Some cars have fixed roofs; others have folding cloth roofs – and a very special few have small removable sections of the roof that let the sunshine in when they’re out, and let a tiny bit of rain in when they’re installed. Today we’re going to take a look at two such cars, and pay our respects to that most badass of all roof types: the T-top.
Yesterday we looked at two cars with big rear spoilers, and I figured the Thunderbird was going to win. Rear-wheel-drive and a manual transmission gave it the edge, I think, despite its electrical gremlins and higher price. The Iron Duke/TH125 combo in the Grand Am just couldn’t compete.
However, I’m going to play devil’s advocate and cast my vote for the Grand Am. At this point, I would rather do upkeep on a slow car than try to revive a faster one with issues. Maybe I’m just getting old, but polishing up an old Pontiac on weekends sounds relaxing.
T-tops on a production car first appeared on the 1968 Corvette, and they really gained popularity in the late 1970s in the absence of convertibles. They seem to be one of those love-it-or-hate-it car features; either you think they’re unbelievably cool, or you have had some that leaked on you and are over them. I’ve never had a car with T-tops, so I still think they’re cool. For today, I’ve found two great examples of T-top cars: one that had them as standard equipment, and another that should have. Let’s check them out.
1989 Nissan Pulsar NX XE – $4,500
Engine/drivetrain: 1.6 liter OHC inline 4, five-speed manual, FWD
Location: Seattle, WA
Odometer reading: 155,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
The Nissan Pulsar was available in a variety of bodystyles in other parts of the world, but we only got one: the two-door coupe. For the second generation, that meant standard T-tops and a removable hatchback that could be replaced with a station wagon-style cover known as the Sportbak. This one doesn’t have the Sportbak; it was a rare option then, and it’s nearly impossible to find now. But you can still remove the T-top panels and the hatch for open-air fun.
The Pulsar never was a high-performance car; you could get a turbocharged engine in the first generation and a twin-cam engine in this one, but the standard engine was a single-cam 12 valve engine shared with the Sentra. It makes the most of its 92 horsepower with a five-speed manual transmission. This one has had four owners, and comes with service records going all the way back to 1994. It’s in great mechanical shape, and has been driven daily for the past three years.
The interior positively screams ’80s, with its accordion shift boot, side pods on the instrument panel, and tape deck in the dash. The seller has installed new Pioneer speakers in the doors, so your INXS tapes should sound pretty good. It’s all in great shape, and the seller says everything works fine. The T-top seals do seep a bit in the rain, but to be fair, Seattle weather is a test of any window seals.
There are so many great little details on the outside of this car: the pop-up headlights, the diagonal lines on the taillights, the door handles set into the edges of the doors. It’s unmistakable from anything else. This one is in fine shape, though it does have a little crease in the driver’s side door, and some unevenly-faded paint. Still, the seller says it turns a lot of heads, and I believe it.
1994 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 – $5,000
Engine/drivetrain: 5.7 liter OHV V8, six-speed manual, RWD
Location: Redding, CA
Odometer reading: 96,000 miles
Operational status: Has been sitting for a while, needs a battery
Though it seems like the Chevy Camaro had T-tops all along, they didn’t actually become available until 1978, well into the car’s second generation. But after that, they became a fixture, and no well-dressed Z28 was complete without them. The fourth-generation Camaro and Firebird were to be the last cars with T-tops, but they wore them well. In fact, any time I feature a Camaro here without T-tops, someone comments on the lack of them. So here you go.
Not only does this Camaro Z28 have T-tops, it also has the T56 six-speed manual transmission. The seller says this car belongs to their grandmother, who stopped driving it three years ago. It has been sitting since then, so it will need some waking up. The battery needs replacing, and all the fluids should be changed, at the minimum. But once you get it going again, you’ll enjoy 275 horses from that LT1 V8. Go Granny go.
It only has 96,000 miles on it, and Granny obviously took care of it, so it’s in a lot better shape inside than your average fourth-gen Camaro. This is also the first time in a long time that I’ve seen a detachable-face stereo with the face actually detached. People still do that? I think the face comes off the one in my truck, but I’ve never actually removed it.
It has been parked outside all this time, which is a good test of the T-top seals, but it’s hell on the clearcoat. All the horizontal surfaces are dull. Whether or not it’s worth repainting is up to you. At least, as a California car, it should be rust-free. Redding gets its share of snow, but they don’t salt the roads.
Open-air driving can be a wonderful thing, but convertibles are kind of a pain in the ass. T-tops seem like a good compromise: snug and warm in the winter, but letting plenty of summer sun and fresh air in. Almost no one makes them anymore, and I think that’s a shame. We could use more fun and fresh air in cars these days. But at least we’ve got these two. Which one is more your style?
The Nissan would be more interesting and is in better shape. I remember those Camaros when they were new and they’re not for me. Interiors were unacceptable, too.
Damn, these are both in good condition! Tough call.
hard choice today! I went Nissan cause I always liked there 2 door sporty coups back then, and that interior is so clean!
buuuut I also have a soft spot for the 4th gen F bodies, playschool interiors? yes but they still looked cool esp the Firebird!
