Re-Introduction: A Targa Refurb
 

I've been more active here in the past two years, but felt I should compile a thread going over the car and the mundane tasks I've been at in terms of refreshing it.

Back in 2011, the car was gifted to my dad (original thread). Back in his younger days, he enjoyed muscle cars and all sorts of other interesting vehicles. That went to the wayside and for many years he ended up with mom's old car whenever she got a new one - granted they weren't junk at all, just older. Needless to say being back in a sportscar was an joyous period for him.

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Sadly, he left this earth March 30, 2016 after unexpected complications post cardiac surgery. I had been taking care of the Targa for him during his hospital stay (and traded him my E320 so he could get home easier than trying to ride in mom's 987). After a few months I made room in my garage to fit this car - his car.
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And over these past two years I have been making slow progress on refurbishing various sections of the car as finances permit. As I dig deeper into it, I find more items that prior mechanics screwed up or parts that just need to be replaced. So in the coming posts I'll detail some of those areas, and lay out my plans on getting it back to where it should be.

It's a September 1990-build Carrera 2 Targa 5-speed, with 158000 miles approximately. Options are few, but it did come with the limited-slip differential. It needs repainted due to years of pitting, road rash, and sections of two-stage resprays.

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I had thought that nobody would really care about my bone-stock worn Targa, but seeing the feedback in other threads has prompted me to reconsider. I thank the entirety of this forum for the friendliness, helpfulness, and camaraderie. That means a lot to have a welcome place to talk shop. Dad was the instigator into my sick addiction to cars and worship of all things mechanical, folded me into his own addiction as it were. That was one of the bonds we had, working on his 911 does make me reflect on those memories fondly.

And for something different, my other rides:

2004 986 2.7, 119000 miles:
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Background - '95 Mercedes-Benz E320 with 203000 miles, and fiance's 2018 Subaru Crosstrek.

2017 Subaru Outback 3.6:
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Stay tuned, I have a lot more to cover. :)

Thanks for sharing your story, I find it to be really special. I'm sorry to hear about your dad, I can't imagine what that must have been to go through, but I am sure he would be very pleased with your care-taking of his 964. Our cars may have been on the assembly line with each other - my 1991 is also a September '90 build, as well!

964 Targas are rare and climbing in value. Smart move to restore it.

Good luck
Elliot

I have an August '90 Targa and have been working on it for years. Happy to exchange experience. For example, I found that pushing a crevice sealing foam string from Home Depot into the front windshield seal makes the roof a lot quieter.

Thanks for the kind words, everyone. :)

Here's what I've repaired/replaced so far:

• Windshield (Pilkington/genuine seal)
• Console lights (used incandescent)
• Made new mounting tabs for spring clips on console switch panels
• NOS ashtray (prior was missing the insert and locking tab/arm)
• Removed all window tint
• Vent window corner rubber (another 911 owner handled the riveting)
• Vent window seals
• Outer door glass felt strips (had to use the coupe part since the targa/cabrio part didn't fit), channel felts
• All glass seals on the doors (inner and outer scrapers)
• Rebuilt fog lights (re-silvered one reflector, replaced lenses, new 3D-printed adjustment pivots)
• Rocker panel/shark fin rubber gaskets and mounting clips
• Front bumper cover upper gasket
• Air direction foam blocks inside front bumper cover
• Evaporator blower motors with new Bosch units (modified one to correctly fit into the left side), cleaned all HVAC temperature sensors
• Coated engine main fan in anti-corrosion compound to stem blade separation (will be replaced)
• Fan resistors for A/C condenser and oil cooler
• Engine lid struts
• Hood struts
• Hood crest gasket
• Fuel tank shut-off valve
• Interior, glove box, license plate lights with LEDs
• Right-side door stay with reinforcement plates
• Refinished door handles, re-lubricated mechanism and lock cylinder, lock cylinder gasket
• Repaired radio wiring harness back to original (added an adapter from Tore as well)
• Added Rennline shift knob onto original boot
• Shift rod bushings (at rear coupling)
• Spoiler transmission bearing
• Spoiler wall and base gasket
• Mirror base gaskets
• Interior door release cables
• License plate light assemblies

I have a set of Cup 2 reps waiting to be refinished and installed. Current projects consist of reapplying original door upholstery to new panels (via Appbiz), and removing the left evaporator blower motor for the third time since the cage repair came apart yet again.

Later in the year I plan on pulling the engine for a valve adjustment and oil pressure sensor replacement. Hopefully I can also identify the sources of the oil drips as well.

Great thread! I got a very similar '91 Targa a year ago, and love the car. I too have some paint mis-match, but if anything it's a bit of a blessing in that I don't sweat normal chips and dirt, and try to drive it as much as possible.

That's kind of where I am, waffling on wanting to leave it or respray it. On one hand, the front end is pitted, the clear on the repainted left fender is chipping a little, the right rear bumper cover has a 10-footer touchup, and overall isn't really befitting to a Porsche. However on the other, it has patina and shows that the car has been driven and enjoyed and isn't a garage queen - nothing against those which are. ;)

The rear bumper cover story is when I was moving into my current home, dad came over to help unload the truck. While we (buddy and I) came up one way on the street in the truck, he was on the other side of the road by the brick mailbox. We were waiting in the road to determine what my fiancé was going to do with his car in the driveway, but dad thought we were waiting on him to move, and in trying to squeeze onto the curb he accidentally scraped along the flower box portion of the mailbox. Afterward he looked rather upset with himself for having done that as inadvertently damaging cars wasn't something he did. Leaving it there keeps that story and character of the car intact.

For now, I'm changing all of the body gaskets and moldings for a fresher appearance.

Thanks for posting here. Going forward, please post more pictures of your projects.
Your dad definitely raised you right!

I've had a glass out respray and it's true that it dampens the use of the car for awhile but it's all in the attitude. My car is single colour and the respray means it can easily be resprayed in road chipped areas and match. I'd do it again and happily get it resprayed when necessary. Go cars not show cars !

Great thread! The red over tan color scheme looks great on a targa.

I've been considering going with tan seats if I go ahead with reupholstering. :)

When I saw this pic, I actually thought you were already red/tan:

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...114730d4ed.jpg

Clearly my morning coffee had not kicked in as it is easy to see the black interior in the other pics. Nothing wrong with red/black either! 964 Targas are special and I look forward to seeing your updates.