The T-top was patented back in 1951 by famed designer Gordon Buehrig, but wouldn’t see duty on a regular-production car until it appeared as standard equipment on the 1968 Chevrolet Corvette. A pretty long stretch between conception and implementation, we’d argue.
Mostly displaced by the sunroof (or in the case of the Corvette by a single-piece Targa roof), the T-top enjoyed a period of popularity that seemed to peak sometime around the late Seventies.
T-tops were generally a pricey option. The ’78 Chrysler LeBaron’s T-bar roof was priced at $642 as a standalone option–fully 10 percent of the car’s base price, and about the same cost as adding air conditioning. Despite the steep tariff, many sun seekers opted for the open-air experience in lieu of the sterility of an artificially chilled cabin.
Presented here are 5 classic car ads that prominently feature T-top roofs. If you’ve owned a T-top-equipped car, tell us about it. Be sure to mention if you experienced any of the water leaks so often associated with T-tops.
Hidden Headlamps: The Awkward Years
Ads Featuring T-Tops
10 Worst Gas Guzzlers of 1994*
Learning to Drive Stick: A Sordid Tale of Intrigue, Deception, and Personal Triumph
Recent-History Madness! A Gallery of Car Ads from 2002
Photo Feature: 1961 Plymouth Belvedere
Ads Featuring T-Tops
