Flying Roof Panels
Discussion
A word of warning, fellow PistonHeaders
I have read on this very Gassing Station of a few cases of the (targa) roof panel on Chimaeras and Griffiths disappearing at speed.
Happened to me last Thursday evening. Was travelling at
mph on the M40 near Oxford when I noticed a gap between the top of the driver's side window and the roof. Before I had time to think there was a whoosh! and the panel clean lifted off. Very unnerving! It was pitch black and I could see no sign of the panel: it is probably still causing trouble to air traffic at 30,000 feet.
I called TVR in the morning who were quick to blame me for not fitting the panel back in properly. So be warned! Always make sure it is firmly in place. I should say that the struts were engaged but maybe an idea to give it a tap with you hands on both sides where it meets the windscreen.
The cost of new one (together with fitting, apparantly they have to be fitted to each car individually) is eye watering. But TVR Guardian Angel David Batty has already rung around and sourced me a second hand one! Give that man (at least) a pie and a pint!
David.
I have read on this very Gassing Station of a few cases of the (targa) roof panel on Chimaeras and Griffiths disappearing at speed.
Happened to me last Thursday evening. Was travelling at
mph on the M40 near Oxford when I noticed a gap between the top of the driver's side window and the roof. Before I had time to think there was a whoosh! and the panel clean lifted off. Very unnerving! It was pitch black and I could see no sign of the panel: it is probably still causing trouble to air traffic at 30,000 feet. I called TVR in the morning who were quick to blame me for not fitting the panel back in properly. So be warned! Always make sure it is firmly in place. I should say that the struts were engaged but maybe an idea to give it a tap with you hands on both sides where it meets the windscreen.
The cost of new one (together with fitting, apparantly they have to be fitted to each car individually) is eye watering. But TVR Guardian Angel David Batty has already rung around and sourced me a second hand one! Give that man (at least) a pie and a pint!
David.
quote:
This worries me as I have read of tihs before as you say.
Were there any other clues, funny noises prior to lift off etc?
Imagine the consequences if the road behind was busy
The only noise beforehand was the rush of wind through the gap between panel and window. But at
mph there does tend to be a fair degree of wind noise. Then pop! Off it went! Could have done serious damage to life or limb had it landed on the carriageway, hence the posting to be careful! I must confess that I thought that I had put the roof on properly; certainly, the rear struts were both engaged (and continued to be after the roof went AWOL) but presumably I had not properly married the leading front edge with the windscreen.quote:
Unlike the Tuscan, which has bolts that can come undone, the Griffith/Chimaera/S/Wedge system cannot allow the roof panel (BTW "Targa" is a Porsche trademark) to fly off if it is properly fitted and the rear header rail is jammed forward correctly with both over-centre struts locked over. The lips on the forward and aft ends just cannot come out of the slots - period.
...I am absolutely sure that the rear header rail was correctly aligned with the roof. Also (as I said in previous post) the struts continued to be stressed against the rear section after the roof panel exited the car. The problem was with alignment of the front section against the windscreen, I think.
quote:
It hasn't happened since but I'm always checking now. I thought I had secured it properly, but maybe I didn't and it was my fault??
Flash,
I too thought that I had secured the roof properly - this is what has made the episode so worrying. God knows what would have happened if it had hit the windscreen of a car on the other carriageway: I spoke with the factory in the morning who keenly pointed out that the roof could only fly off if it had not been secured: that is, there is no intrinsic design fault in the system.
I sort of got some comfort from this but will now be extra vigilent when I put the panel back on after some top down action. I am sure that the problem is with the front edge that butts up against the windscreen. Worth banging a fist on the top of the roof just to make sure it has settled flat.
David.
quote:
i've always been intrigued by this two piece chimaera roof... http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/shpub/wcat18.html
Only £400 (prolly gone up) which I think is pretty good... except only comes in black or blue... which might explain why TVR needs to make one individually to match the roof colour!
Wedge Automotive no longer produce the two piece roof but will do again (so they have just told me) in a few months. They have changed their name (cannot remember to what) but can still be reached on the number given on the website.
By the way, I too would have thought it impossible that someone would not know/realise/have a reasonable suspicion that the roof panel was not properly on. Before last Thursday that is! I just hope that someone does not get hurt through this and that a driver (or TVR) do not find themselves slapped with a negligence claim or worse...
quote:
My roof is as tight as a badger's arse and I can't imagine it coming off at whatever speed. However, we all know every TVR is different, so for those with roof-lifting worries, could you not fit a couple of s/s roof catches from Leven that are designed to hold the S roof in place at the front?
Hmmm. Could we do this? I must say that "once bitten" etc. I am now very nervous at driving [at speed] with the roof up. This may be a way of settling my nerves...
A postscrpt to this topic:
I have just taken delivery of a (second hand) roof panel sourced by David Batty (thanks, David).
Now TVR told me that a new panel would need to be shaped and fitted by a dealer, covered and rubbered (all in all a days labour) which would have meant the thick end of a grand. Ouch.
Yet the panel I now have fits better than the original and needs no shaping!!!
What I have now noticed is that the original simply never fit properly - the lip never fully fit into the windscreen groove. I had no reason to suspect anything was wrong until I took a closer look at other Chimaeras/Griffs and saw how snug the panel should actually be!
So check yer panels, lest you lose 'em!
I have just taken delivery of a (second hand) roof panel sourced by David Batty (thanks, David).
Now TVR told me that a new panel would need to be shaped and fitted by a dealer, covered and rubbered (all in all a days labour) which would have meant the thick end of a grand. Ouch.
Yet the panel I now have fits better than the original and needs no shaping!!!
What I have now noticed is that the original simply never fit properly - the lip never fully fit into the windscreen groove. I had no reason to suspect anything was wrong until I took a closer look at other Chimaeras/Griffs and saw how snug the panel should actually be!
So check yer panels, lest you lose 'em!
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