Clutch, bodywork and birthday fun

Shaun @ Tru6 · 09-13-2005, 12:53 PM

My 84 has been pretty beat up over the years, hit twice in the rear (SUV women on cell phones didn't see me at stoplights) so when my 915 went a bit ago, I decided to tackle welding on a new rear lens panel while the motor was out. This was a great job, especially in that I learned how to weld sheet metal.

Some pics and tips:

here's what I started with already drilling out the spot welds of the old panel and removing it. You can see from one accident that the structural crossmember is dented, but since the decklid plunger panel was fine and everything else looked unstressed, I left it alone.

this was the bad corner where one of the trucks rode up the car slightly, sort monster truck rally style. Surprisingly, the quarter was pretty much fine.

Testing panel placement. I have already grinder/wire brushed the body member and coated with Wurth rust guard and then did my best bumping around the light bucket metal.

Then I realized to get "perfect" placement, you would need to mount the bumper. I ended up mounting bumper and lights after this pic.

Then it was time out for grandfather's 83rd and sister-in-law's (age closely kept secret) birthday party. Three 8 lb lobsters and steaks. What a great day!

8-year-old nephew being silly (water hose war followed dinner!!)

6-year-old nephew not to be outdone

Sunday below...

Shaun @ Tru6 · 09-13-2005, 12:55 PM

Then it was time to focus on the clutch and get the motor back in. First, HUGE thanks to Chris Bennet for rebuilding my 915. Chris is easily one of the best guys ever.

Getting flywheel on after putting in new rear main seal.

Chris has by now come down from NH to help get the motor in.

Sachs power clutch. I found that installing with 2 studs, no lock washers made getting the rest easy to thread on, then go back and put lock washers on the first two.

One of those hi-torque, lightweight starters. heat? Who needs heat? I need to look into a solution for the starter being in the way of the exchanger hose.

Lots of work going on, no pics.

And were' done at 9PM, time for dinner.

car started and ran (a good thing) and trans feels like a G50!!!! Wow!

perhaps best of all, I'm burning gas that cost $1.89 from early August.

FrayAdjacent911 · 09-13-2005, 01:28 PM

Looks like you did good work Shaun! Glad it worked out well!

Fl Ted · 09-13-2005, 01:41 PM

WoW! Family get-together, steak and lobster, birthdays, AND working on the P-car, ALL IN ONE DAY!! PRICELESS!!!
You're one lucky dude!!

kqw · 09-13-2005, 04:36 PM

Will you look at that LOBSTER......

RickM · RickM's Garage

Great, great pics!

Nice job....and NICE welder. A Miller?

Kudos to Chris as well.

Shaun @ Tru6 · 09-14-2005, 04:35 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by RickM
Great, great pics!

Nice job....and NICE welder. A Miller?

Kudos to Chris as well.

More than Kudos Rick, that man can really rebuild a 915, Chris deserves some kind of mechanical humanatarian award. I've driven the car for 2 solid days now and with brass coupler bushings in place, damn if it doesn't feel like a G50.

Yup, Miller 135. I've been able to lay a nice bead on heavy stock but this was the first time I put sheet metal together. I've got to say that the infinitely variable heat and wirespeed is "all that." Practicing, I just kept creeping up heat and a little speed so there was no chance of burning through and still have a strong weld.

I bought it local vs. eBay and glad I did. Got a good deal and the shop guy was a wealth of info. Buy local!

thanks everyone for the kind comments, this was the most technically challenging thing I've ever done on the cars. Now I'm burning to stitch on some rear turbo flares.

another day...

ianc · 09-14-2005, 08:53 AM

Damn, my car needs that piece as well (mishap at some point earlier in life). Where did you get the repacement bit? Is it galvanized? Any closeup pics of the finished welding job?

How does the dreaded 1st -> 2nd shift feel now after the rebuild?

ianc

Shaun @ Tru6 · 09-14-2005, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ianc
Damn, my car needs that piece as well (mishap at some point earlier in life). Where did you get the repacement bit? Is it galvanized? Any closeup pics of the finished welding job?

How does the dreaded 1st -> 2nd shift feel now after the rebuild?

ianc

Ian, I first bought one from a fellow member here who backdated his car. He did a good job cutting it out, but still too much gone to use. $50 burned, so please don't make the same mistake.

I got this one from Restoration Design. Very high quality part. Probably not galvanized, but I'm really not worried about rust on it, especially after new paint this winter.

This is the only detail shot I've got. button welds somewhat evenly spaced, a few beads at the top corners, and then a few spots inside connecting to the light bucket vertical.

ianc · 09-14-2005, 12:02 PM

Thanks for the info Shaun! Aren't you going to tantalize me with descriptions of how well your 1 -2 shift is now?

ianc

Shaun @ Tru6 · 09-14-2005, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ianc
Thanks for the info Shaun! Aren't you going to tantalize me with descriptions of how well your 1 -2 shift is now?

ianc

Like I said, it's like I've got a G50! Seriously! 1-2, 2-3 are crisp, decisive, firm. If you want your 915 rebuilt, there's no better guy than Chris Bennet in my book.

ianc · 09-14-2005, 06:18 PM

Never driven a G50... What I'm wondering about is the delay in engagement. My car takes a good 2-4 seconds to engage 2nd when upshifting. I guess I'm just wondering how good a 915 really can be if it's just been refreshed?

ianc