of roof is so dented that I found 3/8 inch of bondo built up in some spots and then of course the sun roof install. Maybe some dude won a race aND in nascar winner style jumped on the roof? The most interesting part to me was that all of this was done before we bought the car in 1988. It was literally only 5 years old and in very nice shape when the car came to my family.

    No matter what I think I have to replace the roof.

  17. #17
    FEP Super Member 83GTRAG's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by foot2floor View Post
    In my case the back section of roof is so dented that I found 3/8 inch of bondo built up in some spots and then of course the sun roof install. Maybe some dude won a race aND in nascar winner style jumped on the roof? The most interesting part to me was that all of this was done before we bought the car in 1988. It was literally only 5 years old and in very nice shape when the car came to my family.

    No matter what I think I have to replace the roof.
    Agree in your case that is without a doubt the best way to do it. I also have a vert, if you put in the subframe connectors, shock tower braces and all the t top braces, you will have a very solid car. I have done it to both. A roll bar would really finish tightening it all up. I all of that in my 84 t-top car.
    I have 4 cars so I am referring to different ones. All are in the pic except my 83 t top coupe. It's off at paint. I put this t top in myself. That's how I know
    Rob

    current cars:
    83 GT Convertible
    83 Project GT T-Top Coupe
    84 GT T-Top Hatch
    86 GT Hatch low mile car
    00 V-6 Convertible

    all white cars!

  18. #18

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    So this weekend I tempted fait and in a pick n pull in South Dakota (where family lives) I cut the t top roof off a rusty 1981 mustang hatch. It was without the roof glass but low risk because it was so cheap. I got the door glass.

    My question for y'all is in regards to the window regulators and other door guts. I assumed (probably in error) that because these doors were rusty that I would just convert my existing doors. As such I didn't grab the internals. My nephew has agreed to go back, since I live in Ohio, and get these parts but wanted to confirm with the experts what all I need.

    Do I need every internal bracket, or can my cars existing brackets and regulator be adjusted to work?

    for the record, the doors had no extra bracing on them but for sure we're original. I can get the door bracing for a convert door right?

  19. #19
    FEP Power Member Ourobos's Avatar
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    You should be able to just bolt the windows in.
    1986 CHP SSP Coupe

  20. #20
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    I bave not had the panels off my car in probably 10 years , but seem to remember , the t top doors have extra braces .
    clowns to the left of me , Jokers to the right

  21. #21
    FEP Super Member JTurbo's Avatar
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    Yes, there are extra braces in the door. I converted both driver and pass coupe/hatch back doors to t-top doors for my 82 Gt T-top project. I harvested the horizontal and vertice braces from the original doors and installed them onto the new doors. I'd post pics, but PB sucks (still)....
    1979 Indy Pace Car Mustang 302 / 5spd
    1982 Mustang GT T-Top 302 / 4spd
    1986 SVO Mustang - 1C

  22. #22

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    Best way to spend the day after thanksgiving... this car had rust holes big enough for basket balls to go through in the floors.

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