Riddle: How many men to replace a rear Targa window??

[efhughes3]

The post on how long it takes to drop a motor prompted this. It took an auto glass company 2 guys for 12 hours, and another guy for about 6 hours to replace the rear window in my Targa! Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. It became an obsession for the shop owner. He said money was not the object, he was determined to succeed. All of this was after the first guy, who took it out, gave up after 9 hours!! He literally walked off of the job. Didn't charge me either. I think it was because I told the second shop that the first guy, who he knew, gave up, he committed to it.

When the second guy called and told me they finally got it, he said he wouldn't take any money, just buy his shop some pizza and beer! (I'm still taking him a couple of hundred to give to his guys)

I could hardly sleep Saturday and Sunday nights, I was so sick to my stomach! Monday night, it still wasn't done, and I'd finally resigned myself to the fact that things were out of my control, and actuallly started to see some humor in this.

If I have to go through this again, I'm turning it into a Cabriolet! I actually started doing searches on Cab conversions at one point.

At any rate, Targa owners beware!

[boyt911sc]

Ed,
Last year I went to the local auto glass installer for my rear window installation and inspite of being the largest auto glass installer in the Philadelphia area, they refused to take the assignment.

According to them, it is one of the most difficult window to install and could not be done alone by their installer. I went around to look for auto glass shops that could help put this window back on my car.

Finally, somebody from the local Porsche dealer gave me a name to call. Two guys arrived to my house and installed the rear window in less than 2 hours for $180. I was willing to shell more than that amount just to install it back.

Make sure that the guys doing it have experience with targa rear windows or they will have difficulties installing it right or worst crack the glass. Just want to share similar nightmare with this rear window......

[Jdub]

...and make sure the darn defogger still works!

John

[NoLift911]

I can easily see this.

My heated front windshield on my 84 Carrera scared all away as well. It took me and a friend most of a day. Fortunately I have had the honor and distinction of replacing this fornt windshield 4 times at $1200 a pop. I am getting good at it. I also replaced the rear...just becuase.

Anyone can install a window...to get it right and factory looking is an art.

-Jeff
nolift911@hotmail.com

[Bones]

I experienced the same problem ....the first guys ****ed the new mouldings .....I didn't pay them the second guy got it in but still managed to make hammer marks on the mouldings .......left 'owing' him money......got paint shop to mask and spray the moulding damage ........everybody say's it is a very difficult job....I heard at the factory they ship them to planet Porsche and install them in a weightless environment using especially strong and dextorous aliens with twenty suckers on each ten fingered hand......they hold their beer bottles with their suckered thumbs!!......looks very new though now .....

[pbs911]

Humm, I've done mine twice - alone. Second time took about an hour and a half. The trick is you have to do it in the sun so the seal is soft and make quick connections for the defroster.

[KilnRed83SC]

2 & 1/2 days here... When I had mine repainted a few years ago, it was done midday on Wednesday, but it took two auto glass guys til late Friday to get the rear glass back in.

Of course, the job was already a week over and it was the night before a local PCA concours which left me no time to clean up the rest of the car. I made 2nd place on fresh paint alone.

[Zeke]

When I painted my now sold Targa, I hired a glass installer to come out to the house and install the rear glass. He bailed in about a hour. I was so pissed that I proceeded to do it myself. My time was five hours. The funny thing is, the installer told me how to put it in!

[HarryD]

I just had my front glass replaced and noticed that the seal in the rear was starting to look a bit aged.I discussed this with my installer and he reported that he hated doing Targa rear glasses as it takes two fellows and alot of effort to get a decent install.

[targa80]

I just removed both the front and rear windows from my Targa for a restoration project. The rear was pretty easy to remove but I cracked the front while trying to remove it. I was planning on replacing the front due to pitting and a stone chip. It will be some time before I reinstall them and I hope I don't have as much of a problem as some have had on this thread. The service manual gives a good description on the installation of both windshields. The hard part I see is in the wiring of the rear heater elements.

[Zeke]

Originally posted by targa80
I just removed both the front and rear windows from my Targa for a restoration project. The rear was pretty easy to remove but I cracked the front while trying to remove it. I was planning on replacing the front due to pitting and a stone chip. It will be some time before I reinstall them and I hope I don't have as much of a problem as some have had on this thread. The service manual gives a good description on the installation of both windshields. The hard part I see is in the wiring of the rear heater elements.

IIRC, you insert the rearward part of the glass into the glass opening first enabling you to connect the heater wire first off. Then you work your way around to the front equally at both sides. It's just when you are tucking the lower front corners in that it snaps. Once you are around to the forward edge, you are home free. Once again, it's been awhile, so I'm just trying to remember. I was one beaten puppy by the time I finished as half the time was spent inside the car in a cramped position.

I'm buying a coupe this time around.

[Eric Coffey]

I really feel for you guys that had to go through that! I have taken exactly one Targa rear window out, but have never put one back in (parted car out). The removal alone was enough to make me realize that I would never want to put one back in! Very few words make me cringe more than "rear - Targa - glass - replacement"

[Kevin Stewart]

When i painted my car it was still a tarba, a window guy came over for 6 hours trying to put it in, no luck, i asked on this bbs and a friend and i put it in the next day in 2 hrs, he was a pro , Kevin

[john70t]

Some questions about the the process:
What lube do people use? Silicone, WD-40, soap, other?
Would two ropes work better?