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Cabriolet hood and headliner questions

Gouldie

New member
Joined
2 May 2014
Messages
4
My 86 911 Cab has its original hood but its time for replacement.
I have purchased a new "Robbins" 2 piece hood and headliner. Have installed the rear section onto the rear sect back hoop shaped frame. Now need to install front section and do the glueing and install the nutted plate where the 2 sections come together. Am normally pretty handy but I am wondering if installing the new hood is a DYI job??
Also, anyone know if headliner sit above or below the narrow hinged frame (with straps and elastic) that pivots across centre of the hood??
 
It is a very straightforward job providing the hood has been made correctly!

The headliner sits above and is glued into place.

The trickiest part is fitting the bar linking the front and rear section.

If you have an electric hood then it is more difficult due to the various switches which might need to be adjusted. It helps if you have the official Porsche hood fitting workshop manual supplement. The cost about £20 when you can find one.
 
Thanks for reply RED5. Yep, I installed the new headliner directly under the hood, IE above the narrow frame. The micro switches should not be affected by the hood replacement. To make the job easier I disengaged the rotary drive units, enabling me to position the hood up and down manually. My thoughts on the hood replacement job as follows. I have taken on some tricky jobs but found this one very challenging. Its a job that demands care and not rushing. Purchase the best hood you can. My Robbins hood seemed to be very accurately matched to the original hood. Take photos as you remove trim panels and old hood halves. Use old hood as template to mark screw holes on new hood (with delible white pencil). That way as you progress you know you are installing accurately. Mark centre of hood halves and ensure you glue them in place perfectly centered. Install the rear hood half onto the rear hooped shape frame that is held down with the 6 hex head bolts below the rear window. locate and glue snug into sewn seem corner. Start at centre and pull hard, working out towards each end. Fit rubber and 3 retainer plates. This frame has 8 Button studs so before fitting to car mark location of studs. I poked a needle with white cotton through from behind leaving a length of white cotton hanging through at each stud location. makes it easier to pinpoint stud locations later. I used this trick at other places where I would be looking for a covered over screw hole. Before fitting to car glue top of this rear hood half to the nut plate frame that joins front and rear hood sections. Now you can glue back of front hood section onto back surface of big frame that mates with the nut plate frame. Must be perfectly centered with rear stitch line placed accurately along rear edge of big roof frame. At this stage the front hood half is only glued along the back edge. Now sit back hood half with hoop frame in place but dont screw hoop frame down yet. hold top edge of back hood half and nut plate frame up in position and screw into place. Screws from inside of car through big frame into nut plates. This is way easier if you remove tension of rear hood half. (Unzip window and prop front edge of roof up say10") Now, close window and lower front of roof and see how the rear half/window looks. Screw down rear hoop frame with the 6 hex head screws. Once this rear half is looking OK the remainder of fit is reasonably straight forward. Remember,it makes glueing different parts easier by de-tensioning it by propping front of roof up a bit. When fitting the side wires, release tension by disconnecting springs at front.
As said, to get this job bang on, take your time and think ahead to next stage. it is do-able. Mind you, I can see why they want $1000NZ to do this job.
 

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