Replacing vinyl in 1985 Targa

[SpyderMike]

I thought there was enough detail in this project to warrant a separate thread. My backdate project is over here:

so this is how a backdate project starts...

I start with the rear side pieces, then the B Pillar, move to the front targa bar section, the rear targa bar section, then the door tops.

Here are the upper rear side pieces done (about 30 minutes each):


These were the easiest to do. Removing the old vinyl showed me where to make the cuts. I cleaned off the old glue, used some real strong spray adhesive and attached the vinyl to the flat sides first. Then I used sharp scissors to trim and make the cuts like the old piece and glued those with contact cement.

Starting on the vinyl replacement for the B Pillars now. Ordered replacement foam and vinyl from Lakewell along with the squareweave carpet. The first task at hand was removing the old foam and glue off. The used 3M74 to put the new foam on and trimmed to fit:


Then I use contact cement on the backside of the edge of the car channel and put a strip of it on the corresponding back edge of the vinyl:


And then I tacked the two together using a clean popsicle stick and lightly clamped them together using popsicle sticks and clothes pins:


Tomorrow I will spray 3M74 on the foam and back of the vinyl and tack it down. I will then use the contact cement, popsicle stick, clothes pin method on the other edge. Lastly, I will trim excess with an Exacto knife.

Finishing off the B Pillars:

[SpyderMike]

Next I covered the rear sidewalls in new vinyl, and installed them to see if I like the look. I didn't even remove the old vinyl, I just sprayed strong adhesive over it and placed the vinyl on it. On the back side, I used contact cement around all the edges. My cards were pretty wavy, so I took this short cut. If it doesn't hold up, then I will remove the new vinyl, make new cards, and then reinstall.



Next, I started taking apart the Targa inner pieces to get ready to install new foam and vinyl. Removal of the old vinyl and foam was easy by hand taking less than an hour.


Most of the grey foam came off in large sections...mostly it was just glued around the edges.



It was rather easy to remove the grey foam residue by rubbing with my fingers and thumb (and scraping lightly with my fingernails a few times):


There are a few places where I need to reglue the shaped foam back to the metal and a couple of small places I need to fill the foam:


Now I need to remove the old glue residue with some citristrip:

[SpyderMike]

Then I started in on the foam and vinyl installation of the targa bar pieces. I got headliner material from Joann's for half price at $14.99 for two yards (because I might also do RS Door panels). This is 1/8" thick grey foam with a black material backing on one side. It is stretchy and strong....perfect. I also used a very strong headliner adhesive to glue it down.


I finished cleaning the boomerangs (by hand with finger abrasion; no solvents) and repairing one with contact cement:


I cleaned the removable targa liner with citristrip in the metal surfaces and by rubbing with my fingers on the foam side:



I am not reinstalling the dome light (useless), so I patched it with some left over sound deadening foam:


Then I glued the inside flat first:


Lastly, I glued the back side and I trimmed it all around with scissors and an Exacto knife. I left the foam long enough on the front (left in photo) edge to wrap most of the way around; it will soften that edge when the vinyl is applied. I did the same with the foam on the vent holes:

[SpyderMike]

Now I move over to the car and clean all the original glue residue with citristrip:


I taped off the area I only wanted to glue and made a cardboard spray template to control the glue:



I install the boomerangs with contact cement.


Then I glued the foam starting from the rear working across and then back to front (I used sections of the foam material that would overlap in the middle so I was only working on one half at a time. I trim it with scissors. The rear side trim doesn't need to be nice as it is covered by the targa bar insert panel:


Now I suck it up and mark the center of the single vinyl piece that will span the entire targa bar on the front side. I heat the vinyl up by putting it in the dryer for a few minutes. Then I glue it starting from the back to front starting in the corner. You have to work fast and accurately as you don't get a chance to reposition it:


The toughest spots are these corners. Luckily the vinyl was warm and stretchy. I will let it dry overnight and then trim the back side of the targa seal channel area and contact cement the vinyl in to secure it.

[SpyderMike]

So, a couple of hours in tonight. Man, these targas will keep you up at night. I was stressing the final vinyl overlay of the boomerangs...and wondering if I could design a simpler inside cover.

Anyway, thanks to stretchy vinyl and a little heat gun action, I had major success. The hardest part (I think) is now done. Not perfect, but done.

Using the same process as the other side, gluing back to front in stages, and using the heat gun in the front corner, it all came together.



I trimmed leaving alot of excess on the back side:



and then got cocky and test fit the new seal that will go in:



I still need to open the hole and install the center guide pin plate. I wonder where that is...

[SpyderMike]

Okay, I finished up the underside targa vinyl removable section. Whew. Used a heat gun and some fast hands to get that vinyl in place around the curves. I used headliner glue for vinyl to foam and vinyl to the straight sections of metal. I used contact cement for the ends and the vent cutout details. Some shots:





Next up, I restore the fresh air vents and then install this beast.

