New Member, Z-Art Question
 

Good day, all.

I was eight years old when Porsche put its 914 concept on display. I had to wait a half century, but I finally own a Porsche, a 1999 Boxster 986 Tiptronic, 85,000 miles, very good condition, bought it from a guy with a small collection and a very nice back story linking him to Formula One.

It is almost exactly the car I have waited for all these years, and I just grin every time I walk into the garage.

My question: I will be installing the Z-Art Cayman-style hardtop. Has anyone here installed one, then installed a sunroof?

And yes, I know just how insane it sounds to take a convertible, install a hardtop and then install a sunroof. But this is about lust and aesthetics, not reason. If it was about reason, I'd drive a 15-year-old Honda Accord.

This is about giving that eight-year-old boy exactly the gift he's waited 50 years for.

Appreciate any and all input in helping make this project happen.

Best to all of you, and be well.

Michael.

p.s. Tried to upload a pic, but board kept rejecting it. The last error message said I was wearing white shoes after Labor Day. Sigh ...

Start here: http://986forum.com/forums/boxster-general-discussions/69896-z-top-thread.html

Search the forum for zeintop. There's a ton of info.

The link above will keep you entertained for hours. It's the best z-top build I've seen. :cheers:

I love the idea. Not for me, but I still love it.

So, if you don't already own a Z-top then you don't know there is a padded section in the middle of them. I think its there just to break up what would be just a big sploch of exterior colored paint. Regardless of why there is a section of padded carpet on the inside it would make a perfect place for a moon roof.


If you wanted it to be just a moon roof that doesn't open that is easy as pie. Get a glass roof from a car at a junkyard and cut a hole. Use some urethane to seal it in and put the OEM trim strip from the donor car to make it look sharp. If you have the trim from the junkyard car and the moonroof glass is urethaned in strong you'll never know it wasn't factory.

Just a thought but eclipses are plentiful in the junkyards and lots of them had moon roofs. Seems about the right size too.


A movable top or removable top would be a VERY daunting task. I don't even know where to begin making that happen. Your cuts would have to be super precise. And I don't imagine it would be any easier to get it to seal at speed (don't know about you but I paid for the whole speedometer I wanna use it).

A removable sunroof would actually be easy. This was a common item to install in custom 70's vans. It consisted of a trim ring with cam levers in the rear to tilt open and pins for removal of the glass. An RV dealer should have something available.

Yeah, but it would be flat; the Z-top is quite bubbly.

Sorry I have nothing to add to the sunroof topic, but the site has a 5mb limit for siggy pics. Check the size of you photo and 'shrink' it if necessary.

Welcome to the forum.

Thank you all. The curvature of the top was exactly my area of concern and why I'd asked if anyone had actually cut one in. If anyone has an image of the inside of the Z-Art top without the leather upgrade, I'd love to see it. Also, if anyone knows the actual thickness of the fiberglass in the roof above the seats, that would be helpful, too.

Was not thinking anything retractable - WAY too complicated! But I did remember the removable moon roofs of my youth, and they still are available. I was thinking something like this:

https://www.dkhardware.com/sfc-18-x-28-newport-sunroof-dual-with-contour-and-with-molded-trim-ring-solar-high-performan-np1828b6hd-product-22510.html

... but was unsure if the installation would fit with the curvature of the roof.

The Eclipse idea is brilliant. I've also got another idea for a removable panel, but I think I'll have to wait until the unit actually arrives to figure out how to accomplish what I'm shooting for.

Anyway, not like I'm going to suffer by hauling around in a convertible for a few months ... :)

And that phrase, "I paid for the whole speedometer and I wanna use it" is going into heavy rotation in my lexicon.

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1613062044.gif

I keep telling the city they need to remove that light post because it ruins my vehicle photographs, but they just get mad ...

I have lurked on that thread for months. That car is so gorgeous that it even convinced my wife that a Porsche would be a good idea. That gentleman's work was detailed and meticulous and the finished product was amazing.

Heres a pic of the inside.
Just my 2 cents though. You really dont want to do this. It will just look tacky and ruin your top. They arent made to be cut.

