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Posted by: horizontally-opposed May 19 2019, 08:44 PM

So my 914's backpad sits just below the rubber seal on the engine lid side of the rear glass—creating an ugly eye into the space under said seal as well as the butyl tape. In the past, I've hidden that gap with electrical tape "artfully" placed, but it ain't pretty.

Looks like I am not the first to do so…
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=71862&hl=backpad

Wondering if there is a better way. Has anyone moved the backed up a bit to sit high enough to match up with the engine lid seal on the other side of the back window?

Thanks!!

Posted by: Rand May 19 2019, 09:06 PM

The first???? LOL How old are you?

Be sure it's actually in its proper place. There are tabs to align it. Sounds like not all of the tabs have been aligned / hooked in right.

Rust changes our geometry, but a backpad? Nope. It has to be a simple error in placement.

Trivia question: When removing, do you slide it down or up? The answer could explain a lot.

Posted by: Rand May 19 2019, 09:13 PM

Please do not use electrical tape on these anymore unless your car is seriously roached.

Posted by: Rand May 19 2019, 09:16 PM

There are rubber spacers to hold your window as you apply new butyl. Align the window in the frame first. I can't speak to the other misalignments.

Posted by: porschetub May 19 2019, 10:10 PM

Hard to sort really you will need to peel back the covering and move the metal (clip in) brackets @ the top,mines kinda like that but depends on the crappy cardboard liner is to how much it won't fit,I fiberglassed mine from the back and added soundproofing pretty much sorted fit wise.
Classic answer from Rand between him and the logo we always have silly replies to entertain .

Posted by: horizontally-opposed May 19 2019, 10:16 PM

^ Thanks. Moving the metal clips...I like that idea.

Rand is on fire. Now just waiting on Larmo.

Posted by: don-6 May 19 2019, 10:21 PM

I have used electrical tape on two different cars to give a nice clean line behind the back pad. I don't like to see an uneven line of butyl tape in the window.

Posted by: porschetub May 19 2019, 11:30 PM

,yes but Lawrence has gone all shy lately,lastest replys have been very tame .

Posted by: Rand May 19 2019, 11:50 PM

Damned jalapenos. I need at least a couple a day.

Posted by: rick 918-S May 20 2019, 04:25 AM

Posted by: windforfun May 20 2019, 10:46 AM

Some pics would be nice. I wouldn't move the clips. IIRC, the pad loads from below. You must also align the two bottom holes where it's attached with coarse thread sheet metal screws.

Posted by: horizontally-opposed May 20 2019, 09:15 PM

Yep, been there and done that—and also hate seeing the butyl tape as well as the "gap" under the engine lid seal plus a bit of body color. Looks cheap...

Interesting that the CW thread referenced in the first post shows that electrical tape is the preferred method of the factory, as seen in the manual—I decided to do just that (without the manual) years ago, but notice that electrical tape changes with heat, etc. Wondering if there's a better way, one that raises the backpad and the bar a bit.



Yes, I remember worrying that Lawrence might have "peaked" with "I even brushed my teeth."



Yep. Comin' right up...



Agree on not moving the clips. I think.

As for the bottom of my back pad? Well it is, uh, let's call it "unstable." (The boards down there have seen better days. Not terrible, but not factory fresh. I don't think it's bad enough to prompt me to rebuild the whole thing, and I don't have problems with the back pad moving around when I am driving or otherwise...I'd just like to get it to sit a bit higher.)

My recollection is the pad is pushed up from the bottom as well, and all of that works okay. What I am surprised by is that the factory seems to be okay with using electrical tape across the bottom of the glass, rather than having the back pad engineered/designed to come up to match the height of the engine lid seal on the other side of the glass...hence my request for other 914world members to weigh in with what their back pads look like. Pics would be great!

As for my pics...


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Posted by: horizontally-opposed May 20 2019, 09:18 PM

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Posted by: horizontally-opposed May 20 2019, 09:20 PM

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Posted by: Larmo63 May 20 2019, 09:23 PM

I'm an outlaw and I don't run a back pad.

But to your issue, if you raise the pad, the four lower screws won't index.

I'm doing Perlon behind my seats, and sorry to disappoint, I don't even have a smartass comment to offer....

Posted by: horizontally-opposed May 20 2019, 11:02 PM

Pretty sure those got indexed into a trash can or one of those dishes with all of the "leftover" hardware a long, long time ago. Will dig in and look soon...



I may end up following you down that road. Do you move your dome light, or just ditch it? Been wondering about running a small LED or two in the vinyl pad over the rear window, pointing forward, if I go this way. Would also be great to cut an access hole in the firewall. We'll see…

Posted by: Larmo63 May 21 2019, 07:36 AM

No back pad light with the Perlon. I've been thinking of other ways to have light in the cab.

Perhaps a 911 rocker type light under the dash?

Posted by: Literati914 May 21 2019, 08:33 AM

maybe the bottom of the glass could be painted... but that'd be more practical during a restoration.

Also, I've thought of adding a couple a areas with heavy duty industrial velcro behind the pad, particularly low and in the corner because that area tends to lift in all the 914s I've had. But I could see it also helping to keep the pad lifted - particularly since it's installed by pushing UP into the clips.

Posted by: windforfun May 21 2019, 08:47 AM

Here's an old pic that's not super clear. Anyway, I used three pieces of tape - 6" long pieces on either side for a nice flush fit & then one long continuous piece centered in the middle.


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Posted by: horizontally-opposed May 21 2019, 09:59 AM

Thought about painting it, too, and came to the same conclusion. May also be scratch-prone in a way that the tape isn't?

I'm beginning to wonder about the method of the clips, as they are likely the limiting factor. Need to think about how the sides of the back pad will interface with the targa bar sides if it is lifted, as well as what all of it will look like the seats in (in my case Scheels, and with the driver's side seat frame lowered.

Perlon is sounding better by the keystroke, but I do like the design of the original backpad—kind of seems like part of the 914's overall design, as well as the period in general, to me. Then again...914-6 GT.



Thanks for the pic! Looks about the same as mine. Wish I had taken some time at Luft to look at this detail across a number of 914s.

Posted by: mlmgm May 21 2019, 12:18 PM

We went backpad delete, Dynamat under our carpet with a small but bright LED. We also put lights w/LED bulbs under the dash. However, we are lower on the back glass than what Pete is pondering.

Posted by: horizontally-opposed May 21 2019, 12:35 PM

^ Nice setup! Been thinking about a similar LED, but mounted to the vinyl pad above the rear window and possibly "shielded" to throw most of its light down and forward. Would simply extend the factory wiring up and around to that area of the interior so it goes on/off with the doors. Not sure about a switch, but that would make Larmo's idea of the 911 rocker dome light a good one if that can be fit. Or maybe an LED light that functions similarly and is subtle?

Where did you get the LED, if I may ask?

Posted by: sixnotfour May 21 2019, 01:18 PM

maybe think as a designer element ...like a belt..

https://www.brandsport.com/ptrm-11100-61-01.html


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Posted by: mlmgm May 21 2019, 11:15 PM

LED light came from these folks:

https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/led-light-modules/small-wired-led-accent-light/1141/2804/#/attributes/10916

We do have the light on a small switch, left front of the fire extinguisher