Convertible top replacement in Progress - Questions...

[Bladecutter]

Hopefully one of our resident convertible top replacement people will see this today and respond back, as I am just about to start installing my new top today.

So, anyway, a bit of history.

In June, my Boxster was parked in my driveway while I was at work with my other car, and there was a huge hail storm, that took out my badly aged rear window.

Yesterday, I went through the process of removing the old top, and completed that, but noticed a couple things that were different than the process mentioned in the write up at this link - http://images.wikia.com/boxster/ima..._Canvas_R_R.pdf

First off, the clamping rails and sliders mentioned in step 9 say to remove the screw in the front of the rail, that the bottom part of the tension cable mounts to. No where does the write up mention that there's another screw holding the back side of the rail to the B-Pillar frame.

Maybe my car is different, or maybe that was omitted, I have no idea.

Just thought I would throw that out there.

Next up, and this is my ultimate question:

When I finally got those apart, it was just a matter of removing the two canvas straps in step 10, and then sliding the top out of the rail, and you're done.

Well, for me, it wasn't that simple.

Attached to the two canvas straps are a pair of elastic bands.

These two bands were stapled to the "wings" on the plastic window.

Here's my question:

Are these elastic bands supposed to be stapled to the wings of the plastic window?

Did Porsche do that to my car for some strange reason?

Did someone kludge that together during the car's previous life to put a band-aid fix on the window?

Or, are the wings of the plastic window supposed to go between the elastic band and the canvas straps.

Also, why do you need to unhook the canvas straps in the first place?

I can't see any reason for needing to do that at all.

Thanks!

BC.

[1schoir]

BC:

1....Are these elastic bands supposed to be stapled to the wings of the plastic window?

2...Did Porsche do that to my car for some strange reason?

3..Did someone kludge that together during the car's previous life to put a band-aid fix on the window?

1. Yes.

2. Yes.

3. No.

The elastic bands are supposed to be stapled to the vinyl "wings" of the plastic window, as they serve a purpose.

It was intended by Porsche (not entirely successful) that the elastic bands would pull on the plastic wings to assist in pulling the horizontal center of the plastic window inwards (towards the front of the car) so that the plastic window would fold properly. The weak point in that system, aside from its design, is that the elastic bands stretch and weaken fairly quickly and that's the reason why anyone with an early (pre-'03) Boxster is intimately familiar with "The Chop".

As far as your other questions regarding the clamping rails and sliders, take a look at the updated DIY on Mike Focke's Boxster Pages for additional explanations and photos that may help you, here:

http://sites.google.com/site/mikefocke2/thetop-itsmaintaince%26replacement

Click on the section that says "Replacing the top".

If you have any other questions, post them here again.

Regards, Maurice.

Edited August 22, 2010 by 1schoir

[Bladecutter]

Thanks for the help, and the better write up.

My friend and I were able to get the top installed, and locked down.

Unfortunately, the job was finished well after dark, and the weather turned a bit cool yesterday, and today its drizzling here in Denver.

So basically, I'm leaving the top closed for several days to stretch the material before test opening it and seeing how everything paid off.

I'll have to post before and after pics.

Huge change going from a faded Graphite Gray top to a brand new Black top, and from a clouded, destroyed window to one that is perfectly clear.

So strange being able to see the driver's faces behind me in traffic.

BC.

[1schoir]

Thanks for the help, and the better write up.

My friend and I were able to get the top installed, and locked down.

Unfortunately, the job was finished well after dark, and the weather turned a bit cool yesterday, and today its drizzling here in Denver.

So basically, I'm leaving the top closed for several days to stretch the material before test opening it and seeing how everything paid off.

I'll have to post before and after pics.

Huge change going from a faded Graphite Gray top to a brand new Black top, and from a clouded, destroyed window to one that is perfectly clear.

So strange being able to see the driver's faces behind me in traffic.

BC.

BC:

Great work! A few days in the sun and it will be perfect.

Looking forward to seeing the before and after pics.

If your old top was raggedy enough, putting on a new canvas top makes you feel like you have a new car!

Regards, Maurice.