Change cab top to manual ?

Is it possible to change the cab top to manual operation and latch? 2004 996 Friend is looking at a cab that would need this done as it has operational issues. I have done this to a 964 cab. Install manual latch handles and disconnect all the motors. Easy peasy. Thank you RL brain trust !

Sounds like if the clamshell and front latches are operative via the switch, you can remove a link in the up/down mechanism and its doable. maybe unplug the hydraulics.

I have never in 22 years of owning 4 996's that this has been done! Not saying it cannot just never heard of it. The majority of cab owners on this forum and others have NOT had top issues. The ones that have just repair them themselves, remove the cylinders and send them out ,(if its the cylinders) or have a place do it for them. I HIGHLY advise to get the issue repaired as the cab mechanism is just great! Much better than my 993 cab was!

There are some threads here and some YouTube vids on it. I would prolly just get it repaired too. Im a pretty good wrench, not a top guy. This is for a friend of mine looking at a 996 with an inop top (dont know why) and he doesnt want to. He does not wrench. He will likely look into it if he buys the car. He was talking to me about the purchase, mentioned the top issue and asked me about manual. I did it to my 964 because the 4 motors can be expensive (good when you sell them on ebay) and I didnt want to spend the money/time as the cabs are complex mechanisms. The manual conversion just made it operate like the '89's. Operating it manually wont bind/break anything. Put the top in a bind and the hydraulics 996 / motors 964/993 will break something, compounding the headache. Maybe stranding you. Also my 964 was a fair weather weekend car/toy and I rarely had the top up.

It would be awesome if this were easily doable. Lots of weight savings, I�d imagine. The trouble with the 996 is that there are a lot of moving parts and body panels.

Well, did it on my 996.1 till I got around to rebuilding my hydraulic cylinders. If the clam shell works, if the front latch works, if all the flaps and micro switches are working, and the only reason top doesn't work is because of inoperative leaky hydraulic cylinders or pump, it can be done. I did it dozens and dozens of times. If the hydraulic system is out of fluid from leaks, it probably will work manually not a problem. If the hydraulic system is just not working, but still full of fluid no leaks, then it could be more complicated. Can you hear the pump running when pushing the top down or up button..? If so have someone in the car with E brake pulled on, press the top down or up button, whatever way you want to go,,, up or down doesn't matter. While 1 person is pushing the button have 1 person on each side of the car gently pull top up, or down, evenly and gently. . If top moves easily then continue till its all the way up or down with the button being held in till its all the way up or down. If top doesn't move easy/freely stop you're done for now at least. It does take some effort/pressure to pull top up, feel it out and do not force anything, stop if it doesn't move with even pressure on both sides. Assuming top moves easily, If you're going down then once the top is manually all the way down(don't let it fall all the way down), gently lay it in to place). you should be able to hold in the button till the clam shell closes all the way and windows start to go up. If going up, when nearing the closed position the latch should engage. If the top isn't closed enough for the latch hook to catch the striker it will still close without locking in the latch hook, no good. So, push in the button to open the top and the latch should open again. Now pull/hold the top closed almost all the way from center by latch while sitting in drivers seat (this is assuming you've already got the top within inches of fully closed ) till its close enough for the latch to catch and push in the button to close the top and latch should catch and pull top closed tight then clam shell should fully close then windows should start to close. If you can get the above to work, then try it again once you've got clam shell open with out constantly holding in the button. If top moves easily then the hydraulics are probably out of fluid so manual operation can be done without holding button in while manipulating top up or down. Once you get familiar with manual operation and system is not hydra-locked so top moves easily, it can be a 1 man operation. I stand in the car and grab the roof in the middle and gently evenly pull it up almost all the way. The get in drivers seat and pull top closed almost all the way then hold in button to activate latch hook and close clam shell. Hold the button till light goes out on dash. The opposite for 1 man operation putting top down. If there is no fluid in the system top should move easily. If top doesn't move easily the cylinders are stuck and thats it, no manual operation unless you free up the stuck cylinders. Or top mechanism/frame is fubared. Or if its hydraulically locked from the pump not working but its full of fluid still, could drain the fluid/remove the hoses from the pump. Then it should work manually. If the frame mechanism is locked up, bent or broken might have to fix that to do a manual operation. The above works for me... If you force things could bend the top mechanism. Might also throw out the automatic calibration/sequencing and need to reset it once top is fixed. I didn't have to re-calibrate once cylinders were rebuilt, but that could happen... This is not Porsche approved top operation. Do at your own risk. jmo

Saw a YouTube where the guy removed a 7" or so link in the frame each side (two pins with little clips - easy - same general area as the cylinder.) allows the rest of the top to move independent of the hydraulics. Same principal as disengaging the motors on the 964/993's - which is part of the procedure for manually opening/closing the top via crank. Guess on the 996 all the other sensors and parts still have to cooperate.

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hi, I am having issues with my 996 2003 front roof lock, I want ti change it to manual lock. can this come out of a boxter? will the holes line up? and the hook fit in whole? which manual latch would fit? as my roof still goes up and down with buttons. thanks if you have any pictures of yours would be great. thanks

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I know this is old, i'm in the middle of doing this to my 996. My boxster latch came in today. The hook fits in the hole for the 996, but it will need a custom bracket to mount the boxster latch to the 996 soft top. I removed the convertible top latch catch/ dome light and took some pics. My only concern at the moment is getting the latch adjusted so the top will fit snug when latched. I didn't see an adjuster for the latch like I have seen on other vehicles. So I will have to get the bracket perfect.