Busybee Posted August 12, 2017 Share Posted August 12, 2017 Hi guys. Targa roof. Anyone on here successfully rebuilt their own or can recommend a good trimmer to sort mine out. The leading edge (and the rear edge come to think of it) are curling upward. Also the supports (are they called ribs?) running front to back in the roof kind of show through the vinyl. I'll take some photos tomorrow. The roof as is is noisy at speeds over 60mph and mentally loud at speeds best not to mention. Southbound trimmers have been recommended but v expensive I hear and across country from me (Wales). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrera32TargaSp Posted August 12, 2017 Share Posted August 12, 2017 I suggest you chat to David Nunn in Southbound. Agreed that very expensive (and the transport of your car), and expect a 1 year waiting list. But they will do it right. You'd think there are other options in Europe, but I haven't really come across any. Several people I spoke to said they "could have a go" but what you need is somebody that has done a lot of them. Maybe Jon is the west of Ireland would do it - but I think this would need to be part of a full restoration. Targa roofs are a messy job - especially the adjustment afterwards. Chances are you will need to replace a bunch of seals as well as the roof, and also redo the door membranes. May also need to check for leaks at front and rear windows. There is a guy in the US called Dan Petchel if you'd risk FedEx'ing the roof - but I'd strongly suggest you need the car onsite when the roof is done to confirm fit, as Targas flex a bit over time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichD1 Posted August 12, 2017 Share Posted August 12, 2017 I spoke to Southbound over a year ago to get prices and book a slot. Can't remember who I spoke to but he appeared to know the prices and the sort of things which would need replacing. He said he would check the diary to give me a firm commitment, I also sent an email conforming our discussion. Never heard back from them!!! Not impressed. Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrera32TargaSp Posted August 12, 2017 Share Posted August 12, 2017 6 minutes ago, RichD1 said: I spoke to Southbound over a year ago to get prices and book a slot. Can't remember who I spoke to but he appeared to know the prices and the sort of things which would need replacing. He said he would check the diary to give me a firm commitment, I also sent an email conforming our discussion. Never heard back from them!!! Not impressed. Richard Maybe give them a ring again? I know they had an email snafu a year or so ago, so perhaps yours was simply lost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuchs915 Posted August 13, 2017 Share Posted August 13, 2017 You can recover it as a DIY project. I've done mine twice - first time poorly, second time less poorly - could probably do with another fettle and investing in some upholstery pliers as stretching the vinyl can be a bit challenging. DIY is probably a couple of days, stripping, cleaning, painting, etc and rebuilding spending a decent amount of time on aligning the ally plates - measure, measure, measure. Southbound can supply most of the bits and pieces you'll need. There is a good thread on here somewhere showing most of the steps. Good luck with whichever way you go. Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fat fuchs Posted August 13, 2017 Share Posted August 13, 2017 I'll be doing my targa top in a couple of months time too. If you search on Pelican there are quite a number of owners that have managed to complete the roof refurbishment themselves with really good results and the process is documented with stage by stage images in some of the threads. If you do decide to tackle it yourself, the exploded diagram on PET is worth a check to ensure your roof still has all the parts it should have. If you're prepared to do some research and can work methodically, there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to DIY. Cheers FF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichD1 Posted August 13, 2017 Share Posted August 13, 2017 21 hours ago, Carrera32TargaSp said: Maybe give them a ring again? I know they had an email snafu a year or so ago, so perhaps yours was simply lost. They took all my details over the phone and said they would ring me back, I thought I'd send them a covering email as insurance. It wasn't the first time I had rung them either. 11 hours ago, fat fuchs said: I'll be doing my targa top in a couple of months time too. If you search on Pelican there are quite a number of owners that have managed to complete the roof refurbishment themselves with really good results and the process is documented with stage by stage images in some of the threads. If you do decide to tackle it yourself, the exploded diagram on PET is worth a check to ensure your roof still has all the parts it should have. If you're prepared to do some research and can work methodically, there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to DIY. Cheers FF Keep us informed on progress with pictures as I am tempted to have a go myself. Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamTompkins Posted August 13, 2017 Share Posted August 13, 2017 I did one myself about 12 years ago. Was a daunting job but came out ok in the end. I got all the bits from Southbound who are about 50 miles from me. Take loads of pictures for reference when dismantling and take it slowly. Hard stretching vinyl when new so use plenty of heat. It's not the easiest job but well doable as a diy project. I took about two weeks and did it on the dining room table so I got a bollocking for scratches ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rustybum Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 I would highly recommend Dan Petchel at Cars inc. I visited him while I was living in New Jersey, and I can vouch for his work. Top quality and he totally strips and renovates all the inner linings etc. Obviously its not easy to send your roof to him but thats where I'll be sending mine when its ready to be done. He may have an exchange roof in stock if you call him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sopor Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 Not to vehemently defend Southbound but... They know their onions but do operate in a bit of a time warp. I suspect that emails and phone calls (from all around the world) could easily consume one staff member's entire day. Easy for me to say but when I've popped in they have been very helpful; they're a bit old school that way. My targa refurb is booked for later this year - there was a 13 month wait list at the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALEX P Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 2 hours ago, sopor said: there was a 13 month wait list at the time. That is nuts. I don't think that there's any disputing the quality of there work but that is quite a wait! