hey everyone, looking for some opinions here. i've been thinking of a project for my 2nd gen for a while now but id like some opinions on what problems or issues i'll run into. i want to make my fc into a targa top, its not a vert so i'd literally be cutting a chunk of the roof off. the only issue i can think of is the fact of it being a uni-body so im not sure if that will completly throw off the cars stability but i plan on welding 2 support bars on each side above the doors for support or even 2 bars and an x pattern for extra support. Then i also figure i can get a leather cover custom made and have the ends with velcro so it will wrap under the support bars kind of like how the jeep wranglers tops are made. what do you guys think?

 

I think you need to weld in those extra supports before you cut out the old. Other than that, I have no idea.

 

You might get some ideas about the required chassis stiffening by looking at a vert.

 

Search in the 2nd gen forum, it's been done and the guy said that he regretted it, had waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much chassis flex. You'd need a full cage to make it stiff enough.

 

I would say the fastest and easiest way would be cannibalize a convertible.

You would need the doors, targa top, the roof above the wind shield and the fron part of the retractable roof. But I bet the car would be sloppy.

The best way would be to start with a 'vert and cut and weld on the coups hatch area, b pillar and roof then bolt on the hatch and gut the retraction mechanism.

 

I did this to a 97 camaro t-top with my cousin. Theres so much added flex. we had to install a full roll cage, weld in subframe connectors, and a bunch of other crap. but the targa roof we built had a triangulated frame inside it and had fiberglass laid over it, so when we drove it with the roof on there was hardly any flex at all. If doing this youd need the targa roof, which we made out of two t top locker sides welded together with aluminum and covered in fiberglass resin and just removed the t bar, youd need to come up with a way similar to lock the roof back on and cut out the part of the roof youd want to have removeable. then youd also need weather stripping to keep it from leaking. this is for a supra/vette style targa top, no idea how to make one like you were thinking of like a jeep. ill call my cousin up and see if he has any pics of the thing, he sold it a while back so he could buy a c4 vette.

 

This idea makes me think of Ricky Bobby racing with the Fig Newton sticker on his windshield.

"This sticker is inconvienent and dangerous, but I sure do love Fig Newtons"

"This home made targa is inconvienent and dangerous, but I sure do like the sun on my face as I drive"

So, bad idea I say.

 

How about just getting a vert and removing the middle panel when you want the target top?

 

I have been fascinated with the convertible/targa top conversion idea for years.
I found that the rule of thumb is: put as much metal back on as u take off.

I have done several porsche 911 targa to convertible conversions and we took the removed targa bar, fabricated a similiar metal band and installed under the carpet, on the body, directly below the old targa position, Worked perfectly. We even matched the floor contours and spot welded it on while flexed with the car ends raised before removing the original upper targa band. It seemed quite clever.

I own two convertible first gens from Pacific avatar that have long rails welded the length of the chassis, on passenger and drivers side below the floor and bolted every six inches, to make up for the chopped first gen top. It works.

Be careful: reinforce first, cut second