Project Chronicle

At long last, the ancient 90s-era tint has been removed from the 1990 911. This was a big deal to me, as it was distorting the intended visual impact of the D. Morris hardtop which had crystal-clear OEM glass.

Tint - especially old tint from the 80s/90s - just looks awful after a few years. It looks 10x worse when directly adjacent to clear glass.

A few minutes with a hair dryer and it was all a distant memory. Success! 

This has been a long time coming: the installation of my D. Moris hardtop on the 1990 911 C4 Cabriolet. 

My satisfaction with this project is complex. First, the important details: it is quiet. There is much less noise in and around the cabin. It feels like a coupe. There are no rattles or other untowards sounds. 

Still, the labor was intense. There are many hours in this project. There's a reason many people attempt to do this themselves because it requires lots of fine tuning, evaluating potential leaks, and removing and reinstalling to get the fitment just right.

The other issue is solely cosmetic. With the top painted, it is more evident than ever that this 911 is three different shades of blue. Inside the garage, it looks uniform; out in direct sunlight, it's....not great. Will most people notice? No. But it means I may someday repaint the entire thing.

For now, however, the important details were achieved: the 964 is truly coupe-like in feel and I'm sure this unique accessory will only go up in value as it becomes harder to find. 

The D. Moris hardtop is effectively done on the 964, with all major hardware installed and the interior back together. 

The fitment is excellent. The kit itself was pretty minimal on hardware, which is a backhanded compliment because it means the design aligned with the bracketry already on the car. The gaskets went in as intended. I occasionally get a warning light for the top mechanism, but I'm guessing there's a fuse I can pull. 

I haven't driven it yet, so I can't report on whether there's any odd wind noise or sounds suggesting the top isn't completely snug. But if what other owners say is true, it's supposedly a great way to have coupe-like dynamics with some modest weight savings.

In the days after deciding to plunk down a bunch of cash on a hardtop for my 1990 911 Cabriolet, I saw a picture of the same hardtop on a later 993. I will admit: I didn't love how it looked. There was something about it that just looked "off," which is always a risk when dealing with aftermarket parts. However, every photo of the D. Morris hardtop that I saw on the 964 seemed to look bang on, which is largely what drove the purchase.

I'm happy to report at these early says that the results, now visible in-person, seem to validate my hunches. The top is just resting on the car in the photo, but it looks absolutely bang on. There are some issues with the brackets - this is a common complaint about the D. Moris kit fitment - but once we get that straightened out, it should be pretty straightforward to wrap up installation. 

I had major reservations about taking the plunge on this investment, but I'm happy to report it looks like a sound move at this juncture. 

Since I purchased a 1990 911 C4 Cabriolet, I've barely racked up 50 miles on it. Driving has been limited; this is mostly due to never having enough time, especially since transitioning to full-time self-employment. 

However, I have to admit that after taking it in to my local shop for its annual servicing, it has been a surprisingly reliable vehicle to own with no major issues to report. Now a year in, my shop again confirmed it didn't need much: in fact, the only work I had done was at my own direction, including an oil and filter change; the replacement of the front bumper with a freshly painted bumper cover; battery replacement; and replacement of the heavily chipped front wiper arms after finding a set of NOS arms on eBay.

There was a differential leak flagged when the car first arrived and the shop verified that the leak hadn't changed and was something that could continue to be monitored. Really, this 911 has asked very little of me and everything still works - the windows, locks, rear spoiler, seats, and so on. 

It's also a treat to drive. Unlike my 996, this is a car that is still quite visceral, with pops and burbles and a silky smooth gearbox. It's hard to believe that a 4WD car has both a superior transmission and chassis dynamics over a RWD Carrera, but here we are. 

Overall, even with my limited use, I feel better and better about taking a chance on this C4 Cabriolet from Arkansas - and don't expect to sell it anytime soon.