lexan targa top project........

[bell]

where i'm sitting right now mine should be somewhere between 500-700 but who knows for sure until i have the first prototype complete.
my machinist has the boxed section for the bottom made.
he also said he's going to start forming the steel mold this month. then i can get the first piece of "polycarbonate" baked/cut/drilled which is when i'll start in on the frame.

[JMPRO]

My original estimate was for a $500.00 retail price on the fiberglass top and it looks like that will stand. Plus shipping of coarse.
Jerry

[Joeaksa]

Jerry,

When are you going to release it for beta testing?

Joe

[Topshelf]

I have been thinking about the lexan top for a long time but did not have the expertise to make one. I am interested in getting two for my car. Put me on the list too.

[Porschedude]

Hey Jerry, maybe I could come down and pick one up since I live a few hours North. That way you wouldn't need to find a box...

YUK-YUK!

It's almost like waiting for Santa Clause!

Keith

[JMPRO]

More delays have caused me to push the debuet of the fiberglass top another week, perhaps the 14th. The attaching clips were to made using a laser cutter which is very neet but my order was delayed for some reason and i will not be able to p/u the clips untill monday. They then go to the fg fabricater for the final assembly which could take the rest of next week. I hope these first 10 go fast so i don't have to think about this stupid top for a few weeks. Does anyone want to buy the molds. Just kidding but i will be glad when all i have to do is order them and sell them.
In order to be fair to our host anyone that wants to order from pelicanparts.com is welcome to do so when they are added to the site
[i'm assuming pelican will carry them} I think that my be 3/17/03
Jerry

[Topshelf]

Thanks

[Fassi]

Any news?

[Joeaksa]

Jerry and Bell,

Come on, give us the scoop!

Joe

[bell]

been working on other projects so i can take may targa to hershey, after hershey i'll be moving forward more as i'll have some freed up time

[SeaDweller]

Looking forward to the next update...........

[ruf-porsche]

At the transit company were I used to be employed, the buses side windows were installed with Lexan mar resistant plastic. Within two years, you couldn't see out the windows, they developed a haze because of the scratches from the washing. Granted they weren't handwash, but were wash with a gantry bus washer with spinning brushes. Plus the fact that the bus washers sometime got bore and place bets as to see who could drive through the bus washer without getting the bus wet.

[bell]

there are a number of polycarbonates on the market which have excellent scratch resistant qualities, the stuff they use on buses i'm sure is no where near the grade i'm using.
yes you'll have to care for it but it will be durable..........

[SeaDweller]

I just noticed that you have an '85, so I guess I don't have to worry about it fitting my car!!

[ruf-porsche]

What is your target price for the top?

[pbs911]

Just so I get this straight, there are two people making an after market Targa top:

1: Bell is making a polycarbonate translucent "Saratogo type" top.
2: JMPRO is making a fiberglass top.

And each will be around $500?

[bell]

mine will be between 500-700........
i think JMPROs is around 500, he posted it in this thread somewhere if i remember correctly.

[atlporsche]

hey ruf,

if you EVER take your porsche through a gantry bus washer with the spinning brushes...

LOL...just kidding...

sjd

[ruf-porsche]

The Porsche doesn't even go through a regular car wash, it is always hand wash.

The only other car wash I would consider is this gentlemen car wash somewhere in Chi-town where they have girls in bikini washing the cars, but I don't think the little women would like that. She jealous of the Porsche who know what she do with bikini clad girls.

[sundaypunch]

Neat idea on the polycarbonate top. I've been in the plastics industry since the mid 80's so it's an interesting thread to me even though I have a coupe. It's the classic scenario where someone has a good idea and is trying to translate that to a successful product. This is very difficult and the difficulty goes up exponentially when you are working out of your field of expertise. I'd like to see you pull it off!

My .02-

-Don't sell it w/o a baked-on coating. You need scratch and UV resistance and it won't be durable without it.

-Get a material supplier involved asap. Contact GE (Lexan) and Dow (Calibre) and talk to an applications engineer. No use in reinventing the wheel. Much free info. is available from the experts (if they think the volume warrants it...hint).

-Getting the panel is the easy part. A proper attachment / seal design that will work over a period of time is not as simple. This part will see a lot of stress induced by the Targa body flex.

-I personally wouldn't sell one without having some life cycle testing done in addition to road testing initial samples for some time. This is a relatively easy application for a lab to simulate the flex the part will see. You don't want these things failing after a year of driving. It's very rare that a product works the first time.

-Even though it's a specialized product, you need to design for a variety of climates. 0-110F and low to high humidity. You have major tolerance stack-up and thermal expansion issues to deal with.

-Fit and finish has to be better than excellent considering the target buyers.

-Most importantly -liability. As someone mentioned above you need to get a lawyer involved that has expertise in product development. The "for display only" disclaimer is a must. Still, what if they all crack within 6 months? You are going to have a bunch of angry people that will most likely want a full refund. What if someone is involved in an accident and is injured? I'm not trying to sound negative it goes without saying that you can easily be sued, disclaimer or not.