Full resto question(s) - detail/notes/labeling during disassembly if replacing it

[mbass]

The project car is a 1975 911 S Targa. It sat for 30+ years with the last 5-10 being outside partially covered.
Nearly every wire in the engine compartment has been chewed to the connector or beyond. Same with fuel and vacuum lines. I’ve dropped the engine and transmission. They will be completely rebuilt. All interior to be replaced. Brakes, suspension, AC, etc.
Floorpan is maybe 40-50% gone (no surprise) and there are other small areas of rust, but minor in the big picture. All in all it’s a good starting point.
Question- If doing the typical upgrades, specifically - wiring and fuse panels - do I need to be meticulously labeling wires when removing gauges, radio etc if I plan on replacing every wire/harness/connector? Will the new harnesses be “plug and play”?
Thanks in advance. Many more Q’s to come.

[E Sully]

It can be a bit of a challenge, but most of the information on hooking up wiring and gauges can be found by searching the forum, or posting a thread.
It is highly recommended to take as many photos as possible as you take things apart. It usually takes much longer than anticipated to put things back together, and while you may think you will remember where things go on assembly, many questions will come up as time passes.

[gamin]

Yes to the photos. Lots of them. Put EVERYTHING in ziploc bags with note as to location. Even screws and washers. You can't be too organized. Sully is right about memory fade. Keep book on what you send off for service. That memory thing again.
Posting your location is very helpful. There are probably lots of people close to you that can be very helpful. We have a good group where I live. Join PCA. Lots of contacts there.
Good Luck.

[mbass]

Originally Posted by gamin

Yes to the photos. Lots of them. Put EVERYTHING in ziploc bags with note as to location. Even screws and washers. You can't be too organized. Sully is right about memory fade. Keep book on what you send off for service. That memory thing again.
Posting your location is very helpful. There are probably lots of people close to you that can be very helpful. We have a good group where I live. Join PCA. Lots of contacts there.
Good Luck.

Thanks - I’m already well down the disassembly road. 100’s of pics and ziplocks.
My question was primarily about labeling wiring that’ll be replaced. Unnecessary step? ALL the wiring will be replaced.
I’m glad to be here and appreciate the help.
Btw - I’m in OKC.

[Uwon]

I store all bits and pieces in bags that correspond to the PET schematic diagrams and then store both in boxes that correspond with our host’s front page index for my particular model/year. I note new parts ordered (with date), parts sent for replating, etc. on the PET. Having said that, I’m not foolproof, LOL, and I got several hundred dollars in duplicates already most of it blamed on bad memory and/or lousy storage….”Got to remember to mark it as ordered….Yada..Yada….”
Have fun.
Johan

[timmy2]

For wiring and labels on the old harnesses, it really depends on where you source the harnesses.
Take lots of photos of the connected harnesses the routes they take and especially the gauge connections.

Some harnesses you can buy have no labels and can include a coded reference sheet to use for installation.

I label each wire with its purpose/destination. (They can be easily removed once installed)

See the pictures below of a new dash harness for a 911. Also a close up of a headlight wiring harness to the fuse panel. Fuse wiring is coded as in F3-B is fuse 3 bottom fuse panel in this example for a 70-73.
(I now add left or right with an R or L viewing from inside the trunk.)

[doswald]

Mbass, I recently went through this with my ‘71. Yes, your photos, labels and diagrams of electrical connections and locations will be invaluable during the reassembly. As Dennis (Timmy2) mentioned, gauges, switches, fuse panels and engine connections will all be difficult, but not impossible, to reconnect without good notes and photos, regardless of where the new harness or wiring comes from. As a side note, Dennis is an excellent resource and was an immense help to me.

dho

[75 911s]

"I'll remember where this goes..."

5 years later...

"what the heck is this part and where does it go?"

BTW highly recommend all new engine and main harness via Timmy2 (Dennis) above. He does excellent work and well worth the price.

[mbass]

This is exactly the help I was looking for. Thanks to everyone.
I’ll be majoring on the major (engine, trans, body, brakes, suspension, electrical) and minoring on the minor (targa top restoration (targa Dan?), seats/interior, trim, dash, etc).
Many Qs I’m certain.

[Targa68]

Timmy 2, can you please contact me.

[junkman300SD]

And I'll never completely disassemble a car. Too many good cars have become parts cars because the owner excitedly took them a part and never finished the project.

There was an English professor when I was in college in the mid 80s who daily drove an MGA. His son inherited the car and decided to do a full restoration. The car moved in boxes to the next house and across the state several times.

I saw the son a year ago and the car has been upgraded to a 5 speed from the old 4 sp and is ALMOST ready for paint. That's 40 years of driving he missed out on.

Another professor bought a 65 Mustang to restore. He did finish in 2 or 3 years. He said he got up every day and went to work on it like he was going to a job.

I would do a section at a time keeping the car as close to driving as possible - even on a car that's sat outside. Do the engine and engine compartment and put it back together. Do the passenger compartment, floors etc and put it back together.

Make a plan before starting. Have good fortune.

[Dr J]

^^^ words of wisdom right there.