First time owner - intro

[tincob]

After a few months of searching, with some good help from here and Rennlist, I found my 87 Targa in Georgia. I'm a first time Porsche owner.

I started out looking only locally near CT but was persuaded to expand my region. As a result, I got a low mileage example at a lower price than what I could find in the Northeast (even factoring in the shipping price - thumbs up for DeMoise Trk-ing).

PPI results were good and I had some of the 60K service items done to start a baseline.
Some items to be tackled in the future:
- Targa top/window adjustment (see below)
- Sports seat leatherique treatment, currently stiff as a board and shrunken
- Height adjustment, probably after getting a set of 8"s or 9"s for the rear (but I may opt for 17")
- AC line replacement
- I may swap out the Carrera tail for a ducktail

Otherwise, this is a pleasure/weekend car with no plans for tracking so I want to enjoy it with the family rather than go down the slippery slope of upgrades.

And I know, I've got nothing without pictures so....

The paint condition is better than it appears in the pictures (which makes it look faded)






The targa top is pulling back (not lifting up) from the front seal in the front - see arrows). Possible to stretch out somehow or am I looking at a recovery in the future? The corners are fine.


Also, the driver side window does not fit properly under the side seal - the front 1/3 fits under but the rear 2/3rds fit over. I probably have to adjust both the side seal as well as the window angle, correct?
Left (Driver side)

Right (Passenger side) - which sits properly under the side seal



Anyway, looking forward to a long and enjoyable ownership.

[redstrosekNic]

Nice looking car! Not much beats a red car with black fuchs combo...

[Dave Colangelo]

First off welcome,

I my self own a 78SC targa, im almost positive the window goes over the seal not under it. It is a very simple thing to adjust even or the inexperienced mechanic. I am doing the bear mountain/seven lakes run this friday if you are interested in joining for a fun run.

Regards
Dave

[Racerbvd]

Welcome, as the owner of an Red 88 Targa I understand the Shading..

[canoehead]

Tinco,

I myself just purchased my first Porsche, a red '82 Targa, a few days ago... I have the same goals as you (a pleasure vehicle) with a similar list of minor repairs to be done in the future. I hope we can learn together!

Yours is beautiful though...

[tincob]

Thanks redstrosekNic, Dave Colangelo, Racerbvd, canoehead.

Dave - unfortunately I have to work this Friday. As far as the side seal, it has this lip and the passenger side window fits right in there - which seems to make sense as far as sealing purposes as opposed to sitting above the seal lip but what do I know, I'm a noob.

canoehead - I almost purchased a higher mileage 83 SC targa but it just didn't work out.

I took the family on a frozen yogurt run over the weekend, the kids crammed into the back seats. It was 24 degrees outside but the kids had a blast on their first Porsche ride.


Can anybody confirm whether the window should be fit in the side seal "lip" or sit outside the seal?

[darrin]

side seal answer -- the window should fit into the lip. Note how the rear targa bar seal on your driver's side is interfering with your side seal -- this to me indicates that your driver's side seal needs to be pulled out so that it fits with the door seal like your passenger side seal does. The side seal actually has a fair amount of side to side adjustment once you loosen the screws holding it on. I did this by taking the top off, turning it upside down, loosening the screws (you can access them through the holes in the side seal), pulling the side seal as far out as it can go, tightening the screws and reattaching the top. Mine was spot on once I pulled the side seal all the way out -- if yours is too far out, you can readjust as necessary.

On the front pulling back issue, first step is to be sure that the clips on the roof are securely attaching to the front targa bar when the top's unfolded -- this almost looks like the clips are slipping under the front bar and causing the distortion you're seeing. The clips are also adjustable and you might be able to finesse them to pull the top a bit farther forward when unfolding the top.

There are also a fair # of adjustments that can be done to the window itself, but these generally require accessing the door's innards which requires removing the inner door trim.

NICE CAR!

[kidrock]

looks as if that car has been very well taken care of. Looks like you scored. Welcome to the site.

[hcoles]

still has the cap on the alt. that's a good sign - nice car

[Dave Colangelo]

Interesting, looks like I will be adjusting my Targa seals next week so the windows fit in the lip.

[tincob]

Thanks darrin for the side seal info. I'll start with that adjustment and see if fixes the sealing issue before having to take off the door panel.

hcole, why is the cap on the alternator a good thing? That it's the original alternator?

