ST project - body in blue

[jpnovak]

I finally got around to starting the body work. As some of you may recall I butt-welded my rear flares a while ago. After grinding the welds I ended up with very little filler to smooth them over. This is just a first layer of primer. Since this is the first time doing any major bodywork its a learning process. the pirmer will also act as a guide coat for where the finders can't detect the imperfections and the eyes definately can't see them - at least not with the contrast between colors of metal and filler.


So far I have sprayed the two quarters and the roof. I am working my way around the car. Next up is the cowl and A pillars followed by the front fenders and hood.

Smooth is the word of the day.

I really hope to have the car out for paint by the end of July. There is still lots to be done to get there. Enjoy the pics for now.









The streaks that you see are the wet primer. I was trying to finish out the paint left in the gun. Don't want to waste.

[silverc4s]

Jamie,
Looks great! The flares are nicely integrated, and meld into your rear fg very nicely. Patience really pays off...wish I had some myself..;-)

[jpnovak]

Thanks, funny thing is that a pair of vice grips are holding the rear bumper on. I have not started to mount it yet.

You are right, I must have patience. My project is going on 1.5 years. I just work as time and money allow.

I am still torn on rounding the fender lips to match the front. I would use a hammer/dolly to planish the edges and get rid of that squared lip. They would then be custom, a la the original ST's. Any opinions?

[kellzey]

Nice work!

[Tim Walsh]

Loookin' good Jamie It won't be too long before you'll be making your NC run's in the ST

[Randy Webb]

I don't understand -- is this just a look-alike that is actually much heavier?

Or do you have a source for the lightwt. parts?

[jpnovak]

The car will be a lightweight. It currently sports no undercoating, fiberglass fenders, doors, bumpers, hood and decklid, as well as a completely stripped interior. In the near future it will get some lexan windows, R style window straps and various other light weight items.

Even with a full cage I should be well below 2000 lbs. completely soaking wet.

Yes it will be a replica- look-a-like. I just love the ST's flared yet symetrical lines sans tail. Its the perfect early car symmetry.


What else is there to understand? I am just updating people that know of my project of the progress towards completion.

[Cornpanzer]

Looks very good! My father taught me a trick a long time ago to help you find waves in your bodywork. Take a thin piece of cloth and wet it (such as a T-shirt) then put it between your open palm and the wet body of the car and it will magnify any low spots. Its amazing what you can feel with a little water on the body

[jpnovak]

Cornpanzer, I have been using the cloth technique, although dry. I have been trying to keep the surface dry so not to prevent another coat from sticking. The cloth under your fingers really allows you to truly feel the surface. Closing your eyes helps too. This way the eyes don't tell the fingers that the surface is flat.

[Chuck Moreland]

I think rounding out the fenders would improve the look considerably. However, not without risk. You've done a good job blending them in. I'd hate to see that messed up rounding them out. How well can you swing a hammer and doly?

Might have be easier to round them before you installed them.

[jpnovak]

Chuck, Thanks for the compliments. I really didn't have to do much blending thanks to careful cuts and welds.

I practiced rounding the lips on the stock fenders before I cut them. It is definately doable but there is a risk. I also practiced on one of the cut off sections.

Working off the car was a problem since it is hard to support them off the car. I also experienced that the radius of the wheel opening wanted to change resulting in a twisted flare. I am not the best at shrinking metal so I did not want to attempt the changes off the car.

I have been looking for an excuse to buy a pneumatic planishing hammer. I have my eye on one that is hand held. It's almost custom made for stretching fenders. 16" capacity would also be large enough to use as a benchtop. The plot thickens. No wonder my project is taking so long. I guess the results will be worth it.

btw, how is the paint coming along?

[Randy Webb]

"What else is there to understand?"

The ST had thin steel roof and side panels and seat Pan Back and Sides, Al door skins, the heater ducts were absent, and minimal paint among other things. Some things were NOT light (e.g. deck lid).

I was wondering how far you were going to go, and where you were getting the thin steel.

The rally version of the 1971 ST weighed 960 kg with 180 hp 2.2L engine instead of the 840 kg of the racing version which had a bored out 2.247L, 240 hp engine (M. Cotton, p. 83). Customers ordered a 911S with option code M490, which deleted bumper guards, internal sound deadening, carpets, headliner and the glove box door. M490 also fitted lighter weight coduroy covered sport seats, simple carboard door panels, and Al bumpers. The Racing Dept. also produced 100 sets of special light weight components for the ST. Leffingwell, p. 60.

