Smoothe Targa Top

[speed_bluester]

Can the stock 914 targa tops be sanded smooth and painted? I have seen smooth tops but never get the chance to ask.

Has anyone done this? Pics? How?

Thanks

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Sand, fill, sand, fill, sand, paint, color-sand, clearcoat. The top is simply fiberglass covered with gel-coat. It's not the straightest 'glass in the world, either, which is why you wind up doing the sand/fill thing for a while. A nice shiny paint job tends to show off all of the imperfections in the stock part, which is likely why they used the "pebbled" finish.

Most people who do this paint their top the same color as the car's body. You could get away with a satin-black type finish, too. It would almost (but not quite) match the original that way, but be smooth.

As for pics, look for any pics of 914s with body-colored roof panels. That's how they did it.

--DD

[Buckeye '73]

914GT - Could you post a pic with the top on the car?

I'd like to see the "smooth" vs. the "textured".

I've thought about painting mine black. I'm gonna have to replace or repair. I'm not sure I can repair and I'm not sure how "clean" I'll be able to replace with.

Thanks,
Bryce

[Buckeye '73]

Thanks for the pics!

I agree, the vinyl next to the gloss doesn't work. (Although I still wonder what black gloss would look like with the sail fins red...)

How'd you "texture" it?

(Forgive me for asking if there's a how-to article already. I looked and didn't find one.)

Thanks again.

[speed_bluester]

I have seen pickup truck bed coating sprayed on a sanded top; came out nice and tough.
I agree, can't mix and match the smooth and the vinyl; but that "glass" top would look great on my vinyl-less blk on blk '70.
I have a feeling it would be a lot of work to get one really perfect.

[Tidybuoy]

Here's a photo of a smooth red top painted smooth with red sail panels and a photo of a smooth black top with black sail panels:

[Matt Shepherd]

Here's a pic of my car with the smooth roof treatment and matching sail panels:

[Matt Shepherd]

Let's try a less blurry one....

[RandyLok]

I think it would only look good if you ditch the sail panel vinyl and do the whole top of the car in the same body color.

I'm with Guy on this. It can look great if it matches body color. Otherwise the flat black texture looks better.

Either way, I like painted sail panels better than vinyl.

Matt, your all-silver car looks great. And Tidybuoy, that all-red one looks sweet!

[jim912928]

Ingore me in the pic...but go smooth and all 1 color!