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Rennlist is supposed to send an email when your username is mentioned but it doesn't seem to work. So, sorry to join this late, and thanks to Dave for the mention.
I may have some useful info. First of all, I used Bob @voskian 's 91 GT cover as the model for my re-do and it definitely has the zipper (thanks Bob).
Second, the zipper is nothing special. It's a 22" non-separating Vislon (molded nylon) zipper available at any sewing notion store. I used a separating zipper which I modified by stitching up the end ... ~$5. For that price I would let Rob supply his own, and preserve your old cover for posterity. If you decide to dismantle it, the really difficult piece that you might want to reuse is the aft crosspiece, which is sheet aluminum bent into an elongated U and unavailable at any price. I substituted 1/2" aluminum tube from Home Depot and it worked great, and has the virtue of fitting the end caps from our parts suppliers perfectly.
The cost/benefit of DIY was excellent for this project - incidental costs for materials and new parts, and the first example took me about 4 hours (expecting 2-3 hours for subsequent iterations, if any). I also think mine improved on the Porsche version by reinforcing the parts that had worn through on Bob's example cover, like grommets and rivets. The neoprene works really great. It's super stretchy and doesn't billow in the wind. And unlike many 928 projects, it involved no ATF or skinned knuckles.
Rennlist is supposed to send an email when your username is mentioned but it doesn't seem to work. So, sorry to join this late, and thanks to Dave for the mention.
I may have some useful info. First of all, I used Bob @voskian 's 91 GT cover as the model for my re-do and it definitely has the zipper (thanks Bob).
Second, the zipper is nothing special. It's a 22" non-separating Vislon (molded nylon) zipper available at any sewing notion store. I used a separating zipper which I modified by stitching up the end ... ~$5. For that price I would let Rob supply his own, and preserve your old cover for posterity. If you decide to dismantle it, the really difficult piece that you might want to reuse is the aft crosspiece, which is sheet aluminum bent into an elongated U and unavailable at any price. I substituted 1/2" aluminum tube from Home Depot and it worked great, and has the virtue of fitting the end caps from our parts suppliers perfectly.
The cost/benefit of DIY was excellent for this project - incidental costs for materials and new parts, and the first example took me about 4 hours (expecting 2-3 hours for subsequent iterations, if any). I also think mine improved on the Porsche version by reinforcing the parts that had worn through on Bob's example cover, like grommets and rivets. The neoprene works really great. It's super stretchy and doesn't billow in the wind. And unlike many 928 projects, it involved no ATF or skinned knuckles.
Charlie,
Thanks for checking in, I also have a GTS that needs a luggage cover as well. Dave C. mentioned in his post that you used a Neoprene IIRC material that is very similar to the original. My interior is blue (see below) and I would love to get the source for the material you used.
Hi Dave. You have some phenomenal cars! Happy to assist but the advice will be almost worth what you will pay. The original material appears to be an unusually heavy and stretchy "Ponte di Roma", i.e. ribbed knit.
The material I used is neoprene and I tried black for my prototype. It doesn't have the ribbed texture that the original does but otherwise looks and performs very well. I really like it. I got it online and it's available from several sources. Here's the link: https://www.fabric.com/buy/0554006/1...ne-scuba-black However, that same online dealer recently added this material. I have never seen it before and don't have a sample, but I think it may be the actual stuff from the original. If you move ahead with it, can you let me know if it's the real deal?
@Rob Edwards Nice tip on the Ponte a while back. Maybe it's back from the dead...
Actually that advise is worth quite a bit! I owe you one...
I'll be ordering 5 yards of several of the colors and playing with dyes on them to try to get an exact match. If successful, I'll document the process and someone who is in the business can run with it!
Dying the black hardware or creating new properly colored pieces will be the next challenge (3D printer ???). Anyone? Anyone?
Enjoy!
Dave E.
