Targa top weights

carl

carl

True Classic
there was a discussion awhile back about the weight of various targa tops for Xs. Several folks felt the unpadded tops weighed significantly less than the padded tops. I buzzed up to Todd's house today to replace my padded top for one of his unpadded tops. Turns out the unpadded top (from an early model) weighed only 0.4 lbs less than my padded top 23.4 1bs which makes sense because some foam padding and vinyl material isn't going to weigh much. Still wish there was a significantly lighter top for the car for those of us with no upper body strength.

It was worth the three hour round trip just to chat with Todd, get a free lunch and have my first long drive in the GTI I just got.
 
Yea, that's the thread I was referencing but no conclusive answer if any tops were significantly lighter than the others.
 
From the archives. I weighed the three types of tops I have on hand way back when. The Saratoga top is the lightest of the group.

Saratoga top = 16lbs
78 Stock top - no headliner = 20lbs
86 stock top - with headliner = 25lbs
Click to expand...
 
So there may be more to the weight difference than the insulation/lining? Seems like the newer tops might be thicker or otherwise bulkier, making them heavier even without the interior trim?
 
There is some trim work to hold the headliner in, so that adds to the weight. 5lbs seems reasonable for the headliner, insulation, framing and glue.
 
kmead said:
Dang thats the heaviest 25lbs I have ever lifted...
Click to expand...

This was the weight of the top for my black 86. I bet it wasn't painted black like the color matched tops were. I have a beat up painted to with my 85, if I get the time I will weigh it.
 
top.jpg

This is the light top.
 
kmead said:
That is not a nice thing to do...drool

Very nice, very nice indeed. Where did you say you live? o_O
Click to expand...

Hey now, maybe I just have a picture. Has anyone ever seen me and a Saratoga top in the same place?
 
The stripped top Todd and I weighed was for an early X and as I mentioned it only weighed about 1/2 pound less than the fully insulated later top.
I'm guessing all the targas were structurally the same (can't imagine Fiat changing the plastic thickness during the production run).

It might be fun to cut up a top by removing most of the material except for a frame and pop riveting light aluminum sheet to it. It would have a very 1940s aircraft look and it would be interesting to see how much it would weigh. Sad to say that in the last few years I have thrown away two tops that were damaged but now realize I could have used for this silly experiment.
 
lookforjoe said:
Is that the Saratoga top? Very nice :)
Click to expand...
Hi Hussein,

Yep, that is my Saratoga. I think Greg has the market cornered, but I got mine when I bought my 78X back in 2003. I never saw the car in person before I had it shipped, the seller told me he had two tops and would put one on the car and one in the frunk. I had no idea what I was getting. :)
 
carl said:
The stripped top Todd and I weighed was for an early X and as I mentioned it only weighed about 1/2 pound less than the fully insulated later top.
I'm guessing all the targas were structurally the same (can't imagine Fiat changing the plastic thickness during the production run).

It might be fun to cut up a top by removing most of the material except for a frame and pop riveting light aluminum sheet to it. It would have a very 1940s aircraft look and it would be interesting to see how much it would weigh. Sad to say that in the last few years I have thrown away two tops that were damaged but now realize I could have used for this silly experiment.
Click to expand...

carl,

I have been mulling over various fold up designs for years. I haven't ever come to the point of cutting up the one spare top I have on hand. A big golf umbrella covers the targa area nicely when stationary, but I am pretty sure it wouldn't work too well once you get rolling. :)

Here was an early idea I sketched up years ago to try and come up with a top that didn't require feeding it into the frunk when not in use.
roof_plans.JPG

I bought some material, but never was able to come up with a good idea on how to add some "ribs". Without support, the fabric would create a saggy pond in the rain and would probably flap like crazy on the move. Your aluminum skin idea is interesting. I wounder how much weight that would save.

I also wonder why my 78 non-headliner top weighed in at 16lbs and your early non-headliner top weighed 23lbs. That is a 7lbs difference. Maybe I need to re-weigh mine. The three weights I posted were recorded in back to back to back measurements on the same scale.
 
I've always like the "folding top" concept; look at how Porsche designed their Targa top, collapsible frame with fabric cover. Worked well for decades.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top