Some Useful Sources:
Starkey, John. Porsche 911 R-RS-RSR. – comprehensive source (Larousse Tour d’France car was a further modified version of a Steinemann 1970 Group 4 car, p. 14-16) – same book??: Starkey, John. 1987. THE RACING PORSCHES, R TO RSR.
Gruber, Thomas and Georg Konradsheim. 1992. CARRERA RS. Hdbd., limited ed. in slipcase, 255 pgs., 122 black & white illustrations. -- not avail. in US libraries – OCLC
Adler, Dennis. 1998. PORSCHE 911 ROAD CARS. MBI Publishers.
Leffingwell, Randy. PORSCHE 911 BUYER’S GUIDE. MBI Publishers.
Excellence (# 22, 33, 47, 68, 69 and others) articles covering the R, RS, RSR and ST
Excellence # 101 - article on Jim Calzia's lightweight race car with weights of various components and modifications – http://www.early911sregistry.org/jCalzia.html
UpFixin' VII, p. 356 - SC/RS and some history of the "R" cars
Panorama, June 2001, p. 2 - pristine 911 RSR
Panorama, August 1985, p. 9. P. Kelly – article on SC/RS

[dtw]

.

[dtw]

The seats, wheels, engine, fender flares, decklid hinges, and numerous other details are incorrect too. Jamie's not been representing this car as an exact duplicate. It is going to be a fun and fast-as-nuts track car though.

While you're at it you may as well jump on me for all the inconsistencies in my "RSR"

[Shuie]

jpnovak:

Are going to do to gas filler in the center of the hood, or on the fender?

Im very curious as to how to do a gas filler mod in the center of the hood.

Awesome progress on the car BTW, its an inspiration to anyone with a rusty car.

[jpnovak]

I am fully aware of most of the changes made to make a true ST. Randy is correct. There is no lightweight sheet metal on the roof or other section. I also will not be doing the smaller torsion bar access holes and other details. but hey, I bet very few of the RS replicas have tunnel reinforments either. There is always a limit. either way its fine with me.

Shuie - I should have the correct 100mm filler cap and neck next week. One I figure out how to modify the gas tank, I will be able to decide yes or no on the hood fill. At this point the connections to the tank are easy. Its the catch basin and seals that I am still pondering. These will almost be a necessity since I don't own a garage and the car will be stored outside under cover.

[steveW]

Looks good, but what flares are you using for the front? I assume the rears were the usual RS stuff.

Cheers

[Randy Webb]

First, I am not trying to dis anyone for the particular direction they are taking their project car. Mine has some light wt. stuff from the Carrera's (F&R suspension) but also has some heavier "comfort" items (stereo, undercoating, steel R bumper & opening F vent windows). I just think it's interesting to see what different cars are evolving to. And, to see how much wt. is saved from various changes.

So, does the center fill save much? The wt. of the steel tube to the fender I guess - but has anyone weighed that piece?

And, kudos to dtw for the lightest post on this board -- just a dot.
(That's a joke, ok?)

[RPMClassic]

Deciding how far to take a project like this ST is very difficult. We all have our dream car, and given the right amount of time and resources - its amazing what people are doing with these 911's after all these years. In my personal ST project, I elected to have the mods done that were of personal interest - even if they were not true ST. Example of this is using Boxster brakes or 911 R fiberglass doors. In the spirit of the ST cars, I did take the time to remove all the undercoating( both inside and out), utilized a center fill gas tank and the correct 2.5 liter motor. Many of the tricks of the day like gear ratios and other invisible stuff are tough to justify. I elected for alot of these options, despite the ridiculous cost of some of them. The invisible stuff drives the project cost through the roof!

Its incredible what these cars are capable of though, given the correct combination of parts that are currently available. The twin plug stuff is probably the 1st question people ask about when looking at someones ST project. Expensive yes, but regrets no. As for thinner metal, the cars rust fast enough with the thicker metal. There has been some talk about people dipping cars and leaving them in the solution a liitle longer then normal to achieve a "thinner metal". Sounds extreme, but very cool.

Good luck with the project.

[Randy Webb]

Yes, that's called "acid dipping." Sotck car racers used to do it -- I think either Smokey Yunick or Carrol Shelby did this a lot -- plus shaving the wind rails and lots of other tricks.

mea culpa - I am a twin-plugger.