Marlon Targa 86

I'm getting a strut brace for my Targa. It's pretty obvious to me what the advantages are for a Targa to have a strut brace.

But what about this body brace. Is it going to make a big difference? Anybody has one?

Marlon

whalebird

Marlon, that area is where a targe/cab flex the most. Really, the flat floorboard is all that hold the front/rear half of the car together with help from the boxed center tunnel and rocker panels. The door hinges and latch are stressed as well upon flexing. It seems to me that a steel truss/frame could be fabbed up with machined surfaces that would allow the factory targa top hardware and latches to allow easy install and removal at the track or on a lift for service. This of course would require the targa latch plates and pins to carry the dynamic forces of the cars structure...I'm not certain they would at four contact points.
Maybe not an original idea of my own, but I would certainly consider the braces in your posts as a measure of improvement, especially combined with a harness bar.
Just my thoughts.

Marlon Targa 86

I ordered both of the braces. I'm pushing the car more and more during DE events. I hear those braces help quite a bit.

Marlon

whalebird

Very nice. They seem like they would be out of the way for everyday use.
Any update on the alignment issue?

Marlon Targa 86

No not yet. Prob will take the car in next week.

AutoAtlanta

Even on a targa car, I have never had any results from a strut brace. Most of the time they are worthless.

I have yet to find one for any Porsche application, but a SOLID front strut bar is the only way to go to make any difference at all. If your strut brace has any kind of pivot in it at all, it's a waste of money. The picture below is for a softy E36 BMW, but you will get the idea.



If anyone knows of anyone who makes something of this style and quality for a Porsche application, let me know because I want to start carrying them.

Marlon Targa 86

I have no experience in strut braces, but from what I read (which might be wrong), aren't the braces there to prevent loss of camber? I realize the front brace might not help with the "flex". Seems the body brace would though.

Marlon

gtihop

I have the targa body brace that bolts on to the front seat belt bolts. It seems to help a little with the flex, but I did have the targa roof pop open once over a rough road since installing it. Also makes accessing the seatbelts and seat back adjuster difficult.

Ed Hughes

I believe a triangulated strut brace does a good job of solidifying the front end. Targa, coupe, whatever.

I believe the body brace is a waste of money-snake oil in a sense. That angle provides little leverage. I'm not so sure why you're so obsessed with the flex in your Targa. If it is a prime concern, go for a coupe.

Mark Donohue, one of the premier drivers of all time, actually stated he preferred the handling nature of a Targa when compared to a "street" 911 coupe.

Save the body brace money and do another track day.

Marlon Targa 86

Ed, I'm not obsessed with the potential flex. Just looking for ways to strengthen the car. But after reading a lot of posts on the body brace I decided to heed your call and return them. It seems the jury is out on how effective they really are. Plus I hate the look of them in the back of the car.

I'll prob put the money towards turbo tie rods.

Thanks for your valuable input!

Marlon

Eharrison

You would think someone would fab up an additional brace that mounts to the body right at the bottom of the stainless rollbar (inside) that would parallel the profile of the seat and attach somewhere near the front foot well. Like an inverted roll bar.

The one in the first photo has created pressure points on one critical area, seat belt restraint. So in an accident, the car is flipping end over end compressing the body and you have a brace between your seat belt points. As the body flexes the brace puts X amount of lbs on the seat belt bolts. Enough to shear them? I don't know.

It also adds additional rotational force to the body at the lower seat belt point. Does the body have enough support at that point to accept the new stresses? Is it going to reduce the amount of flex? Personally I think it would be negligible. The four contact points to the ground are pretty far away from the new brace. Take a ruler and flex the ends. Then take the ruler and add a small triangle midway on the ruler. I don't think you'll see much improvement.

Ed Hughes

Now we're talking a full blown race car with cage to suspension.

My Targa has never felt bad when I'm tearing up a mountain, or lapping at a track. I'm the weak link in the chain.

theiceman

Just what i ws thinking ed you would have to be an awsome driver before your car twist became an issue .. driving at 9.5/10

Nate2046

I have to agree. I'm no engineer, but just looking at that bar I can't imagine it having any affect on chassis flex. You would have to move the forward point to the front bottom cutout of the door to have any sort of triangulation.

Marlon Targa 86

I returned it. Got turbo tie rods instead. After installing the front strut brace and the new rods, I'll def need an alignment.

Marlon