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Old 11-27-2011, 02:15 AM   #1
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Permanent "Spyder" for 1999 Box - Anyone Modded the Clamshell?

I'm looking to pick up a Boxster after I just dumped my 935 K3 tribute...(btw have the 3.8tt willing to trade for a 2003 boxster) and I need something a bit unique so here's my question;

Does anyone know of ANYTHING out there besides the speedster humps that replaces the engine / soft top cover clamshell that closes the gap to the seats?

I love the 550 and want to mod a Boxster out to look in many respects like a cross between the 550 and the Boxster concept car. I live in Vegas now and don't have any issues with a perm. topless car.

Here are some pics to show what i'm talking about - my goal is to end up replacing the windshield with a speedster unit, remove roll bars, soft top & associated motors & add a full speed hump behind the driver's head from a 550 replica. A bit like the Z07 concept for the BMW Z8...

I'm after a light weight spyder experience with styling of "how it should have been" kinda feel.

Thanks guys.

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Old 11-27-2011, 09:24 AM   #2
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i've looked and looked as well; there's nothing. there's been talk on this board, but no action. the easiest solution * i think * is to create a one-piece panel that incorporates rear trunk, clamshell and speedster humps. it would fasten at the two spinlocks and at the rear trunk latch. i think a good glass person could make a mould from the three stock pieces. for a roof, you'd have to modify your stock roof into something like on the new Spyder. very possible, just not done yet.
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Old 11-27-2011, 09:52 AM   #3
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Unique? Porsche makes a Boxster with what you are describing.

http://www.esquire.com/cm/esquire/images/2z/porsche-boxster-spyder-08100-lg.jpg
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Old 11-27-2011, 05:04 PM   #4
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I was searching just for a cloth cover the other day and ran across something similar on ebay....

Is this what you are talking about? Looks like for 07-04...

Boxster 97-04 Duraflex Tonneau Cover Maston | eBay

Sold here direct by the company:

1997-2004 Porsche Boxster Maston Tonneau Cover : 105876 Duraflex by:
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Old 11-27-2011, 07:08 PM   #5
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Thanks for the feedback guys -

Blue2000s: The spyder is beyond overpriced IMHO, not to mention the rear area isn't svelte, its chunky. The spyder (having been around a few in person) is an amazing car true, but the styling in the rear is not what i'm looking for. Its more hunchback than 550 tribute. It just doesn't capture the 550 or 718 spirit.

Radium King: That's what i've been playing with in my head but was trying to avoid doing the full trunk & engine cover but I think that would be the best asthetic route to go.

After building a full on ground up 935 K3 tribute with a 1,000 rwhp motor - I think this is within my grasp to pull off. Not to mention I already have the wife sold on the subject.

I'm hanging up my guns from Contracting and took a desk job in Vegas so that should give me ample time to get this done. Looking to pick a box up by christmas!

Thanks again for the feedback and confirmation - been searching for a week now to no avail. This site is a great source of info and constantly comes up when i'm searching google etc.
Daylorb: That's kind of it, but again i'm looking for a replacement for the entire engine compartment. Those humps are too short to look as good as they could.
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Old 11-27-2011, 08:13 PM   #6
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Probably the best thing to do would be to have the clamshell modified to look like the Spyder hatch. You won't be able to have a single piece hatch (ala Spyder). The poster who showed you the speedster humps didn't provide what you asked for, but may be the closest to what you're asking about. You could use them to make a mold for a one-piece clamshell/trunk.

It will certainly take serious body work.

Last edited by MileHighBoxster; 11-27-2011 at 08:19 PM.
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Old 11-27-2011, 08:42 PM   #7
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Yeah mainly I was looking for anything on the market that had the curvature to use as a base but it looks like a full scratch project is at hand.

I'm thinking about doing the engine cover and trunk in one piece and rear hinging it, using 550 leather straps to hold it down in the center, and at the front just to simplify things.
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Old 11-27-2011, 09:58 PM   #8
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Quote:
You won't be able to have a single piece hatch (ala Spyder).
why can't you have a single piece hatch like the spyder? the spyder is just a modified 987, which differs only slightly from the 986. enough that the 987 panel can't be used (too expensive, anyway) but the concept is very tranferrable.

with my zeintop there were 4 bolts to remove the rear trunk, and 6 to remove the clamshell. you would most likely be removing the whole roof with the clamshell(roof wouldn't work with a spyder-style rear panel). 2 minutes work.

the spinlocks (located behind the seats in the b-pillar location) are solid mounting points, sufficient to attach both the oem hardtop and speedster humps, which connect with a 1/4 turn of a lever. the rear trunk hatch provides a third. twist two levers and pop the trunk, and you can prop your 10lb panel open to access the rear truck and engine.

