I found a hardtop for my 99 cabrio on craigslist. It's off of a 2003 c-4. I remember reading that porsche made a change in the rear top hardware at some point... but can't seem to find the info on search.

I am hoping to take a road trip in the porsche and merely put in on for the home trip. Any suggestions/reservations?

 

IIRC the screw mount hardware was introduced in 2005. Prior to that, tops and cars used the bayonet mount system.

See this thread ...

https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...ll-on-cab.html

Check to verify that your car still has bayonet mounts; it should unless they were replaced. And check that the top you want to buy has bayonet mounts. It's pretty obvious if you have a picture of the mounting posts. If you've got bayonet mounts in the car and the top has bayonet posts, you're good to go.

Get a Porsche hardtop wrench (or a long 6mm Allen wrench) and you should be all set.

 

+996 to all points raised by KoB above. If I may add, also check the following:
* while test-fitting the new top, also check the rear defoggers
* ask if seller still has the cover for the front latch
* ask if seller still has the grill covers (#7/#8 in diagram below) for the rear mounts (once hardtop is on)



* your cab should already have the round plastic covers (#9 in diagram above) for the mounts. the holes itself will need these:

 

^^^^^^ Excellent points ... things I should've thought of, but didn't

BTW, if the seller still has the cover for the front latch, stop on the way home and buy a lottery ticket. This cover is hard to find and I haven't often seen it included with a hardtop for sale. Fortunately this cover is cosmetic and the car will be fine without it.

(I should clarify ... that cover is hard to find used. The part # for a new one is 9975635510001C. It costs about $75)