Converting a convertible to a coupe.

[Fishcop]

I don't think I will be rethinking cabs in the near or distant future unless my friend sells me his 89 (20,000 kms) speedster (with as we like to joke original tyres with German air).
I see your point on the speed camera's etc. Stew, that's why I bought this 72 rocket ship!

I really wish I'd hung on to my Goggomobil Dart...

[JulianG]

If that's got some Victorian history, it may have been mine....................

I don't think I will be rethinking cabs in the near or distant future unless my friend sells me his 89 (20,000 kms) speedster (with as we like to joke original tyres with German air).
I see your point on the speed camera's etc. Stew, that's why I bought this 72 rocket ship!

[mrar]

If that's got some Victorian history, it may have been mine....................

I will ask previous owner and let you know Julian. As far as I know they purchased car 10 years ago from Kalgoorlie area, so no rust apparently.

[SIR70t]

Agree John my enquiry was for a car that was a coupe that had been chopped and turned into a cab

Saving my 5000th post for this opinion...

"Why?"

The cabriolet is a genuine car produced by Porsche. The fact that Aussies didn't take to the cab like the rest of the world is inconsequential and I've no doubt little sleep was lost at Porsche over our market tastes.

Porsche offered a compromise in the hard-top option that was made available.

Welding a roof on to a genuine cab to create a coupe when coupes are available seems really questionable given what we know about classic cars and people. Future buyers of early air cooled 911s will place a premium on providence over nearly everything else. God knows the fussiness buyers display over VINs that do not match what is presented!

Give it time. Targas are the new black now, Cabriolets will also come for the ride in time. Converted cars - either roof put on or taken off will get pigeon holed with LHD conversions, Strosek and Gemballa body kits, and non-Porsche engine changes. There is enough of these cars to satisfy the market, I don't think more are needed to satisfy it?

Just throwing it out there Jock

There's been a few guys reproduce the factory hardtop and I have no doubt there would be plenty of these aborted projects sitting about if you ask the question. Delivered, painted and set up on a cab for less than $14k I'll wager; and still with the ability for a future owner to go back to a cab if desired.

A few of these got made and sold less than a decade ago http://www.rennlight.com/hardtop/ I'll bet there's more than one taking up garage space if you were to put feelers out.

[Fishcop]

Agree John my enquiry was for a car that was a coupe that had been chopped and turned into a cab

Agree with you too I put 'genuine' in italics... Wrong to fiddle with a proper cab. But probably worth the effort and cost re-roofing an otherwise decent coupe - especially if you're talking a pre '73.

[jock69t]

Lots of good arguments and opinions. All grist for the mill.

The fact that Shane's situation involved reversing a coupe to cab conversion may change the economics of what I have been musing about.

I think that the fact that, apart from early 911's, later targas have become more acceptable is the product of all air cooled Porsches becoming investment assets. And the same will probably occur with cabs while the bubble is rising. It is also true that at least in the last decade or so originality and provenance have become more important to the majority of buyers. Again I think that is another product of the cars being viewed as investments and results in the cars being used less and less. Although there are some coupes available it's the difference in value (or cost) that first led me to consider the options.

The hardtop is an option. They can look very coupe like and be a permanent fixture because in my case there would be no need for the open air.

The legality of the conversion would need to be covered I think before the first step was taken otherwise there could be embarrassment or worse, at least within the family.

In the end it comes down to the fact that I simply don't like cabs and wouldn't drive one unless it was closed in, one way or another.

[Fishcop]

Okay - who wants to play?

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/maddington/cars-vans-utes/porsche-911-964-993-fibreglass-remove-able-hardtop-/1093478716

[Cairns888]

Okay - who wants to play?
http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/maddi...op-/1093478716

Good idea

[jock69t]

Things have changed since I first posted. Then there were 964 cabs for less than $40k. Now people are asking more than $100k for them. No chance of, or even any desire, to spend that much buying a cab.

[Fishcop]

Sold...