the easiest way would be to start with some aftermarket speedster humps and your stock clamshell and trunk to take a mould; this way you could easily reshape to your needs. you could also use the more expensive oem speedster humps and aftermarket fg clamshell and trunk; just bond them together and remove the seams. sounds like the op wants something more subtle than the oem speedster humps, however; google images of the boxster prototype to see if that is the direction you want to go. if you do, there is a guy on ebay selling a front bumper very similar to the prototype called the 'sebring'.

the oem spyder roof is two piece; one piece is the roof and one is the rear window. you could get a canvas guy to convert you existing roof into a spyder-style roof, and just use your rear windsrcreen as a form of rear window.
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Old 11-28-2011, 04:10 AM   #9
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Just saw the new tail decklid that replaces the spoiler - will use this as well as a FG clamshell and make my single piece setup.
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Old 11-28-2011, 08:54 AM   #10
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Originally Posted by Reaper550 View Post
Just saw the new tail decklid that replaces the spoiler - will use this as well as a FG clamshell and make my single piece setup.
What about having a transparent part that shows off the engine? You probably need to replace the engine cover also with a heat resistant transparent cover, don't want those nasty engine fumes warming your neck. Then you still have to pretty-up the engine itself.
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Old 11-28-2011, 09:08 AM   #11
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I saw a picture where someone had done up their 986 to be a permanent Spyder-style car. It had a canvas cover behind the roll hoops where the folded top and clamshell would normally sit, but as far as I know there is no sort of top for the car and it is strictly a nice weather car.

It's actually the yellow car on the cover of Wayne's 101 Projects book, and you can kind of make out in that picture how the rear of the car just flattens out behind the hoops. I'll have to see if I can find one of Wayne's pictures from it.

Ah, here we go:


I have no idea what work was involved to make it that way...it looks like the clamshell piece is still there under the material to keep the shape, though. Maybe Wayne might know more or be able to get you in contact with the person who had the work done to their car.
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Old 11-28-2011, 09:17 PM   #12
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Thanks brother - I'm just shocked that other people haven't removed roll bars or attempted something like this before.

The only thing i've seen is a rull race car with removed windshield and huge cage. Was pretty slick.

These cars are nice in stock form, great in modded form and have a potential to be so much - they really are a blank canvas, with so many cards up their sleeves.
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Old 11-29-2011, 01:59 AM   #13
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This may be of some help...
Have a look at the companies who produce fiberglass racing body components, such as GT Racing ( GT Racing — Manufacturer of quality lightweight body panels.) and MA Shaw. I know that both the clam shell and the trunklid are available in fiberglass. That may give you a start to producing the custom piece that you want.
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Old 11-29-2011, 01:28 PM   #14
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I don't know if there is anyone producing what you are looking for but here are a few one offs. Try looking for Stola Spyder, Stola GTS, RK Spyder, and StudioTorino

Stola (StudioTorino) has designed prototypes based on the Boxster and collaborated with Ruf on the RK Spyder.

















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Old 11-29-2011, 08:54 PM   #15
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Yup, this is what i'm looking to do!

THANK YOU for the pics!!!!!!
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Old 11-30-2011, 04:14 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Overdrive View Post
I saw a picture where someone had done up their 986 to be a permanent Spyder-style car. It had a canvas cover behind the roll hoops where the folded top and clamshell would normally sit, but as far as I know there is no sort of top for the car and it is strictly a nice weather car.

It's actually the yellow car on the cover of Wayne's 101 Projects book, and you can kind of make out in that picture how the rear of the car just flattens out behind the hoops. I'll have to see if I can find one of Wayne's pictures from it.

Ah, here we go:


I have no idea what work was involved to make it that way...it looks like the clamshell piece is still there under the material to keep the shape, though. Maybe Wayne might know more or be able to get you in contact with the person who had the work done to their car.
That's the factory Tonneau cover.

Tonneau Cover - Wind & Weather - Tequipment Boxster (Type 986) - Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG

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Old 11-30-2011, 05:34 AM   #17
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Originally Posted by Reaper550 View Post
Yup, this is what i'm looking to do!

THANK YOU for the pics!!!!!!
Looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

Perhaps more Black Watch inside.

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Old 11-30-2011, 07:14 AM   #18
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Originally Posted by ekam View Post
That's the factory Tonneau cover.
It did look awfully much like it belonged there, lol. I had no idea that was a Tequipment item. Thanks, ekam.

But now that makes me wonder what, if anything, that person might have done to the car. If you're always going to have the car open-top, there's not much point in lugging around the canvas and the top frame underneath that cover.

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