questions before i purchase

[REMOVED USER]

Alright all you GTA experts out there, maybe you can help me out with a few questions i have about these great cars. I'm looking to purchase a GTA, but have never owned a 3rd generation f-body. I've heard horror stories about t-top optioned cars, and i was just wondering if i should steer clear of cars with this option or not. Also, how rare are 305/5-speed GTA's? Thanks

[Brent87LT1]

I happen to own an '87 t-top 5-speed GTA. The t-tops do leak a little at the high-pressure car wash, and very little in the hard rain. This can be fixed with new weather stripping but the price is ridiculous! As far as structural integrity, I'd rather have t-tops that flex a little than a hard top that may buckle which requires very expensive body work. Of course this all depends on the type of driving you plan to do.
Do yourself a favor, if you buy this car, order some sub-frame connectors from www.tpis.com the very next day.
I'm not a production number guru on the amount of these cars made. I would like to know myself.

[REMOVED USER]

My newly purchased 88 with T-tops, doesn't leak.
Much to my surprise.

[REMOVED USER]

I have owned my 1989 GTA since it was brand new. It has T-Tops with a 5.0 liter 5 speed manual transmission. I live in a very wet climate. The first year of the cars life was spent in Vancouver, Canada before I moved to Victoria on Vancouver Island. We get rain here, boy do we get rain here. Parts of Vancouver up to 80 inches/per and the west coast of Vancouver Island up to 200 inches/year. For all you guys south of the border think of Seattle and you get the picture. Anyhow I can give you the low down on T-Tops leaking. Mine does not leak. When washing the car under garden hose pressure some water may get in depending on the hose nozzle setting. When driving in rain storms the occasional drop may come in from the side windows. I had some leaks the first couple of months and returned it to GM under warranty who adjusted the T-Tops and they never leaked again. My only complaint is when there is water on the roof from rain or washing and you lower the windows water spills inside as there is no gutter along the edge of the T-Top.

Here is a tip I can pass along. There is a weather stripping silicone paste from GM I have applied to all the weather stripping once or twice a year since I bought the car. This keeps the rubber soft and supple which helps with road noise and leaks. The silicone paste forms a water barrier between the T-Top and the weather stripping and acts as a lubricant to keep sweecks down.

If you search this site you can find production figures for 5.0 lire 5 speeds. I would think it would be quite common. Hope this helps.

The Rain Man
Ray

[REMOVED USER]

Thanks for your help guys