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesworth Posted August 17, 2017 Share Posted August 17, 2017 Anyone that tackles this job themselves deserves a hero biscuit in my opinion! I'm far too much of a perfectionist and too impatient to try something like this myself as i know I would never be satisfied with it. Good luck to you if you take this route Back in around 2005/6 I had Southbound completely rebuild my Targa roof. Even then, there was a 6 month waiting list but I got lucky and they had a cancellation so only ended up on the waiting list for a month or so. Total cost for a full rebuild, new webbing, cover, other misc parts, adjustment of the roof and the window frames and testing for water-tightness was about £1100. They had the car for a week and I drove it a hundred miles and got the train back. If I was contemplating this work again I would not hesitate to use them and would travel from anywhere in the country. Quality was top notch and the roof was like new again. Given current values, if you are doing this then do it right. The 12 month waiting list would give me slight pause though but its also a sign of their quality. People send stuff to them from all over the world. Its worth saying that you will never completely eradicate wind noise with a Targa no matter how perfect the alignment and sealing. I never experienced any of the communication issues mentioned above but you hear about this kind of thing all the time with the small artisan types specialists (Fenn Lane was mentioned on another thread recently and then there is that splendid chip mapping bloke up north whose name escapes me at the moment). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris T Posted August 17, 2017 Share Posted August 17, 2017 I had local guy Paul Roberts do mine and I am very happy with the result. can't remember cost but it was WAY less than £1100 and WAY less than a 12 month wait. He's in Reading, PM me for his contact details (don't bother Googling, you won't find him). Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesworth Posted August 17, 2017 Share Posted August 17, 2017 We certainly need more trimmers of Southbounds quality to help bring the cost and waiting times down!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Posted August 17, 2017 Share Posted August 17, 2017 Worth a read here - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busybee Posted August 17, 2017 Author Share Posted August 17, 2017 Gotta love this forum. Ask a question and so many good people chip in with info. Thanking you. I'd love to just hand it over to southbound trimmers or Dan in the USA but a huge wait or risking sending my roof over the pond, not so much. My targa roof is in a pretty sorry state so I can't make it much worse lol. Hmmm. Do I just have a go?? Those that have said they are doing their roof soon, we should do them at the same time and post up notes and questions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 Also remember to check out Pelican forums, the more you research the better prepared - http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/911_targa_top_recover/911_targa_top_recover.htm I have often played around with the idea of fitting one of those hard roofs instead of vinyl but never had the courage! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mobydick Posted August 21, 2017 Share Posted August 21, 2017 When I bought my car in 2012 it had recently had the Targa roof refurbed by Southbound. The Porsche specialist I brought the car from said if it ever needed doing again bring it back to Southbound 5 years on, it still has no leaks and no wind noise whatsoever ! IMHO, although it's is eye wateringly expensive, a tatty Targa top will let down the whole car. However, I don't think I would necessarily exclude a DIY attempt, but be prepared to do a lot of research and spend a lot of time to get it right. I think wind noise would irritate me if I didn't do DIY it right! Also, if the DIY attempt wasn't to your satisfaction, make an assessment what new parts you could reuse if you then wanted to hand it in to Southbound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpd Posted August 28, 2017 Share Posted August 28, 2017 I have recently had a roof rebuilt by Dan Petchel in the States & the services & quality is excellent. Although I have not yet adjusted the Windows it is now possible to hear the stereo & have a conversation at 80mph which was impossible before. If you are passing through Dorset you are welcome to have a look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindol Posted August 29, 2017 Share Posted August 29, 2017 21 hours ago, jpd said: I have recently had a roof rebuilt by Dan Petchel in the States & the services & quality is excellent. Although I have not yet adjusted the Windows it is now possible to hear the stereo & have a conversation at 80mph which was impossible before. If you are passing through Dorset you are welcome to have a look. I have been considering this too, but I wonder how to ship to avoid problems on either end with customs fees? I think I read that on it's return to the UK you would "only" pay VAT on the repair cost for your own property being shipped back from outside the EU. Can you clarify what steps, if any, you took to avoid extra fees on either side? Knowing this information would really help to either seriously consider this or rule it out when its time to have a targa roof rebuilt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busybee Posted August 29, 2017 Author Share Posted August 29, 2017 (edited) On 8/28/2017 at 10:58 AM, jpd said: I have recently had a roof rebuilt by Dan Petchel in the States & the services & quality is excellent. Although I have not yet adjusted the Windows it is now possible to hear the stereo & have a conversation at 80mph which was impossible before. If you are passing through Dorset you are welcome to have a look. Fair does to you sending your roof across the pond. I'd be scared stiff that it got lost or damaged. How did you send it, what info did Dan need, how long did he take to sort etc? Mine is starting to pee me off now. Put a little bit of draught excluder along the inside leading edge but no better really. Still horrendously loud over 65mph. Keep meaning to take photos. Have to crank the stereo up to hear it at motorway speeds lol. And thanks for the offer to view. If I'm down that way, I'll defo get in touch Edited August 29, 2017 by Busybee Forgot something Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesworth Posted September 6, 2017 Share Posted September 6, 2017 I just stumbled across these among pictures of my old Targa - posting them to show you the quality of a Southbound refurbished roof. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S1t9u8a1rt Posted September 10, 2017 Share Posted September 10, 2017 HI if you are in to DIY thers an ebay listing for inner and outer 911/964 targa item number 1424191141 and or 362089719031 from Franfut Germany they sound well tailord and maybe worth a look Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busybee Posted October 8, 2017 Author Share Posted October 8, 2017 (edited) On 06/09/2017 at 2:42 PM, Lesworth said: I just stumbled across these among pictures of my old Targa - posting them to show you the quality of a Southbound refurbished roof. Just flicking back to this old post as I took the old girl out Friday and today for a blast. chris my roof is loud! This looks the dogs danglies Edited October 8, 2017 by Busybee Typo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
semprini27 Posted October 10, 2017 Share Posted October 10, 2017 Mine is in with Whisperer 911 in Maidenhead at the moment. Will post results when I get it back.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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