FRC to targa?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,966
Likes: 22
From: Frederick Maryland
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11
FRC to targa?
Before you start reading this, it's a long post so get ready.
I've contemplated converting my FRC to a convertible and even priced out the parts associated with the conversion (mostly from Gene at Karshop). But since I race the car (both 1320 and the road course) and do not want to install a roll bar, I thought targa might be the answer. Now I have called Carravaggio about the conversion but $6K+ is hard to swallow. Sooooooo, has anybody attempted this or have any idea what is involved? I do know the front windshield weatherstrip and attaching hardware are available from GM (verts and targa share same parts in front) and the hardware for the back half would be the same as coupe's but that one important issue remains....How and where to CUT the top? Is there a template? Do I need to fabricate anything to make the top fit? I welcome any and all comments, just keep them comming.
-Rick
I've contemplated converting my FRC to a convertible and even priced out the parts associated with the conversion (mostly from Gene at Karshop). But since I race the car (both 1320 and the road course) and do not want to install a roll bar, I thought targa might be the answer. Now I have called Carravaggio about the conversion but $6K+ is hard to swallow. Sooooooo, has anybody attempted this or have any idea what is involved? I do know the front windshield weatherstrip and attaching hardware are available from GM (verts and targa share same parts in front) and the hardware for the back half would be the same as coupe's but that one important issue remains....How and where to CUT the top? Is there a template? Do I need to fabricate anything to make the top fit? I welcome any and all comments, just keep them comming.
-Rick
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2000
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From: South Florida
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,966
Likes: 22
From: Frederick Maryland
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11
Originally Posted by brrymnvette
How big of a hurry are you in? I have been seriously thinkng abou tconverting to a frc from a coupe. We might be able to work out a "deal". Let me know, Andy
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
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St. Jude Donor '03-'04
Cruise-In 1-2-3-4-5 Veteran
Forum member "XPortC5", Jeff Mudd, has done this on several cars. He lives in the wilds of northern middle TN or southern KY, not sure where, I see him at car shows about twice a year.
I think RUNAMUK converted his 'vert to an FRC - has the only FRC 50th Anniversary Car that I know about.
I think RUNAMUK converted his 'vert to an FRC - has the only FRC 50th Anniversary Car that I know about.
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Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,966
Likes: 22
From: Frederick Maryland
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11
I'm trying to make my FRC to a targa, NOT a coupe targa but FRC targa. I already know most of what is involved in convertible conversion. Anyone have a template to CUT the top of the FRC?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 1,173
Likes: 1
From: Aguila AZ
Going from a coupe to FRC/Targa is relatively easy since the top and fit, finish and interface are all in place. Going from FRC to vert is also relatively easy since you are just removing the entire top and substituting Vert components... Going from FRC to Targa is hard because the cut, fit and interface with the removable top is very complicated and precission job... I think $6K for this conversion from Carraviggio is a deal. I did the coupe to FRC/Targa (see it here: http://sdickeyt.photosite.com/BlackCorvette/) and I am very pleased with the result.
Shirl
SD Racing Enterprises
Shirl
SD Racing Enterprises
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 6,362
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From: Oak Harbor WA
I would that that once you unbolt the FRC roof structure and then have a Coupe rear structure to get the attaching points and do the measuring from you would be able to accomplish this. Remove the Coupe trim pieces to see what is there and do the same with the FRC as well. I can't see a template being available for this unless someone is willing to "give" thier state secret away for nothing...so much for R/D costs.
Figure out the difference in the rear targa roof attaching points and front attaching points and go from there....good luck, sounds like a real bundle of joy to take on.
Figure out the difference in the rear targa roof attaching points and front attaching points and go from there....good luck, sounds like a real bundle of joy to take on.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,966
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From: Frederick Maryland
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11
Originally Posted by MrEracer
Going from a coupe to FRC/Targa is relatively easy since the top and fit, finish and interface are all in place. Going from FRC to vert is also relatively easy since you are just removing the entire top and substituting Vert components... Going from FRC to Targa is hard because the cut, fit and interface with the removable top is very complicated and precission job... I think $6K for this conversion from Carraviggio is a deal. I did the coupe to FRC/Targa (see it here: http://sdickeyt.photosite.com/BlackCorvette/) and I am very pleased with the result.
Shirl
SD Racing Enterprises
Shirl
SD Racing Enterprises
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,966
Likes: 22
From: Frederick Maryland
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11
How did you go from coupe to FRC and not cut the FRC roof? I understand the windshield doesn't need any mods but the FRC top has to be cut in order to install the targa top. Am I missing something? Did you get the FRC top already cut?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 1,173
Likes: 1
From: Aguila AZ
I had an FRC top that was damaged on the front (from a '99 rollover). I used the 'cut and trim' method on it... The aft part of the top structure is located by the trunk interface and the forward part gets glassed onto the fiberglass hoop just behind the Targa roof. There is nothing precission about this joint. There is quite a bit of trimming on the coupe 'hoop fiberglass' to get the FRC top to blend in to the proper coutour... I did something a little different and trimmed the FRC structure to match the coupe rear fenders. It would have been easier but more expensive to use FRC rear fenders.
Shirl
Shirl
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
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St. Jude Donor '03-'04
Cruise-In 1-2-3-4-5 Veteran
Here's a link to XPortC5's profile. The car in his sig pic is one that he rebuild himself, it's a transformer - will do Convertible, FRC, and now it will do Targa FRC - the sig pics aren't up to date.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/member.php?userid=22977
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/member.php?userid=22977
