Update- 996 hardtop retrofit for 997

[wiggy]

The parts you will need for the newer style mounts are :

996.561.653.04 (mount to attach to the car)

996.561.654.04 (mount to attach to the car)

900.378.173.09 (8 of these just to be safe)

I bought these mounts and hardware for a total of $245 from my local dealer.

I believe the '00 to '04 tops the parts numbers were 996-561-653-03 and 996-561-654-03. It is possible to retrofit your older hardtop for the better design.

This is a very easy job - it took me about 30 minutes to do.

1. Place top in the service position ( almost closed with the rear top cover still in the open position as high as you can get it).

2. Pull back the thin molded carpet section at the center near the roll bar cover you'll notice a single screw that holds down the center of the roll bar cover. Remove the screw.

3. Pry off the top oblong covers directly over the roll bars. Work from the rearward side of the covers not the front side. There are three spring clips, left , center and right so if you work with a wide bladed screw driver start at one side, then the middle, then the other side and the covers will pop off.

4. Once the covers are off you'll see one screw under each cover on the outside edge. Remove them being carefull not to drop them in side the roll bar frame.

The entire cover will lift off now and exposing the roll bars and the carrier frame rails where the mounts bolt in.

5. You'll notice once you have the cover off two plastic zig zag shaped spacers on either side of off the roll bar carrier frame. Each is held on with 3 threaded bolts despite the fact the mounting locks require four . Remove these. Be sure to note where the "L" shaped attachment points for the roll bar covers go as you'll need to re-attach them when you're bolting in the mounts as they hold the roll bar cover in place with the two screws you removed from either side of the cover.

6. Bolt in new mounts with 4 bolts for each side. The drivers side mount has an electrical connection for the defroster. You need to run the wire down into the car and plug it in. The wire plugs in about 4-6 inches below the mount on the back side of the frame rail it is attached too. You'll may need to pull back the molded carpet to see the plug. It's a little bit a reach but do able. Plug only goes in one way so you can't mess it up.

7. Reinstalling the roll bar cover is the reverse of the removal. The cover has a channel along the front side of it to receive the trim piece that goes across the back of the car's rear bulkhead. It's easy to line up just needs to be done before you start screwing the roll bar cover back in place. The smaller covers go in front first ( where the hard plastic positioning clips are) then push down on the backs to get them to seat in.

8. Pull off the small circular covers on the roll bar cover and check to see that your mounts line up.

9. With the help of a friend, lift the hardtop onto the car as per the owners manual. Torque down the bolts in the back to 37 ft lbs per the manual.

You're all set!

[tekky]

I'm not seeing a 997 in the above attached photos... look at those classics in the background!

:thumbup:

Sam

[Samidad]

Guys - thanks so much! This thread was invaluable. I am new to the forums and P-cars, I was able to add the parts (used - $135 total) and picked up an Arctic Silver top for my 996 TTS for an unbelievable $200! Only a small ding and some finish imperfections, I am pleased irrespective of the price I paid. Was a 250 mile drive to get it but a memorable overnight in Chi town ;-) Tested out the new Kumhos on the drive. The fit looks great and it seems to be on tight, except there is a bit of a noise , almost a rattle coming from the back passenger's side. I think it could be the Mount cover that accepts the cap, but need to take a ride and let soemone drive over a bump at 55 or so to see.

I didn't see this addressed in the thread but please reply if you know, are there any adjustments that can be made to tighten down the top at a particular corner? Also, do the springs that pull the pointed shafts down into the receiver parts wear, or do they ever need replacement?

I wonder if anyone here has tried to sell their plastic spacers as a "Hardtop delete kit" ? I thought there might be a call for them as anyone who lets their top go can probably remove the receiver parts easily using this thread and make a few extra bucks. May try to sell mine on eBay, will let you know....

thanks again for this thread!!!!

Samidad

[dphatch]

The parts you will need for the newer style mounts are :

996.561.653.04 (mount to attach to the car)

996.561.654.04 (mount to attach to the car)

900.378.173.09 (8 of these just to be safe)

I bought these mounts and hardware for a total of $245 from my local dealer.

I believe the '00 to '04 tops the parts numbers were 996-561-653-03 and 996-561-654-03. It is possible to retrofit your older hardtop for the better design.

This is a very easy job - it took me about 30 minutes to do.

1. Place top in the service position ( almost closed with the rear top cover still in the open position as high as you can get it).

2. Pull back the thin molded carpet section at the center near the roll bar cover you'll notice a single screw that holds down the center of the roll bar cover. Remove the screw.

