When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Yes, find a good welder and make him/her your best friend.
Yes, manual tops are the way to go...
-Yogii
AKA 968 Novice
I presume they broke it and then just converted to manual. Since the trim strip was mostly holding it in place I didn’t notice it until I started poking around.
I am going to attempt to reinforce it with some steel on the back and bolt in and/or weld some (have TIG but hate cast metals). There does not seem much to lose in doing so and I can’t seem to see easily how to remove the part. Plus $500-$1K for the part seems silly.
one problem I do have is the trim strip for the window molding does not seem to fit the shape now that I have the two haves connected. It’s as if the strip is too long for the connected pieces (the screw holes don’t line up with the cast piece. I don’t think I should bend the trim strip and putting a space between the broken pieces to make the strip doesn’t seem logical. The top does look level.
Update (and for my own records) - I used an Henrob Oxy-Acetylene torch and some 4041 Aluminum rods to weld the bow together, then simply a steel strip onto the back for extra support. Hardest part was cutting the washers down to size so they would sit flush in the large holes in the bow front (where the trim strip is screwed into. Will see if this works.
Nice job!
Hope it works. I assume that all the angles are pretty critical. Did you set up a jig?
AKA 968 Novice
Since the break was clean - I just lined it up and welded it together using some straight edges. All of the pivot points and the aluminum strip for the weatherstripping lined up fine (I drilled a few new holes for the strip and the canvas on the outside) but it works fine. I presume the steel will be sufficient to hold it. Regardless - even if it breaks - I can always spend the $1K on a new part so this was a no-brainer (and perhaps the cheapest thing I've done on the car to date. I just wish that it was "improving" the car rather than making it functional again.
Over the years I have broken three of these. One of my most aggrevating was breaking one that I welded back together and reassembled only to have it break again. I then went to manual forever. I mention this because After round three occured I started stockpiling thee parts since they were getting so hard ro find. I still have a set left and right of good original arms out os a parts car and have had them for quite some time. If your interested let me know what you feel would be a fair price and we can talk.
Iv'e been around here for quite some time but are playing with other Pcars now. Still have my 94 cab though after 20plus years.
Hi Mike,
I would be interested in those brackets if you still have a left and right.
Originally Posted by notthd
Over the years I have broken three of these. One of my most aggrevating was breaking one that I welded back together and reassembled only to have it break again. I then went to manual forever. I mention this because After round three occured I started stockpiling thee parts since they were getting so hard ro find. I still have a set left and right of good original arms out os a parts car and have had them for quite some time. If your interested let me know what you feel would be a fair price and we can talk.
Iv'e been around here for quite some time but are playing with other Pcars now. Still have my 94 cab though after 20plus years.
Sounds like the worst part of a cabrio? I looked at two before I bought my coupe. First on was top up, they would not let me take it down. Second one was down and visibly broken.
Pity too because I think the 944 S2 cabriolets and the 968 are some of the prettiest cabs.
01-14-2023, 09:57 PM
Broken Driver's side cab bow
