Targa roof panel catches

Targa roof panel catches

Author
Discussion

NaCl

Original Poster:

286 posts

177 months

Saturday 13th December 2014
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Is it just my car (a '91 S3C) that has a metal over-centre catch on the inside front edge of each targa panel?

I don' recall seeing them on any other S ( though I've not specifically looked).

They're not particularly tight anyway. I was thinking of junking them when I refurbish the roof. My Chimaera and 350i didnt have them and their roofs (roves, roofes, rooves whayever) remained tightly closed with the rear struts set, as does the roof on the S3 without them done up.


LawrieS

338 posts

115 months

Saturday 13th December 2014
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My (S3C also) has them and they are both next to useless.

v8s4me

7,234 posts

218 months

Saturday 13th December 2014
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Mixed views on here last time this came up but mainly it depends on how tight your roof struts are.

phillpot

17,105 posts

182 months

Saturday 13th December 2014
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Been a few threads on these in the past, think the general consensus is that they are a bit of "insurance".

Should a roof stay pop undone, say going over a large pot hole or something, the clip might prevent the roof panel totally detaching itself.

Possibly TVR thought this was less of an issue with the later Chimaera/Griffith one piece panel?

Mine do do something, they definitely pull the panels tighter onto the screen frame when done up smile

greymrj

3,316 posts

203 months

Saturday 13th December 2014
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After looking at this issue very carefully from an engineering point of view, I have concentrated on making sure the roof strut tension is sufficient and I have removed the pretty feeble clips...and they will not be going back. Indeed the roof lining is about to be retrimmed and the crude screwholes will no longer be visible.
We have indeed been throught this issue before, look at the thread Phillpot has indicated, worth a read.

Barry S1

1,709 posts

188 months

Sunday 14th December 2014
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Never had them on mine always been ok,the roof is in the boot most of the time anyway

Deeman

1,609 posts

181 months

Sunday 14th December 2014
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Personally, I have them on as an insurance against them blowing out. My old TVr had good tension in the struts but still occasionally the drivers panel would pop up. With the catch there it lifted only about an inch and enough to allow me to pull over and relocate. Without the catch, it would have acted as an air brake and likely have been ripped out and thrown at the car behind on the motorway. My locating tans were fine too!

NaCl

Original Poster:

286 posts

177 months

Sunday 14th December 2014
quotequote all
Thanks for the comments. I've decided to remove the clips and keep them off. My struts (Chimaera units) are good and tight and require quite a bit of force to set so am happy the panels are securely held. My main concern was either me or the missus hitting our heads on the clips in a frontal crash. I know we'd probably have other injuries to worry about, but it might save also having holes in our foreheads too.

As it turns out, I could have pulled the screws holding the clips to the windscreen frame out with my fingers, so a fat lot of good they were anyway.

Once again, thanks for the comments and link.....very useful, as always.