a request for cabriolet owners

[G50911]

just acquired my first cabby (still waiting for it) and was wondering about the power tops. i read a bunch of threads about how they can fail, get misaligned and even how you can ruin a headliner if driving without the boot in place.

i'll assume this is all true so i ask...

1) any suggestions on how to assist the top going up or down to avoid binding?
2) are there sections during the top up/down process where binding is more likely?
3) can anyone share their ritual when opening and closing the top? (to unzip or not unzip the rear window, tuck here or there, etc.
4) where leaks are most common?
5) anyone have a video or a link to this process on an 84-89 cabriolet?

thanks!

[pjh69911]

I am in the same boat. I read somewhere that unzipping the window is recommended espeially if it is cold outside.

[G50911]

yeah, unzipping or laying down a towel to cover the clear plastic window will help from scratching it. pics would be nice.

[pavegeno]

I have a 88 Cab GP White/Blue int and top with electric top I've had since 2005. The top had been replaced in 2004 from the records from the PO.

I live in Hawaii so it is always warm so the top has gotten a lot of use. I just replaced the top, headliner, the two steel braided cables that tighten the top against the folding mechanism, and all the seals. The thing is tight, quiet and doesn't leak a drop. It's been parked outside for the last three years, though two of them in a carport. It's a daily driver as well.

Before the recent replacement of all of the seals and top, I got a little leaking at the front corners where the top meets the windshield frame. It only happened in heavy rain or if the car was outside all day during a light rain. This summer, at the rear fold, directly above the rear seats, it started leaking in the rain, something it had never done before. Then I noticed I heard more wind noise at speed from the passenger compartment. A few months later, I heard a pop above my left ear while driving and it got louder on the driver side as well. Took it to get an estimate to replace the top, headliner, and boot cover and the guy told me about the two braided cables that I needed to order which explained the wind noise.

After the full restoration (thankfully all of the seals are still available), the car is much quieter, in a good way. What I mean is that there is much less wind noise, but the engine noise comes through cleaner because of it, though a little lower in volume. Talking to a passenger at speed is much easier. No leaks anywhere. I'm really glad I did it.

Next project is a hardtop. The factory one is NLA, but D. Moris in France sells this one for about $5k: 911/964/993 Hardtops -photos - D. Moris Styling Here is a description 911/964/993 Hardtops -details - D. Moris Styling

Understand there is a factory roll bar that was available. Was going to try to find one before looking at the DAS after-market ones which make the rear seat unusable.

I don't unzip the plastic window since it is always warm. With the new top, I have "assisted" with the folds to better enable putting the boot on. I figure after doing this a little while, the top will "learn" how to go.

A whole lot more than what you asked for, but I figured I would capture some of my experiences for folks that might need them later.

Happy motoring!

[G50911]

mahalo pavegeno.

i have the same set as you (gp white w/blue). seems like this color combo isnt as common as the others. thanks for the info, i'll have to play around with the top when my car gets here.

any chance you can shoot a short video of the steps? if not no worries.

[pc100porsche]

The 88 911 Cabrio I have housed in Sydney, Australia is also strangely GP White /Marine Blue .... maybe we need to form a sub club.
I have owned this car for 16 years it is on its 3rd Genuine Porsche Top (approx $10k fitted, but aftermarket ie GAHH alot cheaper)) .... my upholsterer has instilled/hammered into me, the need to unzip the window each and every time the top gets lowered and also to make sure that there is nil dust on the plastic, both to avoid scratching of the plastic. He also gets me to place a towel over the plastic window under the cars car cover, for same reason.
When the top is 3/4 way down I push back the top black bar to allow the top to fold easier. Over the 16years we have replaced both the front locking motors (about $1k each) and also the cables. The car has approx 65k miles. It has always leaked into the back footwell on the left side ... so. maybe I need to change all the seals.
My pet hate is the slowness of the electric roof operation, particularly if you are trying to get the top down in between traffic light changes.
I enjoy using the car in hot weather with the rear window unzipped as you can enjoy both the great sound of the engine and also a nice cool breeze.

[JJ 911SC]

Originally Posted by pjh69911

I am in the same boat. I read somewhere that unzipping the window is recommended espeially if it is cold outside.

That is the way it was written in the supplement for the 1983 model (hand power).

Work fine, when unzipped you just push it down before lifting the top.

If anyone would like a pdf of the 6 pages supplement, PM me an e-mail address.

[p7guru]

Hey, Count me in the GP White/Blue interior Cab club. LOL

[G50911]

Hey guys... Let's do it (the sub group )

So I posted a question on a separate thread and I got no response. I guess there aren't many active cabby owners out there. My question was, is there an adjustment to make sure both sides seal flush with the windshield? My passenger side is flush but the drivers side is about .25" higher.

Anyone know what I can tweak to get this to sit more flush or better yet, even?

Here's the link to my previous post

[geoz]

Originally Posted by G50911

Hey guys... Let's do it (the sub group )

So I posted a question on a separate thread and I got no response. I guess there aren't many active cabby owners out there. My question was, is there an adjustment to make sure both sides seal flush with the windshield? My passenger side is flush but the drivers side is about .25" higher.

Anyone know what I can tweak to get this to sit more flush or better yet, even?

Here's the link to my previous post

There are a few possibilities. I don't have the factory manual with me now but you can stretch the bow, move the levers up / down and forward /back (bolts at the bottom) and from memory you can also use the excenter on the levers.

Not sure which one will solve your problem but I would start trying to lift the passenger side using the adjustment bolt at the bottom.

