2003 OEM glass convertible top installed on an 01 Boxster

[tuanle16]

thanks maurice.

[Jake D]

Called around to some of the larger salvage yards in the Ohio area... Nobody has one. Gotta keep checking I guess

[iporsche]

03/04 Softop code: OEM 98656191505A10
Please anyone that knows the frame code?
I need a 03/04 frame for a 2001 Boxster??
Thanx

[seventythree]

Originally Posted by Boxtaboy

Thanks. Well, being that this was the first time we tried this, we took our time, and it took us from start to finish about 3 hours, but that was because first, we noticed that a clamping rail on the b-pillar of the top had snapped, so we had to replace that first. Getting the old top off was pretty easy. There are only 3 bolts on each side of the frame that hold the top on the car, but you have to remove a couple of trim pieces near the b-pillar that protrude over the base of the frame where the bolts are. That takes about 10 minutes each side, but is pretty easy. Then after putting the new top in, you have to make minor adjustments to the positioning so that everything closes and opens properly without being off. What I mean by that is that there is some play in the positioning of the frame where the 3 bolts are on each side where you can actually move the frame forward/backwards up or down before tightening the bolts, and also the positioning of the pushrods that connect to the top from the transmissions. If you tighten the 3 bolts when the frame is too forward, the top latch hook will touch the windstop between the roll bars when you cycle the top. If the pushrod length is not just right, the ball caps will pop off when you operate the top. However, it's all very straightforward, and we could probably do the job now in under 2 hours.

If you end up sourcing an 03 or 04 top, feel free to PM me, and I can give you some pointers on the install (my friend who helped me put the top on actually is the one with the expertise, so I can put you in touch with him for some helpful tips). It really is a plug and play bolt in, provides a pretty large window, and doesn't limit access to your engine from the top (there's a built in strap on the top that helps hold the back of the glass window up and away from the engine cover when you need access), so I think it's a no brainer over the GAHH top if you can find one. The one thing I hated about my old plastic windowed top was that I never quite knew when it was too cold out to put down the top in fear of the plastic window cracking (which it did one day). This solves it.

Nuther pic to show you how nice and big the window is...oh, and there's PORSCHE engraved in black letters at the bottom center of the heated window.

Hi Boxtaboy,
I just finished this mod but the top wont close all way. It stops 1~2" short of the windshield fram. Also, when in down position, the clamshell won't seat all the way down.
Can you be more specific on the adjustments you had to make? Particularlly, did you go longer or shorter with the push rods?
Thanks

[KevinH1990]

I'm having similar issues with my top. I resolved the problem with the top not reaching the window frame by lengthening the push rods. I'm having other issues though. Boxstaboy referred me to his his partner Maurice and I have pasted a copy of our e-mail correspondence below in the event it can help you. I'm waiting for my nephew to have some free time to help with my adjustment. I think I'm in for an hour or two of trial and error.

My e-mail to Maurice:

Thanks for responding. I really appreciate your pioneering work on the 03/04 top retrofit. I’m basically successful, but I have a few minor issues to address.

1. The hook on the top latch bumps the wind stop when it goes past it. I have addressed this by closing the latch when it is in transit. I did not have to do that on my original top, and I checked a friend’s 04 with the original top and his latch hook clears the wind stop without closing it.
2. The clamshell won’t close completely when the top is in the down or open position. It closes fine when the top is in the up or closed position. It’s as if the top is stacking too high. I can press the clamshell closed with my hand, but again that doesn’t seem right.
3. The area of the top behind the b-pillar area seems to be developing an area where something is poking into it when it is down. I’m a little concerned that this could cause a wear spot that eventually leads to a hole.
4. When the top is moving towards the windshield header, it suddenly moves forward and drops the last 3-4 inches. My old top closed more slowly and there was no sudden lurching at the end.

You can see some pictures in this post on the 986 Forum: http://986forum.com/forums/general-discussions/33406-glass-top-install-question.html

I’ve aligned the back of the top (where it meets the clamshell when it is in the closed position) so that it looks like my friends 04. I originally tried lowering the rear edge a bit. That made the clamshell fit better, but this let water in when I washed the car.

I’d appreciate any suggestions for fixing these glitches.

Maurice's response:


1. To get the top latch to clear the bump stop, you have to first loosen the three bolts on each side of the base ( and remove any Phillips screws that you may find on those brackets, some have one, some have two, and some have none). Now, pull back on one of the brackets and tighten one of the bolts on that side. Do the same on the other side and then tighten the other two bolts on each side. You won't feel much movement, but there is just enough play that, if you get it pulled back hard enough and don't let it go back forward before you tighten the first bolt, the latch hook will just clear the plexiglass windscreen. It helps if you have another guy pushing back on the base of the B-pillar bracket, but it is possible to do it by yourself. There has been only one occasion where we had to elongate the holes very slightly to get the clearance, but that was a fluke.

2. Double check that there is nothing in the convertible top well that might interfere with the proper folding of the top and that the top liner is fastened correctly at all of its clips. Also, lubricate the mechanism with a white lithium grease spray (or Dupont Krytox if you don't mind spending the $$). Then, also try tightening the rear main bow downwards by one turn at a time on those adjusting brackets. You will find the bracket by following each tension rope down from the underside of the rear main bow. It's a 14mm bolt head and you turn it CCW to get it to pull the rear main bow down a little further.

