I know there is a difference in tops from early to late. My questions can the tops be interchangeable if the internal latches and fasteners are swapped? is it only the latches that make them different or is the structural also different?

Thanks in advance.

I thought I remembered someone saying the windows fit differently but I’m not 100%

I'm curious myself as I've never researched it. And I need to figure out someday which of a couple of tops I have around here are early or late. So this was timely.

Early top has a thin rib, late top has a thick one.

Thanks Mark.

So what is the time line that delineates between early and late?

If I'm right about the side windows being different, it would start when the newer style window mechanism was added to the doors. Mid '72 I believe.

Early vs. late
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=73129

early top doesn't seal well with late doors/windows
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=86067

more...
http://914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=329937

I believe early till mid 73 (some 73's manufactured in 72). Build date Jan of 73 had crash bar requirements

Looks like I reversed the rib with - per Paul's thread.

I'll check it out. This is what I was hoping would come of this thread.

@Gint
@mepstein

I have a late top that I am going to add the early rubber blocks to
and test fit on an early car.
The early blocks are shorter and wider. I don't know why they would change that.
I don't know it the top web height was changed at the same time.The window seals should not be an issue. 914 rubber list the late seal as better sealing and can be used on the early car for better sealing.

Then I am going to test an early top with late blocks on a late car.

Will report back her with the findings.

The other top differences do not appear to affect fit like the raised bosses on the front latches.

@ahycaramba

@mepstein
@Jamie
@Gint


PET show the window seal changing in 74.

I have a lot of recent experience with this.

The top must be matched to the type of window regulator. If you have early regulators, you have to have an early top. If you have late regulators, you have to have a late top. It has to do with the seals and how they meet up to the top edge of the windows.

I know this for fact. My red six conversion (Igor) is a 73, and the top (painted to match the car) is an early top. So the seals don't fit right, and they leak. The top on the Blue 70 914-6 (Elwood) is a late top on an early car. The seals don't quite reach the top edge of the windows. So I added an aluminum strip between the top and the seal mounting track. They actually touch the windows now, but they don't fit right either.

I actually took the top of the red car and put it on the blue one. The seals fit fine when I do that, but the car looks really funny...

I have a early top that I am going to get refinished like they did at the factory for the blue six.

Also, a 70 914 didn't have a headliner on the underside of the top.

Clay

@altitude411 Thanks for finding Paul's posts.

And I now realize that the top on my 74 is an early top. The late top was sitting on top of my /6. It looks pretty nice and only needs a couple of tiny paint applications. And a left rear mount.

@ahycaramba Did this discussion give you the info you were looking for? Questions?



@bdstone914 Hey Bruce,
Do you have a late left rear targa top mount? This part. Or a set refinished would be great.

I did find another targa latch mount, albeit a crusty one with crusty hardware. That late top on a late car makes a lot of difference. I don't have any idea why I did that or when. Probably because of a mount failure (or departure).

I don't know about you but I hate when water leaks inside the car. Thanks to all who have tackled this thread. Your help was VERY useful and informative. You all saved me from making a mistake and future headaches. I can't thank you enough.
Hope to meet up with you guys one day and thank you in person.

Interesting thread, I've been trying to find a really good 'stock' top to be able to swap out my body colored top just to change up the look if so inclined. I have 3 spare tops now as I've searched for one that needs only paint and minor refinishing vs a full on re-do.

After this thread, realized that I have two early and one late, I need the late one so will be probably bringing the early ones to sell off next time we ever have a G&R Swap meet...

Early:
Click to view attachment

Late:
Click to view attachment

As long as we're on the subject...

What is the preferred product to treat a top exterior to freshen it? Even further, if a guy wanted to respray it, what's the DIY solution or product?

Post # 146 Link

Here’s how, and the product I used. It turned out nice. Distance when spraying the texture coat, will give you the factory effect as far as texture. Then finish with the black satin used in an earlier post on the same page for the bumpers.

Click to view attachment

@garland Nice! I went through the entire part deux. I couldn't really tell what satin black you used from the bumper picture. How has it held up since it was finished?

I have a second top I want to restore. I was wanting to know what people are doing to there tops to get rid of the texture and have a smooth and paintable surface.

@gint

Mar-Hyde 3811 Black Satin Automotive Trim Coating Aerosol - 12 oz.
Great match to original trim paint, in my opinion. Handles bugs and washes on the front bumper, so holds up very well. Of course available on Amazon

Click to view attachment

Wurth Schutz is the stuff they used, it's commonly called "rock guard" in body shops, same stuff they spray rockers and stuff with.

