Boxster Hardtop, 986 or 987?

[Niels911SC]

Hello everyone,

I'm going to have a look at a hardtop someone's selling in the area, and I'd like to know how I can tell if it's a hardtop for a 986 or a 987. The seller isn't too knowledgeable about it, and since I won't have the boxster with me I'd like to be certain. I have a blue '97 Boxster.

[The Glademister]

Originally Posted by Niels911SC

Hello everyone,

I'm going to have a look at a hardtop someone's selling in the area, and I'd like to know how I can tell if it's a hardtop for a 986 or a 987. The seller isn't too knowledgeable about it, and since I won't have the boxster with me I'd like to be certain. I have a blue '97 Boxster.

Look for the shell part #. I've never seen one so I've got no idea where that number is located. Here's what the parts diagram says...

986 563 911 01 - 1997
986 563 911 03 - 1998 thru 2004
987 563 911 00 - 2005 thru 2008

[Aron in Toronto]

In addition to Glademister's info the the two differing #'s for the 986 will work on your 97. The difference is the 97 top has external "ears", small raised plates in the lower corners that, IIRC are used to mount the RTS (roof transport system AKA roof rack) and the 98-04 tops have an updated RTS mount that eliminated the "ears".

The 987 top will have a sharper or tighter curve profile to fit the profile of the 987 door glass.

986 top.


987 top


1997 986 top w/ ears


1998-04 986 top w/o ears

[Niels911SC]

Thanks for the information! The seller sent me some pictures today, from the looks of it, would you say it's a 986 or a 987 top?
Or is the only way for me to know to go over there with the boxster and try it out?

[Aron in Toronto]

I can't tell from the photos if it's a 986 or 987 top.
I do see a difference from the top in your pics and my '97 top. On my top there are small black plastic removable panels in the interior near the red handles, that are removed to access and make adjustments to the mounting pins.
I don't know if all 986 tops are like mine or only the early ones.

[Niels911SC]

Thanks, I guess we'll see on saturday, when I'm going to have a look at the top. I'll let you guys know when I find out how to distinguish the different tops!

[Niels911SC]

Ok, so, me and my das went over there, put the top on, everything seems to fit well, until we roll up the windows, because then we see that they don't close fully. Concluding: it was a 987 hardtop. So, a bit disappointed, we put the soft-top back up, turns out the little plastic window broke when we put the top down to test the hardtop! Since we had driven two hours already we decided we weren't going home without a hardtop, so I had a look again at our local classifieds website. Turns out there was another Ocean Blue hardtop for sale in the area. Quickly phoned the seller, it was still for sale and he was at home so we could come and have a look. We go over there, turns out it's an original 97 hardtop (Same year as the boxster) with the little covers left and right. Turns out we had some luck after all, because we have a matching set now! We bought it, and had a lovely drive back home (of course we had to test the noise reduction at various speeds of questionable legality )