Sent from my C6603 using Tapatalk

[hrscrk]

thanks for setting up the link. i have a 92 cab w/the same probs.

they all do, as i was told by my wrench after i bought it.

mine was misaligned because the left motor was shot and had to be replaced; and had to replace a bow that was misaligned/bent.

and the left motor on the top of windshield is next; that's where most of the air noise is coming from because the top doesn't seal property to the windshield frame.

the basic problem, as it's been explained to me, is that the attachment points for the top to the car chassis/frame (behind the driver's seat) are weak to begin with; once they being to wear or move, the alignment gets out of line, and the rest of the problems follow. i've found two Porsche shops that have routinely re-welded them so the top operates properly.

so, for openers check the alignment where the top is attached to the body and go from there.

i'm still in the middle of this project and mucho $ away from a total fix. it's not cheap.

good luck.

[megerian]

I have an '88 cab, and here are some basic steps I always follow:

1) I always unzip the top before I open, and zip it up after I close the top. It takes 2 seconds, I can't think of any reason not to do this every time. If you forget to do this, you will put unnecessary wrinkles and bends into the clear plastic rear window.

2) I have used Griot's Garage clear plastic cleaner on the rear window. It works quite well.

3) When I open the top, I stand alongside the car and "help" the top up. There is a bow in the middle of the top that is supposed to fall backward into the folds of the top. Mine doesn't get pulled backward by itself, so I just flip it toward the back by hand. Not sure if that last part is important, but I do it anyway.

4) I have a cab top cover which I usually put on when the top is open. It is a cleaner look, and I figure that the less wind and dirt in there, the better.

5) When I close the top, I do not let the top fall forward, I use my hand to catch it when it is about 3/4 closed, and let it gradually fall into the guides. I let up on the button for a moment while I make sure its sitting flush and even, then I hit the button again to engage the final closing motors. Then I rezip the zipper.

Full Disclosure : when I bought the car, the top was misaligned, and I had to fix it by re-aligning the side transmission assemblies. But since then, its been working perfectly. I actually think using it frequently helps, by keepings things lubricated and functional.

[J-Mac]

I sold my 88 cab 2 years ago, manual top. Here's what I always did.
1. Unzip window and protect with soft towel before lowering top.
2. Make sure all the bows go to the correct place. One of mine needed a helping hand as alluded to in a previous post.
3. Use the cover. It keeps UV rays, dirt etc out and stops your expensive top from flapping in the wind. It's a PITA to keep putting on/taking off but worth it. If the little buttons for securing it are damaged you can buy new ones (good car upholstery store)and easily fit them.
4. If I knew the car would be parked for more than a day I always put the top back up.
5. Every year or so gently vacuum the top to suck out all the nasty dust and grit that finds its way into the weave.
6. Fit a wind deflector. I got mine from classicadditions.com in the UK. It means you can pretty much drive in any temperature (with appropriate headgear when cold) assuming its not raining. Fit it as close to the front seats and high enough to ensure your head is just below the top of the deflector. For me this meant being inventive and fabbing up some mounting brackets. My top could be put up and down with the deflector in place.
7. Optional - fit a M&K muffler. Enjoy top down and glorious sounds....

[Autoban]

I have a '86 GP white with brown manual top (sorry, not blue). I own the car now for two years and have never un-zipped the rear window before I opened the top and the window is still fine. I always put the boot cover on after I open the top to keep it from moving especially on the highway at higher speeds. To clean the rear window I use a special cleaner and polish spray I use on my airplane's windshield . My top only leaks a little at the corners where it meets the windshield and only in heavy rain.

Juergen

[G50911]

another question for you guys...

i took my cab out a few times with the top up and i noticed some knocking or clunking sound around my dash gauges. i did a search and first thought it could be my wiper motors knocking around but after looking into that, it wasn't the problem. today i dropped the top (sunny and 65 in norcal) and noticed the knocks were completely gone. when i closed the top there were back and in the same place, around the dash cluster area. i'm starting to think it might have something to do with the top's alignment. from time to time, i need to guide the top's windshield pins cause it over shoots it.

could it be that the top is pushing the windshield forward just enough that it separates some of the panels? causing this noise over rough roads?

anyone have any weird noises that change when the top is up or down?

oh, and happy new year

[geoz]

I would be very surprised if the windshield would push some panels apart, that would be a source of great concern for me. Could it be you simply don't hear the knocking when the roof is open?
Could the sound come from the pins not being fully arrested and the roof moving slightly? That could sound like it is coming from behind the instrument cluster.

cheers hg

[G50911]

Thanks for the reply Geoz.

It's definitely not happening when the top is down. I can hear the noise even at slow speed on a specific road by my house. Top up = noise, top down = no noise 100% of the time. Come to think of it, I'm sure that the drivers side pin not seated is probably the issue. Especially since I see that it doesn't seat as flush to the windshield as the passenger side.

Any idea how to fix or what to do? My search leads me to adjustments and or a latch motor replacement. To very different approaches and fix costs so I'd like to try the lesser if possible.

[Autoban]

Originally Posted by G50911

Thanks for the reply Geoz.

It's definitely not happening when the top is down. I can hear the noise even at slow speed on a specific road by my house. Top up = noise, top down = no noise 100% of the time. Come to think of it, I'm sure that the drivers side pin not seated is probably the issue. Especially since I see that it doesn't seat as flush to the windshield as the passenger side.

Any idea how to fix or what to do? My search leads me to adjustments and or a latch motor replacement. To very different approaches and fix costs so I'd like to try the lesser if possible.

I have send you a PM about some instruction manuals I have.

Juergen

[G50911]

got the email. thanks again juergen!