[Otter74]

Thanks for all this - I need to do the rear door-edge panel on one side of my car, and this is very helpful.

[universeman]

Wow, great job! Can you come do mine?

A very important tip on that seal - it's CRITICAL for watertightness that you locate the sides correctly. The horizontal slit in the seal has to line up perfectly with the bottom of the targa top side seals when the top is latched in place. If it doesn't, you'll get leaks. Should be a little bit of tension on the side seal/rear seal intersection - but not so much that it squeezes the rubber out and makes the doors hard to close. I see you're using the non-Porsche seal - that's what I installed, and it doesn't leak at all so I think you'll be fine if you take the time to install it right.

[SpyderMike]

Otter74, post any questions here that you might have during the process.

Universeman, thank you. This is one job I would probably farm out next time (if there is a next time). I will take your advise when I do the final install of the seal. I saw a german video that I have bookmarked on the seal install process. I remember it also paid attention to certain alignment points - just like you mentioned.

[SpyderMike]

Keeping it rolling, I decided to revinyl the targa bar interior vents. I went to Home Depot and bought some screen material for less than $6. I bought the replacement vinyl already punched and rough cut by Lakewell. I used scissors to trim the screen to size (following the perimeter of the metal support plate). Then I tacked it in place with blue tape once I got everything lined up.


I used contact cement and an inexpensive plastic scraper to glue down the long sides:


Then I trimmed the short side and edges and glued them down.


Here is the front and the back:


With luck I will install them and the targa bar underneath panel tomorrow.

[SpyderMike]

I finished with the rear of the car! Overlaying the old perforated vent covers on the new, with an Exacto blade I cut the holes for the seat belt swivel. I trimmed the hole with a knife. Then I pressed the vents into place and bent the metal tabs on back tight to the targa cover frame. Next I took a hole punch and punched out vinyl covering the two screw holes on each side that fasten this cover in place.

I sat on the back hump and positioned the cover to catch all of the tabs. It wasn't easy, and it took me about 5 minutes to get it situated. I worked from the center to one side and then fastened the two screw retaining it (not tight yet), then worked the other side. The new foam and vinyl make things puffy and parts need to be pushed together with force.

I then screwed in the four screws tight and sheared the final screw. Back out it came. I extracted the remains of the screw and cleaned up the holes with a drill bit. Then I tried again and got it fairly quickly. The rest went together real fast.

Here is the result:




Next I will move on to the doors. I will buy RS Panels already made from Appbiz and I will recover the door toppers in new vinyl.

[Ayles]

Looks great!!!

[SpyderMike]

Thanks Jeff! As you know, you have to keep moving forward. It will get finished one of these days.

[Otter74]

Thanks, Mike. I won't get to it until later this year, but the one question that comes to mind now is how much of the surrounding interior I have to remove to get full access to that panel at the rear edge of the door opening in order to replace it. Overall, my interior is very good other than a cracked dash (expensive, and I can live with it), slightly warped door tops (don't care) and this torn panel, which bugs me the most because I see it every time I get in and out of the car.

Originally Posted by SpyderMike

Otter74, post any questions here that you might have during the process.

[SpyderMike]

It should be pretty easy to get to. I am not sure of the differences between a 1980 and a 1985, but for the 1985, you first remove the top side strip by extracting the two screws circled in red.

Then you remove the two screws circled in green and that releases the side panel to move. There is a tab on the back of the side panel around the blue circle requiring you to lift the back corner of the panel up and then once the tab is clear, you pull the panel back to clear the front edge from behind the B Pillar that you will re-vinyl.

[SpyderMike]

Here is the location of the slot where the tab slides in from above:

[911JeffS]

Hi Mike excellent write up & description. I'm presently in the battle right now, got it stripped now gathering materials.
Question:
Can you please explain how you removed the rear targa gasket/weather strip from car? On the car you have the targa guide pin holes with two plastic fasteners on either side. How do these little buggers come out ? Were you able to reinstall them or replace reinstall them?
Thanks Mike

[SpyderMike]

Sure 911JeffS, that seal is primarily glued in. I just started at one end and pulled. I cut the seal into smaller chunks when it got unmanageable. I ended up drilling out the plastic plugs after destroying as much of them as I could with snips. I also unscrewed the targa pin receptacles and replaced the rubber seal behind those. If you need some pictures of that area let me know. I still haven't glued in the new seal.

[911JeffS]

SpyderMike - Did you purchase all gaskets from PP? I have not looked into it yet, forgive me. Sorry I meant seals thanks

[Lake Guy]

Good information Mike. I'm doing this job right now. I need to source some of the thin foam to cover the formed parts (rubber like) that get glued to the targa bar front edge. I was a bit nervous about starting the gluing of the vinyl so I came in for a cup of coffee and decided to wait for my neighbour who does upholstery. Just happened onto this thread In the meantime.