Saratoga Top Tech

I'm following up with my solutions for mounting my cool new top to my car....

This first picture shows the top with the roller-style latches it came with, sitting next to the front bar from the earlier style top with it's latches:



I quickly ditched plan A of retrofitting my older style latches (and I was still worried about separation. Taking a cue from a couple of the new fiberglass top's mounting systems I decided to mount from the front aligmnent pin locations.





So I drilled through the Lexan and now have a carriage bolt snugged up on the top threaded through the captured bolt in the fiberglass support. It's not exactly elegant (but neither is the rest of my poor franken-Porsche) and it seems to be working very well.





Mounted in the car, I'll try to find something a little nicer, like a knob


Gratuitous shots on the test run:


So far I've put about 50 miles on the car w/ the top in place, a good portion of that was on the highway between 70 and 80mph. There is no lift or gap at the front whatsoever (and I have and old, much less than perfect front seal. There is wind noise but I have no frame of reference to know if it's more or less than a good (or bad) folding top.

So, while I reserve the right to update, revise or cry, in the future I'm hoping maybe I've posed a possible solution for some to make some of these aging, cool accessories continue to be functional.

The whole little family went out for dinner in the 911 this weekend, it was a crystal clear, starry night. I'm not sure why but my wife mentioned later the same thing I was thinking, the view out the top is just plain cool! No, it's not any different than having the top off completely but in early January when it's 40° outside and she would have otherwise been left in the garage, it's an oh so cool addition.

Santa was Guuuud to Glenda

Time for a little update. I got a new job (woo hoo, thank god!) so I haven't done a whole lot more than drive the toy, but I have gotten to do that at least once a week lately which is fun.

So new additions, she now wears a shiny new pair of mirrors and a hood badge from family. I had a little bonus $ so I gave her a radio & speakers (there's a future post on it's own as I'm trying to accomplish something cool and re-do my doors). And the wonderful Mrs, she granted Glenda [da ta da daaa] TOP $$$$! Finally no more 35° mornings in the open air, or forced to leave it in the garage if there is the slightest chance of rain.

What I got was a vintage Saratoga Top, a Lexan replacement Targa top for 911s that was manufactured by the Saratoga company in the 70s and 80s. Anyone reading from the start might remember I was all excited that my car had one of these on it when I agreed to buy it, but I lost it somewhere in New Jersey. Being a glutton for punishment and just plain digging this funky accessory I was jumping out of my seat when I came across a slightly mis-labeled Craigslist ad, the seller didn't really know what this was. We struck a deal and I proceeded to wait about a month and still couldn't get him to take the time to ship it to me (he didn't yet have funds so I was perturbed, not worried). I posted for help on the 911 forum and within a day a generous fellow 911 owner had it on the way to me.

The top itself is in great shape! I got an amazing, steal of a deal. It's seals look brand new, came w/ a really cool felt lined storage bag, and even little suction cupped sun-blockers. The story is some friend had his 911 stolen in Mexico many years ago and somehow this ended up in his attic and now he wanted rid of it.

The challenge: It came off an '87 and has a Saratoga's version of roller latches, I need it to fit on my '75. I do have a front bar w/ latches from an earlier Saratoga. At this point my plan is to drill through the top Lexan, replacing the front locating pins with bolts anchored from the top, bolted under the header bar (much like the couple of new FG offerings around mount). It won't be quite as smooth and pretty but hopefully will be solid and avoid this one delaminating like they seem to want to do.

I will followup in the coming posts with 1) Saratoga Top Installation 2) Radio Install and 3) Door Panel refurbishment.