'80's 911/930 Cabriolet Tonneau Cover -- Details Please

[Sniff]

Anyone have any good photos they can post of a tonneau cover installed on a mid to late '80's 911/930 cabriolet? Also, can you please comment on how it is attached. I know there are 3 fasteners on the dash and the rear uses the same snaps as the boot cover. However, what about the sides along the doors? Also, do the seats need to be pushed forward or reclined back to prevent the thing from bulging up in the middle? Much appreciated.

Sean

[Sniff]

Anyone, Anyone . . . Bueller, Bueller . . .

[AVDCAV]

I don't Have any pics but mine goes like this
Tenax on the dash
Tenax on the back sides
2 snaps on the center of the rear
Sides are taught by installation tension
Sides are folded x2 and stitched

Fairly simple ". Will protect from some light rain and
Protect from the sun"

[jaldeguer]

Hi Im interested to find out as well. How does the cover deal with the seats? Sniff, I hope you don't mind me chiming in here..

Thanks.

Jay

[david482]

I also don't have any pictures but on my 89 there are tenex fasteners on the dash, doors and corners behind the doors. Snaps around the back. Depending on the seat positions they need to be relined back a bit to get the cover to fit over them. On the drivers I must have it set low enough and with a bit of a tilt that I can get the cover over it without moving the seat. There is also a tenex fastener on the floor between the rear seats, actually on the vertical portion that connects to a strap on the inside of the cover. There are also some elastic straps used to old the folded cover behind the rear seats when open. When one side is closed I am not sure what to do with the long sharp as I think there are supposed to be some d-ring or snap on the tunnel just aft of the brake, mine has some indentations but the holes have no fasteners, I think they were removed by a shop at some point and never replaced. If anyone know what they should be that would be great as the holes seem on the large side and I cannot seem to find a parts diagram that shows what should be there. I will try and get some pics next time I get it on the car.

[JJ 911SC]

Originally Posted by jaldeguer

Hi Im interested to find out as well. How does the cover deal with the seats? Sniff, I hope you don't mind me chiming in here..

Thanks.

Jay

It goes behind the folding back seat. I post some pics when I get home.

[Sniff]

Originally Posted by jaldeguer

Hi Im interested to find out as well. How does the cover deal with the seats? Sniff, I hope you don't mind me chiming in here..

Thanks.

Jay

I don't mind at all. The more people asking questions, the more likely we'll get the info we are looking for.

I wasn't aware there were so many fasteners involved with the tonneau cover (i.e. inside the cockpit). I thought it was just a few additional tenax 's, but the more I do my research the more I realize this option is much more involved.

Any detailed pictures folks can post would be greatly appreciated.

[kidrock]

I'm assuming when you say "tonneau", you are referring to the canvas boot which covers the convertible top when it is reclined?

If so, I'll try to post some pix by tomorrow. Here's what I know:

6 snaps: 2 in the center rear, 2 located on the vertical "pillar" behind each door, and 2 located next to the rear speakers on each side.

6 Tenax snaps: 3 each on each side of the vehicle, in between the regular snaps mentioned above.

2 hooks: the canvas boot will have 2 small elastic bands that connect to hooks that are located at the outside corner of each rear bottom seat.

I purchased mine online, I don't immediately recall where. It came without any snaps installed, it was an easy DIY job. The factory supplied 8-10 regular stainless snaps which I did not use. I ordered several matte black snaps, and also ordered the requisite Tenax snaps in matte black as well (kind of expensive). I measured, punched and installed all the snaps myself.

I recommend ordering the higher-quality German canvas.

[megerian]

STONE - that is the "boot cover" whereas the original post is asking about the tonneau cover.

Here is a useful link, scroll down to about 2/3s of the way into page 1:

WTB: Porsche 911 Speedster Windshield Frame + doors

[jaldeguer]

Thanks Sean. I understand that the tonneau covers for the later "automated" tops were different from the manual tops.

[JJ 911SC]

OK here are some pics for the Manual (1983 First Year). Also I got a roll bar so it could be different;

The snaps count are as per Stone posting. Stone photo might show the difference as he got a later model.

Back Snaps




Side Snaps




Door Jam Snaps. Before I had the roll bar, it was mounted on the top mechanism




Side Snaps Details




Back Flap tuck in behind the seat





Side Flap tuck in beside the side of the seat on top of the back flap

[Sniff]

JJ 911SC -- thanks for the photos, however what you are showing us is the convertible top boot. I am interested in the tonneau cover which hooks to the dash and door tops and covers the entire cockpit. I'm wanting to learn more about how this cover works. I understand there are three Tenax fasteners installed on the dash, and the tonneau cover uses the same snaps/Tenax fasteners that the boot does. However what I'm unclear on is how it snaps to the doors. I've also heard there are fasteners inside the cockpit to hook straps to which prevent the cover from inflating in the wind while driving. I would like to know more about this and see photos if possible.

