Full Version: Just curios
I did a search and couldn't find anything about this. Under the targa bar there are some plastic plugs in each corner near the sail panels. Two on one side and three on the other. Why are they there?
to affix brackets for the ski rack.
| QUOTE (ArtechnikA @ Apr 5 2005, 06:39 AM) |
| to affix brackets for the ski rack. |
the aftermarket ski-rack mounts there.the original purpose of the holes was to give you access to the inside of the targa bar to spray in "Hohlraumversiegelung" ...
foamy stuff to prevent moisture from building up inside. think rust-proofing ...
Andy
Yup.....or a mounting area for custom bike racks...
They are used in conjunction with the two plastic cups in the windshield frame under the rubber roof seal. The tongue of the roof rack slips into the cup slots, and the rear end bolts up under the Targa bar. Roof can be installed or not / your choice.
Thats been my thought also, as acsess point to fill up the hollow sections with expanding foam. Rather than prevent moisture build up, I think it was more than likely a noise reduction attempt to fill the body sections with expanding foam. To keep moisture out of the targa bar, and other hollow spaces, caulking, and rubber seals where installed
The foam is however a moisture trap in many cases, as seen often on the bottom of the targa sail panel area, near outer door handles, and the rear of the rear trunk lid. These are areas that have foam in them, and that foam from failure of design/application of or deterioration of any seals, or sealants, has allowed water to penetrate to the foam. Once in the foam, conventional bottom drain holes are of little use, as the foam will hold he water from flowing out, and hold it against the thin, non-galvenized steel, assuring rust thru from the inside out of the car.
The rust bubbles on the rear of the rear trunk are generally from much worse rust, working its way out, Water gets in the double walled section of the trunk by running down the inside of the lid, after it condenses on the inside of the lid on cold days. Any water in the trunk will condense on a cold lid, and then run down to the rear edge.
The targa bar rust failure is likely from poorly sealed targa trim holes. The aluminum trim on the bottom of the targa bar should have little rubber cups under each spring retainer. If they are missing or deteriorated, water can get in, there is foam in there, so same problem, it can't drain out, even if drain holes are present.
Same true on later VW Bugs (by later i mean circa early 1970's) Prior to the 1970's VW did not use expanding foam in the Bugs, soemtime on or about 1970 or so, VW started using spray foam up in the hollow space along either side of the rear window.
As a many decades fan of VW Bugs, I notice them all the time, and one thing is for sure, i have never, or almost never ever seem an early bug have any rust issues in this area, but for later Bugs, after they started using foam, I see a large percentage with rust thru, from the inside out in this area. Never see it on the older Bugs, It's got to be the foam soaking up water.
I have tossed too many otherwise good 914 rear trunk lids with rust coming from the inside of the rear lip, all becuase of the $%@!($ foam. If the rear lid (and targa bar) had no foam, but drain holes, even if water got in (maybe when the car is decades old, and the factory caulking gets dryed up and cracked, or otherwised damaged, or when teh trunk inside gets wet) the drain holes would allow a way out for the water.
The foam in the 914 ain't a good thing, just as in the VW Bug
anyway, good idea to make sure all the targa trim pieces have a seal under the mounting holes, and make sure your rear trunk (same true on front I assume) never has a leak or water in it, cause it is likely to naturally find its way up into the foam, and cause rust thru.
The foam is however a moisture trap in many cases, as seen often on the bottom of the targa sail panel area, near outer door handles, and the rear of the rear trunk lid. These are areas that have foam in them, and that foam from failure of design/application of or deterioration of any seals, or sealants, has allowed water to penetrate to the foam. Once in the foam, conventional bottom drain holes are of little use, as the foam will hold he water from flowing out, and hold it against the thin, non-galvenized steel, assuring rust thru from the inside out of the car.
The rust bubbles on the rear of the rear trunk are generally from much worse rust, working its way out, Water gets in the double walled section of the trunk by running down the inside of the lid, after it condenses on the inside of the lid on cold days. Any water in the trunk will condense on a cold lid, and then run down to the rear edge.
The targa bar rust failure is likely from poorly sealed targa trim holes. The aluminum trim on the bottom of the targa bar should have little rubber cups under each spring retainer. If they are missing or deteriorated, water can get in, there is foam in there, so same problem, it can't drain out, even if drain holes are present.
Same true on later VW Bugs (by later i mean circa early 1970's) Prior to the 1970's VW did not use expanding foam in the Bugs, soemtime on or about 1970 or so, VW started using spray foam up in the hollow space along either side of the rear window.
As a many decades fan of VW Bugs, I notice them all the time, and one thing is for sure, i have never, or almost never ever seem an early bug have any rust issues in this area, but for later Bugs, after they started using foam, I see a large percentage with rust thru, from the inside out in this area. Never see it on the older Bugs, It's got to be the foam soaking up water.
I have tossed too many otherwise good 914 rear trunk lids with rust coming from the inside of the rear lip, all becuase of the $%@!($ foam. If the rear lid (and targa bar) had no foam, but drain holes, even if water got in (maybe when the car is decades old, and the factory caulking gets dryed up and cracked, or otherwised damaged, or when teh trunk inside gets wet) the drain holes would allow a way out for the water.
The foam in the 914 ain't a good thing, just as in the VW Bug
anyway, good idea to make sure all the targa trim pieces have a seal under the mounting holes, and make sure your rear trunk (same true on front I assume) never has a leak or water in it, cause it is likely to naturally find its way up into the foam, and cause rust thru.
yupp, the foam works for a while (as a moisture barrier) but i guess the guys at VW/Porsche never thought our little cars would be around that long.
once the foam gets old it'll crack and allow moisture to seep in = RUST
perfect example is the area in the rear fenders, just above the headlights.
almost ANY 914 i have seen has rust there.
the only completely rust free fender i have ever seen is the drivers side fender on my car. it was replaced some 20 years ago with a brand new part and they never put the foam back in. no rust!
Andy
once the foam gets old it'll crack and allow moisture to seep in = RUST
perfect example is the area in the rear fenders, just above the headlights.
almost ANY 914 i have seen has rust there.
the only completely rust free fender i have ever seen is the drivers side fender on my car. it was replaced some 20 years ago with a brand new part and they never put the foam back in. no rust!
Andy
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