Targa Top Advice - I want to Keep Folding this Thing!

[Seattle Diver]

All,

Just looking for some input. My car if a fair weather toy that get extensive use in the good ol' PNW USA. The fold points in the targa top are starting to show extensive wear both the cracks there the folds are inside but also the top is looking pretty bad on top at the fold points in the rare event the top is on.

While i could (and ultimately will) send my top so an acknowledged guru(s) for the the "end all be all" restoration I'm in a bit of a quandary. Top fits great, minimal rode noise, seals seem good and properly adjusted. Doesn't bubble up strangely at speed. Headliner is in great shape and is isn't dangling down at all. My only problem is that I want fix these unsightly cracks and fold my top and carry it with me. That is what they were designed for and in Seattle it's prudent to carry something in the event of a sudden rainstorm.

Seems tops returning after spending ~1K get some sort of place of honor in the garage and are never folded again. Some sort of holy wall bracket is constructed used to house the top and then, when the conditions are perfect it comes down from the holy place to be affixed to the 911.

I've done research on a DIY recover and I'm heading that general direction. Almost all the recover threads have the " well it's not perfect but" disclaimer.

Any others in similar positions or thoughts would be appreciated on my next steps. The rain is about to get started in the NW and I'm lining up my winter projects. As always the level of support and knowledge here is surpassed by none so thanks for your thoughts in advance.
__________________

[schoward]

Time to recondition it.

I take mine on and off , fold it, unfold it all the time.

My last one lasted 10 years before cracks in the vinyl. Dan Petchel reconditioned it in '07. It was fine before but the refurb tightened it up a bit . If I have to have it done again in another 10 years for $800 or whatever it costs, so be it.

I know this may be contrary to many people's approach but I drive my car and have been caught more than once having to pull over and pop the top on at the onset of a sudden rain storm. And I remember narrowly escaping a torrential downpour when I ventured out to starbucks without it one time (had to hide in a parking garage for awhile).

Use it, enjoy it and deal with the costs of driving an old car when you have to.

[Hugh R]

Don't fold it. It will store open just fine behind the front seats.

[Kidasters]

Fold it up. I spent a bunch of money with Dan getting a top re-furb'd. An as I type this, it's folded up in the trunk.

And if I wear it out, I'll have it re-built again.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by Seattle Diver

Some sort of holy wall bracket is constructed used to house the top

Pfffft - A hermetically sealed chamber of honor and love is more like it- wall bracket?? No way.

Seriously, If you do not have big issues with top fit (wind noise/water ingress) I would search on the proper adhesives to use and re-skin the top yourself.

Buy the heavy German vinyl - not the domestic vinyl. The domestic is too thin and on hot days at speed it gets too flexible and gets sucked up into a hideous bulge by Bernoulli's principle. The German vinyl is more dense and does not do this.

[porwolf]

You seem to have another thread with the same name on the Used Parts Site:

Targa Top Advice - I want to Keep Folding this Thing!

[Seattle Diver]

Exactly the responses I expected and the perfect examples of the though process I'm going through.

One on hand - screw it, this stuff is made to be used and so be it if in in 10 years you have to recover/recondition again. One the other hand, while not as extreme in my first post (only kidding (kinda) about the holy storage location for the "never to be folded again" targa top). both are excellent points and somewhat vexing.

I'm just curious about this issue that all Targa owners have to be facing. Kidasters, I like your style. I bought this thing to drive and enjoy at every opportunity - not rub with a diaper in the garage and fixate on the fact that my targa top is creasing even more in my trunk right now as I type this.

I don't think there is a right and wrong here - just curious how others are approaching this.

Thanks for the insights.

[Seattle Diver]

Originally Posted by porwolf

You seem to have another thread with the same name on the Used Parts Site:

Targa Top Advice - I want to Keep Folding this Thing!

sorry, double post. I'll direct the other one here. Thanks for bringing this to my attention.

[Targalid]

My targa top looked like crap with plenty of tears, some as long as ten or twelve inches. I sealed the tears with vinyl repair glue from NAPA and sprayed the whole top with chip guard, the stuff you spray the rocker panels with to prevent rock chips. It looked good for about a year. I recently resprayed it with rubberized undercoating. So far, so good. It is waterproof, can be folded and doesn't look too bad. Is this as good as sending it off to New Jersey to be properly rebuilt? Well, no. Does it work? Well, yes.

[DanielDudley]

Mine is on the wall, or on the car. Many days I do not need it in the car. If I want it in the trunk, I only fold it slightly, and put a towel over it.

This thread is like a tire thread where a guy doesn't want to buy new tires because they will just become old like the ones he has. I mean why buy good tires when they will all eventually become crappy anyway ?

I have done many a convertible top at home, so I don't know why you don't try a home recover, if that is your desire. Repeat to yourself, ''It's only a car, It's only a car...'' .

And remember, this is supposed to be FUN.

[Seattle Diver]

Originally Posted by DanielDudley

Mine is on the wall, or on the car. Many days I do not need it in the car. If I want it in the trunk, I only fold it slightly, and put a towel over it.

Thanks this was the type of real world advice I was looking for.

This thread is like a tire thread where a guy doesn't want to buy new tires because they will just beco
ones he has. I mean why buy good tires when they will all eventually become crappy anyway ?

True but in reading in his forum I can't help butnotice the reverence given to these tops, particularly once they return from an expert rebuild. Up to and including a "shrine like storage location".

I have done many a convertible top at home, so I don't know why you don't try a home recover, if that is your desire. Repeat to yourself, ''It's only a car, It's only a car...'' .
This is where I'm heading, appreciate your insight

And remember, this is supposed to be FUN.

Indeed it is. Thx

[Drisump]

I do quite a few multi day tours with my Targa every year, we even camped this year at the Parts Obsolete weekend. The car is very loaded on these runs and space is at a premium (ie. not folding is not an option if you want to use the car as designed, for top down operation). I fold when necessary and leave it unfolded as often as I can. Met a guy last year with a mid 70's Carrera Targa (original owner) who had NEVER had the top off....I admit the top was beautiful and the fit was superb even after all those years, but I had to ask myself "why own a Targa?" I replaced the skin on mine two years ago when the vinyl started cracking at the fold points. I made the mistake of using a local guy who had done several tops before but (I didn't know it at the time) used domestic vinyl. As was said earlier, the German stuff is heavier and doesn't stretch and mis-shape itself as easily so it has to be said that my top is not exactly concours, but it keeps the rain out (mostly). A trip to the guru is definitely in it's future. Even after that, I will continue using it as before. Cheers

[nesslar]

Barring a complete 'rebuild' Dan Petchel will recover with the good stuff for only about$120 IIRC. For many years of use, I think (given that I DO recall correctly) that is a great value. My top has been folded many, many times, though I do it far less often of late. Still, it's going on 5 years (fully rebuilt unit I bought from Dan) and shows no sign of cracking. I do wipe it down with Mother's Back To Black rather often, which I'm sure helps. shipping across the country twice to send and receive back might bring the cost to $200 +/-, but is a price I'd be happy to pay. I hope I'm right about the price; believe I am.

[Targa Me]

My Targa is a daily driver and i fold and unfold my top all the time.
I rebuilt it once about 4 years ago; it wasn't that difficult to do. It's not brain surgery.