[Greimann]

While randomly surfing for 968 stuff, I turned up this little tidbit from some guy on another forum responding to a post about someone who just bought a 968.

Nice ride ImranAkhtar...and very near and dear to my heart, being a Cabrio.



I was one of the Design Engineers for the covertible top while working for ASC. Originally did it for the 944, then revised some details for the 968 in 1991.



It is an amazing mechanism. During design and development the Porsche Engineers insisted on a killer drive motor/gear setup for the convertible mechanism known as a "topstack".



I tried to argue it was 400% more force than we ever used before (ASC produces many convertibles for most car companies), but they insisted. I aquiesced and then, with a prototype body shell behind our test facility they asked us to lower the convertible top and flip the car over by pushing on it with 9 other men.



I was shocked at this request, but obliged. Once flipped, the Porsche Engineer, Gerhard Koenig, reached underneath the vehicle and:



THE WHOLE DAMN CAR ROSE AT THE PUSH OF THE "TOPSTACK-UP" BUTTON!



I then understood the reasoning behind it. He wanted his customers to be able to lift the car to allow escape in the event of a rollover...I was amazed and have since had the utmost respect for Porsche Engineers.

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[Mark]

What forum was that on?

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[Greimann]

The original thread is here:

http://www.pakwheels.com/forumreply_az_Top...D!6~pw.html

Some Pakastani car ehthusiast site. Don't ask me how I turned that up. Who know what evil lurks in the heart of Google. This is fairly recent info. The post was made in Feb '06.

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[Mark]

Too funny.

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[josephsc]

One way to find out.... So who's car are we going to use for the test?

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[Anchorman]

So the disadvantage to operating the top in "manual" mode is that if I have the top down, roll over, and have the remaining presence of mind, I wouldn't be able to press the button and get myself out? Hmmm...I guess I'll be glad that I have a "chassis stiffener" installed.



Quite a design standard, though. No wonder the power mechanism is able to break main bows at will.



Someone should ask about the "ballast/vibration dampener".

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[bob blackwell]

Wow! Talk about "over engineering"! Happy with my coupe and no need for a top which will lift the entire 968..............good luck, Bob Blackwell.

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[flash]

i already did that bob - nice guys at asc - did an interview with peter morgan about it too - now that the magazine is back up and running, i will finally be able to print it, and put an end to the mystery - yes, it stays out of my car

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[Ryan]

Oh come on!! There is no way that motor and the cables involved are going to lift the car. Did the guy go on to say he was 6'-3" 190lbs and very handsome?

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[Mark]

Well he did say it was just a a shell. so not quite as heavy as the whole thing.

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[Ryan]

What is the point then? If you ever flip your car just remove drivetrain and then press the top up botton the right the thing.

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[Mark]

I didn't say it was logical. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />



Also if you roll a cab over the A pillars will probably collapse and you'll be screwed anyway.

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