Hurst hatch t-top vs fisher t-top năm 2024

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Hurst Hatches were original equipment on many 1976-78 Trans Ams, most notably seen in "Smokey and the Bandit". The cars were shipped to Hurst and the tops were put in there with a saw. Hurst Hatches are the smallest type and came in two different colors.

Hurst Hatches are our major emphasis on this site, because of their use in Bandit Trans Ams.

Go to the Hurst Hatch Site!

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Fisher T-tops were designed by GM to be put in on the assembly line. They were used from 1978 to 1981, and produced in large numbers. The car bodies had special roof panels designed for T-tops.

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Cars and Concepts T-tops were installed by cutting the roof all the way across. It looks almost like a targa roof.

We've dissected a car with C&C tops and collected a modest amount of information on these tops.

Go to the Cars and Concepts Hatch Site!

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American Hatch made a product almost identical to the Hurst Hatch, only the Firebird version was larger. These are quite rare, and we've collected a small amount of info on them.

Go to the American Hatch Site!

An aftermarket kit... dealer fitted type of thing... far, far less common... was a near copy of the Hurst, but 2.5 inches deeper... @ 19 & 3/4" meaning door to door across the car. They also had metal frames and two handles per top.

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This is what a Hurst T-Top Looks Like...

The image below is what your roof needs to look like.

• Small T-Tops with large gap betwen each on the roof ...
• Glass marked as HH LOF Laminated glass, 2 latches-one in front-one in rear that work independently.
• Chrome or black aluminum frame around.
• DETAILS
• LOF Laminated glass, 2 latches-one in front-one in rear that work independently. Chrome or black aluminum frame around entire t-top.
• Hurst Hatches are generally identified by this H/H emblem in the glass (hold up to the light and look through), and also on the back side of some plastic trim. The hatches have LOF laminated safety glass, which is date coded, and they close with two handles.
• Note how the hatch roof steps in from the vertical line of the pillars before the top square is cut out.. this is unlike the latter Fisher type that vertially continue up the pillar line etc.
• Hurst Hatches were installed on thousands of new cars, so they're far more common than the other forms of aftermarket t-tops but not as common as GM Fisher Tops. Hurst tops were designed to install in a hardtop car, be it an F body or a Grand Prix, Monte Carlo etc... The frames were clamped into a hole that was sawed in the roof.

I just found a 81 Firebird that someone cut and put Hurst T-tops in. I got the car for 500 bucks, but bought it mostly for the quarters and doors. Now I am wonder if it is possible to put the t-tops in my 77.

The Hurst T-tops look narrow or just smaller than the Fisher's. Is that why Pontiac changed? What years did they use Hurst T-Tops? If anyone can give me some information or point me to a thread that has it I would be very much appreciate it.

Thanks, Jerry

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Here is some quick info:

http://www.78ta.com/ttops.htm

The Hurst T-tops were used in 1976, 1977, and the beginning of 1978. They had such problems with leaking, they changed to the Fisher T-tops and used those from 1978 to 1981.

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Here's a silly question for you all......

I'm going to assume that "Hurst" hatch cars were actually sent out somewhere to have the roofs cut and the Hurst hatches installed? And the "Fisher" cars were done in house? Does anyone know how the Fisher tops were actually done, as far as whether there was a separate assembly line process for those cars or if they were complete cars that were sent over to another facility to be "T-Topped"?

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Thanks Brett, that is what I was looking for.

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Here's a silly question for you all...... I'm going to assume that "Hurst" hatch cars were actually sent out somewhere to have the roofs cut and the Hurst hatches installed? And the "Fisher" cars were done in house? Does anyone know how the Fisher tops were actually done, as far as whether there was a separate assembly line process for those cars or if they were complete cars that were sent over to another facility to be "T-Topped"?

The Hurst Tops Were a KIT that was installed in a Hardtop Car The Fisher T Tops are called that because the Fisher Body Company Designated the T top car as they were built Fisher T Top cars have a completely different roof It was designed to keep the body stiff and still have the T tops

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way too many cars It is a sickness

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Yes, 76, 77 and early 78 hard top cars were shipped to Hurst to have their Hurst Hatch t-tops installed.

I don't know if we'll ever know the real reason Gm used Hurst but I suspect it was simply that Hurst offered the product and GM decided to let them do it in order to "test" the market for t-tops before they spent the money and time in re-engineering the roof. Once they saw that the t-tops were popular, and Hurst had a problem with leaking, they went forward with engineering their own version. Again, I don't know that there is any documentation out there about the decisions made back then. This is just a theory.