The top of Skinner Butte is a regular destination for my urban hikes, and I’m always on the alert for a good shot from there. Shooting these two young folks enjoying the views on one of our rare clear winter days was easy from behind. But I wanted to get them from the other direction, with the view of Eugene behind them. No such luck; they snuggled back down into the Firebird before I got all the way around. Needed to warm up with a little snuggling, undoubtedly.
Maybe my wife and I should try this at our spot at the South Jetty Pier in Venice, Fl. She only has a sunroof though. Do you think we’d cave the roof in on her ’09 Malibu? Note: we both avoid fast food like the plague.
T-top. T-top. Repeat, repeat. Sorry, just my pet peeve.
I’m referring to T-Tops in general; as not just this particular T-Top. Like saying: “Convertibles Are Made For This”. The headline would look pretty weird if I had written: “T-Top Is Made For This”.
I had to think about this for a minute before getting it. I’ve been into F-cars for years and always referred to examples as being equipped with T-tops without realizing it’s technically incorrect.
I had a ’73 442 for a few years and always referred to it as my four forty-two. I knew what 442 stood for but never gave it a second thought until some Oldsmobile guy went off about all the idiots who call the 442 a “Four Forty-two” instead of a “Four Four Two”.
I think Hurst may have copyrighted (if that’s the correct term) “T-Top” because I don’t remember GM ever referring to that roof treatment as such. The build sheet shorthand I’ve seen called the option “hatch roof”.
I will continue to say Four forty-two anyway because it sounds better!
Until fairly recently I thought it was “t-tops” too, because they have two hatches.
I used to pronounce “hemi” as “hem-eye.” It was years before I realized it was pronounced “hem-eee.”
And I did the same thing with “four forty-two.” When I watched Demolition Man as a teen, I laughed when Sandra Bullock called the vintage Olds a “four four two.”
Yep. 4-four speed;4- four barrel;2- dual exhaust…
My 442 was ordered with a Turbo 350 transmission and single exhaust: how sad! It was really a 341, a beige 341 at that.
“Four forty-two” That’s a new one for me.
got the Z28 version in that color; am surprised how often I’ve removed them this winter in MD… climate derange
I used to have the Z28 version in that color with white leather: I should have kept it.
Still not something I’d drive across railroad tracks with the t-tops off and the doors open…..
not a big deal, there is zero difference structurally between the t-top cars and the solid roof cars in the 4th get Firebird/Camaro. People who haven’t in one always makes the assumption that they are rattle traps and wet noodles like the 3rd gen cars….not true.
100% true!
I remember a Motor Trend article in 1994 that compared all current convertibles, and they noted the F Body had the best built convertible top shy of basically just the SL. I don’t know how this translates to structural integrity, but build quality is a probably a good indicator. Were they done by ASC? I can’t seem to recall now
The converts were GM done on the assembly line for the 4th gens. they actually planned them from the start vs. the 3rd gens.
Contrary to what most people shout out, the 4th gen F-body had a pretty robust structure and was “stiffer” than many other so called structurally robust platforms available at the time. Another instance of a sterotype passed on from one generation to the other.
looks like he has been through the mud
I love this photo. This is exactly what I dreamed of experiencing when I was in my teens and early twenties. Nothing could have been more euphoric than spending quality time with a beautiful dark-haired girlfriend in a T-top Firebird.
You rock kid, whoever you are.
This is not an easy position to do. Standing like this would require you to put your feet on the front seat cushions or perhaps the floor if the seats were fully moved back on their tracks. I would not be happy with people standing on my front seat cushions with their shoes on.
Sure that’s fun, but in a few years when you have a couple of kids and you are carting them to school in say, your ’85 Mustang GT with t-tops, and the kid is sitting on a rapidly damping towel and also practically sitting on the console to avoid the constant drips coming in from the leak-tops, they start to lose their appeal.
I went to school many times with my right shoulder and/or right leg wet thanks to those leak-tops. My dad still owns the car (he bought it new) but says if he could go back, he wouldn’t get the t-tops.
I realize a T top is no sunroof. The wife’s Intrigue had a sunroof, and for the 10 years we had the car, the roof wasn’t opened 10 times.
I put the top down 4 times last year on my LeBaron. Either too hot or too cold. The same situation when I had the 66 Caddy 30 years ago.
I think the mystique is mainly the potential of topless driving. I think the same principle applies to the four side windows of a hardtop. With manual cranks, how many guys rolled down all the windows.
I don’t see any snow; it can’t be “that” cold 🙂 Nice view. I’ve always wanted to visit Oregon, but didn’t know it was so pictorial. Thanks for the Oregonian pictures!
Here’s the view the other direction: https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/cc-outtake-follow-up-so-thats-how-its-properly-used/