Amfab

I put up an explanation of how the Targa top mechanism works over on Mikes new site.

http://www.pcarworkshop.com

In the navigation page Choose 993 DIY Page and look under Documentation. It's called Targa Roof Operation Outline

(I'm making you go through the Front page so you can see all the cool stuff on the site if you haven't yet.).

Im still cleaning up some of the pictures and will be adding more to it over time, but the basics on how the infernal mechanism works are up there if you are interested.

sleddog

Nice job!!!!

Thanks for the detailed work, hopefully I won't need it

2Many Cars

On behalf of Targa owners everywhere - Thanks!

McQueen993

That is awesome. Thanks! It will take me a while to digest it all. Given the specialization of the mechanism, has anyone compiled a listing of "trusted targa mechanism repair professionals"?

C4 NLW

Very informative. Thanks for commiting this to paper.

Amfab

I don't think there is such a thing as a "trusted targa mechanism repair professional" unless you count MikeJ, but he just rips off the whole top and puts a new one on.

And actually that is a good way to do it. . .

hawk14414

Muchas gracias.............very nice!

HJK

Thanks Andrew! It's always nice to be able to brief the dealer on how to do the repair and/or adjustments. I do find that the roof squeeks after every trackday, the dealer by now knows what to do when i drop it with them every month or so. I love the pcarworkshop site. Thanks to all from the Asia side.
Henk

AOW162435

Andrew,
That's a wonderful write-up, and will surely become a great resource for other Targa owners.

Does you top function correctly these days and how much work went into getting it squared away?


Andreas

Mike J

Well, I am not sure if I "ripped off" the top, although it was temping to put a chain through the opening and use a come-a-long to pull it off! :-)

BTW, very very nice job on the article...I especially liked the multicolor diagrams showing the cable movement. You definitely see that the mechanism was designed in Germany!

Cheers,

Mike

Leander

Good God! What complicated systems these tops are!

strost

Hi Andrew,

I own a late '96 Targa in blue and I like it. Some impressions:

https://fotoalbum.web.de/gast/strost/FHS

(Klick on "Präsentation starten)

My location is in the near of Cologne in Germany, close to the famous racing track Nuerburgring. There, I did some laps ... without any trouble.

Now, actually, I did a trip into the Alps (French side) with a lotta sort of very tough roads https://fotoalbum.web.de/gast/strost/5 and: a rear axle plate broke (left one). Mine are the old style ones ... and I have some questions:

1. Replacement just play "unscrewing / replacing" ?
2. Torque?
3. Adjustment? Aligne the height of the roof and that's all?
4. old design compatible with new one?

180,- Euro ... incl. tax ... should I buy a second one to be sure?

Over here, generally, there are very few Targa 993's running arround. This year, at Dinslaken Porsche meeting (the biggest P. meeting in the world http://www.porschefreunde-1mai.de/ counted arround 2000 Porsches and THREE 993 Targa models.

Appr. 4.500 were built ... where are the other 4.497 pieces?

BR, Stefan

Amfab

Beautiful car...and roads

In my experience, if you broke the first one you should probably count on the other one going pretty soon. Mine both broke within 2000 to 3000 miles of each other

To get them in and out you have to play with the top position and the snap-on plastic sunblind track to get enough room to get to the bolts.

..but yes, you just take the old ones off and put the new ones on - as for compatability, Umm.. for a late 1996 you should be OK- There was a weird metal version of the rear gate guide that I think is only on the early builds (late '95) It has a sleeve on the outside of the axel plate with a pin that engages in the metal guide. But I think this is only on early early build cars. No one has any information on this early part so I cant tell you when they stopped using it and started with the plastic gate guide. (see the note in the write up on MikeJ's Pcar.com under the picture of the plastic gate guide)

Torque specs for the axle plates:
Front: M6x12 pan-head screw with
hexagon socket 4 mm; Tightening torque
8.3 Nm (6.0 ftlb.).
Rear (2): Torx T25; Tightening torque 5.5 Nm
(4.0 ftlb.)

For more information see PDF on axel plates

Use some locktight, because this torque is not much and they vibrate loose. The factory bolts come with something like locktite on them

I put a towell on my head and hold the top up in position while I adjust and tighten the axel plate.
Do one side at at time. and check your adjustment from the outside. It took me a couple times to get it flush.
roof height adjustment

strost

Thx ...

First of all: my drive is a 9-95 one ... so pls excuse, I mixed the dates. It's VIN is WPOZZZ99ZTS380697 ...

Pls see the pics ... would that work with the new part?

S.


PS: pls see the solution for the road drive in the alps ... plastic housing with chewing gum

strost

... for those with two left hands?