OK, here are a couple pictures of the latch and receiver:





Notice how shallow the receiver is and how it appears to surface mount in the exact same place the lift mechanism goes as shown in this picture:



I suspect the valance from an electric roof car is too deep to use with the manual receiver. I think maybe the manual roof cars don't have a valance?



I would like to find out if the manual roof cars even use a valance, and if so is it much shallower.

 

Monkey boy.

Is the reciever going to mount stock into the holes for the armature?

As I say in my write up, no need for it. Just take the arms off, on the top (bottom really) cover ad the guide portion accepts the latch perfectly.

 

I may go that route to start. I'd like to eventually do it like the factory did though.

 

Just not sure you'll be able to. If you take the valence and brackets off, you should be able to see easy enough though.

 

Yeah, I'll find out this week if I can motivate to do it. I have a feeling the manual roof cars simply have the pleather of the headliner tucked in under the receiver, sans valance. This is obviously not a really good option, for you can see I also ripped the liner around the lift as you did. Also, the liner is punched out under the hatch hinges for access, so I would need to patch/cover those holes. I'm thinking the way you did it may be the best option.

 

I don't know abut strict manual cars. But that piece that's ripped I'm pretty sure is just a sound temprature barrier. Not meant for show. Mine was ripped when I got the car, and just about every picture I've seen sans valence is ripped. You have no access to the internals until then.

 

Sure you do, there is a plastic U shaped trim bead thingy that holds the vinyl/pleather **** in place. You pull up the trim thingy and the vinyl drops down. The liner on the passenger side is not ripped, and I ripped the drivers side a year ago when I was checking the lift mechanism function. But, to your line of thought, it is pretty crappy material and very, very easily ripped. And it is probably way easier to get at all the lift crap by just "enlarging" the holes a bit, likely what an earlier owner did to your car.

 

manning, thanks for posting the additional pics, they're very helpful.
i'm waiting for my hardware to come in, and i'll be starting on my conversion. i was hoping there will be a way to get a finished look at the rear valance around the existing receivers - i was also hoping you would be able to adapt the early model receivers were the exsiting lifting arm assembley is. but, maybe not and will have to do it the way SidV suggests.

Sid - do you get a good tight seal of the roof panel by using the existing lifting arm recess? if so, i guess that may be good enough for me.

Thanks, all

 

Sid's conversion looks very good to me. I just wanted to be able to do it as close to what Porsche did as possible. If I can't no biggy, I'll do it Sid's way. As long as it gets a good tight seal, fine by me.

 

I reckon the seal is tighter than original.

 

YEAAAAHHHHHHHH!
just converted the roof and it is TOO EASY.
this was a great call Sid - glad i came upon the post before taking it to the wrench.
it took my buddy longer to drink his beer, than it took for me to remove the valance, lifter covers and attach the new rear latches on the panel. dropped it in for a function test and it locked down perfectly.

all i have to do now is decide how much to shave the cardboard around the panel and valance liners to accommodate the new latches in the closed position. it looks as if the liner latch recesses will only require minor alteration and there is plently of liner material to wrap the panel edges.

the best think about this all is i love the way the car looks and feels with the panel removed and i now have the peace of mind that i can remove the thing without the threat of stripping the slip clutch.

p.s. the early lifting system is a POS - no plastic gear to strip. the cable attaches directly to the lifting arm and is at the mercy of the slip clutch adjustment. on this particular car - i think the slip clutch is completely screwed. when i removed the adjustment screw and used the special tool to rotate the threaded collar - nothing happens - the collar just spins around. the lifting arms only moved when the adjustment screw was re-inserted, tightened, then continued to be tightened to raise the panel. this is not how it is supposed to work. the adjustment screw is supposed to be for setting the torque on the slip cluch - i think i have that right?

anyway - all that is nonsense now.
i'm thinking i can remove the complete motor and drive now?
i also pulled NO.1 fuse to kill all associated power and kill the microswitches.

i recommend this conversion to all who are considering!
you can thank Sid

 

OK, so you save 5 lbs by using the manual panel instead of the electric panel. I just weighed everything else you can remove with the manual roof conversion (motor, motor unit cover, worm gear, guide covers, lift arms and tubes) and found you save another 5 lbs. So in total you remove 10 lbs from the car by doing the manual sunroof conversion. Not too shabby.

 

i agree.
i pulled everything too.
it's complete now - i didn't alter the panel liner at all. my latches lock fine against the liner, as is - no need to recess further.
thanks again for your help.

 

OMG! If that thread were on DVD...it would easily be a three-disc set!

But I thank Sid & Co. for their diligent, innovative efforts. I must agree- if Porsche wised-up and realized a cheaper, "quality" manual option was necessary....Sid's idea is 98% OEM quality. Saving 5lbs may not appear to be much- but if WE LOST 5lbs today...we could live longer, due to being lighter altogether. A 951 less 5lbs, will ALWAYS BEAT another identical one 5lbs heavier. I dont care what the experts are contradicting...!

SID: " Manuel" paid his dues, now its time to repay him back...No, he is not getting deported.....he's going to the hatch! Great work+info!