I'm attaching some pics of a 911 tonneau cover that I found on the web, but they don't have the detailed explanation that I'm looking for.

[avale]

OK, I have one but have never put it on. I decided to go out and put it on for the first time to get you some pictures.

There are 3 Tenex fasteners on the dash



There are a couple Tenex fasteners on the doors


And the Tenex fasteners around the convertible top edges and a couple of snaps in the back


Put the seats back


Attach the cover

[kidrock]

That's why I ended my first sentence with a question mark....I wanted to make sure we were making the distinction between an actual "tonneau" and the regular boot.

Glad we have that cleared up. I've never seen our cars wearing a tonneau, pretty cool.

[Autoban]

My '86 Cab came with the tonneau cover, but I have not used it yet (own the car since January this year). As the pictures from avale show I also have three pins for the tenex fasteners on the dashboard and two on each door (on the outside of the glass). I may just for the fun of it install it this weekend and post some pictures, but avale's pictures tell it all.

[avale]

My '87 cab has power seats so putting the seats all the way back takes a bit of time. Also you can't open the door until you undo the Tenex fasteners on the door. Not the most practical thing if you ask me. I think I'll fold it back up and put it back in the trunk.

[david482]

I have an 89 with power seats and I am able to get the cover over the seat without moving the drivers seat my cover does not fit that tight. or I already tilt the seat back enough to drive.

[Sniff]

Avale,

THANKS SO MUCH!! This is exactly the type of info/photos I was looking for. I appreciate you taking the time to send us the info. With that, I'd like to ask you a couple of questions based on what I saw in your photos . . .

1) Do the Tenax fasteners on the top of the doors mount into the door's sheet metal or are they just mounted to that black rail/molding? In other words, if you removed the black molding, would you be left with holes in the tops of your doors? I saw that each molding costs $155 each. I'm wondering if they are really needed or is the tension between the rear Tenax fasteners and the dash mounts enough to keep the cover taught.

2) I've seen some straps on the underside of the tonneau cover. What exactly do they do? I heard they are to hold the cover down while driving so it doesn't inflate like a parachute. Are there Tenax fasteners/snaps inside the cockpit . . . perhaps near the rear seats?

3) Does the tonneau cover appear to be waterproof or is it just more of a glorified sunshade?

4) Is this something you would feel comfortable driving with installed (i.e. everything snapped up except for the driver's side area)?

From what I gather this cover is a bit of a novelty/gimmick. I just wanted to learn more about it since there is so little information out there on it. Thanks for your time.

[david482]

I use mine since much of the time I am the only one in the car and just unzip the drivers side. I have played around with the hold down straps, I think my car is missing a couple of fasteners on the rear tunnel that would hold the long elastic strap when the cover is not folded behind the seat. In terms of flapping it seems pretty secure and by raising the passenger seat you can add a little tension to the cover. I don't think it is water proof but since I converted my took to manual, at least for raising and lowering it os faster to use the cover if I'm not going to be gone long and it does act as a good sun shade. The tough part is that you cannot use the rear seats so when it's time to take the kids I have to take it off.

[avale]

Originally Posted by Sniff

1) Do the Tenax fasteners on the top of the doors mount into the door's sheet metal or are they just mounted to that black rail/molding? In other words, if you removed the black molding, would you be left with holes in the tops of your doors? I saw that each molding costs $155 each. I'm wondering if they are really needed or is the tension between the rear Tenax fasteners and the dash mounts enough to keep the cover taught.

I'm not sure if they are just mounted to the black rail but that would be my guess. My top has never been used so is a pretty tight fit. At this point I don't think the fasteners are needed on the driver's side but most likely needed on the passenger's side if you plan on driving it with this on.

4) Is this something you would feel comfortable driving with installed (i.e. everything snapped up except for the driver's side area)?

Yes, but my car isn't a daily driver and if the top is down and the car isn't moving most of the time it is in a garage or an underground parking lot. For me this is more of a gimmick but I can see how people would want to use it a lot of the time.

BTW, I didn't take a picture of the best part. There are plastic caps for the Tenex mounted in the dash board. I can't believe I still have all 3 covers. Sorry for the poor pictures but the garage is kind of dark...