I've been scrambling around because my brother in law runs and body shop and they're slow right now so he's offerering to finish mine, I'll let you know what they end up doing.

@ahycaramba if you want to smooth it out it can be sanded, you just have to be really careful not go get through the layer under the texture or things get complicated on refurbing and you'd have to possibly re gel coat it. Pretty sure there's some thread on that...

Thank you very much. I'm going to go bug you in the challenge thread for a picture of the top today.


@eric9144 - Brother in law with a body shop? A slow body shop? Sounds like a recurring dream and a problem I'd love to have. Thank you and I'd love an update when it's done if you can make that happen.

Good evening,
I am quite new to the forum but have already enjoyed a lot of different topics and find them quite helpful and motivating.
Hope to contribute to this one. Looking at my Porsche 914 workshop manual I found the following information about the change of the roof:

From July 4, 73, new roofs were used from VIN No. 4 73 292 6222.

Further on Porsche introduced a new seal for the rear part that is not interchangeabel.
I have tried to translate both sides that are covering the roof changes and attached them.
Click to view attachment Click to view attachment
Holger

Excellent first post! Thank you!

@HWO

What should be used for a headliner for the top?
For as long as I've had mine its just been bare fiberglass. I'm sure there is supposed to be... something... under there to keep all the noise from bouncing off the top.

Zach

felt just like what is used in the frunk

@VaccaRabite Zach, look on 914rubber.com. They have a headliner kit I do believe. It's basically perlon....

Thats handy. I was thinking I'd just get a lightweight carpet to glue up there. Pretty cool that is what is supposed to be up there! Even better that I can get it already cut out for me.

Zach

How much heat and cold transmits through the roof top? I was contemplating using Noico 150 mil insulation padding under the headliner material.

I found the rear latches from my /6. They look chrome to me, not stainless. And magnetic. Must be chromed steel.

So my top is nearly done... dug through old threads here and ended up using Wurth black SKS with their special gun... then shot with satin (semi-gloss) black--looks real shiny in these pics because it was literally just sprayed, the "shiny" will die down quite a bit as it dries

Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment

Should be picking it up from him next week, need to get new aluminum for the window seals next and pick up the other seals from 914rubber

Vielen Dank @hwo and

I'm curious what you guys think, I know it's in the bright lights of a paint booth and the paint is wet and more reflective than it will be in real life...but is the texture too thick? Also should I have them remove the texture from the rib that goes into the windshield section?
When I go out and look at my other roof that's factory it looks smoother, but I'm not sure if I'm just being picky. I might have to take my other one up and compare it.

The 1st attempt was too thick IMO, so I brought them up another spare roof with factory texture and we're working on spray outs to get the Wurth SKS to the right consistency...we're getting close, I'll share whatever the magic dilution rate is when we get it exactly right
Click to view attachment

I have a spare top I want to remove texture fill in tiny cracks and paint over a smooth surface. Can I use a thin film of bonds to fill in the pores and use epoxy primer before paint?

Years ago I bought a grey blend felt material from O'Reiley's that was intended as tool drawer liner. Matched the material I pulled off very well and it cost something like $10. There was more than enough on the roll to do the roof.

Got the roof texture and color right after the 4th attempt

Was harder to get the texture dialed in than I expected, had to be thined down a bunch and then knocked down at the end slightly to get it right.

Ordered up new rubber and a headliner from 914rubber on black Friday as well as latch HW and screws from Bruce Stone, should have the roof back this coming weekend

Click to view attachment Click to view attachment Click to view attachment

Eric...that looks great!

I was running just a bare shell in the GT replica. but was noticing much heat transfer in hot CA sun. Given that most of the miles in are on the road, not the track, I decided to add some insulation.

I ordered a headliner piece from 914rubber, but prior to gluing it in, put in a layer of Dynaliner (.25" thick), which is a closed cell foam heat insulation product. It comes with a self adhesive backing and can be cut to shape easily. Worked a treat and hides under the factory looking living material nicely.

No data on surface temp differential numbers to hand, but a few times this summer the temp difference between inside and outside targa temps was easily felt. FYI,

- Tony

PS. Was interested to learn on this thread that the early/late tops are tied into the early/late doors & window winders. Think I may have the wrong top type on now (which may explain the generous window gaps...!)

Thanks Tony for answering to my question about insulation to the top. I'll definatly follow suite. I'll be running without ac and heat for a while so I have to do everything I can to make it as comfortable as possible.

Does anybody know where I can source a nice pair of horizontal targa top track to top of window seals?

Thanks in advance.
Al