thoughts on new project car

[Shuie]

Even though the car has not even been picked up yet, the wheels are already turning in my head.

Here's what I'll be starting with:



This was a running car before the engine and tranny were pulled, so everything else is there. I have a spare 915, and I may just transplant to 2.4 from my Sepia car into this one to get it running. The car has a little rust in the door jams and front pan.

After the rust is addressed, I’m going to get started on the fun stuff.

Here’s what I’ve been seeing in my head so far:

-hotrod all the way
-no color change, I can’t wait to see this color in person
-no flares
-7" minilites on all four corners
-center gas filler
-lose the rocker trim & bumper trim
-BF Torino seats, of course

Any chance someone can use photoshop to level the car, delete the trim, give me a visual of the minilites?



Anybody want to throw some ideas out there or make suggestions?

TIA

[Grady Clay]

Sherman,

There are three rules for a fun 911:

#1 - Light weight
#2 - Light weight
#3 - Light weight.

Are those Porsche wheels on the 911 or something else?
Could they be OE 6x15 steels?

Let’s make a more detailed list of what is contemplated for
those others considering such a project.

As always, the first job is to define what you want to do.
Street car
Café racer
Race car.

So where on the diagram do you want to be ?





Best,
Grady

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Sherman, you dog, I almost bought that car seeing it posted very early, but then I remembered I just sold my RS flared 69 tub, I hit myself about the face and neck a few times and all was right with the world.

I can certainly appreciate what you want to do with the car. My E is slowly becoming what I call a European Gentleman's Weekend Racer, the yellow lensed H4's coming in this week, the way cool Abarth steering wheel and Scheel seats are going to great. An S bumper and wheels, the back pair widened to 7" will be "all that." Grady, is this what you mean by a Café Racer?

Anyway, here's my 2 cents:
ST body with 8" front flairs, not the 9" I've seen that make the car look TOO bulbous. Of course 8" out back. Push the wheels out to just under the lips, car lowered, 8x16 RSR frosted Fuchs all the way around. Finish it with a heron gray.

Interior should be 356 red, white headliner, black dash and body color dash facia, early green gauges.

motor would be a short stroke 2.5.

That would be my dream car, just a thought.

Congratulations on the car!

[Beethoven]

That drawing, Grady, if in a few hundred years archeologists find it in a mountain cave in Colorado, will make it straight to a museum as one of the great puzzles of the 21st century. Brilliant!!!

[makaio]

I vote for Cafe Racer! Something like Bob Tilton's but orange. Man that would be cool!

[Jim Garfield]

Originally posted by Shuie
Even though the car has not even been picked up yet, the wheels are already turning in my head.
Here’s what I’ve been seeing in my head so far:

-BF Torino seats, of course

Uh oh....

[Jack Olsen]

In my hands, I'd keep it narrow, keep it light, and not do the minilights. They look good on flared cars, but (to me) nothing looks cooler on the early skinny cars than the steel wheels with the hubcaps. For extra credit, get Harvey Weidman or someone to widen them to 7's in back, but preserve the stock look.

You could even chrome them, and it would look cool. (Did I just say that?)

Imagine something like these wheels, but filling out the flares just a little bit more:



Or even sticking with a widened version of what you've got:

[Grady Clay]

OK, let me define each:

A “Street Car” is just that, legal to drive on the street. There are some with all sorts of cool mods that put it towards the Café Racer side of that circle and there are all sorts on mods that move it toward the Race Car side of that circle. The common thread is it is still street legal and still reasonable to drive on the public streets and highways. For any 911, the axis of that circle is the stock Factory production 911s. For any given year, that could be a 911, 911T, 911E, 911S, Carrera, and on to the 997S and GT3.

A “Race Car” is one prepared for track-only use. It might be a SCCA, IMSA, PCA, POC, FIA, and many other track class cars. The criteria is that it compromises everything to be suitable for the race track and winning races. Is it possible to drive one on the street? Yes, I have done it with RS-60, 904, 906, and many more, but it is illegal in many jurisdictions. For the axis of this circle is the Factory race 911s - 997RSR, and Cup Cars. Too bad we don’t have any current race cars.

A “Café Racer” is a little more difficult to define. Many who live in LA or Paris understand. At the extreme it is a show only car but it can also be a street legal “trick” 911 that shows off the best of Porsche. It can also be a 911 that shows the “culture”. There was a white 911 Cab flamed here last year that is an example – most here didn’t feel it was appropriate for them. I would be hard pressed to define the axis if this circle. This is a circle where “personal taste” or lack thereof, can take shape.

