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Porsche constructed a total of 2562 912 Targas, less than 8 percent of all 912s. While Porsche was discontinuing the 356 cabriolet model in 1965, the Targa® prototype was shown at the 1965 Frankfurt Motor Show. On June 28, 1966 a U.S. patent (filed 9/9/65) illustrating the Targa® with its multiple configurations was issued to ''Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, Jr, Boblingen Germany, assignor to Firma Dr. Ing, h.c. F. Porsche K.G., Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, Germany.'' Porsche's 1967 model year Targa assembly line started by December 1966, producing the first ten 911 Targas, and at least three 912 Targas. 912 Targas cost more than the coupes, but provided 'air conditioning' without penalizing engine performance. Early factory workshop manuals called the Targa a ''cabriolet'', but absent was the fabric top and frame mechanism. Instead a flat ''safety hoop'', in anticipation of future automobile safety requirements, supported both a lift-off folding top, and a separate rear window. (Targa means ''shield'' in Italian.) Butzi Porsche decided that the rollbar should be covered with a brushed stainless steel surface. Factory window tunnel tests demonstrated that with the top off and rear window up, interior turbulence was low, even at high speeds. 1960 racing prototypes including the 1967 Porsche 910/6 had appeared in the windows up / top off configuration (the name also acknowledged the factory's success in the Targa Florio road race.) Targas first came equipped with flexible plastic rear windows ('Version I' or 'soft-windows') openable with a zipper. In September 1968, Christophorus magazine noted that with the soft-window ''The safety hoop is permanent but you can achieve four variations around it, depending on whether roof and rear window are used or removed.'' Installed tonneauTake off the Targa top (fitting unfolded in the trunk) for a mega sunroof (originally called the ''Targa Voyage''). Unzip the plastic rear window and you have a cabriolet with rollbar (originally called the ''Targa Spyder'') The 356-cabriolet style tonneau cover shown here was a factory option. You might leave the roof on and the back window down on blistering hot days, cold winter days, or even in a light rain. Button it up for full enclosure in any weather. Currently about 200 soft-window 912 Targas are registered with us. 1968 Porsche 912 Targa Soft This Soft window targa has had a complete bare metal restoration done inside and out. The exterior features a brand new, certificate of authenticity matching, light ivory paint job. All rust was repaired and both front fenders were replaced with new ones due to rust in the headlight buckets. The iterior was blasted down to bare metal as well and all rust was repaired and new dynaliner was installed throughout. The front seats were re-padded and the original radio was re-installed. 80% of all the rubber molding was replaced.
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