Re-Covering A 911 Targa Top At Home


Yes, it can be done. With a little bit of patience, 3 or 4 cans of 3M Super-90 adhesive, and a Saturday with no distractions, you can have a nice new top for your 911 targa. I recommend Original Fit interiors. Their targa skin was $60, whereas the mail-order porsche places are getting $180. The Original Fit skin was *better* as it's trimmed much more accurately than the expensive one. With moderate mechanical skills, you can do this at home and save yourself a few *hundred* dollars. If you're in the Sacramento area, I might be bribed to help you with yours.

Materials:

Spots that were previously damged
From the dents and cracks, I am guessing that the top flew off the car once or twice.

Repairs
I pop-riveted the sprung rivets back in place. I know from past experience that you can't weld or braze the top frame. I also had to drill and re-tap 4 of the holes for the clips.

Installing the top
Here's what the top looks like without the vinyl skin, burlap, foam liner, and headliner. I didn't have to replace the cross straps, and I don't recomend mucking with them unless absolutely necessary. They set the entire top geometry, and if you screw them up, you're done for.

I then laid down a layer of lightweight canvas to replace the burlap. I bought the canvas at a fabric store, and pre-washed it to shrink it. I doubt this is necessary, but I had the material left over from a different project, but you need something to provide the basis for the rest of the top. The orginal material is burlap, but many people told me that had success with other materials.

In addition, I used duct tape to hold the clip-retainers from the back side. I wrapped the duct tape all the way around the aluminum support, then cut away the exposed duct tape once the canvas was in place.

Next comes a layer of 1/4" light foam. I glued the foam to the top, over the canvas, then wrapped it around the edges about 1", gluing all the way. Trim as needed to prevent lumping.

Now I did a "stretch fit" of the vinyl skin. I used those black springy biner clips to clamp the skin all the way across the front and back - not the sides - to get it into place, then let it sit in the warm sun to get itself used to that position. This will make it a lot easier when you're gluing later.

I started gluing at the front first. With the top upside down, spray some adhesive on the front edge - no adhesive should be applied to the TOP side of the top or the vinyl - that has to "float" on the foam!

I started with the center aluminum piece, gluing all the way across the center support and about an inch past at the first pass. Let the glue set for a minute or two, until it's no longer cold, then apply the vinyl with the seam slightly off center, so that it would be pointing up toward you when you have the top upside down. This helps the seam seat properly on the car. If you don't make sure the seam is "wrapped" over, the subsequent stretch will cause the seam to pull up over the top, creating a little "lip" like a spoiler and, and create wind noise and expose the targa bar rubber seal to the elements, guaranteeing a leak.

Clamp it with the seam bent over, and leave it clamped a few minutes until the glue sets, about 5 minutes.

I also un-folded the top a tad, as you can see from the pix. This helps to stretch the top out once you're done gluing. Don't over-do it, or you'll never be able to expand the top again! I probably could have un-folded a tad more, but I think I did well as it was.

Don't worry about trimming out the clip holes at this time - plenty of time for that later.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

I alternated left to right, doing once section at a time as demarcated by the aluminum support sections. I also left the top folded slightly, so that any wrinkles would be pulled out when the bars were straightened back out, ie when you unfold it to install it on the car. You probably could also do the front section, then the rear, and alternate back and forth. I chose this method as I thought it would give me more leeway in preventing wrinkles.

Once I finished the whole front, I repeated the entire process for the rear. Then I did the sides, gluing them down, then installing the rain gutter - all the while the top is slightly folded.

When I was done installing the last rain gutter, and I'd allowed the glue to dry, I then gently unfolded the top and did a test fit. Perfect! Then install the side window seals (I installed brand new ones) and the headliner and you're done. The headliner installation is quite simple so I won't document it extensively here. I centered it, lifted one side, sprayed the glue, set it, then when that had set up, did the other side, working from the middle to the outside. Then install the clips, and you're done.

Finished!
Arrow points to one wrinkly spot. Appears to be the only flaw. Hopefully it will shrink and flatten with some time in the sun.

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