Currently own an 87 mustang gt with t tops (nostalgia) from my teens and twenty's, I have owned 2 previous t top aero cars, lots of surface rust on this particular cars roof and fenders, shock towers are in good shape, as well as the floors and body, and fender gaps mimic that of a hardtop, seems like the stock 3.08's were kept in the rear its whole life with 200k on the clock, I put a good running motor in, as well as a tremec t5 and fresh 373 with 4 wheel disc, all done alone by me in my driveway, my question is this I guess, I'm hesitant on diving in to an expensive paint and body work job since I'm only handy mechanically, I can probably buy another complete t top car for what I'm gonna put into it in paint, I'm torn...
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If you are attached to the one you have, keep it. You'll never regret keeping it, only getting rid of it
I have reservations about a full paint and body work job because I owned an 88 lx 5.0 hatch with t tops all thru the 90's and did all the bolt ons that the sky doesn't have a limit to, and I did the get older get practical thing, marriage,kids, etc then I picked up an 87 lx notch in the early 2000's and fell in love but missed my t's, then that cars fate was left in the hands of a drunk driver which put the front right fender into the left side of the rear trunk, now I see people in the "aero" notches with the t tops, whether its a four eyed converted or someone doing there own c and c to an 87 up notch, needless to say I have a spare complete t roof and glass, molding,trim, etc in storage from an 87 gt parts car I had, do I break away from the hatch project and find my notch with t's? Yes I would cut the hardtop off for a t top, leaky roof or not I wouldn't trade it for the world. Confused like a 12 year old, I already have the blood, sweat and knuckles busted up from this project, thanks for letting me vent since all my friends moved on to hyndaui and accord daily drivers
If you love your 87 T-top (i used to have one) then you should paint it. Most Fox mustangs out there need paint and body work anyway so what's the point of moving on to something else? Even if you could paint the car yourself you'd find that the molding and trim is a serious pain in the ass to restore and it's not something you want to leave on and paint over or your paint will flake off in that area eventually.
My vote is keep it and paint it!!
My vote is keep it and paint it!!
Finding a t top notch in good shape would cost a descent amount of money. They are few and far between. Seems these days everybody wants a notch. Which I would love to have one myself. If your heart isn't into the GT and you really want a t top notch I say sell it and keep looking. I absolutely love a 4 eye t top notch but talk about elusive/expensive(relatively speaking).
Keep it and paint it.
I know the feeling about paint, not only is it expensive but how fast and well it get's painted is unpredictable.
It's something I've been putting off for what feels like forever. (good paint in NJ is a $4000-$6000+).
Do aero notch T top cars factory cars even exist? People talk about them but there is very little proof real factory t top notches ever existed. Many were aero conversion with older cars.
Regardless, if it does it will be expensive as hell if in good condition. If it's in poor condition you'll be painting it anyway.
If you like the lx look better convert your gt to an lx before it's painted.
I know the feeling about paint, not only is it expensive but how fast and well it get's painted is unpredictable.
It's something I've been putting off for what feels like forever. (good paint in NJ is a $4000-$6000+).
Do aero notch T top cars factory cars even exist? People talk about them but there is very little proof real factory t top notches ever existed. Many were aero conversion with older cars.
Regardless, if it does it will be expensive as hell if in good condition. If it's in poor condition you'll be painting it anyway.
If you like the lx look better convert your gt to an lx before it's painted.
When I was a teenager/early twenty's I owned an 88 lx 5.0 hatch and she was my pride and joy but with all my bolt ons and steep gears even with double cross subframes, as what they called them back in like 93 there were 2 1987 2.3 notches in my area that were aero hence the 87-88 one was scarlet red and one was that lighter blue ford had back then, there weren't cameras on phones back then and I have no evidence to support my sightings but some people say there are a handful that were made and without actual real Marti reports that are 100% accurate we will probably never know, it was the damn hatch that bothered me, that heavy hatch, gt/lx whatever, I found my notch to a have a more sanitized look that's all, I have plenty of interior parts and a whole t top setup and various engines still in my possession and it would be awesome to build an aero t top coupe, c and c blew out a ton back in the 80's and 90's who's to say there aren't a few notch's out there, I still believe and I will make my own one day
Yes it was an 86 though I believe, it was the editors car, I saw a girl driving one when I was in highschool, it was an 87-88 t top notch, it must have been done after the fact, wish I knew where that car went to, I junked 2 hatch cars with t tops in my lifetime so far, lots of rot and body tweak
I think I might have read that and I think his name is Bob, well either way that article is what got me all fired up again! I can always practice on a fox body heading to the bone yard, he lists specific measurements too if its the same guy, thanks I will check it out
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