Targa to Coupe conversion, further from stock but more desirable?
 

Hi all,

So I'm wondering what people think about converting my 1986 targa steel wide body (done by PO) to a turbo look coupe.

I'm thinking since the car is no longer stock it doesn't really matter what happens to it next. Furthermore, if I did the coupe conversion the car might become more desirable maybe even valuable? Ultimately I'd do the conversation because I prefer the look and performance, but not loosing value would be a nice bonus. What do you guys think?

Sell the Targa and buy a coupe if that's what you desire. Unless you can do the labor yourself, the cost of parts and labor to install them may make it a financially poor decision. On the other hand, if you like your car and enjoy projects, go for it (cost be damned).

well that would be one less targa and one more coupe in the world.....that is good!!

I predict that some day Targas will be very desirable. I remember when no one wanted big block convertible Corvettes. Only a few years ago long hood drivers could be had for $7K. So who knows?

I seem to remember a thread a while back were a Targa was converted. To do it right would be a lot of work.

Considered making it a Cab? Or Speedster?

Personal preference:

Me: I have both a coupe and Targa Longhood (73.5 and 69)....I prefer the looks of a Coupe, but only drive the Targa....

Do what you prefer, but don't consider it an investment......Value will go down if modified..

Two thumbs up on a Cab conversion........3 thumbs up on a Speedster.......

Most targa owners have coupe envy. It's only natural to want something that looks better, drives better and is worth more. You're doing the right thing.

^^^ Although I agree with my buddy Rich "Methane" Gas, I recommend that before you bother with any kind of "Targa-to-Coupe" conversion business, you should FIRST build a proper Turbo engine to go in yer widebody . . . 'lessen youse actually like having a sheep in wolf's clothing, buttofcourse!

Oh, and speaking of buddies and sheep, have you talked Targas with my good friend Bob K.? Hopefully he'll weigh in when he gets baaaaaaaack from attending to his (his Targa, that is)!!!

This seems to degenerate into another Targa bashing thread after only 7 posts?

In response to the OPs question, I'd say sell and get a coupe if you really want one as that likely makes more financial sense. If a project is your main thing and money no object, Im with Ronnie, invest $$ and tinkering into more ooomph.

Now - unsubscribe.....

Wide bodies can be returned to original. Coupe conversions cannot.

I would say sell the targa and buy a wide body coupe if that's what you want. Quicker and easier. Or buy a coupe rolling shell and transfer all your car into it, including the wide body.

Thanks all for your feed back. It all came up because my mechanic, who lets me tinker in his shop, found a roof clip on the cheap and offered to help me do the conversion as a way of learning body work and getting the car to stop squeaking! Targa top is driving me mad no matter what I adjust or lubricant...

I agree with some of the comments that it's probably money I'll spent and I also agree that Targas will probably be a "thing to have" down the road.

I guess I'll leave it be and enjoy the car as is. It's almost spring, prime targa time!

Thanks for your thoughts,
Hans

Do you drive the car a lot? If you would enjoy a speedster then to that route and learn your body work on the windshield frame and body stiffening. The coupe option on the cheap also sounds okay too and would probably make you happier. I say go for it and don't worry about resale since you already have a converted vehicle.

I have both a '69 RSR Coupe and a '70 Targa (stock) and I really enjoy the targa on sunny days and the coupe on other days. I would probably go crazy with squeaks too with a wide body targa...

My dad says you are a maroon and that Ronnie has a far greater depth of character, even being a maroon himself.

Edit: My dad is on a road trip with some guy named Karl. Said something about Texas and payback.

Wide body convertibles look super sexing and the chick's like them. Also I fixed my squeeky top rubbers like I lube most of my important rubbers. Do I need to say more.

I have both a 911 coupe and a 912 targa. If I want to travel quickly and enjoy the driving I take a coupe. If I want to cruise and enjoy the Texas spring I take the Targa. I love the open air. If I could only have one (and I could keep my race car for when I really want to enjoy rapid driving) I would probably have a 911 targa. As a PS, I have a factory '75 hardtop on my 69 (covered in vinyl to look like a soft top) and I have zero squeaks.

If it were me I would decide what I wanted and then buy the appropriate car. Unless your car is a junker to start with you will almost certainly devalue it by bastardizing it. I also suspect that you will probably be less than satisfied with your result if this really is the car you are going to learn bodywork on. There are a lot of subtle (and some not so subtle) differences between a coupe and a targa and although it has been proven that it can be done it is going to be a big job.

Since you asked our opinion about values MY OPINION is - it will cost you a lot in both labor and cash and there is no way it will end up more valuable. Coupes currently demand slightly higher prices but bastards always fetch much lower prices - there is no comparison between a wide body conversion (that emulates a factory option) and a targa to coupe conversion which is one man's folly. Once again, just my opinion.

Cab to Coupe conversion I did myself. I was able to sell of a lot of the parts and at the same time before I welded on the new roof I had the chance to build a very nice cage and do a proper job of welding it and painting it before final welding of roof.Id say do what ever makes you happy





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http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1425140906.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1425140934.jpg

April, it is a joy to know that you are not frozen like a Popsicle up thar in balmy Akron. Yer dad hasn't mentioned you much as of late, seeing as he is so focused on tending to his errrr, ummmm "flock".