3. Pry off the top oblong covers directly over the roll bars. Work from the rearward side of the covers not the front side. There are three spring clips, left , center and right so if you work with a wide bladed screw driver start at one side, then the middle, then the other side and the covers will pop off.

4. Once the covers are off you'll see one screw under each cover on the outside edge. Remove them being carefull not to drop them in side the roll bar frame.

The entire cover will lift off now and exposing the roll bars and the carrier frame rails where the mounts bolt in.

5. You'll notice once you have the cover off two plastic zig zag shaped spacers on either side of off the roll bar carrier frame. Each is held on with 3 threaded bolts despite the fact the mounting locks require four . Remove these. Be sure to note where the "L" shaped attachment points for the roll bar covers go as you'll need to re-attach them when you're bolting in the mounts as they hold the roll bar cover in place with the two screws you removed from either side of the cover.

6. Bolt in new mounts with 4 bolts for each side. The drivers side mount has an electrical connection for the defroster. You need to run the wire down into the car and plug it in. The wire plugs in about 4-6 inches below the mount on the back side of the frame rail it is attached too. You'll may need to pull back the molded carpet to see the plug. It's a little bit a reach but do able. Plug only goes in one way so you can't mess it up.

7. Reinstalling the roll bar cover is the reverse of the removal. The cover has a channel along the front side of it to receive the trim piece that goes across the back of the car's rear bulkhead. It's easy to line up just needs to be done before you start screwing the roll bar cover back in place. The smaller covers go in front first ( where the hard plastic positioning clips are) then push down on the backs to get them to seat in.

8. Pull off the small circular covers on the roll bar cover and check to see that your mounts line up.

9. With the help of a friend, lift the hardtop onto the car as per the owners manual. Torque down the bolts in the back to 37 ft lbs per the manual.

You're all set!

Great photos. When I installed mine I had the top nearly closed and rear window folded up. I think that position gives you better access to the roll bar area.

[dphatch]

Guys - thanks so much! This thread was invaluable. I am new to the forums and P-cars, I was able to add the parts (used - $135 total) and picked up an Arctic Silver top for my 996 TTS for an unbelievable $200! Only a small ding and some finish imperfections, I am pleased irrespective of the price I paid. Was a 250 mile drive to get it but a memorable overnight in Chi town ;-) Tested out the new Kumhos on the drive. The fit looks great and it seems to be on tight, except there is a bit of a noise , almost a rattle coming from the back passenger's side. I think it could be the Mount cover that accepts the cap, but need to take a ride and let soemone drive over a bump at 55 or so to see.

I didn't see this addressed in the thread but please reply if you know, are there any adjustments that can be made to tighten down the top at a particular corner? Also, do the springs that pull the pointed shafts down into the receiver parts wear, or do they ever need replacement?

I wonder if anyone here has tried to sell their plastic spacers as a "Hardtop delete kit" ? I thought there might be a call for them as anyone who lets their top go can probably remove the receiver parts easily using this thread and make a few extra bucks. May try to sell mine on eBay, will let you know....

thanks again for this thread!!!!

Samidad

There is technical service bulletin available to you on this site in the documents section that explains the procedure for adjusting the top. There is also one about fixing rattles or noises from top which was the reason they changed the mounting hardware on later versions. The locking pins on the first update to the hardware has a plastic sleeve over the end of the locking pin while the original was bar metal. Not sure if these sleeves area still available. The second update was a screw type locking pin and a different receiving lock. To update both would cost well over $ 1000 . But before you do all that make sure when you tighten down the top you get the lock to the second and final indent / click point as failer to do that could be the reason you're getting a rattle from the back of the car. That fully seats the top.

[wiggy]

Guys - thanks so much! This thread was invaluable. I am new to the forums and P-cars, I was able to add the parts (used - $135 total) and picked up an Arctic Silver top for my 996 TTS for an unbelievable $200! Only a small ding and some finish imperfections, I am pleased irrespective of the price I paid. Was a 250 mile drive to get it but a memorable overnight in Chi town ;-) Tested out the new Kumhos on the drive. The fit looks great and it seems to be on tight, except there is a bit of a noise , almost a rattle coming from the back passenger's side. I think it could be the Mount cover that accepts the cap, but need to take a ride and let soemone drive over a bump at 55 or so to see.

I didn't see this addressed in the thread but please reply if you know, are there any adjustments that can be made to tighten down the top at a particular corner? Also, do the springs that pull the pointed shafts down into the receiver parts wear, or do they ever need replacement?

