Pics of proper targa seal required.

davis911s · davis911s's Garage

I am trying to instal my new front targa seal. These FACTORY seals have to be trimmed to fit properly as evryone knows.

I don't want to cut too much off, and end up needing to spend more $. So does anyone have (or can take) pictures of thier properly installed seal? I am looking for how high it sits along the front and good pics of how it looks at the corners.

Thanks guys
Shawn

david914 · 07-06-2002, 10:25 AM

DITTO!

davis911s · davis911s's Garage

Come on guys, someone must have awell fitting top and a digital camera. help us out

Shawn

zuerchers · 07-06-2002, 07:30 PM

i need the same thing. i am planning on doing this job next weekend.

davis911s · davis911s's Garage

Here is how my NEW one is fitting. It is trimmed a little but not much. And it is NOT glued down.

The corners are WORST

Shawn

Ivan G · 07-07-2002, 07:03 PM

Hi

I have a targa and a digital camera....but I'm not 100% sure what you want pics of......

Is it the rubber seal you see above the wind-screen when the roof is off ?

Do you still need the pics ?

davis911s · davis911s's Garage

Ivan thanks.

Yes I still need pics. Yes that is the seal above the windscreen when top is off.

I would Love pics of:
1. How high the seal sits, across the top
2. What the seal looks like at the corners, where the door meets the windshield pillar. From the side, the top and from the inside of the car.

Thanks again

Shawn

Ivan G · 07-08-2002, 02:26 AM

Hi

Below are the pics I managed to take. Quality is not that great because by the time I get home its dark so I have to rely on the garage lights !

I did not take any front-on pics because the top of my seal is virtually in line with the body and does not protrude above the body line when looking front-on.

If you can wait until the weekend, I can get better shots during daylight.....let me know if you need more

zuerchers · 07-08-2002, 07:53 AM

thanks for taking those pics. do you have any of the rear seal?

Peterfrans · 07-08-2002, 10:00 AM

Thanks for those pics, any change that you take a pic of the front seal fits to the side seal?

Ivan G · 07-08-2002, 03:06 PM

I'll take the pics you guys want this weekend during day light....its easier than holding a lamp in one hand and the camera in the other !

davis911s · davis911s's Garage

Ivan one more favour please!

Can I get a pic of how the corners look from inside the car, where the 3 seals meet. With the door closed please. Also can you measure to see how wide the seal is at that point.

I think mine is way too wide there.

Last thing, how far under the top of the windshield pillar is it to the top of the seal in your car? All along the top.

Thanks again

Shawn

Ivan G · 07-10-2002, 01:22 AM

Hi Shawn

No problem....but can this wait until the weekend ?...its a lot easier for me to get pics in the daylight

davis911s · davis911s's Garage

Sure Ivan, I am just doing trial fitting a nd recutting till it fits.

I am leaving this weekend for the SCWDP Roundup in BC

But if the seal is not perfect it can wait till I get back, thanks again

Shawn

Jdub · 07-10-2002, 12:06 PM

Dan is owner of Cars Inc of NJ. He is along time PCA member with a business of Restoring Targa Tops and Selling Vintage Parts. Website carsinc-nj.com 609 298 2277

A problem has developed for Targa owners from an unusual source. Somewhere during the last few years, when ordering a new replacement front windshield frame pillar seal, one receives a superseded seal. Problem folks, these superseded seals just don’t fit 89 and older Targa's. The proper part number is no longer obtainable. Old part #911 565 090 47 now superseded #911 799 565 80. You may, in fact, get the proper part # on the package but the seal will be the superseded one. I have been told that the official response to this situation is that the new seal will require cutting and shaping to get the proper fit. Since where to cut and shape has been a mystery, the choice has been either to retain your old seal or live with an ill-fitting top.

The difficulty with the new seal is varies from 2mm to 4mm too deep across the whole top and 4 mm too wide at the corners. This results in the seal not fitting far enough down into the body groove, thus the seal seats up too high and the top rides on top of the seal. Roller latches on tops from 86-89 can be adjusted but this is a Band-Aid fix because wind noise will result. There is no such luck for 69-85 cars. Damage usually occurs to the latch by forcing the top to fit. It would seem that the second rule of carpentry applied when the seal was made, “ cut it big and kick it into place”.

Now the fix: What needs to be done is the removal of material from the seal so that it will slip unimpeded into the channel. Material needs to be not only removed from the sides but also from the bottom of the seal, as mentioned. The best approach I have found for removing material from the seal is a bench grinder.

Side of seal material removal: Remove 2 mm on each side of the seal downward and inward 3 ¼”from the 90-degree bend. The proper width should be 10mm. New seals are 14 mm at this spot. (See diagram 1) Seal taper out to the regular thickness the last ½” or so. This includes removal of material from the large triangular corner knob. It needs to be shaved on the sides by 2mm to 3mm wherever it touches the V metal corner channel.
Bottom of seal material removal: The underside material of the seal needs material removed by 2mm to 3mm in the same corner area. In my modifications, I have removed material 2mm from entire windshield length with good results.

Test fit: You can test your work as you go along by periodically testing top for fit. The seal should not be forcing the top upward during these fittings. The seal dry should be just a tad loose for when you apply glue in the channel for installation. This space will be accounted for. I feel in order to get the seals bottomed out, it is best to install the seals with glue only in the channel and install the seal wet before the glue sets up. Until this seal situation is resolved with the proper sized one, this is our best chance of getting our Targa top to fit correctly.

zuerchers · 07-10-2002, 12:15 PM

"(see diagram)"
can you please upload the diagram?
thanks,
mike

Ivan G · 07-12-2002, 04:57 PM

Here are some more pics,.....

The seal is between 5mm (around the centre) and 8mm (nearer the windows) below the top of the windshield pillar........

Hope this helps

Top on, door closed

Top on, door open

Top off, door closed

Peterfrans · 08-08-2002, 12:06 PM

Ivan,

Thanks, this makes it much clearer.

Jdub · 08-08-2002, 01:55 PM

Mike:

Apologies for no diagram: just caught this thread again today.

Dan did not supply a diagram to me when he sent me the article.

However, I see some very good pics here. I do have some shots around which I can gather up if needed.

Again, sorry: not meant to strand you on this one!

John