This is the majority of everyones leaks. People think its the t-top to weather tripping connection... its not.

the water goes in that channel... works its way ot the edge where the latch is, it is supposed to go up the rubber and down the drain tube to the bottom of the door.


So make sure drain tube isn't blocked...

Make sure there is a seal beneath the weather stripping at the point where the latches are, if there is a poor seal the water just goes UNDER the weather strip and ends up in the car, its water, its not going to bypass the path of least resistance and go slightly uphill to a drain tube.



I did a t-top conversion, didn't have time to seal, it but I did everything else... It rained all day the next day, looked like easily 1-2 gallons of water in my car. I kept towels on the roof for a few days while it rained once it dried up I siliconed it up, all leaks stopped. Was leak free for years, rain, power wash, car washes...

I take it back there was a slight leak form horizontal high pressure water on the passenger side only where the t-top seal met weather trip, but it was a rip in it. And only a slight dribble and only from power washing water sideways, never from rain.


Has almost nothing to do with subframes, hell I think the vaseline, rubber seal gasket does nothing as well in terms of leaks... It is that critical point where the water needs to be directed to the drain tubes.



I thought this was common knowledge....



as for structural integrity.... All cars are t-top cars from factory, they just tack weld a piece of metal over the window for a hardtop, I woudl not say it adds any structural integrity, and I do not think its much lighter, the t-tops way about as much as the hunk of metal cut off, if its any difference less then 5-10 lbs total.

 

I bought a new 82 Z pace car. WHAT A PIECE OF CRAP.......... I had it back to the dealership 16 times with t-top leaks. Too bad too because I had a 78 Z28 (a real camaro)

Good

and did nothing but brag about it and it was a babe getter. I was worried in 82 to go on a date for fear of it starting to rain. The 305 TBI was equal to the crap of the T-tops. WHAT a DOG. I have a 04 Monte Carlo SS 3.8, not even with the turbo and IT could out run the 82 Z. Sorry, dont feel like the 82 deserves to be called a Z-28