Here is a screenshot of the fabric description and available colors:
Rennlist is supposed to send an email when your username is mentioned but it doesn't seem to work. So, sorry to join this late, and thanks to Dave for the mention.
That one made it so the at sign did the trick. Thanks Dave. Of course, I should be monitoring Rennlist 24x7 anyway. Dave E: Not sure if that material can easily be dyed but very interested to find that out also. Most polyester is not very absorbent. But at $5/yard (you need <2 yards for the cover) you can make quite a few mistakes before approaching the cost of the new one.
The black hardware items for the hangers are nylon castings. I don't think they were color-matched - Dave C's cork cover has black hangers I believe. But there is a plastic and vinyl paint available from SEM and others with Porsche colors pre-mixed. The snaps, grommets, and rivets are available in colors (e.g. here:
) but can also easily be painted as long as you clean them thoroughly and scuff them lightly with fine abrasive first. I suggest nail polish - designed for small applications, millions of pre-mixed colors, and dries strong and fast.
Finally, authenticity vs. practicality: 1 - The hardware will pull through the stretchy material pretty easily. So you may want to use leather reinforcements on some areas even though Porsche didn't. 2- Exact color matches for these accessories are not something the manufacturer obsesses over. The navy Ponte will probably be awesome and fool any concours judge. Good luck! Post pics!
Actually that advise is worth quite a bit! I owe you one...
I'll be ordering 5 yards of several of the colors and playing with dyes on them to try to get an exact match. If successful, I'll document the process and someone who is in the business can run with it!
Dying the black hardware or creating new properly colored pieces will be the next challenge (3D printer ???). Anyone? Anyone?
Enjoy!
Dave E.
AFAIK, all the plastic 'hardware' for these was black. Same as the 'rosettes' for the seatbelts (the little plastic frames that go around the holes the belts go into).
Both Roger & Mark have them. Pretty sure they are called 'bobbins' (could be misremembering that one).
A few years back, Whitesands posted a design for a home made cover. Dimensions for the fabric, a way to replicate the interior hardware, all that.
I followed this with 'just' green vinyl. It doesn't quite match, and it's no where near original, but it functions very well.
Rich Guzman (Chitown S4) was making them for a while. I think he was using awning material. He'd put a crest decal on them too. Very nice workmanship. Again, not original but nice.
He hasn't been on here for a while. Not sure if he's still around or still making them.
AFAIK, all the plastic 'hardware' for these was black. Same as the 'rosettes' for the seatbelts (the little plastic frames that go around the holes the belts go into).
Both Roger & Mark have them. Pretty sure they are called 'bobbins' (could be misremembering that one).
A few years back, Whitesands posted a design for a home made cover. Dimensions for the fabric, a way to replicate the interior hardware, all that.
I followed this with 'just' green vinyl. It doesn't quite match, and it's no where near original, but it functions very well.
Rich Guzman (Chitown S4) was making them for a while. I think he was using awning material. He'd put a crest decal on them too. Very nice workmanship. Again, not original but nice.
He hasn't been on here for a while. Not sure if he's still around or still making them.
I will look through the forum for Whitesands posts. The fact that the hardware was black on all cars simplifies things quite a bit as I have complete spare old covers thanks to Steve (911user).
Getting the Black XX8 car's zipper finished will be my first priority and then it is on to Snow Whites blue luggage cover.
And now a totally gratuitous photo of the subject of this thread:
This car is responding well to being taken off the road for a while and seriously babied... It's really cool that It lived a full road life with Steve and now returns to a more show oriented lifestyle as the Factory used it. Today I located the first owners son and hope to get some pictures of the car when it was sold after the New York Auto Show.
Eventually I want to find some photos from the New York Auto Show where this car was displayed by Porsche. Got to be out there somewhere! Anyone? Anyone?
On a personal note: Congratulations on your "save" the other day or as you called it your "pucker" event. PA-28's are nice planes... This RC 114-B is pretty cool as well and the tail number is a fav...
11-10-2018, 05:19 AM
