Porsche Boxster & Boxster S (986), 1997-02
Convertible Top and Convertible Top Parts
Configuration: The original top had a green tinted plastic rear window sewn in. This top is duplicated and offered, made as original by Robbins. Robbins also makes a (non-original) top with a defroster glass window (wires included).
Fabrics: The original topping was German A5 Sonnenland Canvas. This is offered as well as Twillfast Canvas and Haartz Stayfast Canvas.
About Toppings: The original Sonnenland has (roughly) 20% greater durabilty than Stayfast. Sonnendeck (Twillfast) is rated close to 90% of Sonnenland. The three are difficult to tell apart in surface appearance.
Warranties: Robbins offers a 5 year warranty with 18 month labor allowance on the plastic window tops. The same warranty plus a Limited Lifetime Warranty on the window bonding is offered with the glass window tops.
Installers: The best way to locate an installer is to enter "Automobile upholstery shops near me" in your browser search bar. Google provides a geographic display of nearby shops (that should be consulted with.) Meticulous handy restorers may use our installation manual to do their own installation.
Important Information
Original Factory Color(s): Black, Blue, Graphite and Space GrayRear Window: The original (dealer) rear window is zippered, incorporating a Porsche patented zipper arrangement. No manufacturer we have found is making a replacement top with this zipper. Our top with the plastic window is made with a non-zippered plastic rear window. The sealed in window is likely to be preferrable to many drivers. Our top is correct in every other detail.
We also offer an aftermarket top with a defroster glass rear window. This is made with a newly patented encapsulation process for superior durability.
Inside Top Fabric: All canvas tops are three layers: the treated canvas outer layer, the pre-shrunk cloth inner layer and the central, bonding, layer. The inner layer of our Boxster tops will be black.
Original Fabric: If you select our original German fabric tops it will be the original Porsche "A5 German Sonnenland Canvas. This Sonnenland canvas has "silkier" surface texture and an improved performance (durability) compared with the classic Sonnenland.
Alternate Fabrics:
Sonnendeck Canvas (also called 'Twillfast') is an American made canvas, true double texture topping like the Haartz Stayfast. Many purists who own Mercedes and other German cars want to see the particular German weave (that is called "dobby weave") when they look up inside the car. Haartz Stayfast canvas has a plain (unwoven) inner lining. So for Porsche, Mercedes and BMW owners who will spend a little more in order to see that "dobby" weave we offer a fabric called Sonnendeck (in addition to the original German Sonnenland or Happich canvas. The wear rating of Sonnendeck is also greater than for Haartz, by perhaps 10%. This is due to the slightly heavier inner lining and subtle bonding specification differences.
Haartz Stayfast Canvas has a canvas outer layer and a preshrunk cotton inner layer. The two are bonded with and separated by a butyl rubber core. It is this core that makes the fabric last a very long time, with both better static and dynamic wear ratings than vinyl toppings. Haartz Stayfast is the American substitute for the German canvases used in Mercedes, Porsche, BMW, some models of Mustang and Lebaron and others. Canvas is widely regarded as "richer looking" than vinyl. It is a little harder to clean. The inside of the top is pre-shrunk cotton. The inner lining is usually black.
Headliner: The headliner is the inner roof covering. Headliners were introduced in 2001. The headliner is a separate part from the top. Our headliner is made in original black "dan" cloth.
Cables: Our tops are made with original quality cables covered in the resilient extruded casing.
Do-It-Yourself Installation: We offer a shop manual with step by step procedures for top installation. These have been successfully used by many owner/installers. However, we cannot offer consulting service for Boxster installers.
The installation of this particular top is quite elaborate and should not be undertaken by someone without mechanical confidence.
Boxster tops are fastened at their sides with embedded cables built into the convertible top.
Usage history indicated premature failure at these areas due to "pull through" of the cables in the Boxster top.
Only utmost care and quality control in the factory can reduce the possibility of early failure due to this design question.
Germanex and Robbins are two factories that have taken pains in their Boxster convertible top manufacturing processes,
in particular with regard to their installation of original quality cables.
Almost all manufacturers use Haartz fabrics. They may specify "heaviest weight" or "original replacement" in ways that seem reassuring. But they do not really tell the whole story. Please bear in mind that two things dominate, by far, the quality issue: (a) the manufacturing quality control in the factory that makes the top and (b) the care and thoroughness of the installation. There is a trade-off in weight: heavier is better for resisting tear through, but lighter is better for flexibility and abrasion from within that may arise from movement. Almost all our tops are a flexible medium density (36 oz.) fabric. Heavier is not better in most cases. Where it is, because of the top design, we will say so and the top will be made of the heavier vinyl.
