Targa top for GT5-S

Not really possible for the average guy, or even the average car building shop. Gary told me that he probably had $40,000 in the targa conversion, and it was so labor-intensive, he would not do another one. The entire car was stripped to a shell and bead-blasted before they started on the chassis stiffening. Pavesi Design in Italy did two others that I know of back in the late '80s or early '90s; one is currently for sale in Germany on a GT5-S. Roland Jaeckel, in Hamburg I believe, is the owner. Without massive stiffening, I was told the doors unlatch from body-flex each time you touch the accelerator pedal on a regular Pantera done in So-Cal in the early '80s.

I have also condidered the idea of a targa, and decided against for all the reasons Bosswrench stated. However, I've wondered if it would be possible using a 4 point roll cage that was welded to the frame through the rear bulkhead and near the front fenderwells, as well as the normal attachment points. Additional welds could be made near the roofline in the rear and on the A pillars in front. True, the visible rollbar might defeat some people's idea of a targa, but it seems that a roll bar could take the place of the roof and posts for chassis rigidity. I have no intention of cutting up my '72, but I'm curious as to what others think about the feasability of this idea.

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note- I think Gary Hall's targa has a roll bar integrated into the windsheld and the targa bar. FYI, for the racing Group 4 circa 1972, the factory put together an 8-point roll cage that tied into the front end thru the front firewall, the dash area floor, behind the seats to the floor, through the rear window to the rear wheelwells & suspension pickup points and a cross-brace where the passenger seat would have been. Later, full-tube-frames were employed to further stiffen the car and reduce weight. And this was with the roof still there!

[This message has been edited by Bosswrench (edited 03-01-2001).]

The car shown in the features portion of this web site, Biarritz Blue has the roll bar positioned behind the bulkhead and does not intrude into the cabin. The factory targas that were cut down by a sub contractor were strong and did not flex as bad as the one targa that I am aware of located in Southern California. I have ridden in a Pantera 200 targa and could not believe how solid and capable the car was. Gary Hall also let me drive his Purple Passion and I was convinced that he had conquered the dreaded flex. It is an expensive modification to execute and might diminish the value of the car. It probably would be fun to do on a restoration of a clapped out car where you had less to lose. Sadly, I once saw a targa Pantera that a customer tried to consign with us that was frightening. The windows wouldn't roll up and the fit of everything was shockingly poor.
DAve!