skinny-fat-skinny

[otto_kretschmer]

..or how I gave up on fender flares

so..

I sold my 86 944 commuter a month ago. I need to downsize and it was the first candidate. I still have my 76 911 and I think I'm going to hold onto this car for a while. When I bought it a decade ago it was really worn out and thrashed. It had a non factory Earl Shriv gold over the original gold. The oil pressure is about 6 psi for every 1000 rpm hot, and that tells me the engine is worn. It fills the garage with smoke after starting cold. The dash is cracked, the windshield is pitted, the head liner is stained. The tranny goes from 1st to 2nd with a sorta crunch. The rest of the gears are ok. All the suspension bushings were shot along and the shocks are gone, along with being mismatched (red in front, green in the back). The seats need reapolstering. The driver door was over extended and that tweaked the sheet metal and ripped the door restraint out. The sunroof wasn't working either

so what the F, this is what project cars are all about

the 944 came with Chinese fuchs so I put the stock phone dials on the 944 and kept the fuchs for the 911. I bought fiberglass fender flares from a place in San Diego and cut the fenders out. Then I decided I wanted carbon fiber fenders so I used the glass fenders for masters. The scope of my project is slowly growing and it seemed like I would never finish.

After a couple years of on and off making molds and parts, I gave up. I wasn't happy with the way the parts were looking and it was hard to make the left and right sides match evenly. The fiberglass fenders were too wide for the fuchs I had so I did some trimming and some more mold making. And some of the molds I had to make a couple times when I ran into problems with the mold release.

I didn't throw out the cut steel fenders so I got them out of my pile of parts and took a wire wheel to the rusting edges and went to the weld supply for a refil of argon/co2.

[otto_kretschmer]

I'm kinda bummed but relieved at the same time. The composite direction just wasn't working and it was looking like I would never finish this and if I ever did it would look like crap.

The car was really on the edge of being parted out when I bought it. I almost lost the engine when one of the 1/2" pins locating the right chain tensioner worked itself loose from the casting and almost fell out. I had to get a new casting from a salvage yard and buy the tools to do the cam timing.

Purist will be aghast at what I'm doing but the way I look at it, a car is just a collection of steel, aluminum and plastic. It doesn't have feelings and it doesn't care if you use Redline synthetic or Autozone oil.

I was watching a pre purchase inspection vid on youtube and had a good laugh

1971 Porsche 911 pre-purchase inspection - DIY German Aircooled Garage #7 - YouTube

my 911 is going to be in much better shape whenever I sell it as to when I bought it, regardless of the cut and welded fenders and whatever color I decide to paint it. It won't be a factory color. I'm following Magnus Walkers philosophy and do whatever I want.

[otto_kretschmer]

so I do know how to make composite parts. It's labor intensive and if you want a cosmetically good looking part, it can be frustrating. If you plan on painting the parts, your job will be much easier.

I'm still up in the air about the color. I'm leaning toward a lime or apple green but I also like the blue of the laguna seca BMW M3s and orange.

I've thought about even flat black applied with a foam roller brush and even a camo pattern like the Luftwaffe used on some of their bombers in WW2 (a olive/dark green)

[74-911]

Originally Posted by otto_kretschmer

......I've thought about even flat black applied with a foam roller brush and even a camo pattern like the Luftwaffe used on some of their bombers in WW2 (a olive/dark green)

What color were U-Boats ???

[wayner]

If you are thinking foam roller brush paint job, at least consider plastidip

Its perfect as a low cost paint job that is easily reversible
https://www.dipyourcar.com/Videos-and-Guides.html

[will hung]

Are those the factory flares?

They look like SC flares, and the only 911's offered with those flares in 1976 were Carrera 3.0's and MFI 2.7 Carreras. You might have more there than you realize. Can we get more pics or details?

[Justin@Athens]

I think you should go this direction in matte olive drab green. Prototype of the new 911 Alaska

[Lapkritis]

Roller paint job would not be advisable. The paint is not durable. Sure, it'll shine for a year but the first drop of gasoline on the paint will leave a hole. Not to mention shrinking, cracking and flaking at year 3.

At the very least go to Harbor Freight and pick up a compressor and hvlp paint gun. Order single stage paint kit from Eastwood's and you will be 10x's happier than plastidip or rustoleum fad. 90% of a good looking job is prep... No use wasting all that work (can be hundreds of hours) just to have a bad paint material on top.

