Has anyone (re)painted their targa bar cover? It appears to be a sheet metal piece that should be removable. Also, what brand/shade of black would match the original paint?
Any tips would be appreciated...

 

To do a good job you should remove the Targa bar. The "targa" script on mine are held on by two small fasteners on the back of the bar. The bar is held on by four plastic rivits accessable at the front Targa bar seal and four 10mm bolts accessable from the rear wheel well. You will need to pick up the plastic rivits b/c they will be destroyed after removal.
Some people completely remove the old paint with a chemical stripped but I like to retain the factory primer. I just sanded the bar smooth w/ 400 grit and applied three coats of paint in as dust free of area I could find. I used a dremel to remove the paint on the "targa" script. Then I let the bar sit for a couple days before touching it. From what I hear,Wurth Satin Black is OEM. I used Rustoleum Satin Black outdoor patio paint and I really like the look.

 

I removed mine as described, and had it professionally stripped and painted with Glasurit satin black with a "structural additive" to give it some texture. It's very tricky to get the color and texture to look right at the same time. Also, I think that we might have ended up with a bit more texture than stock, but I'm very happy with the look. It took my paint guy three tries, so I'm lucky that he owed me a favor.

I tried the Wurth once, but it didn't hold up well. The Rustoleum might be more rugged.

 

I just repainted mine a few months ago. The paint was still in decent condition, but had faded to an uneven charcoal grey color. I concours the car, so I was hesitant to do it myself, but it came out better than I expected - good enough to win second in class at the PCA Zone event. So it is possible to do a first class job yourself.

I removed the targa bar from the car and lightly sanded it with 400 wet/dry. I had some places where the top had rubbed through the paint to the metal which needed to be primed. so I went ahead and primed the whole thing with self-etching primer. I then sprayed a dust coat followed by 3 heavier coats of satin black. Because I had only lightly sanded the primer, there was still some "texture" to the finish and it came out looking really good.

A few observations and caveats - I used DupliColor Satin Black paint (available at NAPA stores). It seems to be a very good match for the original color and is easy to use. You will most likely destroy the front targa bar seal when you remove it, so plan on a new one. Best price I found was at Vertex and I'm pleased with the quality. Also, use some masking tape on the top of the fenders at the base of the bar to avoid scratching the paint there with the studs on the bottom of the bar when you remove and repalce it. Finally, make sure the surfaces are REALLY clean when you paint, or you'll get imperfections called "fisheyes" and will have to sand and repaint - ask me how I know <img src="graemlins/c.gif" border="0" alt="[ouch]" />

Good luck and let us know how it turns out!

 

Thank for the great tips. I am going to have my Fuchs bead blasted (like sand blasting, but with plastic "beads"--not as abrasive) and was considering having my targa bar (and fan, valve covers) done while I'm at it...