Anybody on the targa top front lip issue? Is it possible to restretch the top?

I was thinking of waiting for the summer, soften it somehow by liberal treatment of vinyl protectant and hot sun and try to stretch it out between two people. Do you think that might work?

[Dave Colangelo]

The Targa top issue comes down to how much and when you plan on using the car. If you are going to garage it for the winter its not much of an issue. I use my Targa mainly in the summer so the top is usually off and things like this on my car go unnoticed for better or for worse. There is a shop in jersey that recovers them, many people here have suggested it, do a search and you should be able to find it. You may want to consider taking it to them and asking what you should do. I have to look again at how the top is fixed on but remember the front bar collapses so you may just be able to collapse it in, re affix the top then fold it back out.

Regards
Dave

[ivangene]

NICE!!

to get better "red" pics..put the car in the shade....helps a lot.
watch the slippery slope...I would advise you to ask first...then mod AND find out the cars current potential prior to making it "better" you might be pretty surprised what she will do in "stock form"

Cheers..!

[hcoles]

Originally Posted by tincob

Thanks darrin for the side seal info. I'll start with that adjustment and see if fixes the sealing issue before having to take off the door panel.

hcole, why is the cap on the alternator a good thing? That it's the original alternator?

Anybody on the targa top front lip issue? Is it possible to restretch the top?

I was thinking of waiting for the summer, soften it somehow by liberal treatment of vinyl protectant and hot sun and try to stretch it out between two people. Do you think that might work?

Maybe it is a good thing or bad depending on how you look at it. I used to have one and now it is gone after all the in and out of engine and changing belts over the years/etc. The dang thing may be in one of my part boxes somewhere. Having the cap there might indicate the engine hasn't been horsed around with by sloppy DIY'ers, that is probably a good thing. Not a significant deal, probably not a valuable comment now that I think about it. Feel free to disregard. The alt. might be original, they seem to last a long time, others may have better info.

[tincob]

Yup. I'm fairly methodical so I will not go on a modding spree right off the bat. First things first, I need to get to know the car inside and out.

I get enjoyment out of detailing so I'll give it a thorough once over after the winter (it's going to be a long wait).

The targa top is going to come off as soon as good weather hits and stay off until it gets too chilly. So I'm with you there Dave. I'm still anal enough where I want to get everything just where it should be.

I know of Dave in Jersey and I've even spoken to him about a 87 Targa he had for sale. Heard he's a good guy and very helpful with information about targa top adjustment. I'll probably take a drive there one day and have him look at it personally.

[Dave Colangelo]

You will love the Targa even more when the weather gets nice. I dont know if you are married or have a girl friend or are single. But I am single and in college and this summer I discovered why the Targa Top is the greatest thing Porsche ever made for guys.

1) Ladies love stars
2) Ladies love to be complimented
3) Ladies hate having there hair messed up
4) Gentlemen love driving fast.

With a convertible the ladies can see the starts but they cant hear you compliment them and the wind blows there hair every where. With hard tops you cant see any stars, but the ladies can hear you compliment them. With the Targa, the ladies can see the starts, the wind noise is reduced greatly and you they can hear you compliment them, and their hair flutters ever so gently in the wind. Most importantly is a Porsche and you can drive fast while doing all this. So with the Targa every one wins.

Regards
Dave

[mystro]

The car looks great and correct with those wheels. Dont change a thing including the tail. As a first time P-car owner, you will get more in tune for what a 911 should look like and why they look the way they do.

[Bear911]

Very nice car tincob. I wish you many happy miles in it! A little bit of fiddling will sort your seals out. When I got mine, the one side didn't even touch the glass. Now it sits perfectly flush in the lip.

I agree with the red being tricky to photograph, the guards red often coming out almost orange (or even pink on my cellphone!)

[carsinc]

I see tops all the time with the shrunk up vinyl so I can help.
1.This caused by the deterioration of the inner reinforcement and webbing. When it breaks down it makes the top smaller. This the worst in between the metal folding plates. If you look close at the picture you can see that the vinyl has lost it's flexibility whitish color of vinyl.
2. The side seals are adjusted by loosening the side seals and sliding out.
3. Is the clutch pedal push in easy?