Project Mickey Mouse - Build thread of 79 SC I bought on eBay

[Superman]

Yes. IF I had a 911 to paint today, it would probably be a non-metallic grey. Like the Steve McQueen thing. Dove Grey. Or maybe that bluish battleship grey. Fortunately for us, Porsche has created some very excellent colors from which to choose and it's really hard to make our cars look bad.

[Focker]

Ok I lied.

Realized I needed to get the dash back in before the glass went in. That meant I needed to get get this thing as good as I could.

I had decided to recover the dash in leather since I wasn't overly happy with having a vinyl dash. Problem was that when I started this a few weeks ago, the contact cement was balling up and generally trying to ruin my life.

After a bunch of acetone and other questionable activities, it was as good as I could get, and if it really bothered me, I could have a professional do it a few years from now.

So, here are a few more pictures, including the dash trim that I did that I think really compliments the door panels and painted dash. You can also spot the JWest Rennshifter with wooden shift knob.

[Hulley]

That interior is gonna look beautiful, really looking forward to hearing this thing get fired up and I'm sure you are too!

[AutoXer23]

That's looking like a good build

[Focker]

Glass guy came today. That brought good news and bad news.

I thought I did everything right. New aluminum trim and seals direct from my Porsche dealer.

George the glass guy has been doing glass for over 40 years and does a TON of Porsches. First thing he says when he inspects the rear seal is that it doesn't feel like a porsche seal. He's immediately concerned because it feels spongy. The front seal felt much different.

As expected by this exchange, the front glass goes in with little problems.

The rear glass does not want to cooperate. The glass is sealed, but the trim won't stay in in a few spots.

We decided to leave it for now, let it settle and possibly go with another seal. My main man Jonny suggested the OEM brand, but we will see in a few weeks.

To say I'm discouraged and disappointed is a major understatement.

[proporsche]

it is a pita the rear glass that is for sure but..you alu trim looks like it is bend on the corners..

Ivan

[skinnerd]

Definitely the back seals are much more difficult to install correctly.
So don't feel bad...you're not the only one that has had issues putting them in.

[Focker]

Originally Posted by proporsche

it is a pita the rear glass that is for sure but..you alu trim looks like it is bend on the corners..

Ivan

trim was brand new out of the bag, but anything is possible.

George the glass guy said the sponginess of the rear seal was keeping the aluminum trim from grabbing in the channel.

[75 911s]

rear glass is a total _____. I had mine in and out 4 times before I got it right.

[Jonny042]

Further to my PM, I really wish I could be more/better help with this. The variability and lack of quality of the factory parts is a pet peeve of mine.

I would not be surprised if you could get the rear glass and trim in by yourself. You don't really have much to lose by trying!!!

Comments below are in no particular order but may be relevant to the pictures:

I use a nice fat 14 gauge wire as the "rope" for installing glass, and glycerin for lube.

Because I never seem to have help when I need it I use ratchet straps and hard packing foam blocks to apply GENTLE pressure to the seal/trim/glass assembly.

The trim as delivered doesn't really fit the window aperture at all (see pic of upper left). It will help to gently shape it to the form it needs to be in for the final install. Try to get it to lay evenly all around the window.

If you look closely at the trim you'll see it has a barbed profile on one side only. This barb will distinctly click in and hold into the seal. I use brake-kleen as the lubricant for this step, so that once assembled into the seal the trim is less likely to pop back out.

The process goes like this:

1. Clean window and seal with brake kleen or iso alcohol, assemble seal to window.
2. Clip trim c/w clips into seal using the same chemicals. It must be 100% clipped into seal, no questions, no exceptions. IT WILL NOT clip into the seal after install. You can squeeze it into the seal with your hands which will be sore and tired and raw after the first few tries doing this.
3. Put lubed rope into seal groove and lube seal lip as well. There is an extra little lip on the seal in the area of the main lip that you are roping around the flange, this lip goes over the main seal as sort of an aide to the install.
4. I honestly don't remember if I start at the top or the bottom of the window but pretty sure it's the bottom. Once you get the hang of it it actually all goes pretty well.

The bad news is you will have to try more than once before you find a combination of techniques that works for you. You may also get the window installed properly but the trim doesn't sit flat against the seal, even though the trim is clipped into the seal. Take it out, tweak the trim, try again. Try not to get frustrated.

It's nerve wracking and frustrating, working around the fresh paint, newly glued headliner, etc.

Just keep at it until you are satisfied. In the end my trim didn't sit perfectly flat and flush with the seal, and the outer lip of the seal didn't make a nice smooth line around the two upper corners which are an absolute ***** to get. You know what? I said "good enough for now", even though that's not really in my vocabulary, forgot about it, and it hasn't bothered me, even once, in the last two years. You'd think it would drive me nuts but it doesn't really stand out.

Good luck and DON'T GIVE UP!!!!!

[Jonny042]

Originally Posted by 75 911s

rear glass is a total _____. I had mine in and out 4 times before I got it right.

I stopped counting after the first full day of trying to get it perfect..... eventually said "good enough" (as much as it hurts to even type that). But it was well into double digits.

