How to make a 914 better than a 916, How to put a steel fixed top on your 914 |
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How to make a 914 better than a 916, How to put a steel fixed top on your 914 |
Root_Werks |
Sep 16 2007, 09:04 PM
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#1
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Village Idiot Group: Members Posts: 8,495 Joined: 25-May 04 From: About 5NM from Canada Member No.: 2,105 Region Association: Pacific Northwest |
This is not a project for any sort of beginer or not anything I would recomend for anyone who cannot do it all themselves. I spent waaaaay too many hours to justify having an actual shop try it. I also probably wouldn't ever do this again for fear that I wouldn't be able to reproduce the same results. Yeah, it turned out that good. That said, as I post pictures, understand this project is already DONE. So it WORKS and looks as though the factory installed every piece. So sit back, enjoy and maybe dream that you might one day yourself embark on such a task. Hopefully this will help those few people who dare to be as stupid as I. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/screwy.gif)
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Root_Werks |
Sep 16 2007, 09:13 PM
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#2
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Village Idiot Group: Members Posts: 8,495 Joined: 25-May 04 From: About 5NM from Canada Member No.: 2,105 Region Association: Pacific Northwest |
The first thing I started with was a handful of measurements and compound curve demensions. Then my son and I zipped on down to a local bone yard and started checking out roofs on various cars. I wanted to keep it in the "Porsche family" or at least in the P-VW-Audi family, so we started there. Turns out, the 944 has an almost spot on match to the first main raidus required for the job. Hmm, $100 and a sawzall later and we had the top of a 944 sitting back at the house. Here is the basic starting piece I had. This is where the fun and frustrations began. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)
My first cut was for the front, measured from the windshield frame back to where I figured the back should end correctly. I studied 100 916 photos and had them plastered everywhere during this whole process. Attached thumbnail(s) |
Root_Werks |
Sep 16 2007, 09:18 PM
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#3
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Village Idiot Group: Members Posts: 8,495 Joined: 25-May 04 From: About 5NM from Canada Member No.: 2,105 Region Association: Pacific Northwest |
Here is a little more cut off, there is A LOT that was removed and yes, I wanted a sunroof and yes, the drain tubes are hooked up and yes, it all works and is completely unseen as if done by the factory. So yes, you can have your cake and eat it too on this one. This conversion completely changes the car. I also have the Engman inner long kit installed and holy crap, it's a stiff one!
Attached thumbnail(s) |
Root_Werks |
Sep 16 2007, 09:23 PM
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#4
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Village Idiot Group: Members Posts: 8,495 Joined: 25-May 04 From: About 5NM from Canada Member No.: 2,105 Region Association: Pacific Northwest |
This is one crappy photo, sorry about that. But after cutting off much of the sides that would meet up with the doors and rear quarter windows, I was able to start laying the steel section on top of a 914 top to start getting ideas of where to go from here. One thing I noticed right away was I was going to have to create something to add about 1 inch to each side and make it have a compound raidus. Nothing like keeping it simple huh? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)
Attached thumbnail(s) |
effutuo101 |
Sep 16 2007, 09:24 PM
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#5
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 2,735 Joined: 10-April 05 From: Lemon Grove Member No.: 3,914 Region Association: Southern California |
Keep the pic's coming Dan! It looks like you have done a wonderful job.
Now you go drive? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif) |
Root_Werks |
Sep 16 2007, 09:26 PM
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#6
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Village Idiot Group: Members Posts: 8,495 Joined: 25-May 04 From: About 5NM from Canada Member No.: 2,105 Region Association: Pacific Northwest |
Keep the pic's coming Dan! It looks like you have done a wonderful job. Now you go drive? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif) Drive it daily to Seattle, rain or shine. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif) The only car I have. |
Root_Werks |
Sep 16 2007, 09:31 PM
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#7
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Village Idiot Group: Members Posts: 8,495 Joined: 25-May 04 From: About 5NM from Canada Member No.: 2,105 Region Association: Pacific Northwest |
Here is a better shot showing more of the material removed. I must of drilled out 1000 spot welds, ground down and cut off gobs of metal trying to leave as much alone as possible to retain strength. You can also see some 944 interior parts laying around. I went through I think about 5 versions before finally settling on the final one. Oh yeah, the finished top with sunroof in and all interior parts wieghs 6lbs more than the glass top, I figure with welding and skim coating(body work) max of 10lbs added to the car.
