Nineball, your targa body braces are ready for test fit

[toddc]

Hello fellow Pelicans,

It took a little longer than we originally estimated but finally the targa body braces are finally out of prototype and ready for test fit.

The pair in the photos isn't coated yet. We're still investigating plating/powder coat/anodize, etc.

I expect pricing to come in at approximately $210/set dependent on finish.

We'll be ready to start taking orders very soon and Kris will post that thread in the classifieds when the time comes.

Best regards,

--toddc

[nineball]

here are the promised pics. install was a snap and having that shaved bit to use a wrench on was great.








each bar fully assembled weights 718 grams, or a total of 3.2lbs for both bars. gotta love the light parts!

[toddc]

Sweet love the ease of install!

[nineball]

you can say that again. it took me about 2 minutes to have the bar installed.

[Bphawk1]

Nineball
What color is your car as my 83 coupe is very close to this color.

[rokemester]

These look great! Can't wait to see the final final product. Where in Ohio are you located?

[nineball]

Kiln Red (Ziegelrot) Metallic. as far as i know it was only offered in '83 and '84, other than that it was a special order. i can tell you that in 4 trips to hershey i have yet to see another porsche in this color. mine still has original paint (except the duck) but it is a 10-15 foot car.

[Bphawk1]

Nineball

I really like this color kiln red. I have an 83 coupe with a factory tail the same color as your car. My car was sold new at Casade imports in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. I live in mentor, Ohio. I have been to Heresy 3 times and I yet to see a Porsche in kiln red. When the Wheather breaks( no snow) we should get together as I would like to see your Porsche as well

[nineball]

Originally Posted by rokemester

These look great! Can't wait to see the final final product. Where in Ohio are you located?

Thanks, neither can I I live in Westlake.

Originally Posted by Bphawk1

Nineball

I really like this color kiln red. I have an 83 coupe with a factory tail the same color as your car. My car was sold new at Casade imports in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. I live in mentor, Ohio. I have been to Heresy 3 times and I yet to see a Porsche in kiln red. When the Wheather breaks( no snow) we should get together as I would like to see your Porsche as well

no clue where my car originally came from. i bought it out of kansas but i think i am the third or fourth owner. mine will be sleeping until after the first few good rains this spring. no rust to speak of on it and i want to keep it that way. if you are up for it you can join our little caravan to hershey when the time comes. you should also look into the first de event at mid-ohio two weeks after hershey.

[frankc]

Originally Posted by Bphawk1

My car was sold new at Casade imports in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.

Cascade Imports - now there's a name I haven't seen for a while. They did the PPI on my 911 back in 1985. Unfortunately they missed something major. I lived in the Twinsburg/Solon area back then.

[Bphawk1]

Nineball

I am to the 4 th owner of my 83SC. The first owner had the car for three years and the second owner had it for the majority of time until he passed away. The third owner was a family member who sold me the car and titled the car in her name just to sell it to me. This past fall, the former Stoddard Porsche body shop do a glass out repay on the paint. Wow what a nice job they did. I am in the process of putting the car back together and very close. Want to begin driving the car this early spring. The second owner drove the car like Mr. Magoo and the car suffered some bumps,bruises and scratches hence, the reason for the respray. I would like very much to join your caravan to Heresy as I have attended the event over the last several years. As for Mid Ohio I have only been there once but would consider going this year.

[bodde911sc]

Don't want to highjack this tread, but I see there are other Northern Ohio people on this forum that I never see at Cleveland Cars and Coffee in Garfield Heights on Saturday mornings, what about trying to meet up someday. This year C&C will start the first Sat. in May unless the weather breaks early, let's try to meet up.

[toddc]

Back to the topic at hand,
the bars shown in nineball's car are now on there way back to me for anodizing and powder coating.

Looks like we'll be able to hit a price point of $195 if we do them in batches and should be ready to start taking orders soon.

[daepp]

Ive seen some of these before but they attached to the seats on 74 and later. This looks like a setup that would work on my 72, yes?

[nineball]

Originally Posted by daepp

Ive seen some of these before but they attached to the seats on 74 and later. This looks like a setup that would work on my 72, yes?

i can't say for certain they will fit on a 72 but i know they will fit 74-89. if the seat belt mounting points are the same it should fit. even if they are a little off it could fit to to the adjustability but without having one in front of me i cannot say for certain.

[jdbunda]

So Nineball - what does your butt-chassis-flex gauge tell you?

I was going to order a set of the ones Pelican used to carry, but held off when I couldn't figure out how they could possibly work. I know that any kind of triangulation in the structure is bound to help, but it's not obvious to me how bracing these points in the targa body could significantly affect the flex. But - I have read the many positive reviews on this board, and I am willing to be convinced, but I admit I am baffled as to how they could make a significant difference. Can anyone enlighten me?

[nineball]

Originally Posted by jdbunda

So Nineball - what does your butt-chassis-flex gauge tell you?

I was going to order a set of the ones Pelican used to carry, but held off when I couldn't figure out how they could possibly work. I know that any kind of triangulation in the structure is bound to help, but it's not obvious to me how bracing these points in the targa body could significantly affect the flex. But - I have read the many positive reviews on this board, and I am willing to be convinced, but I admit I am baffled as to how they could make a significant difference. Can anyone enlighten me?

i have a set of the jm pro braces and i think i got the last set pelican had a while back. they do make a difference, most noticeably in targa top noise. i was really amazed at the results, and if i had to guess i would say 80-90% of the squeeks, creaks and assorted other noises my top made were gone after installation. i don't have enough track days under my belt to tell you that it improved my driving but i like to think it makes me better. i still get scared way before my car does on the track.

the merits of various targa bracing have been discussed many times on this board. the best way, or so i have read, to improve things in a targa is longitudinal. you are trying to replace the structural rigidity of having a solid roof. the easiest way to achieve this is with the body braces as they require no modification to the vehicle. sure you could go crazy and weld in bars across the door openings and tie the front of the car to the back but not only would that require some serious modification it would make getting in and out a pain, at least that's how i see it. the body braces are a happy medium between nothing and welding in my eyes.

[Hydrocket]

Nineball,

Is there a specific routine to intall these? Top on during install? Top off? I see they can be tightened. Is the adjustment just so they reach the mounting points, or are the tightend up?

Just wondering what the proper drill is for the install....

[nineball]

not sure of any particular method but if i had to guess i would say installed with top on. it is basically the same thing as a strut brace - each end is threaded opposite so you can tighten them down as needed, then use the nut on each end to lock it in place.

my method, and it could be totally wrong, is as follows. i insert both ends as far as i can into the bar and then mount the lower point and loosely tighten the bolt to hold it in place. then i hold the top mount in my hand and spin the bar as needed until the top mounting hole lines up (this way both end pieces are seated the same distance into the bar). i then insert and loosely tighten down the upper bolt. (in both instances i install the bolt maybe 90% of the way) then i use a wrench (or whatever you want) to tighten the bar and lock it in with the nuts. then i go back and fully seat each bolt, have a beer and marvel at my amazing mechanical abilities.

[nineball]

Originally Posted by ahhsmurf

the bars shown in nineball's car are now on there way back to me for anodizing and powder coating.