Trust me- I've done the roller thing on another project and was happy at first. Now I regret it and have to strip fully all over again.

[otto_kretschmer]

I was thinking of using a foam roller with a flat black enamel. It would look better than the peeling clear coat over the gold.

[Lapkritis]

Duplicate post.

[Lapkritis]

Under $300 for topcoat... Economical single stage. 2 gallons and many color choices including metallics.
http://search.eastwood.com/search?w=single+stage+paint+kit

$17 for an hvlp paint gun
http://m.harborfreight.com/20-oz-high-volume-low-pressure-gravity-feed-spray-gun-47016.html

$179 air compressor
http://m.harborfreight.com/21-gal-25-hp-125-psi-cast-iron-vertical-air-compressor-61693.html

Add $30 for an air hose.

The roller job has other costs such as spray cans to do the jams and tight areas where the roller won't reach. With rollers, trays, paint you're going to be somewhere between $125 and $175. Incremental bump to acrylic is worth it all day. Acrylic and you're done in one day. The roller you have to let it set up between coats and could take days.

HVLP painting yourself isn't terribly difficult and pros will likely disagree. It does take attention to detail, the ability to follow directions and patience. There is a learning curve as with anything but some people pick the technique up very quickly. The first car I ever painted was using a single stage kit and it came out far better than I expected. Clean everything several times including work space and project to be painted. Pick something else out first to practice on- a lawn mower/mower deck, kids bike, wheel barrow, metal gas can etc... The tuition is cheap and when you're comfortable with the process and results then prepare to paint the car.

Simple rules: if you want paint to stick then the surface must be scuffed entirely. Some diy people fail to get into the crevices which eventually bubble, crack and flake. I use red 3m scuff pads by hand to get into tight areas and curved surfaces, 400 grit block for large areas, and wash everything with thinner/acetone and a lint free cloth. If multicolor panels before paint then prime to match before topcoat otherwise you may notice the difference under certain light conditions if your paint is thin.

You can do it. C'mon.

[timmy2]

$80 acrylic enamel paint kits here. I've used them.
Acrylic Enamel Auto Paint Kits : Automotive Paint, Auto Paint, Car Paint
They have primer and base coat clear coat kits as well.

[otto_kretschmer]

I've never used a HVLP gun. I have a normal gun and a touch up gun now. If the HVLP gun uses less paint and doesn't make as much overspray I'll check it out.

thanks for the links, may use one of those enamel kits

[allaircooled]

Originally Posted by will hung

Are those the factory flares?

They look like SC flares, and the only 911's offered with those flares in 1976 were Carrera 3.0's and MFI 2.7 Carreras. You might have more there than you realize. Can we get more pics or details?

I'm curious about the flares too.

[otto_kretschmer]

I got the flares from Better Bodies in San Diego.

BETTER BODIES

the parts are OK

they're made with a chop gun so they are not very stiff. Its the same way Jacuzzis are made. I went through the trouble of using them as masters to make my own molds so I could make carbon fiber fenders.

I could make my fenders out of Kevlar if I wanted but its a huge project.

I modified the better bodies parts to make them more narrow but I was never going to be happy with the way they looked so I threw in the towel and am going back to my cookie cutters

[A&F]

Originally Posted by otto_kretschmer

I got the flares from Better Bodies in San Diego.

BETTER BODIES

the parts are OK

No, they are talking about your stock steel flares.

[jakz]

looking forward to the paint job!

[otto_kretschmer]

Originally Posted by A&F

No, they are talking about your stock steel flares.

hmm...

well, I dunno then

I've always thought it was a 76 911S with a 2.7

it's been in an accident but it has a clean title, no salvage on it

but I don't know the car's history before I bought it. I never met the owner. I bought it through a mutual friend.

maybe it was a mismatch Frankenstein before I got it

[timmy2]

Easy enough to check the vin and engine number to see if it is an original Carrera.
Post them up and someone will know.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[will hung]

If it's a '76 Carrera, I believe there were 113 of them made. That's why I ask. It might be much more valuable than you think.

Then again, it could be a 911S that somebody before you welded SC flares to. Dig up the VIN and engine number and share.