Apropos of nothing whatsoever, anyone ever neglect to secure their targa top?

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mirage83

Member
Mar 21, 2008
457
0
16
Georgia
Perhaps fail to notice that it was just sitting there until said vehicle was running ~45 or so? :cry:

Just out of curiosity, how much altitude did yours get before landing? Mine managed what looked to be about 9 feet off the ground before hitting and sliding off the road.

Guy riding with me thought it was funny as hell once he realized why a major chunk of the roof suddenly vanished from over his head. I didn't find it nearly as amusing, even after we collected it largely undamaged from the side of the road.
 
IndigoMKII

IndigoMKII

New Member
May 9, 2011
2,181
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0
Madison, Virginia
Well, the parts car I purchased has a targa on it from a similar situation. The guy bought the shell but only tightened down the back ones. Once the car reached 60, it peeled back like a tuna can. I've got pictures to show it.
 
supraguy@aol

supraguy@aol

Well-Known Member
Dec 30, 2005
4,236
37
48
Atlanta
I lost my original years ago.
It was summer time, and the weather had been great for days, so I was running with the top off all day.
That night, I put it back on the car, just in case there was any dew in the morning(and because my apt. complex wasn't exactly Melrose Place.)
I was simply going to pop it back in the hatch in the a.m. and ride topless again. But right when I climbed into bed(around 10pm), my buddies call me and say that they're out partying- come party! So I jump back in the car, and hit the highway.
Right after clearing the onramp, I start to hear it rumbling...I think to myself..."did I ever tighten down the targAHHHHHH!!!!!!!
With a vacuum-like 'FWOOP!"- it rips off the top of the car, and flips up and backspins into the air right out of sight- must have gone up 15 feet.
I look in my rearview, and see the headlights of the car behind me swerve wildy out of my lane when HE sees this happen.

I pull over to the side of the road, and look onto the highway, to see where it hit...Nowhere to be seen.
It came off right when I was crossing an overpass. I think it flipped down the side. Never saw it again.
Bought one off a junkyard car the next day.
 
M

mirage83

Member
Mar 21, 2008
457
0
16
Georgia
Yeah, I had my targa off back a few months ago to work on the seals and found a bunch of rust, so I just set it back in place while I worked on other things. Today decided to charge the battery and run it down the road, forgetting that the targa was just sitting there rather than locked in place. Didn't get the 15' of air that Supraguy's did, but it was still pretty impressive in a sick-at-your-stomach kinda way.
 
S

Satan

Supramania Contributor
Mar 31, 2005
1,594
0
36
Tampa
I always put a few turns into the front-driver's side targa bolt. Got into the habit a long time ago when I heard it happens often enough.
 
7M4EVR

7M4EVR

New Member
Oct 8, 2012
695
0
0
fah, fah away
have a related issue...my front targa bolts will loosen up on their own after a few weeks of driving, doesnt matter how tight i get them. I now keep the targa tool under the stereo for quick access while cruising when i start to hear air coming thorough. Not the safest thing to be reaching over to the passenger side and tightening them while driving I'll admit! Funny thing is they never did this before the rebuild, just after i started making a little power. No idea if new bolts will fix the issue or not? Anyone else had similar issues?
 
jdmfreak

jdmfreak

PACNW
Oct 8, 2010
2,232
0
0
north clark co. WA.
I have to retighten my targa a few miles after I put it on and tighten it down then it's good and doesn't leak or squeak after that

Sent from my C811 4G using Tapatalk
 
Poodles

Poodles

I play with fire
Jul 22, 2006
16,757
0
0
43
Fort Worth, TX
7M4EVR;1978673 said:
have a related issue...my front targa bolts will loosen up on their own after a few weeks of driving, doesnt matter how tight i get them. I now keep the targa tool under the stereo for quick access while cruising when i start to hear air coming thorough. Not the safest thing to be reaching over to the passenger side and tightening them while driving I'll admit! Funny thing is they never did this before the rebuild, just after i started making a little power. No idea if new bolts will fix the issue or not? Anyone else had similar issues?
Click to expand...

Inspect the fasteners and the threads of where they screw. I used antisieze on mine as well.

Or it could be you're installing it wrong :)

Backlash2032;1978742 said:
How do you get the Targa to stop squeaking? Lol

Sent from my HTC6435LVW using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Install it right :)

jdmfreak;1978743 said:
I have to retighten my targa a few miles after I put it on and tighten it down then it's good and doesn't leak or squeak after that

Sent from my C811 4G using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Shouldn't have to do that...


Proper procedure is tightening the back two first (doesn't really matter which order on the back). After that, driver's side (left side if you're sitting in the car and you're confused by this statement) and then the passenger side. Go back and check them all after you tighten them that way (shouldn't be loose, but it might be).

Doing them up in the wrong order can cause damage to the top. The part that the front bolt on the passenger side is thread into floats, so if that is done up first, the driver's side can strip (idiot previous owner...)
 
jdmfreak

jdmfreak

PACNW
Oct 8, 2010
2,232
0
0
north clark co. WA.
I have always installed it in the correct order following the under drivers side visor but one drive after I crank it down it has a slight squeak. could this be p/o not putting it on correctly?

Sent from my C811 4G using Tapatalk
 
Poodles

Poodles

I play with fire
Jul 22, 2006
16,757
0
0
43
Fort Worth, TX
It's possible it could be tweaked, but inspect all the fasteners and the mating surfaces (the area around the front bolts is the important one)
 
crisp

crisp

existentialincrementalist
May 25, 2007
1,785
2
38
Ohio
LOL! Never. I don't even take mine off... ever... since first drive without it 19 years ago. Too much "flex" noted, so never pulled it again except when it was painted. ;)

-crisp
 
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