- Sonnenland® is a German-made 3-ply topping made up of an acrylic twill-weave facing, a rubber inner-layer, and a polyester "dobby backing." The dobby backing is a knit-like weave original to many high-end foreign cars. Customers who value originality over cost often pay top dollar for Sonnenland, just to have that authentic "dobby backing," seen only when you look up at the roof of your convertible top from inside your car. Sonnenland canvas is a top-of-the-line material original to various Audi, BMW, and Jaguar convertibles, among others. Sonnenland Canvas can vary in terms of surface weave and/or weight for acoustic performance, but all Sonnenland Canvas promises elegance and long-lasting durability.
- Twillfast®, also called Sonnendeck Canvas, is an American-made canvas - a cost-effective substitute for Sonnenland. Twillfast is usually a 3-ply topping (though some versions are 5-ply) with Polyester and/or Polyester/cotton backings. This material, original to certain Camaro, BMW, Mustang, and VW Beetle convertibles, among others, varies in terms of surface weave and/or weight for acoustic performance. Twillfast Canvas is identical to Sonnenland Canvas - elegant and durable - only it's less expensive. This is a top-notch convertible top material, one we often recommend to savvy customers who like a good buy and a quality product.
- Stayfast Canvas is an elegant, durable canvas original to cars like the Mazda Miata and the Nissan 370Z. Stayfast is commonly used in replacement convertible tops. Stayfast canvas has an acrylic square weave facing, a rubber inner-layer, and a cotton backing. As with other canvases, the rubber core gives the fabric long-lasting durability. Stayfast canvas is a sleek, beautiful canvas, usually less expensive than Twillfast, but it does not have the dobby backing offered in Sonnenland and Twillfast (Sonnendeck). Stayfast is a popular upgrade to vinyl convertible tops, and as with any canvas, is richer looking and has a higher wear rating than convertible tops made of vinyl.
- Haartz Pinpoint Vinyl is the most popular fabric. This vinyl design is original to most American cars from the fifties to the nineties. Pinpoint refers to the little dots or pips that you see if you look closely at the vinyl surface. European cars, such as the old Beetles and others also used pinpoint vinyl as the topping fabric.
- Chrysler Sailcloth is featured on many late LeBarons, Sebrings, certain Mustangs and other cars. It is structurally (wear quality) equivalent to the Haartz Pinpoint but has a different surface grain. The grain was designed to imitate the look of canvas. As you can see from the scan of this fabric, it is an exceptionally rich looking material. It is sometimes chosen for replacing convertible tops that originally featured pinpoint vinyl.
- Cabrio Grain is also structurally equivalent to the pinpoint. It has a pigskin outer grain vinyl as original to Volkswagen Cabriolets from 1984 onward and to Mazda Miatas and Mercury Capris.
- A5S German Canvas (Robbins) The 100% Acrylic Twill Weave Surface Cloth receives a special flame singing treatment to remove the fabric knap; and is laminated to Black 100% Polyester Dobby backing.
This is the original topping for Porsche Boxster and Cabrio convertible tops. 59 inches (150 cm) wide, made in Germany. - British Bison Vinyl is the most popular British roadster convertible top material. It is American made Haartz leather grain vinyl and is an imitation of the British Everflex vinyl top fabric. The British Bison Vinyl convertible top fabric is often referred to as 'crush grain.'
- British Everflex Vinyl We are now pleased to offer British Everflex Vinyl for classic English tops. This is the original material used on British convertibles including Jaguar, Rolls Royce and many others. Imported from England, British Everflex vinyl is a supple vinyl with a rich appearance and is more durable than other vinyls. A good, less expensive alternative is Colonial grain vinyl. Colonial has the same texture but is less durable.
- HV Denim (also called Twill Weave Vinyl) is heavy duty sport material composed of a distinctive twill grain PVC outer layer and a polyester/cotton blend inside lining fabric.
- Trilogy Acoustic Vinyl A heavyweight vinyl that is often used on SUVs like Jeep, because the two-ply composite has the capacity to reduce noise by about 20 percent compared to standard vinyls like Sailcloth. The vinyl material is durable, promises long-lasting wear-and-tear, and resembles the sleek twill cloth commonly found on luxury convertible cars.
- Haartz Twillfast RPC This American-made canvas has a twill weave pattern and resembles German-made Sonnenland canvas. It is a great all-purpose canvas and, according to Haartz, is used on 99 percent of convertibles. It is stronger and more durable than Stayfast Canvas and offers more sound protection. Haartz rates Twillfast RPC as a mid-level acoustic product, compared to the low-level sound reduction offered on other top materials like Stayfast
Parts in this category (Porsche Boxster & Boxster S (986)) fit cars for years: 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002.