WOW! My son just had the scare of his life. He was driving my 2000 Pontiac Formula. The t-top was latched and he was driving down the road when it suddenly blew off! It was the passenger side, thank God, or he could have been struck in the head.
The T-top had been on for 7 to 9 weeks, and just blew out. The police helped us locate the t-top since it was dark. It was latched, but the glass was shattered. The officer said he had never seen this before. We agree, it is a one in a million. I inspected the latch mechanism and it looked fine. I looked at the receivers on the car, and they look fine. I just cannot understand how this happened. My son called me the minute it happened, he was in panic, screaming that the t-top was gone, it just flew out of the car! He thought someone had shot it out initially. There was no evidence of that, it simply came out, with the latch firmly closed! Yes, we thought that he might have forgot to latch it, but there was no scuff on the latch handle. Which, clearly there would have been hitting the pavement at 70 mph!
There were cars all around him, and luck saved us from someone being seriously injureed or even killed.
I still cannot believe this! MAKE SURE YOU LOCK YOUR T-tops AT ALL TIMES!
Concerned Father,
JC
HAS ANYONE HAD THIS HAPPEN BEFORE?

 

I would say that is some kind of factory screw-up, unless the top was never properly inserted under the lip of the "T".

personally, I have gone over 140mph with mine unlocked.

 

If both the t-top and the two parts that hold it to the car are fully intact, that is just odd. A buddy of mine lost a T-top while doing heavy cornering at high speeds, turns out some stabilizer bar was poorly welded by GM and body roll was the cause. Another guy I know that had a 2nd gen trans-am lost one on the highway, but the part that the T-top latches into on the car, screws fell out. I have also heard stories where a chick is ridding in the car and they reach for the ohh S**T handle which turns out to be the T-top release and there goes the top. That will teach people real quick to always lock tops.

 

It's funny you should say that about women, 'cause my mom did that years ago in a friend's 1980-something Monte Carlo!! I think she thought it was a sunroof like her car ('77 Firebird) had, so she just flipped the handle and whoosh!!!! Bye-bye T-top!!!

FWIW, I always keep mine locked with the key (even in the summer when I'm taking them out all the time) 'cause I just don't want to risk them "accidentally" coming off.

"Red02Firehawk": sorry that happened man. Good thing nobody was hurt, and hopefully you can get it covered under warranty (try to blame faulty mechanism?? ) but you may be screwed??

 

make sure you use your tumbler/lock from your old unit when you get yours replaced.. better than having to carry two keys for them!

 

ya my friends gf did that......


stupid girls



anyways i think that maybe your son forgot to latch it

 

Or you just give them your VIN# and they can key the new lock cylinder to fit your existing key for like $8.

 

not only lock the t-tops, but jiggle it aruond a bit to make sure its firmly in..

 

I've known that incident to occur twice. My uncle had a 70's model T/A. It happened to him at around 90 mph. A buddy of mine has a '93 or '94 vette. His top blew off during a drag race. It happens so be careful.