My perception of Pelicans is that many strive for the center ground. A 911 that is still a street car, is very satisfactory on track, and looks really cool. The fact that a single car can accomplish that is the beauty of a 911.

Others may have differing ideas – let’s hear them.

Best,
Grady

EDIT to correct spelling

[Jim Garfield]

Or do an early rally car, no flares, light as possible, Halda timers, skinny tires.
That would be a fun car!

[turbo6bar]

Light is right!

[JSDSKI]

Do the cafe racer look for an early R, ST-TR car. Pure race cars or the pure race look just doesn't look right on the street, IMO. Jack's car and the silver RSR clone back east that was on ebay are the only ones I've seen that would fit into traffic. Even the Enzo and GTR-3 look kinda weird burbling along at 40 mph....

If you do put flares on - try the minilites just on the back like some of the rally and ST's. Also like having different width wheels front to back -6" to 7", or 7" to 8/9".

Every once and awhile I'll see a strictly stock car that is really nicely detailed and it will stop me dead in my tracks... it all comes down to details and execution. Sounds like a fun project - we need pix

[Jim Richards]

I think the middle is what I'm shooting for. My 73E is used for both street and DE.



I'm staying narrow-bodied, rocker trim and 73 bumperettes deleted, 74-75 exterior mirrors on both sides, 6x15 Fuchs in front, 7x15 Fuchs in back, lowered, 22/28mm t-bars (coming soon), S-calipers (also coming soon), brake cooling kit, Carrera oil cooler, vintage-looking track seats, smaller dia. 914/6 steering wheel, harnesses (going in soon), rollbar, somewhat lightened, but will try to do more, 2.7RS/MFI engine build in progress, and I have a spare OEM muffler to modify into a sport muffler. It came from the factory (as did all 73E's) with an S spoiler and I have a ducktail sitting in the basement waiting on me to finish prepping it for painting. I'm on the fence about putting a duck on, but we'll see.

Sherman, I like your idea to go center fill from an aestetic point of view, but I wonder how practical it is on a street car. I wouldn't like reaching over so far to get the nozzle in the filler neck, with the potential for spillage. Minilites will look good. And you should delete your front bumperettes. Maybe add a set of Cibie Oscars to the hood, like on Jamie Novack's ST replica. What are your long-term engine plans?

[mikes72t]

Sherman:

Congratulations, I just wanted to say I bought the engine from Doug last year and he was a real stand up guy. Good to deal with.

Thanks

Mike

[Shuie]

This is good stuff. Keep the suggestions coming.

Grady, the car will be capable hotrod that may or may not ever see the track. I'll say 90% street with a cafe racer influence. Lite and loud are mandatory.

Mark and Jack, thanks for the wheel shots. The steelies are pretty cool. I had all but given up on the idea of running 17" wheels on a narrow body. I need to see if someone can make them with the correct lug pattern.

Jim, I doubt a center filler will be practical at all. However, it’s going to happen on a car of mine in the future. I’m sure I'll scratch the hood up with the nozzle and dribble gas down the front of the car, but oh well . IMHO, this is one of the coolest mods that can be done to these cars

I’m never making long term engine plans again. The more I think about engines, the more I can’t make up my mind on what I want. I'll take the best engine opportunity that comes around.

[K. Roman]

[real550A]

Thanks Sherman, for starting this one up.
All this talk is getting me fired up to take on my next project.

I pulled this one out of a shed and trailered it home today!

[deoxford]

Sherman, I like your idea to go center fill ,I think It will really set it apart/Making it look like it really ready. I am looking for a car make a race replica.Complete with some stickers and all. Hell I might put some on mine.I can't wait to see what you do with it. oh ya get rid of all the trim I love that look.

[bob tilton]

always happy to hear about a non-flared ducktailess hot rod in the works. it took me four years to figure out what i wanted to do - actually four years to save up to do what i wanted to do while dealing with the mechanical repairs. in that time i gathered my ideas mainly from the 3 following cars which were the 3 biggest influences, in order:

[jpnovak]

OH boy the fun begins. Here is my suggested end point. std. bumper, no flares, bright trim, minilites, You get the idea. In tangerine of course.

photo lifted from archives. TRE built.