When Well Enough Can't Be Left Alone; Backdate, EFI/ITB, AC, and more!

[jpnovak]

That looks amazing!

well done.

[Showdown]

Thanks fellas, I was and still am nervous about painting the tub but I feel much better now with these panels under my belt. I'd give them a 7.5, maybe 8 out of 10 and figure that with a cut and buff I can get to a 9, 9.5. But it can't be too perfect; this is a driver first and foremost!

Originally Posted by Jonny042

Oh one hint - you were talking about leaving in the front and rear windows. It may be possible to tuck in the outer lip of the windscreen seal into the aperture - if your car is like 90% of them it's already doing this in the upper corners so you can do a great job with masking and removing the window will have zero benefit. Not sure if this will work for the rear but worth a try!

This is brilliant! I'm definitely going to give it a go. The way I figure is that underneath the seals is white and eventually when I do replace them I can airbrush some of the new white there or just leave it and have the new seals cover it up.

Originally Posted by chrisbalich

It's everywhere.

Indeed it is! I think It probably has to do with city code- when old factory windows are removed glass block usually goes in as it's cheaper and I think it has to be impact rated or something... I have 600 sf of glass block windows and when I got a quote to replace them I was SHOCKED so I said to hell with it and left them.

Originally Posted by Jonny042

PS - your studio is awesome! Far bigger than I imagined. And the air handling looks to be about 1000 times better than mince. I have a soft spot for glass block, love it!!

As a kid of the 80s and 90s I abhor it. But that's because I grew up in a time when glass block was inside the house and I just can't stand for that.

I have about 6000sf on one level split into two parts with an office and storage room. My old studio was under 1800sf and I would easily take another 1000 if I could. I do have about 3000sf of parking and unbuilt land but it's on the side with the loading dock so building out would be really tricky. I've thought about going up but that's not all that helpful for me unless I wanted a lounge or apartment up there. Plus I just put solar on the roof so...

[jac1976]

As a kid of the 80s and 90s I abhor it. But that's because I grew up in a time when glass block was inside the house and I just can't stand for that.

Ha! Can’t agree more. I was a fan for a quick minute as a kid during the same time, but then it became ubiquitous and was accompanied by bright geometric shapes, grid graphics, squiggly lines, etc. That said, I like its application in Art Deco homes/buildings from the ‘20s and ‘30s and old factories, warehouses, etc. I like the finely fluted glass and safety glass with the embedded chicken wire, too.

[Showdown]

Originally Posted by jac1976

bright geometric shapes, grid graphics, squiggly lines, etc.

Those are crimes against humanity.

Give me Mid Century Modern or give me death.

[Jonny042]

I poked at the Rot Rod with a plastic trim tool to see what sort of results I could produce when trying to tuck the outer seal lip into the window apertures. Looks like you will be able to do it pretty easily most places. Like I said the front corners might already be done for you like mine:



On the lower cowl:



The lower part of the rear might not go, so for that I'd try shoving some nice thick wire under the seal to hold it off the paint then mask. Sorry I didn't have any contrasting wire. The blue tape I used to show the edge that needs to be covered. Should work like a charm.

[Ken911]

subscribed

[Showdown]

Thanks Jonny, very helpful to see what you were talking about!

[jpnovak]

Julian, I admit that I think it would take less time to pop out the windows than it would to peel back and tape off.

[chrisbalich]

Originally Posted by jpnovak

Julian, I admit that I think it would take less time to pop out the windows than it would to peel back and tape off.

I think you're right.

But dealing with that finicky, and incredibly delicate, trim adds a Q-factor I think Julian is eager to avoid at this time. Which is funny to me because it seems like it'd be right up Julian's alley to make perfect the brightwork. He's already shown incredible skill & talent with brass mesh and that can't be any less delicate than the window trims.

[Showdown]

Damn.

I'm torn over whether or not to remove the glass right now.

On one hand, yes, it'll make painting easier and I'll get new rubber out of the process which is a good thing.

On the other hand, I've read the threads, watched the videos and have a real fear of taking the glass out only to face reinstalling it and all of the hell that it seems to be. I've seen windscreens crack and even fall out which would be pretty lousy given that I'm so. damn. close. to driving this thing! Plus the car is white already and I'm just adding a slightly different shade of white atop it so if it's not perfect, I can live with that- this car is so far from perfect that I don't want to sacrifice the good...

