Composite Targa Top Development

[rokemester]

Originally Posted by toddc

Hi All,
Thanks Charles for waking the thread back up.

Cody is not going to be returning. His road to recovery has led to a variety of other issues. In the grand scheme of things, he is doing well, but not fully functional and I doubt that he will be.

Meanwhile, I have been eeking out tops as I can, there are a few out there now, but the going has been slow based on being a one man shop and playing catch-up.

I've tried a couple of replacement techs but as they say, good help is hard to find.

Long and short, down but not out, making parts as I can, trying to catch a break and get back to the new normal.

Best,

Thanks for keeping us posted! Targa lovers everywhere are watching this space closely and wishing you well. Someone said it earlier but we really appreciate your ingenuity and craftsmanship focused on our cars.

Mike

[toddc]

Originally Posted by rokemester

Thanks for keeping us posted! Targa lovers everywhere are watching this space closely and wishing you well. Someone said it earlier but we really appreciate your ingenuity and craftsmanship focused on our cars.

Mike

Thanks Mike

[cdagnolo]

Todd, Sorry to hear about your struggles and of course about the injured tech. Godspeed to his recovery, and yours! Have you tried to solicit help somehow thru this PP community? There are allot of good folks on here but, to take it a step further, allot of good folks here, know allot of other good folks. I don't know if there is a mechanism for doing that but, I recommend you pursue it with one of the moderators or something along those lines. The right guys are out there somewhere, it's just connecting with them that is the key. Good luck on all fronts. I look forward to continued 'recovery' :-)

Chris
82 Targa track rat

[toddc]

Originally Posted by cdagnolo

Todd, Sorry to hear about your struggles and of course about the injured tech. Godspeed to his recovery, and yours! Have you tried to solicit help somehow thru this PP community? There are allot of good folks on here but, to take it a step further, allot of good folks here, know allot of other good folks. I don't know if there is a mechanism for doing that but, I recommend you pursue it with one of the moderators or something along those lines. The right guys are out there somewhere, it's just connecting with them that is the key. Good luck on all fronts. I look forward to continued 'recovery' :-)

Chris
82 Targa track rat

Thanks Chris, I appreciate the sentiment and the genuine concern. I have not reached out to the PP community as perhaps I should have.
As PP is only a percentage of my business, I've reached out to my contract manufacturing network instead. Perhaps a decision that should be re-thought.
What I have found within my network is that good help is hard to find.
Having given a couple young men a chance only to discover that basic mechanical ability does not equal teach-ability makes me think that the individual who really "gets" composites is rare.

[vulcan300]

The engineering or automotive departments at your local community college or university might be a good place to look for the kind of individual that would be eager to learn the craft. I would honestly love to learn how to work with CF but I'm located a little far and have my own very different business to run. Good luck finding the help you need! I'm still hoping to get my hands on a CF targa top for my roller latch '86 911 Targa. A CF top for my Ferrari 308 GTSi would be awesome as well if you ever decide to add one to your line-up of products.

Originally Posted by toddc

Thanks Chris, I appreciate the sentiment and the genuine concern. I have not reached out to the PP community as perhaps I should have.
As PP is only a percentage of my business, I've reached out to my contract manufacturing network instead. Perhaps a decision that should be re-thought.
What I have found within my network is that good help is hard to find.
Having given a couple young men a chance only to discover that basic mechanical ability does not equal teach-ability makes me think that the individual who really "gets" composites is rare.

[toddc]

Originally Posted by targamaniac

The engineering or automotive departments at your local community college or university might be a good place to look for the kind of individual that would be eager to learn the craft. I would honestly love to learn how to work with CF but I'm located a little far and have my own very different business to run. Good luck finding the help you need! I'm still hoping to get my hands on a CF targa top for my roller latch '86 911 Targa. A CF top for my Ferrari 308 GTSi would be awesome as well if you ever decide to add one to your line-up of products.

Interesting thought about local colleges, thanks for the tip!

Also, speaking of school, some of you may remember that Corey left to go back to school at the end of last year. Happy to report that he came back part time while his school schedule evolves. Happy he's back, happy I don't have to train him.

Already noticing an improvement in production.

Keeping at it!

[group911@aol.co]

Todd

Did you get my email?

[toddc]

Originally Posted by group911@aol.co

Todd

Did you get my email?

Yep, just replied.

It's been a long couple of weeks. I'm catching up on missed communications today.

[gtc]

Kettering University in Flint probably has a lot of Engineering co-op students looking for work. They have (or had, when I was there) a Formula SAE program, so there are probably some with composites experience already.
The school does require that the internships be paid.

[toddc]

Thanks for the tip Graham! I actually know someone from kettering in the automotive community.

[Dpmulvan]

This sounds very interesting I would definitely purchase a targa top if it ever comes together.

[beren]

Ann Arbor! Tons of engineering students.

[toddc]

back up to speed, Corey here PT, Hired an intern from a local school, both getting up to speed quickly. Here are pics of the a couple tops getting finished. One is a carbon clear top with FG primered frame, other is a full carbon, full primer. Both will be available after finishing work is completed in a couple of days.

Best,
Toddc

[fintstone]

Great news! Don't see any photos though.

[bugstrider]

Bump for details.....

Status, photos, availability and projected prices.

Cheers


Sent via Jedi-Kung-Fu-Panda mind trick by the cat

[Charles Freeborn]

Originally Posted by toddc

Hi All,
Thanks Charles for waking the thread back up.

Cody is not going to be returning. His road to recovery has led to a variety of other issues. In the grand scheme of things, he is doing well, but not fully functional and I doubt that he will be.

Meanwhile, I have been eeking out tops as I can, there are a few out there now, but the going has been slow based on being a one man shop and playing catch-up.

I've tried a couple of replacement techs but as they say, good help is hard to find.

Long and short, down but not out, making parts as I can, trying to catch a break and get back to the new normal.

Best,

Sorry to heard Cody is still struggling. It's hard to regain one's former self sometimes...
I'm still in the hunt for a top one day. A few other needs ahead of it, but not forgotten by any means....
Cheers,
-C

[universeman]

Hey - any updates or recent progress on this project?

[toddc]

Originally Posted by universeman

Hey - any updates or recent progress on this project?

Hi Jason,

plenty of progress,

J-hooks tops are still available, roller latch top back orders are close to being filled. I've had a few issues with fitment that needed to be resolved with tooling modifications.
I'll update the thread again once I have some pics of in stock parts to share.
Meanwhile feel free to contact me directly.

Thanks,

Toddc

[911 sc]

Hope you are well reviving an old thread

Are you making one to fit the 86-89 carrera cars?
Thanks

[toddc]

Originally Posted by 911 sc

Hope you are well reviving an old thread

Are you making one to fit the 86-89 carrera cars?
Thanks

Thank you,

we are making the roller latch tops however have had some fitment issues that delayed shipping. I expect we'll have back orders filled soon and then open it up to production.

Regards,