Oh, and Daddy Bobusmaximus and Sir Karl are most definitely NOT ready for all this!

I hate being called a maroon, it infuriates me. And as far as character, my shrink says I have plenty in my head. If you don't like those, I have others. So, April, the hormone therapy working? I've noticed a mustache in some of your instagram posts. Changing your name to Karl was a good choice.

What a daft comment!
I have a targa and wouldn't give a coupe the time of day. I already own a two door car with a roof... a Ford! I don't need another.

What does daft mean? Speak American.

I'm in the middle of removing the rear glass on my targa today and the thought of smashing it and welding on a hard top did cross my mind. All you coupe guys have made me sad with your targa trashing. So where can I find a hardtop to weld on??

We were just kidding around. Turbo envy. We like Targas just fine.

Hey Rich, "daft" is a Targa Owners Association code word for "please Lordy, grant me a Coupe"!

:D

Turbos have lag issues with intake plenum pressure build, fool. You can finish a fat spliff in the time it takes to attain 10.5:1. Plastic window 912 Targas will be blowing your doors off in the mean time.

My moustache is my business, choad.

Is Tim Hanson "available"?

What a blatant exhibition of ignominious ethnocentricity. That is American you maroon but definitely not a moron! Wanker.

Thank you.

Ass kicking job on the rear bumper, too. My dad speaks highly of you.

Imagine chopping your car in half! were do I cut?? Did I measure correctly? Is that a Chinese measuring device from harbour freight?.? Ohh the pressure

I have to agree that from the outside the coupe has better lines, but I didn't buy a 911 to look at it from the outside. I bought it for the driving experience. Unless you are tracking the car, I challenge anyone to honestly say they can tell a difference in performance between a coupe and a Targa on the street. The open top driving experience is what sports car driving is all about. You all talk about the music of the flat six, well what better way to hear that symphony than in an open top car. I say keep it a Targa and enjoy the experience.

A vinal top on a coupe? like the old muscle cars had? Now thats different.

I say keep it a targa. Leave well enough alone especially if youre not sure. And I certainly wouldnt want my car used as a body work learning experience!

Hey Karl, I'm telling your dad. You're not very nice.
RSBob, that is not American...get real. Sounds like gibby jab to me. You are being daft.

Ron had it right above...

I'm in the same boat - I have an 87 Targa that I bought to possibly turn into a non-sunroof coupe. One concern is that the VIN number will always be a Targa. I think ultimately the value will be determined by the quality of the work. I'm considering the conversion because I want a simple, non-sunroof daily driver that I can personalize. One benefit of a conversion is I will get a spare Targa top for my other car, and the price of the tops is going crazy. I understand that I must pay for the conversion sacrilege - I will still have 2 911's that will remain stock.

Mike

I say drink a good bottle of pinot noir, something nice and light with a good alcohol content, then get the angle grinder out and turn it into a cabriolet.

Or... drink two bottles and turn it into a Speedster.

Just so we are clear here- in 75 Porsche did a one year non-folding targa top. I simply used the vinyl that would normally cover a folding top to emulate it's appearance but it is actually a removable hardtop. Less noise / no squeaks, Oh and it fits a whole lot better. http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1425302236.jpg

Yep. It seems the elegant solution would be to buy one of the new carbon fiber hard tops for targas that are being built by now...or perhaps the fiberglas version if they wanted to paint it the color of the car.

I have not tried one of the new carbon-fibre roofs (which I think are complete roof replacements) but I did try the older fibreglass sort that was attached to the soft-top frame and was not happy with the result - the fit was only marginal at best. The '75 roof, although heavy, was a very good quality piece and I think the key is that it provides an integrated monocoque. Having said that, I do realize that they are also getting pretty rare and expensive. I lucked out and managed to pick mine up for less than it would have cost to send my original soft top to Carsinc for a proper rebuild.

Firstly you will never lose money on the conversion unless you sell it.!

its your car your taste, your circumstance etc.
conversion is easy and cheap i did my cab to coupe for 700.00 , 500 of that was for the roof. And rest for bits i bought here

Note: dont follow schematics if you go ahead with it.
Cars stretch and change shape over the years , i did mine by line of sight maintaining reflective continiity if thats a word ?

Good luck with whatever you choose as long as you drive it :)

Yes...I always wanted a factory '75 hard top, but they were pricey and usually not in good condition. The new hard tops that have recently become available seem to be everything that those older ones skins which attached to the soft top frames are not. In fact, if I had a car (other than a '75, I would probably prefer the new version). Although pricey, they are a thing of beauty and attach the same as the soft top.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/730503-composite-targa-top-development-9.html
From that link:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1425309025.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1425309048.jpg

That is a thing of beauty.

Since the OP's question was would it make it more "desirable"?...my assumption was that he was concerned with marketplace value. I agree that it would not matter if one never sold the vehicle.

It is pretty impressive! Hard for me to pull the trigger though... as I never put the top on mine and they live in the garage anyways. The best part is how little it weighs compared to the folding top.

You will end up with a coupe that weighs more thanks to the additional structural material they had to put into our lovely Targas.

Coupe owners generally buy a car for how they look in it - Targa owners just feel the wind...