The T-top is a unique part of automotive history. While the idea of removable roof panels dates back to the 1950s, the 1970s and 1980s saw them come to prominence when automakers were predicting that convertibles would be banned.Nissan embraced the T-top with its Z cars, but hasn't brought them back for the modern Nissan Z. This is a shame, as the new Nissan Z has a lot of callbacks to its rich history, but a T-top is missing. However, Nick Scherr, known far and wide as NISMO Nick, is ready to bring back the glory days of disco, hair metal, open-air sports cars that aren't convertibles. An OEM Level Conversion Scherr is no stranger to big projects, lest we forget his customization program at Pinnacle Nissan in Arizona. He plans on creating an OEM-level finish to the T-top conversion. But, it certainly won't be easy to pull off.“Some of the engineering challenges I am facing involve ensuring watertight sealing throughout the vehicle. Areas of particular concern include the windshield, side windows, rear section, and the interfaces where the T-top panels meet the center T-bar," Scherr told Carscoops.Issues he will face, on top of sealing the roof panels when installed, include wind noise and dealing with the side-curtain airbag system. "Given that this is a one-off custom build rather than a production vehicle, this is not as critical a concern as it would be for a mass-produced design, but it is still an area that warrants consideration," Scherr said regarding the airbag system. The “Open Air Collection” Nissan Juke Convertible - Nick Scherr 6The T-top Nissan Z project is planned as the centerpiece of what Scherr calls the “Open Air Collection." It will go alongside projects celebrating Nissan's oddball past in the form of a heavily customized Murano CrossCabriolet and a one-off Juke Convertible concept.If legend is to be believed, the original Murano CrossCabriolet came about because the wife of then CEO Carlos Ghosn wanted a roofless version of the Murano in an upmarket trim. The Murano CrossCabriolet was widely criticized and mocked, but sold for four model years, ending its run with the 2014 model year.The Nissan Juke never got a convertible version, but despite its truly oddball and polarizing looks, gained a cult following. It even got the NISMO treatment. While the Juke likely isn't coming back to the US anytime soon, particularly as the Nissan Kicks has filled its slot in the lineup and is one of Nissan's best mainstream cars, the Murano is now in its fourth generation and going strong. CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters: Nick Scherr In the grand scheme of things, what Scherr is doing is as cool as it is wild with the Open Air Collection, but it's an incredibly niche project. However, Scherr does have some influence with Nissan, and told Carscoops that “Nissan insiders love the idea of the T-top Z. I know for a fact things I have designed and built have influenced Nissan.”While we wouldn't expect Nissan to bring back the Murano CrossCabriolet following the complete roasting it got from the press and car culture in general, we wouldn't write off the idea of a Nissan Z T-top. It would be an expensive proposition to engineer then produce, but it looks like Scherr is doing a lot of the groundwork. It's something that could make for a brilliant special edition run – if the cost isn't over the top.
