Glossary

Corvette Glossary Of Terms – T

Scott Kolecki··
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Corvette Glossary Of Terms

T

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T-Top

An automotive T-top (UK: T-bar) is an automobile roof with removable panels on either side of a rigid bar running from the center of one structural bar between pillars to the center of the next structural bar. The panels of a traditional T-top are usually made of auto grade safety glass.

The T-top was patented by Gordon Buehrig on June 5, 1951.  It was used in the design of the unsuccessful TASCO sports car.

The 1968 Chevrolet Corvette coupe was the first U.S.-built production automobile to feature a T-top roof.  This increased the popularity of the coupe, such that it outsold the convertible and later led to the discontinuation of the Corvette convertible after 1975 until it was revived in 1986.  Post-C3 models were built with a targa top instead of a T-top.<

The T-top was made famous in the movie Smokey & the Bandit, mainly because the 1977 Pontiac Trans Am driven by Burt Reynolds in the movie was outfitted with a T-top. Information courtesy of Wikipedia. Corvsport Page References: C3 Overview, 1968 Overview.

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