They weren’t ‘sporty’ even when they were new.
I was all set to vote for the Pulsar due to its relative rarity and my assumption that the Camaro had an automatic. The 6 speed makes the choice harder, but I went with the Pulsar due to its 80’s kitsch. Props to granny, tho.
The Pulsar speaks to me more. Cars like this are the peak for slow-car-fast being as fun as a fast car. I’ll take it and fondly remember Nissan’s glory days. The Camaro is super tempting at that price, but who knows how much money you will have to sink into it after 3 years of sitting?
That is a pretty rad Grandma, but I think I would rather have the Pulsar. It’s in better shape cosmetically, but it was hardly an easy decision.
A granny with a 90s Camaro could be in her 30s still.
I was all set to vote Camaro just to post “Bitchin’ Camaro”: https://youtu.be/1v3CzvQ9e_w?si=xN0TrpI3oGOiXayj
but that Pulsar is a time machine with better paint, and it also has a stick. Voting Pulsar.
Both good choices today. I was going to vote on the Nissan, but a Camaro that isn’t clapped out has to get my vote. My make-good for not voting for the RWD/stick yesterday.
Z28 hands down. Pulsar is a cool car without a doubt but nothing like a Z to have fun with, tinker on…especially since this will need tinkering, and cruise in 90’s style with some hair bands blaring from the stereo
I had to vote Pulsar. It still looks 80’s fresh. It’s been maintained and probably garaged. Red paint just fades so fast if left outside. Nissan used to do cool thing s like this. Now it’s mostly rewarmed garbage.
The Camaro is cool and hey a V8 with the 6 spd is nice but I would have to bring it back to life and probably a repaint. I see a lot of ones that look like this just sitting on the street or halfway under a car cover that no one has repositioned back over the car. But I don’t see Pulsars esp. in decent condition so let me grab my Scritti Politti album and ride.
The Pulsar is the better car. It’s smaller on the outside but bigger on the inside LOL
That Pulsar, as well as the NX that came after it, are basically the Camaro done right.
Oh also, that LT1 has the stupid Opti-Spark shit full of problems. And GM being stupid they put the engine under the windshield rather than under the hood, so most service is impossible.
And yeah, who the fuck would buy a Camaro or Firebird without T-tops? That’s why the recent gens failed.
Garage space is limited. I’ll save two feet and go with the Pulsar.
That Nissan 100%!
It’s a shame about the 90s aftermarket wheels though. There’s gotta be something sitting around that would suit the car better.
You kiddin’? Those things are perfect for it!
Go Pulsar! If you need a cheap runaround why not have it be a stylish coupe with flip up headlights?
I wouldn’t want to say “I could have had a V8”, but I’d rather have an MR2 turbo from that year with T-tops
https://www.toyotanont.com/public/uploads/news/2bb72935446b622f568399972f9351bd.jpg
Not a T top fan. They make as much sense as side curtains.
That Pulsar is all sorts of funky in a good way!
The Pulsar is an artifact of a time when the Japanese automakers still understood the meaning of “cheap and cheerful”. I wanted one then and I still kind of want one now. That ‘Mero might be the best spec, but it’s not something I feel any desire for.
I just never cared for 4th gen camaros and only like 98-02 Firebirds for the 4th gen so I went with the Nissan also I love pop up headlights and wedge mobiles. Also I think pulsar would get much more looks and questions at a cruise nights then the camaro.
neither in most cases, I cannot in good conscience ever buy an LT1 Equipped GM vehicle. Manual Trans is a little tough to pass, but those T56 units are not the most rugged either. I guess since it is play money, the pulsar is less Crack Pipe to me.
That Nissan is just a nifty little package. Someone cared, someone cleaned.
The Pulsar turns heads.
The Camaro turns mullets.
“but convertibles are kind of a pain in the ass”
If so – you have the wrong convertible.
Because there is no greater PITA than T tops when you’re out driving with them off and it starts to rain.
Pulsar 100%. It’s just such a fun car.
This one was tough, but not that tough. Both of these are in excellent shape to be their model and age, and Pulsars, although they used to be everywhere, have become unobtainium in recent years in any shape. Throw in the SportBak, and the Pulsar would be a no brainer.
But sorry, Nissan, “six-speed manual 1994 Z28 with 96k original one-owner grandma-driven miles” is even rarer than that. Gimme the bitchen Camaro so I can run over my neighbors.
I still loves me a V8 – and I’m voting Pulsar. A V8 half buried under the windshield? No thanks. Lightweight 4 cylinder with a 5 speed that can be made essentially a full convertible with a targa bar? Yes please. And it’s arrest me red!
I can find better F-bodies than this. The Pulsar, though, is probably one of the best examples out there. So I’ll take the Nissan and lament the fact that it just isn’t what it used to be.
You can? Where? Point me toward one. The condition and mileage of this Z28 is what pushed me to vote for it.
Yeah, I’m from the North and the sun-baking kinda scares me. I’d just rather have a garaged creampuff, even if it costs a few grand more.
Both Mecum and B-J have “Thursday car” last-gen F-bodies, many in perfect condition, that hammer for way under 10k.