Richard.

So guys I know I raise the soft top half way up, what then, you unclip the rear hood rail below the rear screen ?

algiorda

Watch this video, it will explain the process:

Dave in Chicago

YouTube videos are your friend here. Watch as many as needed to make sense of it, then take your time. It's a bit of an adventure the first time, then it'll make perfect sense.

Richard.

thks, I had found the video but it doesnt answer my original question about how to unhook the rear rail but maybe its not even necessary

Audioi

okie981

Porsche Workshop Manual procedure: WM 6101IN Convertible-top service position

Note: Always make sure the key is in the OFF position when you have any parts of your body in any location that might expose them to pinch or crush hazards.
Remove left and right wind deflectors from the roll hoops. You will stick your arm through these when unclipping the tensioning cables from each side.
Partially open top so there is approximately 100 mm between forward edge of top and top edge of windshield frame.
Reach your arm through the hoop and reach down and outwards towards the outside of the car. You are feeling for a cable. When you find the cable, run your fingers down until you feel where it terminates. The cable is held to a ball with a spring loaded clamp inside the cable termination piece. Pull on this cable termination towards the inside of the car to pop it off of the ball socket. Repeat for the other side of the car. Getting these back on can be more difficult than getting them off.
Get your body parts out of the top mechanism and further open the top so the gap increases from 100 mm to about 470 mm between the forward edge of the top and the top edge of the windshield.
Open the trunk lid.
Standing outside the car, grab the bottom edge of the convertible top structure below the rear window and pull the top up and free from the rubber/plastic surrounding the area over the engine cover.
There is (should be) a nylon webbing strap attached to the bottom of the rear top structure. This will come free if you find the right end of it. Pull this up and over the window and the top, pulling it quite tight and place the loop in the end of the strap over the forward driver's side corner of the convertible top (USA model, driver on left). This strap keeps the back section of the top from falling back down in to the engine cover area. Refer to the image below.

Drink beer. Rejoice. Work on car.

Richard.

thks vm Thks I guess there isnt a layer of carpet or sound insulation on top of the boxster metal engine cover that I could permanently remove ?

Dave in Chicago

On my Boxster, I found this video to be most useful for me.


On my 987.1, there is a Bose speaker unit that disconnects and comes off, then the carpet / fabric cover, then the metal cover (needs tools), if I recall correctly. I do not specifically recall any separate sound insulation. I don't expect 981 to be much different, but perhaps it is.

I'm not sure I'm answering your question. If not, please let me know.

Richard.

Ok thanks for the explanation guys to remove the cables, to be honest once I figured out to shine a torch on the inside of the hood and as I have long arms its not as difficult as it sounds as originally I was going horizontally to the cable point not vertically down.

And hey presto as suspected there is a huge slab of sound insulation which when removed, the car sounds significantly better inside the car with the hood up, more intake sound, no drone

Richard.

and the roof still sits in the same protective cover above the engine, this is a must do free mod

Kuro Neko

Reversible too I guess...
I wonder if the Cayman would benefit from similar - I must investigate.

Assume though extra heat comes along with the sound too...