Question about early vs. late tops Options

[DC_neun_vierzehn]

I know there are two different tops (early vs. late).

My question is can an early top work on a late car IF the rubber seals on the sides have been updated (to match the late windows) AND the bump stops have been swapped (to match the late latches)?

The reason I ask is that I have two spare tops (one early and one late). I have them both stripped down (no rubber, no hardware, no felt headliner, etc.). Just the fiberglass top. And I noticed that the early top much lighter. I weighed them and the early top is approx. 17 pounds whereas the late top is approx. 23 pounds.

I'm not looking to shed weight for performance (although that's a bonus), but a lighter top would be less cumbersome to take off and put on the car.

TIA

-Kris

[SirAndy]

More than you ever wanted to know.
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=73129
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[DC_neun_vierzehn]

More than you ever wanted to know.
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=73129
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/bye1.gif)

Thank you. I’ve read that post a few time before as well as other posts on this topic. I have more questions than answers every time after reading that post, sadly. I’m hoping someone has tried this before and can answer my question yes or no from personal experience.

[SirAndy]

More than you ever wanted to know.
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=73129
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/bye1.gif)

Thank you. I’ve read that post a few time before as well as other posts on this topic. I have more questions than answers every time after reading that post, sadly. I’m hoping someone has tried this before and can answer my question yes or no from personal experience.

Post #11 in that thread:

"I've got a late top and early windows and it does not seal right at all.
The top should match the windows ..."

Not only are the seals different, the actual mounting points of the seals is different too. So even if you used the seals that are correct for your windows they still won't seal well if used on a top that doesn't match the windows.

And yes, i'm talking about the windows and not the car manufacturing year. Because people can (and do) mismatch doors and windows.

Your top and seals need to match the year of the doors and windows of your car.
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PS: And to make it even more complicated, as explained in that thread linked, '73 is a transition year for the doors and windows. See post #29 in the thread linked.

[JamesM]

Not only are the seals different, the actual mounting points of the seals is different too. So even if you used the seals that are correct for your windows they still won't seal well if used on a top that doesn't match the windows.

And yes, i'm talking about the windows and not the car manufacturing year. Because people can (and do) mismatch doors and windows.

Your top and seals need to match the year of the doors and windows of your car.
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Are you sure about this? Ill have to go compare parts again but...

The front window channel is the same between early and late cars as is the rear window seal so the height of the window should be the same.

Also Porsche superseded the early part with the late and even specified that the late roof to window seals work on the early cars. The rear seal fits differently but the side seals don't. Both these things lead me to believe side seal mismatch is not the issue.

In my experience as long as the rear rubber blocks match the style of rear Targa latches you have, and the window position is adjusted properly, I have not had an issue swapping tops between years.

[SirAndy]

Not only are the seals different, the actual mounting points of the seals is different too. So even if you used the seals that are correct for your windows they still won't seal well if used on a top that doesn't match the windows.

And yes, i'm talking about the windows and not the car manufacturing year. Because people can (and do) mismatch doors and windows.

Your top and seals need to match the year of the doors and windows of your car.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)

Are you sure about this? Ill have to go compare parts again but...
The front window channel is the same between early and late cars as is the rear window seal so the height of the window should be the same.
Also Porsche superseded the early part with the late and even specified that the late roof to window seals work on the early cars. The rear seal fits differently but the side seals don't. Both these things lead me to believe side seal mismatch is not the issue.
In my experience as long as the rear rubber blocks match the style of rear Targa latches you have, and the window position is adjusted properly, I have not had an issue swapping tops between years.

Not only are the side seals different but the channel mounting points are different because the top of the glass position is different.

Even if you can get the channels to line up, early seals won't seal against late glass and late seals won't seal against early glass.
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