Say you got some time on your hands on a Sunday afternoon and can't figure out what to do with yourself? Why, its time to refinish your sticky Targa top latches! While you're at it, clean up the underside of the top. Materials used: Easy Off Simple Green Abrasive sponge Tooth brush Q-Tips Water Plastidip spray Zymol wax for top interior surfaces. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
I've just removed the 2 headliner panels in mine.....the foam had lost its "springyness". Am having 2 new panels made with stouter foam and in leather stiched to make ribs running lengthways. I'll post photos when done.
Hey Vince, those look nice. That's on my long to-do list. Can you completely disassemble them in order to get them fully cleaned and refinished? I have not even looked at mine... Also, are yours all floppy like mine are? Makes installing the top a real chore because the latches keep trying to hit the paint on the windshield frame. Is there a fix for that?
Lotus, the previous owner of mine had the same done, leather in strips lengthwise, looks really nice and has stood the test of time. I've just refinished my latches, nice easy job, though a bit fiddly tiring to access the heads of a couple of the socket head capscrews.
I was bored this morning too...................so I went on a long drive. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Can anyone post a photo of the way the anti vibration pad is fixed to the latch? It's a small piece of rubber that glues to the latch itself...mine are rubbed away.
Got another top and am having the liner redone in crème Alcantara to match interior. Also doing the "GTB" finish to it. I will post when complete. The latches can be disassembled but you need a jewelers circle clip tool. Each rotating pin is cleverly held in place by tiny circle rings on both sides. You cannot muscle it with a knife or tiny screw driver for fear of damaging the cast latches themselves. I have done several of these sets and decided it wasn't worth it. Just lightly apply paint to the surfaces and move the latches between coats. The paint is pliable anyway. When the latches are reinstalled you cannot tell the difference if you painted them assembled or not. Mike, if yours are loose is it because there's play in the holes the metals dowels go through? If so, I think it's either get another set of latches or restore them using slightly wider diameter dowel pins. Interestingly, I was looking at boat fasteners for some ideas on replacement pins, etc.
Yes Am very interested to see your other top refinished in Alcantara. Can you post a pic of the latches where the rubber anti vibration pad is stuck? I'd like to see how yours fit.....mine are rubbed away and need replacing.
I inspected these carefully when refinishing because I wanted to only paint metal and not rubber. Seems the rubber is bonded to the metal and I could find no seams between the two. It did not look to me like there was a pad glued to a metal part, or otherwise fastened except bonding. I can shoot a photo later. I have two different tops so I will check both for the rubber stops.
