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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ 914 convertible
Posted by: 9144guy Mar 31 2005, 09:46 PM
I have a way, and have thought about making a , 3 peice removable hardtop convertible. removable glass, i have a way , want to see what other have to say,and ever done to a 914 , no ( cloth top please) i will and can make anything from scratch from any metal. i havent done my idea yet. i cant bring my self to cut pillar. 
any thoughts, i thought this might be a good subject
Posted by: cdmcse Mar 31 2005, 10:09 PM
I think it would be cool to cut the targa bar off, then fabricate some way to mount it back with latches of some type. Then you could have a convertable, targa, or hardtop all in one car.
Posted by: Mueller Mar 31 2005, 10:13 PM
it's been done...there was a 914 for sale not too long ago on ebay that had the targa pillars removable.....no pictures of it with the top fully removed, but I'd have to say it must look just as bad as the other full convertible 914s I've seen....of course that is my opinion 
Posted by: 9144guy Mar 31 2005, 10:14 PM
thats the point
Posted by: 9144guy Mar 31 2005, 10:16 PM
muller, im torn i was going to do it then , i sat back and thought about it, and thought twice about it, i might just leave it alone and piant the pillars
Posted by: 9144guy Mar 31 2005, 10:18 PM
i got aroung 3-400 pics of 914s yes everything has been done, the question is can i do it better?
Posted by: Joe Sharp Mar 31 2005, 10:26 PM
Not unless you try.
Joe
Posted by: Mueller Mar 31 2005, 10:32 PM
| QUOTE (9144guy @ Mar 31 2005, 09:18 PM) |
| i got aroung 3-400 pics of 914s yes everything has been done, the question is can i do it better? |
I doubt it
the 914 is too darn flat from a side profile, it "needs" the targa/rollbar to help break up the vast horizontal wasteland
Posted by: 9144guy Mar 31 2005, 10:34 PM
true, it does look linda funny
Posted by: 9144guy Mar 31 2005, 10:37 PM
example
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Posted by: boxstr Mar 31 2005, 10:54 PM
The 914 just does'nt look good as a convertible with out the windscreen raked back at a sharper angle, AKA Wilco convertible design.
I remember one that was done exactly like you are refering to. It was a cover car on the Hot VW magazine, or one similar magazines. Cut at the bottom of the pillars, they actually folded up and they fit into the rear trunk. But the problem is that with that configuration you can't angle the windscreen back anymore.
CCLINCABRIOLETOLA
Posted by: Mueller Mar 31 2005, 10:56 PM
| QUOTE (9144guy @ Mar 31 2005, 09:34 PM) |
| true, it does look linda funny |
fully convert 914's look just as goofy as fully convert trucks
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Posted by: redshift Mar 31 2005, 11:14 PM
I agree with Captain Craig Looneytoon.
Anyone have my speedster pics? I can't find them. Looks great!
The windscreen has to rake at LEAST 13ยบ, or it looks like most hell. Then, you build a hump, for where your engine lid used to be, and then you build a hardtop, that fits all that mess in aluminiuminum, using Mogsda Mieata windows, because you have to lose the 'triangular 914 wreck death windows'.
Another treatment "if you don't hate ragtops" is two halos -err individual roll bars, for you who like it all written out-
Silver, Ginther windscreen, slammed to the ground, shaved handles, chrome, beaten out flares, short beaver style ducktail, widened 911 steel wheels... hello chubby!
M
Posted by: redshift Mar 31 2005, 11:16 PM
Oh, and boxed natural aluminum rockers..
m
Posted by: boxstr Mar 31 2005, 11:18 PM
Just for the "M"
CCLINSHAVEDCLEAN
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Posted by: Mueller Mar 31 2005, 11:21 PM
as visually stimulating as a peanut butter and jelly sandwhich with wheels
Posted by: redshift Mar 31 2005, 11:26 PM
Gottsta have something vertical behind the seats...
That is too fuggin funny... ok, let's see if you have a picture of a green one!
THOUGH NOT! HAH!
So help me God, if you pull out a picture of a green one... I will eat a sock, on a live webcast, from the Vatican, in a monokini, on a Sony Supertron, at halftime, next Super Bowl..
It has to be metallic!
M
Posted by: redshift Mar 31 2005, 11:30 PM
Oh hey! I figured it out! That angle...
You have to take the square out, above the rear fenders, over the engine room, that has to quickly slope into the passenger compartment, about... 3-4 inches lower than it does..creates a little clearance mod project in the engine compartment.
That would also be a prime candidate for a reworking of the tops of the rear fenders.. thing 914+Boxsterish booty. Raise them, and blend them into the wider fenders, from the top, dn.
There are 2 Seattle (I think) cars, a black one, and a silver one, that have MASSIVE hammered fenders, that is what I am tawkin 'bout, Willis.
