Z4Coupe Targa top?

S

Sae

Senior member
... with all the sunshine, I do sometimes wonder what it would be like to be in a z4mr rather than an z4mc.
But, looking at some old threads with people doing the carbon roof conversion, it looks like the coupe top comes out quite cleanly, so I can't help but wonder how easy would it be to make the roof into a old style lift off targa type fitting...

Any thoughts, and any recomendations on who might be able to carry out such an audacious conversion without costing an arm and a leg?
 
Even with the roof panel out, the structural integrity would still be higher than that of the roadster.
 
:stir:

Is that right? Surely the roadster is built to take into account the lack of roof, the coupe is isn't so the overall handling must change
 
marchantsuk said:
:stir:

Is that right? Surely the roadster is built to take into account the lack of roof, the coupe is isn't so the overall handling must change
Click to expand...
The Coupe was designed after the roadster and basically just added a roof so there's no real difference between them.
 
"The E86 Coupé features a fixed hard-top roof which yields additional torsional rigidity—32,000 N·m (24,000 lb·ft) per degree of body twist on the coupe compared to 14,500 N·m (10,700 lb·ft) per degree on the roadster"

saying that the coupe is slightly heavier, 20k or there abouts


with regards to the aftermarket carbon roof, I remember reading issues on the build quality with water leaking in?
 
So now we have coupe owners who want to chop their roofs off. I said this day would come

Interesting


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Adamski said:
So now we have coupe owners who want to chop their roofs off. I said this day would come

Interesting


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Click to expand...

lol, but no chopping ala roadster, the targa top would leave the coupe silouette intact :poke:
 
Very quick and not great photoshopping.

i00o.jpg


Personally I love Targa top cars (and think this could look awesome)... but the problem here will be - where do you put the roof panel when it's out? I don't think it will fit in the boot, so you'd be stuffed if it rains as your roof would be at home.

Given there is already a wide choice of roof configurations with the Z4 (i.e. coupe, roadster, roadster with hardtop, even a folding hardtop with the E89) - I am not sure this is going to be popular, but I know somewhere in Sussex that will do it.

I have been in a couple of modified-to-targa cars, and the main issue is one of the finish and fit where the roof connects in.
 
Adamski said:
So now we have coupe owners who want to chop their roofs off. I said this day would come

Interesting


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Click to expand...
I've heard It said that the next pasture over is always greener. 8)
 
How about a T bar like the early Toyota MR2,the 2 halves would easily fit in the boot.Torsional rigidity should be stronger than just chopping the roof off like the pic above.
 
I would be more worried as to fit & finish. Although it's fun to banter about torsional rigidity. On the street it really is of no consequence. As 99% of most sports car owners don't push their cars to the limit. I dare say. That even a sports car with a less than steel I beam rigidity. Still has more handling ability than the average driver can muster. We had a phrase for such things when I worked for a Yamaha dealer. "brochure racing"
 
ranski said:
"The E86 Coupé features a fixed hard-top roof which yields additional torsional rigidity—32,000 N·m (24,000 lb·ft) per degree of body twist on the coupe compared to 14,500 N·m (10,700 lb·ft) per degree on the roadster"
Click to expand...
That's not just the roof panel though, that's also the extra rigidity from the 'c pillar' between the rear side windows.

Maybe a canvas, sliding top like on a 2CV would suffice - reducing weight and allowing for a very large sunroof!

If you look carefully, the doors are different too (and all the glazing - including the windscreen).

It would still end up being stiffer than the roadster, so still better handling :poke:
 
Making something like this http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/22/true-targa-top-porsche-911-available-from-aftermarket/ might be a better alternative.

You'd have to start with a Roadster, butcher a bolt on hardtop and tada! At least you have only damaged a hardtop...

*EDIT* - actually forget that, just photoshopped it and it looks awful. Now off to wash my eyes.
 
Adamski said:
So now we have coupe owners who want to chop their roofs off. I said this day would come

Interesting


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Click to expand...

:D :D

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danmiddle2 said:
i00o.jpg
Click to expand...

Good effort.

It would actually be easier than that. When I say that the existing roof panel comes off clean, see pic,

z4targa01_zps633e114d.jpg


the arch round the A-C pillar is still there, which means the door seals aren't affected. Also if you look at the picture, you'd still get benefit from structural support, in fact it looks as if the roof panel is just a lid so to speak. Which is why the pop off targa style roof should be quite easy...
 
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