Targa -> Coupe Conversion project
 

Bought this car, my first 911, last June, it was original a yellow narrowbody 74 targa. When I got it someone had gone through it, welded the steel turbo arches on, as well as a bunch of goodies, and a 3.0L. It wasn't fully together, so I got it back on the rd, and drove it for the rest of last year. Then this winter I started to tear into it. The targa was leaking like crazy and was LOUD with windnoise, so the ultimate fix was to convert it to a coupe. I started gathering parts, cut the roof off a donor car in connecticut, and have slowly been making headway. I finished the cage last week, which took 44hrs in total, and will be welding the roof on this weekend, and beginning body work next week. Anyways here are some pics from the project so far. I will try to keep this updated!

Started life like this

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Took it over to a buddy's shop to use the tubing bender

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A couple more pics from yesterday starting with a quick lesson in safety glasses.

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Headliner is easy this way round.
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The gussets begin
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The coupe and Targa a-pillars are a slightly different shape so a little disection is in order.
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Those are some really nice welds.

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Epic job - very nice.

+1 on the welding compliments

Incredible ambitious project - Very impressive.

If you leave a Targa top off, no wind noise......

Great decision. Nothing uglier than a Targa. Flame suit on....

i like the way u doin the headliner , can u show me some more photo of the headliner . ^^

Been making progress, I do need to replace one piece of sheet metal that was hit at some point, i started getting into the body work and found 3/4" deep filler for about 2 square feet on both sides of the car. I filler I was able to sweep up weight just under 8 lbs. Also got my door gaps straight, some more gusseting done, etched primed the bare metal and stripped and primed the engine bay. Ten hrs of stripping... normally I'd say that would be a good thing. Also started fitting up the rear bumper which is a pita.

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One arch tucks in at the back for some reason so fixing that here
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Looking really good. Are you going to fill in the wheel arch lines or leave them?

going to fill them, I just etched the car to stop the flash rusting

Must be nice to have access to all the right tools.

This is a serious project, with with knowledgeable craftsman...

You have too much time on your hands. Why waste a Targa when you can buy a coupe to bastardize?

On the one hand I love the original look of that targa (and I'm not a great targa fan), and on the other hand I have to admire your skills - great job.

Loved the yellow Targa,but what's passed .....
Amazing work !

Project looks great. I've been back and forth about doing this to my targa for a while. I already have the coupe for a roof donor, so this just might be the motivation I need.

The things we do!

UUHM...... Why bastardize a great coupe when you have the chance to get another ugly targa off the road!!!

Just my opinion! But anyone with any vision will see how much more sleek and liquid the coupe lines are compaired to the targa.

Maybe you should try visualizing from INSIDE a Targa car some time ;)

Nice work. I won't say this by way of criticizing, but with that super well crafted roll cage and stiffening job, you could have made the car into a cabriolet and used a fiberglass roof.

No better way to fabricate a roll cage than to have total access!

"While you are there" you might reinforce the rear shock towers a la the RSRs.

Touche!!!

Very nice work!

Have you thought about going one step further and backdating it? Just not a fan of the big bumpers...

They forget how nice it is to have the top off and still have the security of a Targa roll bar. Heathens! :)

Sick skills! Looks like its getting prepped to be a serious car, what's getting put in the back?

High heel marks
 

My opinion the coupe still looks better but at least with a Targa I might not have all those High Heel Holes in my headliner!!!! For more than one reason!!!!

+1
Seems like chassis reinforcement would be more complete by installing the usual pieces in this and other areas.

Sherwood

Thanks for the comments! I bought this car, my first 911 last year and drove it all year, and honestly I really did not like the targa as far as chassis flex, wind noise, leaking, looks etc (not to bash on targa owners as I was/am one, its just not a very practical car here in Vermont) I have driven plenty of other 911's and the targa just wasn't the same. I had some repairs to make and a respray was in order so why not convert it. Also the targa has some additional chassis reinforcement pieces which should compliment the coupe. The car will be getting the rsr shock tower reinforcements as well as front camber boxes and some other goodies. I'm just trying to get the chassis set up how I like now and then when my wallet recovers I will start with the proper suspension goodies. Currently I am working on the front oil cooler scoop/brake ducts which I will post pictures of shortly.

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For the back I just have a 3.0L that will be going back in, nothing special, but when the care progress's and I get comfortable with it, I would love to/hope to do a turbo 3.3. I came from the big turbo audi world so I really miss playing with the snails

She's coming along!

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If it were anyone else doing this I would say it's an incredibly stupid idea but in your case I can't say that. You obviously have the skills to pull this off.

You are one talented SOB. Kudos to you!

First I would like to say nice work you definately have skills, BUT if all you wanted to do was stiffen the car up you could have kept the open car theme and stiffened the chassis up in other ways like I did when I converted my targa to a cab. Again nice work and +1 on the gussets on the shock towers while you are in there.

Tom

You are obviously preparing this car so it can be raced (even if you only forsee DE at this point). It pays to take a look at the rules various race organizations have for classing cars. On the off chance that you haven't, or for those taken by the fine workmanship but not fully conversant with racing car preparation rules, I offer some comments.

Some sanctioning bodies limit the number of attachment points for the cage in some classes. So you can't race in a class with such a rule. Others don't.

PCA Club Racing (something I know a bit about) does not limit how many attachments you have to the cage inside the passenger compartment. So you are OK there. It makes a lot of sense to tie the tub and cage together frequently, even if you haven't cut the car apart.

PCA, however, does not allow the cage to be extended outside the passenger compartment in the stock classes. I don't see that you are doing that, so you haven't crossed that Rubicon.

Some sanctioning bodies require extensions from the front hoop to the firewall. I think only those which limit attachments might prohibit this, but haven't got everyone's rules in the memory banks. PCA obviously allows this.

Many rules operate on a "if it isn't specifically allowed, you can't do it" basis. So I'd be careful about RSR reinforcements and the like if you have any racing aspirations. These were made so that coilovers could be used. They aren't really necessary for a torsion bar suspension.

PCA requires one door protection bar. Some organizations (SCCA comes to mind) require two. I've got two in my SC. About the only reason not to have two is to save weight, and having a second door bar will stiffen things up as well as increase side impact protection.

If you are aiming at racing in a modified class, where there are many fewer restrictions, then little of this applies outside of the minimum safety requirements.

The short of this is that it pays to look at what various racing organizations allow, require, and forbid for the kind of class you might be interested in racing in. It is usually possible to build a cage which will comply with all of these rules without conflicting with any of them. Beyond that, as long as you know that you won't be able to race in class X with organization Y, and don't care, all is well too.

nice work, I love it!

Hey Walt, good info!

When I built the cage I briefly read through the SCCA rules, but really only to see the proper way of tying the cage into the car. The idea behind this particular car was to have a street legal DE car, but even more than that, it was to try some new to me things fabrication-wise and to build something I'm proud of.

Excellent work Tom! Can't wait to be the scrub in the passenger seat!

Probably too late to remove the gutter rails huh?

where the heck is a new post about this project!!!! i want to see update pics!!!