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1613148850.jpg

Thanks for the pic - and the advice. I'll keep an open mind until I can get a good look at whatever arrives off the slow boat from China. And there's a shop near me that specializes in sunroof installs. I'll see what they have to say there.

If I've learned nothing, it's that listening to expert advice is usually a pretty good idea. On the other hand, some of the best moments of my life have come shortly after saying, eh, what's the worst that can happen?

Appreciate the input. Gonna take the car for a spin today ...

Once you get it you'll see what I mean. The fiberglass on the middle of the roof and hatch is not thick, double walled but thin. I think cutting a big hole would effect the structure integrity. They flex some anyway without a hole. If you need anything once you get it just let me know.

Keep the bits they cut out. Worst case scenario you have to glass them back in. If you glass it well it should be mostly unnoticeable.

Glass the outside from the inside first so any "lumpy" will be inside the two panes of fiberglass. Then glass the interior; any lumpy glass buildup can be covered with a headliner.

Idea seems cool. You have to cut through the outer and inner shell. Not sure about the rigidity.
The curved z-art roof is very prominent, so everything but a seamless super smooth transition might not look too fancy.
Or if you are not planning to have such a surgical built precission, just install a hipster roof rack on top. Will distract the attention. :D

:cheers:

I road race motorcycles, so I've got a little experience with fiberglass repair ... :eek:

But yeah, that's part of what I was thinking, that if I keep the pieces that are cut out, they can always be 'glassed back in. If the job is out of my league, I know a guy who's been doing fiberglass boat repair for a few decades now. I try to always have a backup plan or a plan to revert back to the original state.

Will have to look at the top when I get it to check for rigidity, curvature of roof, etc. What is it they say - no plan survives first contact with the enemy? If the removable panel doesn't appear feasible, there's always the idea of pulling a mold from the roof, using the mold to do a Lexan panoramic panel and figuring out a way of installing that. But we'll see what we're working with first.

And JB, seriously - I really don't think of red as a Porsche color, but yours is the nicest red one that I've seen since the Herrmann and Attwood one from 1970.

p.s. Anyone, your experience with the Wurth wheel paint? I have a couple of scuffs that I'd like to fix ...

I feel that the factory should hunt down and confiscate any Porsche two-seater with a hipster roof rack ...

:D

I bought 2 cans, looks like a match but both cans were defective because of a recall they had several years ago. The seller woudnt replace the cans, but did refund my money, so make sure you dont get any old cans.
Thanks for the compliment. I've gone green temporary.

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1613402568.jpg

AHRMA? Recently I've got the inklin to try out flat tracking. My buddies dad did it back in the 70s and 80s, but I figure it might be terrifying enough for me. :D

You seem like you got more experience than me on glass. I just lived aboard a boat for a few years. That'll teach anybody how to "make it work", but make it pretty is a different story that I never read. lol

The red looked great... best yet I've seen.

The green has been growing on me. You nailed the wrap. The car looks great, JB. :cheers:

I can do racer-quality glass that gets the bike to the next race - it looks good when I'm on the track and you're in the stands! But that's enough to give me an idea of what's possible.

I've done AHRMA a few times (my one and only "National"-level podium on a nasty custom Single) but I usually race WERA West. And it's funny how everyone has different fear triggers. Flat track, like motocross, looks terrifying to me. Knee-down at 120 mph in Turn Eight at Willow, though - no problem ... :dance:

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1613402568.jpg

That's a wrap? Very nice ...
:cool:

Looks AMAZING! What are those headlights?

Yes it is. Thanks

Made from a kit.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5uAy3hwdc0Y

My hardtop in box, awaiting shipment! Will do 914Rubber replacement of climate control LCD screen while waiting.

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1614101364.jpg

So I wanna hear more about how you purchased this top new...

Like you just strait up bought it with a credit or debit card or Paypal off of aliexpress?

And they ship to an airport hub I'd assume... How do you go about picking it up? Can you just drive to one of their airports and get it with a pickup truck?


My wife is pretty jealous of my car right now and I don't want her putting my "special" car in a ditch... So I might be picking up another 986 and slapping Ztop on it. A source for a new Z top would be cool even if it costs almost $3k.

