Targa brace

[theWeezL]

Well to answer some of those questions:

The Brace weighs 18lbs. (The targa top weighs 26) There is not extra weatherstripping on the rear bar where it rests on the factory seal. The way the top bolts down there is no rubbing happening there so I dont see how it would wear the seal any more than putting the top there.

Isphius, I know what your saying but there are at least two reasons why what you mentioned would not be something I would want on my car. First of all, the point of the bar as its designed is to allow the driver the feel of having the targa top off, while maintaining chassis rigidity. So a bar going essentially across the top of the door glass would in my opinion not be very elegant. If you have a targa you know how when the top is out and you go to sit in your car, you can grab the front windshield and sort of slide into the seat....no ducking under the roof...I like that and want to keep it. Secondly in regards to your description of the kinds of forces involved in chassis flex and which direction you need to brace against, your not entirely correct. Yes you definately want to brace against the action of the windshield and the roof coming together, but in terms of the most benificial to handling of the car, the twisting action is by far the most important, and the reason is pretty simple...sway bars.

Sway bars work by linking both sides of the suspension together. Basically doubling the spring rate of any given corner, by distributing the force to the other side through the sway bar. This creates tremendous forces laterally AND diagonally across the vehicle. When the targa roof is in place it bears the load of these forces across its structure, essentially connecting not only front to back, but front left to back right and back left to front right, etc.

By welding the two curved bars in the middle I provide a transfer point for this stress in the middle of the car, (the two big "U" shapes become one "X" shape).


Cliff notes: bar is 18lbs, no wheatherstripping (doesnt need it) bar needs to be the shape it is for chassis strength (door bars would look ugly and not bear the load properly)