Targa owners, do you use these ?

[911S Targa]

I was just wondering if any of you Targa drivers use either of the items below. If so, how much improvement did you see. Are they worth buying ? I own a 76, and was having a thought about these items.

[Bobboloo]

It's hard to imagine that that brace in the top photo could do much. It's reinforcing a place that is already reinforced. Seems a bit redundant to me. If it extended farther forward it would be more effective. Albeit a bit obtrusive.

Triangulating the corners of the floor pan could do much more.

I've heard good things about the strut braces. Elephant Racing makes one that is triangulated and should work better than the model shown.

[Mike Kast]

I have asked the same question at had the same opinion about the top triangulation bar as Bobboloo. When I posted this question here, people with actual experience said it worked well. When I had my car corner balanced and aligned I asked the guy who did the work (Digital Chassis) about it and he said that it should stiffen the car a lot. He pointed to those same spots as points that could use reinforcement. It was a surprise to me! But I still haven't been willing to spend any more money on my car this year. And thankfully haven't been forced to.

[masraum]

Thom F had one of the top braces before he converted his targa to a cab, and said it actually made a fare amount of difference.

Many people swear by the strut tower brace regardless of what sort of car it is.

[MichiganMat]

start searching the boards dood, we've killed this issue many-a-time.

[kach22i]

If you install that back seat brace, will you still be able to stow the roof without folding it?

[speedman]

I have these installed in my 79 SC and they do work. There is a noticable reduction in the flex noise from the body when you drive over speed bumps. The older the car the more fatigue in the metal around the area and it does add strength. I can still put my top in behind the seats without folding it up. I have added the front strut brace also. i am please with the package

[widebody911]

Originally posted by masraum
Thom F had one of the top braces before he converted his targa to a cab, and said it actually made a fare amount of difference.

A clarification - I had the BK harness bar, which incorporates this bracing with the harness bar.

I also use a strut bar.

[911S Targa]

Originally posted by MichiganMat
start searching the boards dood, we've killed this issue many-a-time.

I did dood, and didnt seem to find but one post on it.

[911S Targa]

Originally posted by speedman
I have these installed in my 79 SC and they do work. There is a noticable reduction in the flex noise from the body when you drive over speed bumps. The older the car the more fatigue in the metal around the area and it does add strength. I can still put my top in behind the seats without folding it up. I have added the front strut brace also. i am please with the package

Did you use 2 braces, or 1 brace(top pic) inside the cab ? Did you add an Elephant Racing Strut brace, or something else ?

[MichiganMat]

Originally posted by 911S Targa
I did dood, and didnt seem to find but one post on it.

Heres a few from the first 3 pages of a search for "targa brace":

Targa Body Brace from our host.
Subframe bracing for a Targa?
Targa body brace
Targa Brace
Targa chassis stiffening (Targa viagra?)
Targa brace ... ?
Targa brace(not strut tower) questions...

[tsuter]

Originally posted by 911S Targa
I did dood, and didnt seem to find but one post on it.

This must be the "one" you found on "targa body brace".

Targa body brace

[widebody911]

Dood!

[kstylianos]

Thom,

I didnt think BK made a harness bar for a Targa...or am I thinking of the harness truss?

[Jdub]

When I rebuilt my suspension, front and rear, I went with the Elephant Racing "basic" brace for the front struts. A very reasonable, very nice piece of kit.

I cannot say, since I did EVERYTHING from the rack out to the struts, what effect the brace alone may have had, but the car handles like a dream and is, strangely, less prone to hard shock than it is now compliant and shock absorbing. This with Sports and a 21/26 tbar combination in a '78 SC Targa.

John

[widebody911]

Originally posted by kstylianos
I didnt think BK made a harness bar for a Targa...or am I thinking of the harness truss?

http://www.bkauto.com/porsche/r1015.php

[911S Targa]

Originally posted by MichiganMat
Heres a few from the first 3 pages of a search for "targa brace":

Targa Body Brace from our host.
Subframe bracing for a Targa?
Targa body brace
Targa Brace
Targa chassis stiffening (Targa viagra?)
Targa brace ... ?
Targa brace(not strut tower) questions...

Interesting, I didnt find those last night with the search heading of "targa body brace".

Sorry for creating another thread of a topic that seems to have been beat to death.

[KobaltBlau]

We have covered this lots, but I will add my $.02:

I have tried the welt cambermeister on the front and the BK targa harness bar pictured above. I can't tell if either one makes any difference. Perhaps they do, but I would never go so far as to say with certainty what exactly they do.

Bottom line: they make sense, but I can't tell you how much they do even though I've tried them.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

I've got the BK harness and a simple AJUSA front strut brace.

Put front strut brace on 2 years ago. It was like a new car. You definitely need on of these.

Got the BK in the spring for DEs. Less noticable, but it does make a difference. Best example is when you are leaving a parking lot and sometimes there is steep decline to the main road. My car is very low in the front so I need to take this at a diagonal. With 22/29 bars, you could feel the car twist (and hear the top creak when on), but with the BK harness bar, that is no longer an issue.

[HarryD]

Can't speak for the inside brace, but every Early Porsche ever raced has a Strut Tower Brace.

Maybe dem Porschie enguneers aren't very bright, but den agin, maybee dey are on to somthin'.