Just called my bank and told them I was going to be making a international purchase. Then did the order via card. I went with sea shipping because it was cheap. I assume they'll ship it to my door, as they've done on all the other stuff I've bought from sellers in China. This is big, but it's not like it's orders of magnitude larger than a box with the full set of motorcycle road race bodywork. Bought a fair amount of motorcycle bodywork from China over the years, all of it just ends up on the front porch ...

We'll see what happens. It'll probably fall off the ship and just spend eternity floating in the Pacific ... :eek:

So it's allegedly gonna be here sometime between two and six weeks from now. Two questions:

- I think you'd suggested getting new trunk brackets and having the new set permanently attached to the hardtop. Would you suggest also getting a new trunk latch?

- Did you actually pull the brake light from your trunk lid, or did you buy a different "third eye" brake light? If so, what did you use?

Thanks!

Dunno about the trunk brackets. Like the latch that closes the trunk? I think they come with the kit.

I think the high mount brake light comes with the top. I got mine and the third brake light was inop. So I just bought a motorcycle red LED brake light and stuck it in the place behind the glass for the high mount light.

I bought an extra set of hinges and a second trunk latch just to leave on my top. Make switching and adjusting it easier. The 3rd brake light that comes with the top is a cheapo $10 light. I bought an led strip brake light to go across the top of the window.

I got a phone call yesterday, fortunately, between sessions at a motorcycle track day. Look what showed up on the front porch!

Inside the box was ...

It was a bit nerve-wracking. The Aliexpress store that I used shut down immediately after I placed the order, and allegedly moved all of its listings to a different site. Then they uploaded the wrong tracking info. I'm a former investigative journalist, so I was able to actually figure out what my tracking number was linked to - and it turned out to be a bumper that was shipped to some dude in Texas.

Several tense messages ensued.

But in the end, all is absolutely as promised and on schedule.

Next step is to decide whether to install myself or take it to my body shop. My wife is willing to pitch in for the body shop route, as it involves her NOT helping ... :)

Damn, so its not on Aliexpress anymore?

Its probably for the best. I know a guy who does carbon fiber bagging (like he makes boats). And I might be able to convince him to make a CF version of this top.

Any interests on here for a CF z top? No glass or seals, but the solid parts would be there.

Hows it fit out of the box? I heard they fit better now.

Quindao, I honestly don't know. The link JBauer posted still seems to work:

https://m.aliexpress.com/item/32848970530.html?trace=wwwdetail2mobilesitedetail

... but I think it would be cool if your friend made at least the molds for the hard parts. I'm afraid that this is an artifact that has a potential client base that is getting smaller with each passing year, and once it is gone, it likely never will be re-created. I honestly wonder if I got the very last one - the seller wanted to be sure of the year of my car before shipping.

JB, don't know yet. Will order some hinges and a latch tonight, so I don't have to re-align panels every time I switch. I plan to test-fit next week. I can tell you it's a lot more solid than I had hoped for. And I see what you meant about the gap between the double layers of fiberglass. Will have to talk to my fiberglass guy about options for a moonroof, to see if it's even possible.

Will keep you updated!

Man, you have patience. I was so excited I immediately had mine sitting on just to see what I was up against. 😁

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1617797553.jpg

These threads make me want to order one. Just trying to justify the cost of everything

It helps if you're totally swamped at work. I'm busier than a one-legged man in a butt-kicking contest. :ah:

But believe me, I can't wait to hook this up. I love the convertible, but damn, this car with this hardtop is one of the prettiest things I've ever seen on four wheels.

BTW, my local Porsche indie is a longtime Porsche racer. He bought one of these tops when they were being made in South Africa. Stuck it on his Boxster racer. First thing he did was cut out the entire lower layer of fiberglass, leaving only the outer shell, to reduce weight. No problems with rigidity.

Would you order from them again? Because I am about to order one from them but I am extremely nervous for obvious reasons! Would it be best if I pay through PayPal?

DUDE I'm dying here. I'm totally stealing this saying. LOL