To sail panel or not to sail panel Options

[michaelmoo]

I am just about finished with my car. It is not a concours car but a really nice clean one owner 914. Should I put the targa sail panel vinyl on or leave it off. It came from the factory that way, but I keep debating back and forth on the issue. Any opinions on this subject?

[jim912928]

I like it clean without them. Then again I also sanded down my targa top and painted it the same color of the car. I look at it this way...just another thing to trap water and create rust!

[GaroldShaffer]

I have the same issue. My car has it and when the time comes, next winter I hope, for the body & paint on my teener I am not sure what I am going to do. I like the looks of itbut I agree with Jim that it is yet another place to trap water. I have thought about paining that area black and re-installing the chrome but not sure how that would look. Maybe a textured type paint to give it that vinyl look without the hassel? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

[balljoint]

I think that once you have decided that your car will not be entered in any concours events then you just have to decide if you like it or not. The PO painted the sails black on my car, I will be painting them car colour when I get to that point because I think it looks a lot more modern.
IMHO the chrome trim, sail vinyl and bumpy targa top are the major things that make these cars look old, otherwise the body form and design are quite timeless.

There is no wrong way, it is just a matter of what you like.

[michaelmoo]

I keep going back and forth. This is what my brother said:

"Leave it off--it reveals more paint and gives the car a cleaner look, even though it is not a "factory" look. Keep the vinyl, though, in case you want to bring the car's appearance back to stock (or if you have a flashback to the '70's and start dreaming about vinyl roofs and Cadillac Opera Coupes)."

I think I'm going to leave it off. I can always add it back if I want to.

[Andy]

"Leave it off--it reveals more paint and gives the car a cleaner look, even though it is not a "factory" look."

I'm no expert but wasn't the car available without the vinyl? I have a 1974 sales brochure that has a green car without it (and black trim!).

P.S. the PO of my car painted mine black too - definitely a "distance pretty" solution.

[Joe Bob]

I like it clean without them. Then again I also sanded down my targa top and painted it the same color of the car. I look at it this way...just another thing to trap water and create rust!

Me too....

[Eric_Shea]

Personal Preference.

I like them. I'm stuck in the 70's Porsche thing but while others believe they "destroy" the line of the car, I believe the "make" the lines of the car. I believe it was a visual que to give the car a lower look by tying the sail panel into the black top, hence leaving a slimmer/convertable body look in paint color. (Blur your eyes and look at my avatar, you'll see what I mean. The top tends to dissapear.)

One issue you'll have to grapple with is filling the holes properly. So... while you're Bro may have the ultimate solution, it's not without work on either end; filling and prepping for paint -or- redrilling for the trim.

With my -6 restoration it was an easy decision. With my GT project I'll be putting it back on (maybe paint like the Brumos 59 re-issue car).

You decide. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[tat2dphreak]

you can go either way, both look fine... I prefer the cleaner look without the vinyl myself though...

[mudfoot76]

[...] I think it looks a lot more modern.
IMHO the chrome trim, sail vinyl and bumpy targa top are the major things that make these cars look old, otherwise the body form and design are quite timeless.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

I have been stopped on the street, at a gas station, etc by people less than familiar with Porsches and 914s who don't believe me when I tell them the car is 30+ years old.

I never did like look of the sail vinyl...

[914werke]

Color makes a big dif. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)
Light colored cars look better with the contrast, Darker colors I think can do w/o (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool_shades.gif)

[thesey914]

.....maybe paint like the Brumos 59 re-issue car

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) with Eric. I reckon this painted look is really nice

[tod914]

If you want to be reasonably correct, leave the lower horizontal trim piece off if you decide to leave the vinal off.
Be best to fill in the holes prior to painting. You can always drill them out again if you want the appearance group look. But what ever looks best to you is really the answer. I like them both ways. You certainly see far fewer without the panel vinal. What color is your car btw?

[dinomium]

I was a stead-fast lover of the black sail until I started grinding off paint. It was soooooo rusty from the hole closest to the door.
No way I am going thru all the work to fix the rust then re-apply the villian!

[SirAndy]

Any opinions on this subject?

notto

[thomasotten]

Well, I agree, it depends on the color. But I think the cars look weak without the vinyl. Especially when they leave the top black. It makes the top look like it isn't integrated.
I disagree that the vinal makes it look dated. Besides, dated is cool. retro is cool.

Another thing to consider: You never see 911 targa owners painting their roll bars body colored. Not exactly the same, but the idea is that the rollbar is supposed to be set apart from the car, for the roadster look.

When the vinyl sail panels are painted body color, you loose an important line of the car, at least from a distance, and in photos. If you notice, the trim line rises slightly as you go from the door jamb towards the back of the car. The 914 needs that line. Without it, the sail panels look boxy and weak - like they arent big enough for the car. The contour is still there without the vinyl, or course, but it is not emphasized.

[michaelmoo]

My car is Marathon Blue

[Aaron Cox]

i have a black car. i like the lower chrome trim on it.... but i hate the look of the vinyl...so.. lower trim or no trim?

[MarkG]

I liked the wat the guy ground off the sail panel trim lip and painted to bar body color in the Excellence article a few months back, looked clean.

I am leaning towards removing the trim on mine when I do the paint job; I found the factory instructions for painting the 911 black Targa bar and will paint my sail and trim exactlly like the targa bar on the 911; so it will be black, but with 911 factory paint rather than cloth material.

[eeyore]

Why not skip the traditional black vs body color thing. Paint the sails, A pillars, valences and rockers a nice contrasting color?

-- I know, I've seen a a few too many episodes of Overhaulin' and 'Pimp My Ride'