Ok, Here's what I want to know. I recently rebuilt a Targa top for 914 which included new seals all the way around. I noticed this squeek before the rebuild but thought the new seals would eliminate this .

As I have thought about this and read more on this forum, here's what I've come up with, the back half of the 914 is essentially held on by the floor, so the stress points are just behind the doors.

As the car is going down the road and travels over bumps the body is flexing and this is reverbiated through the targa top, thus the seals are squeeking from the flexing.

My question is this: How common is this? Is this an indication of compromised longs? or is this normal with all 914's? Does adding a engman kit eleviate this problem in any way?

As far as I can tell the Targa top does not have any capacity to tighten onto the car body. The new seals should be providing as tight a seal as possible.

I'm curious if the engman kit will reduse this flex and if its really worth it on a car that's not going to go on the track. I just enoy driving the car around town on the weekends.

Might try slipping a piece of rubber tubing over the hooks on the rear latches on the targa bar. This sometimes adds just the little extra bit to cut out some squeeks. Not guaranteeing that it will work, but the price is right to try!

I could just leave the top off like in your pictures but it's not very practicle in SW Washington.

TOP OFF

who needss it anyway

Mine is all rebuilt and has no squeaks at all but then again it's rarely on either.

A couple of suggestions.

1. Use the OEM style rear seal with the felt
2. Coat the seals with a light coat of rubber safe lubricant. I use Sil-Glyde and can be bought at Napa stores. Also put a light coat under the rubber blocks at the latches.

I do think the Engman kit reduces some of the flex and associated noise....

the noise does not come from the seals, it comes from the rubber blocks that sit on top of the latch mechanism.

you can take some fine sandpaper to the blocks and rough them up a bit. you can also use graphite lube on them or even glue some felt over them.

i also slid a small rubber hose over the "nipple" on the top that the hook on the latch hooks into. that adds a bit more pressure on the top and makes it squeel less ...

Andy

You have a top...damn I feel gyped...my car has no roof...

Rich

Almost exactally what is done on my car.

glycerin...again. any rubber contact points. cut 2 little rectangular pieces of adhesive backed felt and place them in the recesses for the rubber blocks on the targa bar. i was into a roadtrip, the top was on and the squeeky racket was driving me crazy. got off the freeway, went to a walgreens bought the felt and a cheap pair of scissors. money well spent.

k

I agree with Andy and Kevin. Glycerin on the rubber blocks cured mine

Glycerin is sold at any pharmacy in the hand lotion area.
But I still feel gyped...I never have my roof...

Rich