The old seals are really shrunk- much smaller than what Jonny's pics show (mine only extend to about where Jonny's tucked seals are) so I wouldn't even need to tuck them in to get paint where new seals will eventually cover. Plus, at some point, maybe next winter or the winter after that, I'll redo the interior in leather and will have to take the glass out for that. I know, I'm doing everything bass-ackwards but a.) I want to get this on the road asap and b.) I'm ok with having a project car for years to come so long as the projects are winter time only.

Also, I'm only good at things when I don't know how difficult or stupid they are from the outset.

I'll have to think on it.

[Jonny042]

Originally Posted by jpnovak

Julian, I admit that I think it would take less time to pop out the windows than it would to peel back and tape off.

I normally wouldn't want to be seen as complicit in any such halfassery like painting with windows in, but I support the plan to get some paint on it and drive it. Make it shiny and one colour, why not? Good practice, good fun.

I do notice that he's skipping quite a few weeks (months?) of panel fitting and block sanding but assume he's factored that into his expectations.

This is all a good chance to learn by doing, and if/when the redoing happens, he'll be that much better prepared.

[Showdown]

Oh this is by no means a “proper” project and it wasn’t ever meant to be. I plan on driving the living hell out of this car: from the first road-cleaning rain in early spring to the first road-salting in fall I’ll be driving this car every day if I can. Anything more than what I’m doing would be wasted on this car.

I’ll save the detailed work for the next one

[Jonny042]

Originally Posted by Showdown

Oh this is by no means a “proper” project and it wasn’t ever meant to be. I plan on driving the living hell out of this car: from the first road-cleaning rain in early spring to the first road-salting in fall I’ll be driving this car every day if I can. Anything more than what I’m doing would be wasted on this car.

I’ll save the detailed work for the next one

Well you know after I insulted your dedication to block sanding and prep I thought I should go back and review the parts of this thread that might have covered it.....

I owe you an apology!!!! Sorry. I think you're well ahead of the game and you will be more than happy with the results of your paint job, proper or not!!!!!!!!

[Showdown]

Haha, it’s ok- I’m sure I’ve insulted the Way of Porsche plenty with my approach. But you’re right, this one is practice- get familiar with a cheap one, make my mistakes and plan for a much longer Heavy Metal type comprehensive build while I’m flogging this one.

Isn’t the correct number of Porsches N+1 where N is the current number of Porsches…

[Jonny042]

Even my cursory read through of your thread made a few things clearer for me.

I couldn't help but notice in your thread that you mentioned general fit and finish in the horn grill/light/hood seal area. It's a pretty sad commentary that the fact that you even HAVE a hood seal is remarkable:



Not to mention that there is less gap than seal.



BOTH of those cars are magazine cover cars. I don't like to be negative about anyone's work, but this this annoys me to no end.

Good job on yours!

[Showdown]

Thanks Jonny, yours is a compliment that I very much appreciate.

I’m realistic about what I can do with the limited budget and time I have, not to mention the stunningly comprehensive lack of experience.

In Yiddish there’s a word: chutzpah. A mix between audacity, nerve, balls, a foolish stubbornness and being diluted just enough to believe it’s possible. It’s a compliment an, insult and the fuel that’s propelled me for the past 6 months.

My hope is that if I put enough care into specific areas of the car: the dash, the horn grills, the mirrors, engine bay, etc… that it will translate into a precise vision that reflects what I want out of the car and give enough character to overcome what it isn’t.

My favorite builds here are those where someone eschews what’s expected, accepted or easy and makes a car that reflects them, a car that embodies their crazy, whether that’s going berserk with MFI, a rat rod, or simply choosing to not accept what is and look for what’s possible.

But yeah, messing up the lights/horn grills or seals is like getting a $3000 suit only to put on a dime store tie.

[Showdown]

Well, sometimes in life you think you're in charge and making all the decisions only to find out that you're just along for the ride.

I went ahead and started to try and tuck the seal under per Jonny's approach only to find that 45 year old neglected rubber doesn't tuck, it crumbles.

So, looks like I'm pulling the glass.

I suppose this will color whether or not I tackle the interior next winter. Easy in and out and I'll be ready to do it again. If it's anything like I've seen or fear, maybe the interior is juuuust fine for a few years.

Here's to being the masters of our own destiny... ha!

[chrisbalich]

LOL.
Your indomitable spirit is one of my favorite things about this thread.

[Showdown]

ALL THE CURSE WORDS.

[chrisbalich]

https://koolkatzautoglass.com/search?q=911