Targa Top OUT?!?

[93Rubie]

As I continue to learn about my Corvette and C4's in particular I have a question regarding the targa top. Now I know that they are in a C4 a structural component of the car, which is why they bolt in and you can feel the difference between roof in and roof out in the car. I also know that the C4's are to NOT leave the ground without the roof bolted in place.

I LOVE D:Lotflotfl to drive THE Vette with the targa top out, its simply just SO much for fun. Very liberating, you dont feel so "confined" like you do with the top in. I do it when ever I can and the weather cooperates. My question is does doing this potentially weaken the chassis as it has less stiffness than with it in???

NO I dont want a convertible they weigh more and have even less structual strength, although, I do like them, for cruiseing.

NOTICE MY APILE USE OF SMILES!!!! Just to get my feelings across regarding top out use.

 

[LT4man]

I have never heard of not lifting a C4 unless the roof panel is in place.

If lifting a C4 was so detrimental if the roof panel was not in place, how much better could it be driving down a street?

Sure, there is cowl shake when hitting irregularities in the road without the roof panel attached. No, the chassis will not break apart! At least in the thousands of C4s I have seen.

AFTER REMOVING YOUR ROOF PANEL, BE SURE TO SAVE THE !

 

[Ugolino]

If it were detrimental to the chassis for the roof panel to be removed under any circumstances (barring common sense) it would say so in the owner's manual and/or the service manual. It will not "weaken the chassis", that's good old american steel holding your car together. It's not going anywhere.

 

[Tuna]

Having the roof on or off doesn't seem to make any difference to lifting the C4 off the ground - just so long as it's one or the other and not partially bolted on or just sitting there. If you need to jack the car and the roof is off, press on.

I never liked the feel of a C4 coupe with the roof off except in slow speed parades. I always kept the roof bolted on for normal driving. My wife didn't seem to mind however and drove her C4 w/o the roof many times.

 

[93Rubie]

Thanks, guys I figured as much, but hey you don't know if you don't ask.

More top off action awaits...boy does that sound bad...

 

[surfer93]

The vert has a cross brace underneath and is way more structurally sound than the coupe w/top off or on.

 

[vetteboy86]

The vert has a cross brace underneath and is way more structurally sound than the coupe w/top off or on.

I've wondered this myself. I do not have any technical data to back it up, but it seems possible. I would love to drive my vert with a hardtop on the car and see if the car is noticeably different.

 

[93Rubie]

I have seen that X brace in Corvette Central, I thought about getting it to stiffen up the chassis. I don't think, I want less ground clearance though, its close enough around this area as it is.

 

[surfer93]

The aftermarket x brace only sticks down about 1/4", I saw a car with it on and have thought about getting one for mine. I drove my car all summer without my top on and had to adjust the front receivers to get the bolts to line up right.