Attached thumbnail(s) |
Root_Werks |
Sep 16 2007, 09:37 PM
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#8
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Village Idiot Group: Members Posts: 8,495 Joined: 25-May 04 From: About 5NM from Canada Member No.: 2,105 Region Association: Pacific Northwest |
Here are the final first version removed pieces from the 944 roof section. I wound up having to build and box in top out longitudes for both sides to acomplish my goal, stiff as a 916, but still with an open roof. It was too cool watching the Yard Dude cut the roof off the 944, he pretty much sawzall'd right through everything, glass, sunroof cables etc. 944's are plentiful at bone yards right now. Last post for the night, more to come later this week. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)
Attached thumbnail(s) |
KaptKaos |
Sep 16 2007, 10:04 PM
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#9
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Family Group: Members Posts: 4,009 Joined: 23-April 03 From: Near Wausau Member No.: 607 Region Association: Upper MidWest |
More! More!
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markb |
Sep 16 2007, 10:10 PM
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#10
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914less :( Group: Members Posts: 5,449 Joined: 22-January 03 From: Nipomo, CA Member No.: 180 Region Association: Central California |
More! More! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smiley_notworthy.gif) |
ClayPerrine |
Sep 16 2007, 10:12 PM
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#11
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Life's been good to me so far..... Group: Admin Posts: 15,931 Joined: 11-September 03 From: Hurst, TX. Member No.: 1,143 Region Association: NineFourteenerVille |
You have WAY too much time on your hands...
And why a sunroof??? |
Aaron Cox |
Sep 16 2007, 10:20 PM
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#12
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Professional Lawn Dart Group: Retired Admin Posts: 24,541 Joined: 1-February 03 From: OC Member No.: 219 Region Association: Southern California |
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PeeGreen 914 |
Sep 16 2007, 10:28 PM
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#13
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Just when you think you're done...wait, there is more..lol Group: Members Posts: 10,219 Joined: 21-September 06 From: Seattle, WA... actually Everett Member No.: 6,884 Region Association: Pacific Northwest |
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ClayPerrine |
Sep 16 2007, 10:30 PM
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#14
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Life's been good to me so far..... Group: Admin Posts: 15,931 Joined: 11-September 03 From: Hurst, TX. Member No.: 1,143 Region Association: NineFourteenerVille |
You have WAY too much time on your hands... And why a sunroof??? He said he was going for an open feeling while making it stiff as a 916. That is just me... I don't like sunroofs in any form. I would probably have gone for a non sunroof top if I were doing this. To each his own..... |
SirAndy |
Sep 16 2007, 10:38 PM
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#15
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Resident German Group: Admin Posts: 41,928 Joined: 21-January 03 From: Oakland, Kalifornia Member No.: 179 Region Association: Northern California |
And why a sunroof??? because that's how the factory did it in '68/'69 ... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) Andy 914.006: |
Rand |
Sep 16 2007, 10:42 PM
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#16
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Cross Member Group: Members Posts: 7,409 Joined: 8-February 05 From: OR Member No.: 3,573 Region Association: None |
I love it! I've thought about running bars just under the edges of the top. But yours accomplishes the same thing, even stronger, and is a much cleaner finished product.
I would make the sunroof piece completely removable, so it's still *almost* a targa with just a smaller top. And make a new holder/clips to still stow it in the trunk. (Is this one removable or tip up?) Now all you need to do is make a door frame around the top and put a modern one-piece window in that can roll up and seal in the frame. It would make a perfectly water/air tight seal like a new car. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Nice work Dan! I love seeing unique projects! |
sww914 |
Sep 16 2007, 11:20 PM
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#17
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 2,439 Joined: 4-June 06 Member No.: 6,146 Region Association: None |
Nice work, I can't wait to see the rest.
If you weren't 1,000 miles away, I'd bring you some sawhorses so you wouldn't have to work all bent over on those rubbermaid containers anymore. It makes my back hurt just looking at it. |
Aaron Cox |
Sep 17 2007, 12:10 AM
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#18
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Professional Lawn Dart Group: Retired Admin Posts: 24,541 Joined: 1-February 03 From: OC Member No.: 219 Region Association: Southern California |
more pics!
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effutuo101 |
Sep 17 2007, 01:15 AM
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#19
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 2,735 Joined: 10-April 05 From: Lemon Grove Member No.: 3,914 Region Association: Southern California |
Nice work, I can't wait to see the rest. If you weren't 1,000 miles away, I'd bring you some sawhorses so you wouldn't have to work all bent over on those rubbermaid containers anymore. It makes my back hurt just looking at it. I think that was just for pictures. I down loaded the picture. the detail on the welding is right on... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif) |
drive-ability |
Sep 17 2007, 06:46 PM
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#20
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,169 Joined: 18-March 05 From: Orange County, California Member No.: 3,782 |
I think that's a nice addition, sunroof or not. My question about the addition of the roof is would it put added pressure on the windshield frame? I wouldn't mind doing the job on my car. Has anyone had any experience with the long term effects. It would be a shame if the windshield or windshield frame became damaged due to flex.. Just wondering If you have to do any structural work in that area first ????
I hated driving with my top on, but once I got a good rear targa seal and set up my rear glass using "two" panes its rather nice in the cab. |
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