Front pan in. Wait until you see what's next!

[Zeke]

Lessee here, where do I put this?

OK, I'll use some welding rod. I left the pick up points there until I could scribe it in.

Right below where I want it.

Double cut.

Cut out the rest and it's in. 20 hours to do this, maybe I'm slow.

I had to take a little peek at tomorrow's project. Yeah, that's the heat tube you see there.

Bondo DOES hold things together That big blob at the left in the pic above is BONDO. I found this and more up in there along the tube and around the jack receiver support. All that to the right of my glove is more bondo stuck to the heater tube.


(I had to put another : eek : in there because that's what it is!)

[jtratza]

Thanks for the pics Zeke. I think just lost my appitite (along with dinner) for rebuilding a very rusted early model. Good luck on yours and my admiration for your devotion to saving this 911.

[jpnovak]

And I thought my rockers were bad. Good luck fixing it. Looks like you are off to a great start! I am sure your S will be happy when its over.

Is that originally a CA car? Maybe a beach car.

[onewhippedpuppy]

To say I admire your ambition is an understatement. Very nice work, saving an early car is always an admirable cause.

[Jandrews]

Anyone know what a typical price is for having that front suspension pan welded in by a shop? Also, does this need to be done by a Porsche shop, or could a well regarded welding shop handle the geometry and nailing the pickup points as well as Milt did?

A little math says 20 hours x $70 = $1,400 + $250 in parts, and this turns into a $1,700 project!! But, then again, maybe Milt is slow. Thoughts?


JA

[vanwyk4257]

Zeke, your dedication to saving this car is definitely admirable, especially since it's an "S" Good luck with the project and keep posting pics!

[Zeke]

Originally posted by jpnovak
And I thought my rockers were bad. Good luck fixing it. Looks like you are off to a great start! I am sure your S will be happy when its over.

Is that originally a CA car? Maybe a beach car.

The car came from Lexinton, KY. It spent all of it's life there that I know of except the first 5000 miles which were put on in Europe. The car was delivered new in Madrid. It's a US car, AFIK.

Here's what it looked like Monday when I opened it up.



And yes, I must be slow, but who's pushing me? If I want to stop for a while and sit in the seat and make motor noises, then I'll do just that. I'm afraid the rocker is going to take more than 20 hours.

[Series900]

20 hrs start to finish on a good? rusty car. Early front pans, 1200, late pans due to airconditioning 1500, plus any further lateral gas tank support /wheelhouse/ batt or bumper support welding is more time n $.

Milt , the welding rods are your height? The length is pretty well determined by the a arms, critical dim. 19 3/4? anyway you must be certified crazy by your CA peers , that rust repair in CA? maybe on a 356! If you like that work, come to the NE...

[maccor]

Zeke, I have been admiring your posts for a while but this one inspired me to respond. I'm working on a 68 swb with similar rockers (or lack there of as the previous owner removed them) and I live near Lexington, Kentucky. But my question is this, are the heater tubes structually important or can they be removed for weight savings. It is going to be a drivers ed and occasional street car (without heat exchangers). Thanks for your posts (especially the saw-zaw ones). Tom

[Series900]

Non structural, factory deleted these in RSR's of the day. the rear tubes up the longitudal are very difficult to remove without major surgery. With the inner /outer rocker replacement, the muffler and the front tube are easy deletes.

[chuckw951]

Originally posted by Jandrews
Anyone know what a typical price is for having that front suspension pan welded in by a shop? Also, does this need to be done by a Porsche shop, or could a well regarded welding shop handle the geometry and nailing the pickup points as well as Milt did?

A little math says 20 hours x $70 = $1,400 + $250 in parts, and this turns into a $1,700 project!! But, then again, maybe Milt is slow. Thoughts?


JA

I was quoted 10-13 hours @ $70 hour + 250 parts. This person has installed a number of front 911 pans so I guess that's why the time estimate is lower...I dunno. I would rather have someone that's done this before do the work...if the pan doesn't go in just right...I've heard you'll never get the car aligned correctly. The other thing is that while you are in there you may be tempted to rebuild the front suspension...oh and then there's an alignment and corner balance. "slow" is OK when the labor is free

[Series900]

drive in- drive out painted and undercoated, start to finish, its a 2 day job. Bare tub i can see 10-13 hours, there is a bunch of parts that need to be removed and reinstalled, and due to the rust, prior repairs/damage, things do not always go smoothly. Bare tub repairs I do on the Celette bench, and I can raise the car up and down on the lift off the jigs, and i reinstall the rotisserie for easy grinding. Drivers demand more time in dis/reassembly for pan replacement.

[chuckw951]

Originally posted by Series900
Drivers demand more time in dis/reassembly for pan replacement.

Don't disagree...just reporting what I've been quoted...YMMV

In any case if I have this done I'd want it done right....a cheap job would cost me in the long run!

[ishmeal]

Originally posted by Zeke

This is about the point where the white flag comes up and I make a dash for it. Good luck and post some "after" pics. Got my car from SoCal, and all screws came out w/o much persuasion.

[Zeke]

Originally posted by Series900
............... anyway you must be certified crazy by your CA peers , that rust repair in CA? maybe on a 356!

That's next. Accoding to my signature anyway. I figure a 356 Roadster project will be my swan song. It'll either kill me, or by the time it's finished, I'll be nearly dead anyway. That is, if this car doesn't kill me.

However, you all would be surprised how bad things look when you first tear into them. Once you get the offending panel out, things start to look doable. Rust is a mysterious thing. The innner and outer rockers on one side are toast, yet the floor pan and pinch seem that the rockers attach to is solid. Good thing, or the white flag may come out.

This car will live to see the track.

[ruf-porsche]

Originally posted by Jandrews
Anyone know what a typical price is for having that front suspension pan welded in by a shop? Also, does this need to be done by a Porsche shop, or could a well regarded welding shop handle the geometry and nailing the pickup points as well as Milt did?

A little math says 20 hours x $70 = $1,400 + $250 in parts, and this turns into a $1,700 project!! But, then again, maybe Milt is slow. Thoughts?


JA

Had the front pan on my 74 replaced at a body shop back in 95 for $550.00. They drilled out the old spot welds and I supplied the new pan. It took them about three days to remove the suspension, drill out the old spot weld, spot weld the new pan in and replace all the suspension pieces.

[Jgordon]

What are those little things all over that last pic?

[juanbenae]

i admire your efforts. my tears would create more rust on a project like that if i was to undertake it.

[ZCAT3]

Are all those white circular things barnacles? That would bring new meaning to the barn find story -

[Zeke]

Originally posted by Jgordon
What are those little things all over that last pic?

Some little animal was living in there. Those are some kind of hut shells.