How much stiffening would I need......

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- KITTvsKARR
  
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posted
17 years ago

Sat, Jul 8, 2006 7:00 PM

Trying to get my Firebird down here to NC at some point.. and have been thinking about what to do with it. Its got that beautiful rebuilt 350 (360) engine and 5 speed combo in it.. but no removable top to it. Have been giving the Corvette look some thought and wanting to do a full glass targa top instead of the split t-tops (I really hate that bar).. But seeing as that bar is one of the only things keeping the car from collapsing on me.. I would need some help. Would sub frame connectors do the trick, or would I need to cannabolize a convertable car for parts, or what would I need to do? I know I would need to find a shop to fab the top for my particular project, but would love to have an interesting car as such.

Any comments are appreciated. This, like my Foormula, are in no way "get it done tomorrow" projects.. just starting my research.

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- RSCamaro
  
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posted
17 years ago

Sat, Jul 8, 2006 9:29 PM

The best thing to do if you did go through all of the fabrications is to have a full frame built, tubular or boxed makes little difference other than weight/space considerations. You need a good base since your roof line will no longer be part of the major structure of the car as it is now. A rather large project I would think.

...Ron

--

68'RS Camaro 88'Formula 00'GT Mustang

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- KITTvsKARR
  
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posted
17 years ago

Sun, Jul 9, 2006 2:15 AM

hmmm... ok, but how different is it be from the 'Verts? What do they do to them thats different from the t-tops? If its gonna be that big of a project, I might have to go to plan B and rip out the engine and tranny and dump them into my Camaro, put that stuff into the 'bird and sell it off.... not really the way I want to go though....

-Geno

1985 Blue Camaro 2.8L auto w/T-tops 1985 Brown Firebird 5.7L (360) 5-speed no T-tops 1988 Blue Firebird Formula 5.0L auto w/T-tops

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2002 Black Trans Am 5.7L LS1 auto w/T-tops

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- Tom S
  
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posted
17 years ago

Sun, Jul 9, 2006 3:40 AM

The convertibles are heavier. While a relatively small part of that is the top mechanism. the rest is a somewhat beefier frame and subframe connectors. It might be an idea to get a convertible frame and fit the body, etc. on that frame.

Tom S.