[Hippie]

I have been looking for T-top info and came across this site....
Hurst T-tops
I have a '76 Monte with American Hatch T-tops ans was hoping to find seals. Mine are OK but I wanted some spares, looks like I'm SOL. However I have discovered for anyone with a '73-'77 A or G body that the Hurst and American Hatch tops use many of the same parts and with the exception of the inner retaining tab positions will swap.

[Hippie]

I have been looking for T-top info and came across this site....
Hurst T-tops
I have a '76 Monte with American Hatch T-tops ans was hoping to find seals. Mine are OK but I wanted some spares, looks like I'm SOL. However I have discovered for anyone with a '73-'77 A or G body that the Hurst and American Hatch tops use many of the same parts and with the exception of the inner retaining tab positions will swap.

[Springo]

Either way, they are impossible to find. I don't know why nobody repops them. I even had a "wanted" ad in Hemmings - print and online. Nada

[Hippie]

I can sort of understand why no one repops the A/G Body seals, there weren't that many built and fewer still survived but with the interest in the '73-'77s beginning to grow there's still hope. I need the plastic trim pieces for my interior too and nobody repops the '73-'77 stuff. '78-'87 yes but not for the "Forgotten Years".

[Chief Wanabee]

Which interior pieces and what color?

[Springo]

I was previously in the market for a 77 T-Top GP, and I still would love to have one - but I am definitely worried about the T-Top seals. If the car leaks when I get it, or develops a leak later on - there really is no way to fix it, except to silicone the T-Tops on, which is ugly and sorta defeats the purpose. While I do enjoy the glass roof even when the panels are in place, it looks cool from within the car too - of course I would want to remove them on nice days. And I would be worried about removing them, in case it starts to leak after I put them back on, or something happens to the seal somehow while the panel is off.

If you are in the market for a T-Top GP, as I am, these are very big issues. My instincts tell me not to buy one, no matter how good it looks, because I could be heading towards a future problem that may not have a remedy. I am glad that I discovered this issue before buying one. It's a hard one to call. If I find a good deal on my car, say $3,500 for a 77 400/400 T-top with under 100K miles (I've seen them, recently) do I go for it and cross my fingers - and only take them off for "special occasions?" Again, instincts and common sense might say no, but the heart might say yes...

How much could it possibly cost to engineer and produce some repop seals? I would think that there are enough people out there who might need them to justify a run of 100 or so.

[Bull]

Out of curiosity, is it at all feasible to take some weatherstrip for another application and make it work? Trunk seals, door seals, roofrail, whatever might be of a good shape and size for the application, and then trim it to fit and glue it in place? I don't have t-tops on my GP, so forgive me if it is a stupid suggestion, but as they say, necessity is the mother of invention, right?

[Springo]

No, it is not a stupid suggestion at all - and if someone owned a T-Top car that leaked, they would have to look into something like that, or try to have a one-off set made (expensive). The only other alternatives are siliconing the tops on, not driving in the rain, or trying any old seals that can be found, but they are all shot as far as I can tell, considering what I've seen.

The situation sucks, because it makes a 73-77 T-Top GP a liability (73 and 74 would not have been factory - not positive about 75). I am even looking at 78-85 GP's with T-Tops now, seals are easy to come by for them. I've seen a few nice ones from these years for sale lately. With T-Tops, gauges, floor shift and console, and a 301 V8, they can be cool cars with a V8 rumble, and that 301 isn't quite as bad when in the little car.

[Hippie]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Chief Wanabee:
Which interior pieces and what color? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Just about everything made of hard plastic, mine is crumbling from UV exposure. I have a white interior but if I can find good pieces in another color I will paint them. I have a '76 GMC Sprint I am parting out, I haven't checked the pieces in it yet as it has a black interior and was hoping to find a lighter color first but I may run down to where it's stored tomorrow and see if the pieces I need are any good in it. I hadn't really paid much attention when I bought the Monte but I'm realizing now that they are nearly extinct around here. I figured there were still plenty of them laying around in the older junkyards, boy was I WRONG!!! Same goes for all the other '73-'77 GM A/G Bodies around here, they just aren't out there any more.

[Springo]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">'73-'77 GM A/G Bodies around here, they just aren't out there any more. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>


I see plenty of them around here, I went to just one boneyard and saw about fifteen 73-77 Grand Prixs, as well as other years and other Pontiacs. I didn't look in the Chevy section, but judging by the GP's, there should be a decent amount of Monte Carlos there too. The trouble is that everything I saw had been picked over pretty good - there are parts, and I found the good fender, bumper, and header panel that I needed - but overall the cars are pretty empty of interior parts and missing lots of assorted trim and other toys.

[Bull]

Hippie, I have quite a few interior parts from a few '76 and '77 GPs that I've had over the years. The pieces are firethorn red. If you are interested, give me a shopping list and I'll see what I have.

[Hippie]

Dave, that would be great. I'll work one up, I need to have one anyway.
Thanks,
Glenn (Hippie)

[Springo]

Hey Hippie, I had bought a copy of the factory service manual from Pontiac, for installation and maintenance of T-Tops for 75-77 Grand Prixs. I was going to try and install a pair into a GP that had a solid roof, but I am giving up on that idea because of the lack of seals, and have no use for the document. It's not very long, it's about 30 pages. Send me a PM with your address and I'll send it to you. It may as well help someone, I doubt that I would even buy a T-Top GP, at least not a 73-77 one, because of the lack of seals in case they start to leak. I've been looking for 78-80 ones though, with consoles and gauges and a V8. they make repop seals for those. Maybe I'll make me a nice Pontiac version of the Monte Carlo SS.

[mwhitney]

I have a 77 with the T-Tops, they leak like a sieve, but I deal with it. Not a daily driver, but on trips I do get caught with rain, always have about 6 bath towels with me plus a shower curtain I put on the top if I think it is going to rain at night. Still wouldn't trade it for a solid top. Metro was going to repo thes seals about 7 years ago, never did. Was told by a relaible source that some guy in Tx has the molds but won't sell or allow them to be used. I live in a small town, Erie, Pa so I am the only T-Top GP. Everybody use to own one, but not T-Top.
Cat Dave, do you have a inside light B pillar cover?

[squirejohn]

guys, I have a Hurst Hatch T-top in my 74 Grand Am.
http://photobucket.com/albums/y210/SquireJohn/
This is a subject I have been going to persue.
Not at that point of the restoration... but being it came up. Will have to check out the web sight.

[squirejohn]

Springo,

Were you able to get a hold of east coast t-tops?
What parts have you found?
What is the poop on the second 78-80 series. Are tops available.
Maybe I'll replace it all, if the still do t-tops.
Sorry for all the late breaking questions.
This is a subject that I needed to cover but ahvent gottemn to it yet

[squirejohn]

UPDATE.
I was able to get a hold East Coast T-Tops.
message below from them.
"I have new old stock right surround weatherstrip for $275 discounted from $400.
This is for the 1st design (with frame around glass)
No left side.
No adjusters."

Could cut the rubber and use on left side , depending on how much ya needed.
Mine is gone at the outer coners on both sides.
I'm going to contact soft seal.

[BN]

Anything new on these being repro's? Squirejohn I sent you a PM.