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A T-top (UK: T-bar) is an automobile roof with a removable panel on each side of a rigid bar running from the center of one structural bar between pillars to the center of the next structural bar. The panels of a traditional T-top are usually made of auto grade safety glass ( tempered or laminated), or acrylic – but they can also be black or body-colored and made of other (often light-weight) materials.
The removable panel roof was patented by Gordon Buehrig on June 5, 1951. It was first used in a 1948 prototype by The American Sportscar Company or “Tasco.”
The 1968 Chevrolet Corvette coupe was the first U.S.-built production automobile to feature a T-top roof.Muscle Car Club: Chevrolet Corvette - History, Third Generation, 1968–1982
. This increased the popularity of the coupe, such that it outsold the convertible and later led to the discontinuation of the Corvette convertible after 1975 until it was revived in 1986. Post-C3 models were built with a
A T-top (UK: T-bar) is an automobile roof with a removable panel on each side of a rigid bar running from the center of one structural bar between pillars to the center of the next structural bar. The panels of a traditional T-top are usually made of auto grade safety glass ( tempered or laminated), or acrylic – but they can also be black or body-colored and made of other (often light-weight) materials.
The removable panel roof was patented by Gordon Buehrig on June 5, 1951. It was first used in a 1948 prototype by The American Sportscar Company or “Tasco.”
The 1968 Chevrolet Corvette coupe was the first U.S.-built production automobile to feature a T-top roof.. This increased the popularity of the coupe, such that it outsold the convertible and later led to the discontinuation of the Corvette convertible after 1975 until it was revived in 1986. Post-C3 models were built with a
targa top
Targa top, or targa for short, is a semi-convertible car body style with a removable roof section and a full-width roll bar behind the seats. The term was first used on the 1966 Porsche 911 Targa, and it remains a registered trademark of Pors ...
instead of a T-top.
Examples of traditional T-Top
*Buick Regal
The Buick Regal is a line of mid-size cars marketed by Buick since 1973. Serving as the premium mid-size/intermediate car of the Buick product range for nearly its entire production, the Regal initially served as the divisional counterpart of t ...
(1978–1987)
* Chevrolet Corvette
The Chevrolet Corvette is a line of American two-door, two-seater sports cars manufactured and marketed by General Motors under the Chevrolet marque since 1953. Throughout eight generations, indicated sequentially as C1 to C8, the Corvette is not ...
(1968–1982)
* Chevrolet Camaro
The Chevrolet Camaro is a mid-size American automobile manufactured by Chevrolet, classified as a pony car. It first went on sale on September 29, 1966, for the 1967 model year and was designed to compete with the Ford Mustang. The Camaro sha ...
(1978–2002)
* Chevrolet Monte Carlo
The Chevrolet Monte Carlo is a two-door coupe that was manufactured and marketed by the Chevrolet division of General Motors. Deriving its name from the Monte Carlo, city in Monaco, the Monte Carlo was marketed as the first personal luxury car ...
* Chrysler Cordoba
* Datsun 280ZX
* Dodge Daytona
The Dodge Daytona is an automobile which was produced by the Chrysler Corporation under their Dodge division from 1984 until 1993. It was a front-wheel drive hatchback based on the Chrysler G platform, which was derived from the Chrysler K platf ...
* Dodge Magnum
* Dodge Mirada
* Ford Mustang
The Ford Mustang is a series of American Car, automobiles manufactured by Ford Motor Company, Ford. In continuous production since 1964, the Mustang is currently the longest-produced Ford car nameplate. Currently in its Ford Mustang (seventh ...
(second and third generation)
* Ford Thunderbird
The Ford Thunderbird is a personal luxury car manufactured and marketed by Ford Motor Company for model years 1955 to 2005, with a hiatus from 1998 to 2001.
Ultimately gaining a broadly used colloquial nickname, the ''T-Bird'', Ford Introduce ...
(seventh generation)
* Mercury Capri
Capri (later Mercury Capri) is a Nameplate (automotive), nameplate marketed by the Mercury (automobile), Lincoln-Mercury division of Ford Motor Company over three generations between 1970 and 1994.
From 1970 to 1978, the Capri was a sport compact ...
* Nissan NX
* Nissan 300ZX
The Nissan 300ZX is a sports car that was produced across two different generations. As with all other versions of the Z, the 300ZX was sold within the Japanese domestic market under the name Fairlady Z.
It was sold in Japan from 1983 to 2000 a ...
* Nissan EXA
* Nissan URGE (concept)
* Pontiac Fiero
The Pontiac Fiero is a Rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout, rear mid-engine, light sports car manufactured and marketed by Pontiac (automobile), Pontiac for model years 1984 – 1988. Intended as an economical commuter car with modest perf ...
* Pontiac Firebird
The Pontiac Firebird is an American automobile built and produced by Pontiac (automobile), Pontiac from the 1967 to 2002 model years. Designed as a pony car to compete with the Ford Mustang, it was introduced on February 23, 1967, five months a ...
, incl. Trans Am (1976–2002) and Formula 350 (1989–92)
* Pontiac Grand Prix
The Grand Prix is a line of automobiles produced by the Pontiac (automobile), Pontiac Division of General Motors from 1962 until 2002 as coupes and from 1989 through 2008 model years as four-door sedans.
First introduced as a full-size car, full ...
* Rover 200 Coupe (1992–1999)
* Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme
The Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme is a mid-size car produced by Oldsmobile between 1966 and 1997. It was positioned as a premium offering at the top of the Oldsmobile Cutlass, Cutlass range. It began as a trim package, developed its own roofline, ...
* Suzuki X-90
* Subaru BRAT
* Subaru Vivio
* Toyota MR2
The Toyota MR2 is a line of two-seater, MR layout, mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive sports cars, manufactured in Japan and marketed globally by Toyota from 1984 until 2007 over three generations: W10 (1984–1989), W20 (1989–1999) and W30 (1999� ...
(AW11/SW20/SW21/SW22)
T-Top variations
*Jeep Wrangler
The Jeep Wrangler is a series of compact and mid-size four-wheel drive off-road SUVs manufactured by Jeep since 1986, and currently in its fourth generation. The Wrangler JL, the most recent generation, was unveiled in late 2017 and is produced ...
s including 'JK' and 'JL' offer removable roof-panel designs that build upon the T-top construction concept
* Suzuki Cappuccino - has an optional solid roof which can be converted into a T-top
* Triumph Stag - has the underlying T-Top structure, but has a one piece, non-glass, roof panel which passes over the central front-to-back bar when in place
See also
* Cabrio coach *Sunroof
A sunroof is a movable panel that opens to uncover a window in an automobile roof, allowing light and fresh air to enter the passenger compartment. Sunroofs can be manually operated or motor driven, and are available in many shapes, sizes and s ...
* Targa top
Targa top, or targa for short, is a semi-convertible car body style with a removable roof section and a full-width roll bar behind the seats. The term was first used on the 1966 Porsche 911 Targa, and it remains a registered trademark of Pors ...
References
{{Automobile configuration Automotive styling features