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-   -   Composite Targa Top Development (http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/730503-composite-targa-top-development.html)

sobamaflyer 04-18-2013 09:16 AM

I know today's adhesives must be a quantum leap from those of 30 years ago but is there any fear of separation like the Saratogas suffered from? I still have a nice front frame piece while a chunk of smoked lexan lives somewhere on the side of the highway in New Jersey :).

toddc 04-18-2013 09:36 AM

Jcc, its secures to the car with hard top type latches, Soba, we bond all of the metal backing plates inside the top and the skins thmselves with methacrylate adhesive that is designed foe thia purpose. In using it successfully for 10+yrs, i have no worries about dwlamination.
Mow that the top is trimmed, i've weighed it and the result is.......

Wait for it.......

10.5 lbs

BlueSkyJaunte 04-18-2013 09:41 AM

Holy smokes, I have guitars that weigh more.

nineball 04-18-2013 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueSkyJaunte (Post 7393520)
Holy smokes, I have guitars that weigh more.


just for a point of reference, a gallon of whole milk weighs 8.6lbs :)

nineball 04-18-2013 11:02 AM

fully trimmed and bonded!!

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3.../IMG_0512.jpeg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3.../IMG_0511.jpeg

sobamaflyer 04-18-2013 11:04 AM

Good lord that's pretty. You realize you have created targa owner wood all over the world right?

So when do we see it on your car?

toddc 04-18-2013 11:46 AM

Well depending my drive to kris's wiil either be to night or tomorrow. Either way we'll have it at hershey

jcc911 04-18-2013 01:54 PM

Absolutely amazing. Well done!!

nineball 04-18-2013 01:59 PM

my seat swap is done, wheels are changed, h4s and a new to me used cruise brain (god i hope this one works) are about to be installed. can't wait for todd to get here!

BlueSkyJaunte 04-18-2013 03:27 PM

I hesitate to ask, but I must--how adjustable are the pin positions? I'm sure not everybody's flexi-flyer chassis is perfectly straight.

nineball 04-18-2013 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueSkyJaunte (Post 7394231)
I hesitate to ask, but I must--how adjustable are the pin positions? I'm sure not everybody's flexi-flyer chassis is perfectly straight.


yes the pins are adjustable both front and rear, to a degree. they have the same range of motion as the factory soft and hard tops.

top fit great on our first test fit...

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...n/IMG_1990.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...n/IMG_1988.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...n/IMG_1987.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...n/IMG_1986.jpg



ran into a slight problem... my 83 does not have the cutout for the escutcheon which leads us to believe they may only have the cutouts up to 1977, which (i believe) was the last year of non-power brakes, which makes sense as you cannot fit the hardtop in with the master cylinder in the front. here is a shot of the front not pulled down into place.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...n/IMG_1985.jpg

tomorrow morning we will tackle the problem and cut the openings with my dremmel so that we can full mount the top.

snbush67 04-18-2013 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toddc (Post 7393505)
Jcc, its secures to the car with hard top type latches, Soba, we bond all of the metal backing plates inside the top and the skins thmselves with methacrylate adhesive that is designed foe thia purpose. In using it successfully for 10+yrs, i have no worries about dwlamination.
Mow that the top is trimmed, i've weighed it and the result is.......

Wait for it.......

10.5 lbs

Wow!, that is incredible. 10.5 lbs.

I hope you haven't been breathing in too many fumes, your spelling is a bit off.;)

You spelled meow wrong.

vulcan300 04-18-2013 09:08 PM

If you're going to cut the holes for the escutcheon plates please grab and post some pics of the procedure. That would be really helpful as I think many of your potential customers will have to do the same..

cdagnolo 04-19-2013 03:25 AM

Well, you knew it was going to be a battle right down to the wire. Don't rush it and risk your prototype! Great work guys, I hope you've gotten enough sleep to function (and especially DRIVE!). Good luck at Hershey. Wish I could be there.
cd

Howard M 04-19-2013 04:27 AM

1977 was the first year of power brakes. Great work, guys. How did you reproduce the clamps? I thought that would be the hard part.

nineball 04-19-2013 04:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Howard M (Post 7395167)
1977 was the first year of power brakes. Great work, guys. How did you reproduce the clamps? I thought that would be the hard part.


for the prototype we are actually using factory latches. the stamping tools for out latches are not quite done yet but we wanted to having a working prototype for hershey. we 3d modeled the factory latches and will be reproducing them.

Joeaksa 04-19-2013 06:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nineball (Post 7395173)
for the prototype we are actually using factory latches. the stamping tools for out latches are not quite done yet but we wanted to having a working prototype for hershey. we 3d modeled the factory latches and will be reproducing them.

Please make extra latches and those of us who have the factory top will buy them from you!

Great work BTW!

nineball 04-19-2013 10:12 AM

so here are shots of us making the openings for the escutcheon plates. it took a combination of drilling, a dremmel, an airsaw and a file or two but we got it.

removing the trim piece

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...n/IMG_1991.jpg

partially removing the leather

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...n/IMG_1994.jpg

various tools to get the opening we need

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...n/IMG_1995.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...n/IMG_1996.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...n/IMG_1998.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...n/IMG_2007.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...n/IMG_2003.jpg

plate installed, trim back on

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...n/IMG_2017.jpg

weldwood being applied to the seals and top

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...n/IMG_2019.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...n/IMG_2021.jpg


if all goes well we should be on the road within 2 hours and arriving in hershey around 10pm tonight. see you there!

frankc 04-19-2013 10:16 AM

That looks great. I rarely drive with the top on, but this may change that :).

Quote:

Originally Posted by nineball (Post 7394681)
ran into a slight problem... my 83 does not have the cutout for the escutcheon which leads us to believe they may only have the cutouts up to 1977, which (i believe) was the last year of non-power brakes, which makes sense as you cannot fit the hardtop in with the master cylinder in the front. here is a shot of the front not pulled down into place.

The topic of what year the cutouts were no longer made came up recently (was it earlier in this thread?). I can confirm that my '77 has them. And as Howard stated, '77 was the first year for power brakes.

McLovin 04-19-2013 10:19 AM

If only there were a way you could mount the factory J hook latch (and, for the later 80s cars, the roller style latch) to that, so it could mount like the factory roof.

All that cutting, etc. on the header, hmm. I think a lot aren't going to have the stomach for that.


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