Thanks for all the input guys. I don't feel so stupid, I've been reading posts from Milt (Zeke) for a long time so I guess I'm in good company. I'll be sure to keep you up to date on any future screw ups.

I pulled the same bonehead move on a Nissan truck once but I drove it a few days like that. :0
The engine and bay were covered in a thin film of oil. Took a long time to wipe up that mess.

As far as your Jack O question, I don't know him but met him once on a fun run and he seems to be a nice guy with a real cookin' car.

Oh man! I woulda been soooooo pissed. You're a better man than me if you only cried. I probably would've grabbed a baseball bat and bashed my way into the property damage hall of fame.

Mike

Glad to see you are out and about in that car. The 911 is a different car than your Passat eh? ;)

You must take it for a drive up my way to show me. I cannot make the fun run but would like to see that car. Remember, I'm the one who steered you that find you've got! :D

Oh yes, the elusive Jack Olsen. Mostly a recluse, I've heard he rarely allows himself to be photographed. A typical concours weenie, his car is 100% stock and he spend a fortune making sure it was restored exactly as it came from the factory. the car is a typical garage queen. He's lucky to put more than a few miles a year on it, and even then it requires three coats of wax before and afterwards. ;)

(hiding under the computer to avoid the lightning bolts from the pelican Porsche gods)

Why yes, yes I have. I did the exact same thing you did shortly after getting the car. No freakin' way to get that spring back in, and even if you do, it won't work near as well as it did before you took it apart to fix it. Here's a tip, VW Beetles use the same (or very similar) seatbelt retracts. If there's a VW salvage near you, you might check in with them. Of course, mine could have been replaced with VW units by a PO, never know. I do know that they fit though.



and this line...

had me rolling. Thanks Steve, that made my day.

Oil pressure really needs to drop to zero or near-zero at RPMs higher than idle to start to do some damage...

-Wayne

You're absolutely right Reg. I wasn't going to look at that car until you said to "just have a look". Now, can you explain to my wife that time spent on, or in, the car is a worthy investement in time and energy. Oh yeah, I also have some bills here you must be responsible for as well. Thanks for sending me to see it, I am having a blast. I will definitely drive up to see you soon.

The ones in the car right now (i.e. the broken one) are VW parts. I wonder if I'm not the first to have "played" with them? The hunt is on for new ones. Thanks for the heads up.

mine were VW parts too. I wouldn't have been smart enough to figure that out if it didn't have that interlocking V and W stamped on the side of it. lol.