The New Ride (long)

arcsine · 06-19-2005, 09:09 PM

Well, my first 911 was a a hoot to me. I rebuilt/replaced lots of stuff, made a very cool car and then up and sold it in a bit of a rational but ill-timed fit. In retrospect a dumb thing to have done but such is life.

I tried a 944 but that just was not IT for me. A nice thing to drive but just did not have the same play-with-it tweakability or the rawness of the 911, so it went away pretty quickly.

So I had been P-carless for a while; stewing on what I had and if I had to do it over again, what I would do? Then the stars aligned and the opportunity came again to do another 911. Lots of looking and budgeting and fantasizing and I found something that would work: a 1980 SC with no history, unbelievably high miles but a good PPI and a low ball price so I made the deal.

I had John Walker rebuild the tranny/clutch and had a few oil leaks fixed, fitted some SSI's, a Dansk and backdated the heat before I picked the car up. Made a deal to get some custom 8 and 9.5 x 16 wheels, tires, Carrera sway bars which I also picked up with the car. I guess it was foreshadowing that on the drive back home (80 miles) with my new car and lots of new toys for it I was struck with food poisoning and ended up puking and explosively evacuating my bowels every 20 miles. Spent the next day in bed. A horrible as my physical situation was, turns out the car was quite the pile as well. Suspension shot and it handled like a rusty wheelbarrow and the seats were blown. Even the tranny felt bad as a PO put in a short shift kit and then cut down the lever so shifting into third I had to lean WAY forward to do so. Zero feel and very stiff. At least the windows worked.

Fast forward about a month and I have refinished the wheels, installed new shocks, ball joints, polybronze bushings, turbo tie rods, the Carrera sway bars, sport motor and tranny mounts, a battery, repacked the steering rack, added Yonaka seats, a Momo wheel, Sucro headlight relays and a stock shifter. I ripped out the AC completely, the center console and the windshield washer reservoir. The washer reservoir was replaced with a 1 liter aluminum bottle that I mounted in the smugglers box. I got the car off jackstands yesterday and went for the first drive. Nothing fell off, no left over parts and most of the driving issues have been fixed.

I still have long list of To-Do's (brake disks, rebuild calipers, RS America door panels, carpet kit, speakers, glove box lock, ducktail and hopefully paint), the tach fluctuates a lot (MSD in my future?) and the idle hunts up/down but for now it is driveable again. Going to find someone in town to get it aligned (not as easy as it sounds) and be down at John Walkers Swapmeet with some 6&7" wheels and a short shift kit cheap.

I would not of said this a week ago but today I am happy to have a 911 again. My daughter likes the car too.

makaio · 06-19-2005, 09:15 PM

Glad to see you're back in a 911 Gary C. If you need a SCWDP sticker, let me know.

arcsine · 06-19-2005, 09:21 PM

Matt,
Actually, I do need two. Still have my address or shall I PM you?

Steve87-911 · Steve87-911's Garage

quote: ..." ended up puking and explosively evacuating my bowels every 20 miles..."

Wow, that's a lot of information.

But as far as your car goes, it looks great. I always liked black 911s. You sound like the right kind of guy to get it all sorted out. Congrats!

alf · 06-19-2005, 09:47 PM

Welcome back Gary! Hope Bremerton is treating you well.

I have a duck tail in my garage looking for a new owner

$180 if you come pick it up or i could meet you half way in Tulalip. I am sure my wife would not mind stopping by the new mall there.

Does your sig say Aikido?

More Garage Purgin...DUCK TAIL!

alf

arcsine · 06-20-2005, 06:09 AM

Alf,
Sounds like a deal I cannot pass up. And it is even the right color. Lets talk and work out the details.

Yup, it does say aikido. That is the logo for my dojo. Good eyes.

And not that Bremerton is not a nice place but it is Bellingham.

makaio · 06-20-2005, 06:42 AM

Gary, PM me your address. I had to switch computers few months ago, and lost your contact info. And I like the finish on your Fuchs.

arcsine · 06-20-2005, 07:47 AM

Thanks Matt. I went for the "cheap" RS" finish. I blasted the wheels, then painted the spokes and clear coated everything. I was going to powder coat the black and clear but the high temp tape was a bear to mask with so I gave up. It was a big enough pain masking with normal masking tape.