M
Posted by: cdmcse Mar 31 2005, 11:53 PM
| QUOTE (9144guy @ Mar 31 2005, 11:37 PM) |
| example |
It kinda reminds me of a Jensen Healey...
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Posted by: boxstr Apr 1 2005, 12:01 AM
Daily Driver...vertical behind the seats and M green.
CCLINSHARKWEEK
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Posted by: neo914-6 Apr 1 2005, 12:16 AM
| QUOTE (cdmcse @ Mar 31 2005, 09:53 PM) | ||
It kinda reminds me of a Jensen Healey... |
Similar profile but not unless you push the windshield and door forward. 914 proportions are obvious for a mid-engine...
The 914 convertible loses a big character line/feature (targa). The result is similar to the first gen BMW 3 series convertibles, a very square featureless body like Mike pointed out...
The only thing that almost balances the Wilco 914 conversion is the clever door handle intake.
Posted by: redshift Apr 1 2005, 12:16 AM
...and the flares are raised... and non existant, all at the same time..
It lacks many things the other car had, but there is aluminum.
Ok, how about we make a deal, and I'll eat a small sock, broadcast to my neighbors, through an open window, during a commercial break, on Master's week?
M
Posted by: boxstr Apr 1 2005, 12:28 AM
Deal. 
CCL
Posted by: redshift Apr 1 2005, 12:31 AM
I hope I can find a small sock.
That's SOCK Aaron, but thanks.
M
Posted by: brer Apr 1 2005, 11:32 AM
I think it would look cool to reduce the sail areas to be sort of like this, with a 6-8 inch piece of glass between them, to act like a wind buffer. Glass edge on the top, no frame. .............. maybe.
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Posted by: anthony Apr 1 2005, 11:51 AM
Personally, I think a Targa is superior in every way to a convertible. It's nice to be able to drive at freeway speeds without getting windblown. I'd also rather be driving a 914 with the built-in roll bar for protection.
Posted by: redshift Apr 1 2005, 06:01 PM
I think I have only seen one 914 roll over, and it didn't look like the targa frame did much.. in that situation.
M
Posted by: SpecialK Apr 1 2005, 06:36 PM
I wish I could find the picture of the car I got my $150 2.0L out of (really just wanted the heads). This guy, a student at Rolla, MO, was heading home for spring break 
. Went to pass a tractor hauling hay on a two lane hwy when the tractor veered over and ran him off the road, right into a bluff 
(some dumbasses were riding horses in the south bound lane.....tractor moved over to miss them). The car hit the bluff doing around 65 mph at about a 30 deg. angle, munched the driver's side front wheel all the way up to the "A" pillar, rolled 3 times landing on it's top. The guy said that on impact the roof jettisoned, and he thought that was it for him, but the targa bar apparently saved his ass. He ended up with a broken leg from the initial impact, and some bumps and bruises, but that's all. The dude was lucky for sure, but he'd have been a stain if it wasn't for the targa bar.
When the FD rolled the car back onto its wheels (after the guy was extracted...duh), the engine burst into flames.......BBQ'ed 2.0L engines are cheaper than the raw ones 
Posted by: ken914 Apr 1 2005, 07:46 PM
I saw an article on a car done like this a LONG time ago. It was an article in the old VW & Porsche magazine, probably around 1983 to 1987 era I would guess. The article had a 914/4 with a removable targa hoop and rear glass and the standard targa top. Everything folded up and went in the truck. It was a very nice piece of work. I think it was done by a shop owner in southern California for his teen aged daughter to drive to school.
If you can find a library with this old mag on file it might give you ideas.
Ken
Posted by: teenrookie Apr 2 2005, 08:52 AM
If you want to move forward with the idea how about glassing in cowling like they used on the 550? I know Beck and Vintage are getting them from somewhere. Then you would be stuck with 2 sets of panels then; one for your fold away top and the cowling piece.
Posted by: scotty b Apr 2 2005, 09:05 AM
Come on guys lets face it ...we drive shoe boxes, and how many versions of the shoe box have you seen? If you crap in a shoe box it gets filled up but it still stinks.
Posted by: sean_v8_914 Apr 2 2005, 10:23 AM
Reddawg racing v8 conversion guy named Gene did one. I think removing teh roll bar will significantly compromise chassis integrity 
Posted by: jd74914 Apr 2 2005, 11:44 AM
I think the targa brace works pretty well in rollovers. It saved these guy's asses.
Posted by: 9144guy Apr 2 2005, 06:37 PM
my boss did the one in calf. it was red with flares, he made it for (his boss at the time) 16 year old daughter he made two of them. i have the mag.
Posted by: Rider914 Apr 14 2005, 08:17 PM
The standard targa goes back on in 30 seconds, wind from behind is almost nill. . .
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Posted by: 3d914 Apr 14 2005, 08:36 PM
I agree that the stock 914 appearance does not carry the convertible style very well. However, there are some variants that really come out looking like works of art.
Just some samples . . .
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