Anyone ever seen it or BTDT ? Put hinge/pivot in the rear, by the tail lights ...

Easier top removal & storage (if you use the trunk for top storage).

Sounds like a lot of work, but it would be much easier to put the top in/out. Are you gonna do it?

I think I've seen a pic of it in one of the posts.

dave, i think you would need 2 people to put the top in the trunk all the time. you would also have to lift items over the fenders to load them in the trunk. having fought the pivot bracket yesterday, locating all the pieces in the correct orientation would be pretty dificult.

kevin

How would it be easier to put the top in?

Cool Idea! You would have to use a scissors or dog leg shaped type hinge to lift the deck lid up as it tilts back- maybe the stock hinges would work. Getting the top in and out would be more difficult but, if you don't care- the effect would be unique. Now, could you unitize the deck lid and the engine cover and have them both raise up on the rear hinges? I wonder if the engine lid would clear the rollbar? Engine access would be good. My BMW hood hinges from the front and slides forward before lifting up. That could be a solution too. DH

this is actually something that i had considered doing to the front trunk rather than the rear. seems to me that having the front trunk open reversed would make access to everything up there much better.........anybody done that one? think i'm gonna have to look into it since the cars gonna be out of comission a bit longer than anticipated anyway.

I'm sure none of you have seen this before, but a company in Japan makes a conversion for a Honda Del Sol that makes the targa top automatic. It's pretty cool, but adds 200lbs to the car and lots of fab work. Here's 2 crappy videos of it.

http://www.spicytuna.net/terrance/videos/t...top_movie_1.mov
http://www.spicytuna.net/terrance/videos/t...top_movie_2.mov

It's called the "Transtop" or something like that.

Originally, the Del Sol was supposed to come that way from the factory (automatic targa top). But the concept got scrapped before it made it to production.

Demick

dito, why would it be easier ????

How is it easier?

I think roof un/stowing would be a little easier because you don't need to lift the roof over the decklid. Just tilt the front and swing up. (You could even get the milled sunvisor brackets made with built-in pulleys and run some block-and-tackle system to pull the roof up, without even having to get out of the car!)

Even better, if the decklid hinges at the back, you can climb into the trunk area and easily reach the middle of the engine bay, or get both hands comfortably down into the lower corners. (I got very frustrated trying to remove the ECU bracket one-handed).

now you lost me. you lift the roof OVER the rear trunk lid?
why in heavens do you do that?

the way the lid is stored in the trunk right now, you need
to have access from the rear as you slide the top into the
holders first, than secure it with the rubber fasteners.
i can't imagine how one would do that with the rear trunk lid
opening in the front instead of the back.

climbing into the trunk to work on the engine?
if you know you're going to work on the engine and you anticipate
clearance problems, why not just take the engine lid OFF?
takes about 2 minutes (2 10mm bolts) and unless you're 4'10" you should be able to access anything in that engine comp ...

Andy

Ok, Brian and I just wnet out to one of the parts cars and he held a rear trunk lid as if it opened from the rear, and I tried to stow the top by myself. You notice I said "tried".
The lid would have to be at least 8" behind the tail lights to get the top in its hole. Very impracticle!

I fail to see the purpose in it

I dunno, thought it might be easier for the wife. Top is gonna be all nice and painted, I am gonna insist that a "2 person removal law" be enforced long after I'm gone...

Puff, puff, PASS dude...puff, puff, pass!

Hey Dave, I think you got some really good shit this time
jes' fun'n wit'cha

........b

Uh, that top on the honda was about the lamest thing I've ever seen.

My top stows right nicely as designed.

Go to Kellzeys website Orlando gathering and there is a picture of a 914 with a front opening trunk lid. Don't really see any advantage for this.

Bob

What about having it open on the driver side and hinged on the passenger side? That would be cool and make it easy to load the targa top in it.

-Britain

how?

you would need 2 trunk shocks, one would have to be mounted on the rear clip, which would in return NOT allow you to slide in the top any longer.

why don't you try to think before you post?
Andy

Changing the way the lid is hinged is a stupid idea but while you're at it, have the doors done like this...

that might actually look cool on a teener, but do i have to dress like that guy too if i do that?

Andy

YO, YO, YO

Andy, you mean you don't have a NBA jerzey???

>Changing the way the lid is hinged is a stupid idea

I think it would go great with a full low-rider hyraulic setup. Or maybe for racing you could make a Mercedes style air brake.

Are you looking to cut the number of posts in half or sumpthin?

if the latch failed at speed it would be pretty exciting .

kevin