996 Hard top for Cabriolets

[Nickwk]

Hi just wondering whether the hardtops for 996 Cabriolet's are all 'interchangeable'?

i.e. will a hardtop from a 996 Carrera fit a 996 Turbo?


Many thanks in advance for the answer

[Barry Ashcroft]

Yes there all the same

[NS80]

Yup!

[porkyspecialist]

2004 hardtops have a different fitting, screw rather than pin, so a turbo cab will have the late type.
Cheers.

[Nickwk]

porkyspecialist said:

2004 hardtops have a different fitting, screw rather than pin, so a turbo cab will have the late type.
Cheers.

To clarify - does this mean that a 2004 996 Carrera hardtop would fit a 2004 996 Turbo, but a 2003 996 Turbo hardtop would not fit a 2004 996 Turbo?

[DJFish]

I think that's the case.
I also think a conversion kit is available to update older hardtops.

[Nickwk]

DJFish said:

I think that's the case.
I also think a conversion kit is available to update older hardtops.

Is this the same conversion kit that is used to get a 996 hardtop to fit a 997?
(Do the 2004 996 Hardtops have the same 'fittings' as 997 hardtops?)

[DJFish]

I think the design was only changed once so yes, that'd be the kit.

[Nickwk]

DJFish said:

I think the design was only changed once so yes, that'd be the kit.

Anyone know where this kit can be purchased from?

[porkyspecialist]

Nickwk said:

To clarify - does this mean that a 2004 996 Carrera hardtop would fit a 2004 996 Turbo, but a 2003 996 Turbo hardtop would not fit a 2004 996 Turbo?

A 2003 turbo hardtop? they didn't come out until the 2004 model year, but knowing what you mean then no it wouldn't, but as has been said you can just but the late type fitting kit from porsche, the actual hardtops are all the same.

Cheers.

[DJFish]

forums.rennlist.com/.../521758-how-to-retrofit-a-996-hardtop-to-fit-a-997-a-6.html

Here's a thread that might shed some light, shame I can't see it as it's blocked on my work PC.

[997convertible99]

Hi,
I have been reading a lot here about 996 hardtop conversion to 997 and appreciated the helpful information there.

From what I have learned the easiest / most cost efficient way to mount an older style 996 (twist pin type) hardtop would be to just install the matching twist pin-type mounts.

Some people claim that Porsche changed them to the screw type because of problems but I had this type of mounts on my 996 C4 convertible and never any problems with them which makes my rather suspect that the true reason for changing the mount and locks is to make it impossible to fit 996 hardtop on 997 convertibles and buying expensive new hardtops instead or at least have to convert them with a lot of effort to the newer screw type pins…

The problem is now that the old twisted pin type mounts (part numbers 996.561.653.03 and 996.561.654.03) seem to be discontinued and not available from Porsche dealers anymore. The reason again would probably be that Porsche has not interested in people just buying the old type mounts and easily putting 996 hardtops on 997 convertibles that way…

Recently when I was trying to found some used old type mounts in the internet I couldn’t find any but I looks that these mounts have been remanufactured by some company called “Daytona” in a claimed improved version from mil-grade aluminum alloy and are now sold at a similar price like the discontinued cast iron original mounts.

This looks kind of interesting to me and could be a much cheaper solution and less effort than to convert the hardtop itself and later to have to readjust it completely.
Has anyone tried this part yet / any experiences?
You can find them here:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PORSCHE-996-to-997-HARDT...
or look for item No. “2717610954672” or “996 hardtop retrofit” on ebay

atttached a pic or it