2004 top on 1997 WITHOUT upgrading transmission?
 

Hi all,

Thinking of putting a 2004 glass window top & frame on my 1997. I've done a lot of searching and reading of the guides by Maurice, but one thing I'm still not 100% clear on is how much work it'd be to keep the original 'A' version transmission with the 2 external microswitches.

It's mostly this bit I'm unsure of...

"Note that if you don't want to do any rewiring on your early Boxster ('97 to '99), you can still install the OEM glass-windowed top and keep the old 'A Version' system...In that case however, you will have to devise a way to trip the B-Pillar microswitch at the appropriate time in the cycle because of the new location of the B pillar on the new, 4-bow, frame."

For the life of me I can't find anywhere that actually explains in any detail how you might go about tripping this microswitch at the right time.

Anyone done it, or know of a resource that explains it in more detail?

Thanks!

I think you pretty much have to install the B-style transmission in order to get it to work on the earlier model Boxsters. See below thread which gives a good overview...
03/04 top conversion problem - 986 Series (Boxster, Boxster S) - RennTech.org Community

Thanks @Boxtaboy, yeah that doesn't look promising does it. Looks like @Toppy986 also tried and ended up doing the same thing : http://986forum.com/forums/general-discussions/61357-2003-top-upgrade-problem.html

Hmm... anyone ever got this to work? Looks like I may need to bite the bullet and get the new trans as well.

When I picked up my 03 top and frame back in 09, I got it from a fellow 986 member who installed it on his 99 Boxster. He had a heck of a time trying to figure out how to trip the microswitch to get the top to stop cycling when closing. Ended up busting up several of his ball caps in the process. I don't think he ever figured it out either. He ended up selling the top to me cause he lent his friend the car who slid it into a curb when it was raining. Luckily, the top was totally undamaged. :) I would just bite the bullet and swap the parts to make it work as it should.