I wonder if anyone here has tried to sell their plastic spacers as a "Hardtop delete kit" ? I thought there might be a call for them as anyone who lets their top go can probably remove the receiver parts easily using this thread and make a few extra bucks. May try to sell mine on eBay, will let you know....

thanks again for this thread!!!!

Samidad

I'm not sure the deal on the older mounts. But the 997 instruction manual says that the top should be secured at 37ft pounds of torque. I have heard that is very important. So perhaps you should do the same on your 996?

So I bought a 6MM socket with a Allen head on it (from Sears for $5) and tightened mine down at 37ftp on both sides. I installed the top over the weekend and after several hundred miles driving, I noticed 1) no rattles and 2) the car is much much quieter with the top on. Definitely feels like a coupe!

Good luck!

[vvv]

Update to my earlier 996 hardtop retrofit to a 997 C4S- Top fits perfectly. Total cost of parts was $ 250, not including the top itself. Job took all of 30 minutes to complete and on a difficulty scale of 1 to 10

I'd rate it a 1. Once that parts came in putting them on the car is pretty straight forward. Pic below show key fitting areas. Top fits snuggly and all mounting points matched up perfectly without any adjustments to the latch points. Top was purchased off ebay and was made in 2003.

Hi, mate! You've got married Claudia Schieffer and bought her second hand clothes.

[musclehedz101]

Hardtop Scratched the body after removal!

HELP!

This evening I removed my hardtop for the season and could not believe the scratches it left behind all the way down to the bare metal!

(See pics below) Anyone have any insights on what went wrong??

Pic 1 = Scratches made by hardtop on body/Cab cover

Pic 2 = Underside of Hardtop (rear right area). Three spots that rubbed/scratched as shown in PIC 1

My hardtop been retro-fit with "screw" style mounting hardware.

[997convertible997]

Hi,
I have been reading a lot here about 996 hardtop conversion to 997 and appreciated the helpful information there.

From what I have learned the easiest / most cost efficient way to mount an older style 996 (twist pin type) hardtop would be to just install the matching twist pin-type mounts.

Some people claim that Porsche changed them to the screw type because of problems but I had this type of mounts on my 996 C4 convertible and never any problems with them which makes my rather suspect that the true reason for changing the mount and locks is to make it impossible to fit 996 hardtop on 997 convertibles and buying expensive new hardtops instead or at least have to convert them with a lot of effort to the newer screw type pins…. :(

The problem is now that the old twisted pin type mounts (part numbers 996.561.653.03 and 996.561.654.03) seem to be discontinued and not available from Porsche dealers anymore. The reason again would probably be that Porsche has not interested in people just buying the old type mounts and easily putting 996 hardtops on 997 convertibles that way… ;)


Recently when I was trying to found some used old type mounts in the internet I couldn’t find any but I looks that these mounts have been remanufactured by some company called “Daytona” in a claimed improved version from mil-grade alu alloy and are now sold at a similar price like the discontinued cast iron original mounts.

This looks kind of interesting to me and could be a much cheaper solution and less effort than to convert the hardtop itself and later to have to readjust it completely.
Has anyone tried this part yet / any experiences?


You can find them here:
 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/PORSCHE-996-to-997-HARDTOP-CONVERSION-RETROFIT-INSTALL-ADAPTOR-ADAPTER-MOUNTS-/271761095467?ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT

or look for item No. “2717610954672” or “996 hardtop retrofit” on ebay

 

[997convertible997]

They look to me same as the discontinued OEM mounts, just made from higher grade material.... ?

[dphatch]

I don't see any reason why they wouldn't work so if you have exhausted the recyclers these could be your only option. However, If I recall correctly certain years of the 996 ( I think it was the last two years but not sure

) came standard with the hardtop standard which is why there are so many 996 tops available. Many buyers declined the top which was why Porsche stop offering them as a standard item. However all of the 996 cars where fitted with the locks regardless of whether or not the car was ordered or came with the hard top. With that said they should be available from Porsche dismantlers if you can get them to pull them from the car. Mounting bolts are available at any hardware store so if you could get a dismantler to remove them you could readily source the bolts if they didn't want to both keeping track of the. As for the lock type receivers above, at the price I'm not sure how much cheaper than the newer screw type locks conversion would be. The screw type locks minimize the rattles that were apparent in the first and second iterations of the lock down type lugs that these mounts are designed to fit. By the way, the ebay locks will work with versions 1 and 2 of the lugs as thre only change to version 2 was the addition of a plastic sleeve on the end of the lug to added to reduce the rattles owners complained about.