3. Is this happening evenly on both sides or is one side bad and the other side okay?

4. The cause of the lurching is either that one of your plastic ball cups has popped off its steel ball or there is a lack of lubrication on the black plastic sliders that ride back and forth on the rails that are located horizontally a few inches below the top surface of the rear quarter panel, on the inboard side of the quarter panel. If you follow the body-colored support arm of the clamshell you will find the black plastic slider into which a steel ball from the base of the support arm is pressed in. Sometimes one of the black plastic sliders is worn and it either wobbles inside the channel or the steel ball pops out, sometimes it's just a matter of lubricating the channel with white lithium grease.

Let me know how you make out and if I can be of further help.

Regards, Maurice.

[willrwilli]

It seems like I am late but due to the glass window on my aftermarket top falling out I just did this modification. I Was able to find an 03 top for $1100.00 delivered. Job was not hard just intricate. My biggest advice would be to trace the mounting bracket that holds the 3 mounting bolts on each side of the top. We had the most trouble lining up the new top with the mounting holes. This would have saved us a ton of time. Once we got the bolts lined up we were done within 20 minutes.

[jb92563]

I installed a 4 bow 03 top on my 01 this weekend and it was a simple install. It only took a few ~3 hours to remove the old one and install the new one.

Most of the time was wasted fiddling with the trim panels, that I had to remove and reinstall more than once because I did not check to make sure the Headliner tension strap was attached prior to the frame install.

I was wondering what the loose extra strap is for on the drivers side that attaches near the ball link on the 03 top?

I also have a bit of looseness in the fabric at the sides of the window and I'm thinking that the 4th bow needs to be adjusted to take up the slack.

Also wondering if there is an adjustment for the wire that tensions the top along the rear part of the frame where it goes around the window as its pulled away from the frame a bit and needs to be tightened I think.

[Tonydileo285]

Originally Posted by Boxtaboy

Thanks. Well, being that this was the first time we tried this, we took our time, and it took us from start to finish about 3 hours, but that was because first, we noticed that a clamping rail on the b-pillar of the top had snapped, so we had to replace that first. Getting the old top off was pretty easy. There are only 3 bolts on each side of the frame that hold the top on the car, but you have to remove a couple of trim pieces near the b-pillar that protrude over the base of the frame where the bolts are. That takes about 10 minutes each side, but is pretty easy. Then after putting the new top in, you have to make minor adjustments to the positioning so that everything closes and opens properly without being off. What I mean by that is that there is some play in the positioning of the frame where the 3 bolts are on each side where you can actually move the frame forward/backwards up or down before tightening the bolts, and also the positioning of the pushrods that connect to the top from the transmissions. If you tighten the 3 bolts when the frame is too forward, the top latch hook will touch the windstop between the roll bars when you cycle the top. If the pushrod length is not just right, the ball caps will pop off when you operate the top. However, it's all very straightforward, and we could probably do the job now in under 2 hours.

If you end up sourcing an 03 or 04 top, feel free to PM me, and I can give you some pointers on the install (my friend who helped me put the top on actually is the one with the expertise, so I can put you in touch with him for some helpful tips). It really is a plug and play bolt in, provides a pretty large window, and doesn't limit access to your engine from the top (there's a built in strap on the top that helps hold the back of the glass window up and away from the engine cover when you need access), so I think it's a no brainer over the GAHH top if you can find one. The one thing I hated about my old plastic windowed top was that I never quite knew when it was too cold out to put down the top in fear of the plastic window cracking (which it did one day). This solves it.

Nuther pic to show you how nice and big the window is...oh, and there's PORSCHE engraved in black letters at the bottom center of the heated window.

So I just bought an 03/04 OEM Glass top for my '99 Boxter. A Lot of people on here are saying I need some new parts to accommodate the swap, including the new transmission gears.

My question is, do I really need that? Can it not just be a plug and play with the 99 Model car? **I have seen people convert their tops to MANUAL by removing a few parts, can't I avoid the need for upgraded parts if I install the 03/04 glass then do the mod to manually let the top up and down?**

Hope my question makes sense lol. I want to do plug and play then make the top manually operable, getting rid of the need to use the button/transmissions/etc.

[dghii]

You don't need to replace the transmissions. I've installed a 03/04 top on a 98 and a 2000. It's been a few years but I do not remember any modification to the hardware to make things work.

[KevinH1990]

According to this web site: https://sites.google.com/site/mikefocke2/installinga%2703-%2704glasstopandframeona%2797

You can install an '03 or '04 glass windowed top on any of the earlier 986 Boxsters (1997-2002), which all came with a vinyl rear window from the factory. If you plan on installing one on a 1997 to 1999 Boxster, and want the more reliable operating system, then you will also have to replace the 'A Version' transmissions, mounting studs, cables, and double relay, as well as doing some rewiring in the areas briefly described above.

It looks like you can keep your “A version “ transmission, but the “B style” may be less trouble prone.