Getting it in was easy, getting it to look half decent took an eternity.

[Focker]

thanks guys, really appreciate the encouragement.

I'm thinking I'm going to focus on getting the car into a running state, and then come back to it.

Another Porsche guy I know who uses this glass guy extensively said he had to let it sit for a bit then come back to it.

So, I'm going to rebuild my carbs, get the rest of the interior installed and then take another crack at the glass (or better yet get George to come back).

The hardest part about a project car is the setbacks.

The best part about a project car is overcoming those setbacks.

[Mikesavina]

I have to do this in a few weeks and now I’m a bit more worried than I was before. Not many Porsche glass installation experts around me.


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[chrisbalich]

I did all my windows myself. The rear window was the easiest of the four.
Granted, I had to do it 4 times to get it right the first time I put it in. But when I took it out for some interior work, I got it back in on the second attempt.

Definitely start at the bottom.

I use common clothesline and Palmolive dish soap (diluted a bit with water). Nothing else...for the rear. I'd rather not talk about the windscreen. It's in, but it wasn't fun.

[Focker]

Originally Posted by chrisbalich

I did all my windows myself. The rear window was the easiest of the four.
Granted, I had to do it 4 times to get it right the first time I put it in. But when I took it out for some interior work, I got it back in on the second attempt.

Definitely start at the bottom.

I use common clothesline and Palmolive dish soap (diluted a bit with water). Nothing else...for the rear. I'd rather not talk about the windscreen. It's in, but it wasn't fun.

I did my side glass no problem. They did the front glass in like 20 minutes. Looking at Jon's pictures I think the issue might actually be the trim moulding.

My carb kit just arrived, so plan is to get this thing started this weekend.

[Focker]

OK - a little bit of 3 steps forward, 1 stumble back.

WIRING - The bane of my existence.

I figured out my intermittent issue with headlights not working. I have the Adapt fuse panel with integrated headlight relays. Since I was still working through a bunch of the wiring, I hadn't fully mounted it yet. Turns out, the panel must be grounded for the relays to work. DUUURRRRR.

So, headlights, running lights and turn signals are all functional. YAY! Issue I'm having now is push forward on the turn signal stalk is low beam, and "normal" position is high beams.

I checked the wiring on the fuse panel and that checks out. I confirmed the wiring on the H4 bulb to all the pictures posted on this great website, that's all good.

I even checked the diagnostic lights on the fuse panel confirming that low beam is low, high beam is high, so I assume my issue is at the headlight wiring switch?


DRIVETRAIN

Next issue is that I bought 4 new Loebro CV boots, some fancy 12pt. CV bolts from Belmetric and nordlock washers, aka the Jonny042 special. I was extra diligent and made sure I ordered the 55mm bolts to compensate for the Nordlocks.

WELL SON OF A B*TCH, the Loebro makes this a NO GO. Loebro boots have a *****ty stamped flange, making all my Jonny042's too long.

Any thoughts on running the OEM thick flange with the boot removed then the Loebro boot over that? It would get me the perfect thickness to bolt ratio.

Thanks!!

Ryan

[chrisbalich]

Originally Posted by Focker

OK - a little bit of 3 steps forward, 1 stumble back.

WIRING - The bane of my existence.

I figured out my intermittent issue with headlights not working. I have the Adapt fuse panel with integrated headlight relays. Since I was still working through a bunch of the wiring, I hadn't fully mounted it yet. Turns out, the panel must be grounded for the relays to work. DUUURRRRR.

So, headlights, running lights and turn signals are all functional. YAY! Issue I'm having now is push forward on the turn signal stalk is low beam, and "normal" position is high beams.

I checked the wiring on the fuse panel and that checks out. I confirmed the wiring on the H4 bulb to all the pictures posted on this great website, that's all good.

I even checked the diagnostic lights on the fuse panel confirming that low beam is low, high beam is high, so I assume my issue is at the headlight wiring switch?


DRIVETRAIN

Next issue is that I bought 4 new Loebro CV boots, some fancy 12pt. CV bolts from Belmetric and nordlock washers, aka the Jonny042 special. I was extra diligent and made sure I ordered the 55mm bolts to compensate for the Nordlocks.

WELL SON OF A B*TCH, the Loebro makes this a NO GO. Loebro boots have a *****ty stamped flange, making all my Jonny042's too long.

Any thoughts on running the OEM thick flange with the boot removed then the Loebro boot over that? It would get me the perfect thickness to bolt ratio.

Thanks!!

Ryan

My dude, I'd sooner cut those bolts or let them push through the backs of the CVs than stack two boot flanges.

[Focker]

Originally Posted by chrisbalich

My dude, I'd sooner cut those bolts or let them push through the backs of the CVs than stack two boot flanges.

I was thinking that as an option. The OEM flange is the nice thick steel, but the boot is like a thin stamped cover that slips over the joint. I'll take a picture to illustrate, but you are probably right.

[chrisbalich]

Can always get some moon plates and use those over the thin flange.
Adds a bit of complication, but distributes the clamping force [over the flange] a little more evenly.

[Focker]

Just went to the garage. I concur, moonplates to be procured