Shaving off rain gutters on a 68

[EarlyPorsche]

Are the rain gutters on a 1968 a seam or can I grind them off the roof and smooth them for a nicer roofline? I am repainting the whole vehicle anyway, thats why I ask.

[tonythetarga]

There was a thread a while back discussing the structural integrity of the gutter and that it is there to give the roof strength in the event of a rollover.

[svandamme]

they are a seam, 3 point actually
and it requires a lot of welding to get it done right

The build continues, part 4

try a search for rain gutters, there's plenty of threads on this subject allready...

[Rich76_911s]

I really hope to do this some day. I think it adds a really smooth look to the car.

Here is a good thread on the process. The debate as to whether it makes the car stronger or weaker has been beat to death. I would rather have a good post on the process rather than another debate.

Shaving rain gutters

Good luck and when you get it done post information on the process so I can copy what you did.

Cheers
Rich

[Drago]

Dane (DBurns) did this to his car a while back. Lots of welding is right.

[Vonzipper]

(rdane)

[Shuie]

talk to rdane. This is a pretty intense mod. Makes the car verrrrrry smooth looking.

[im4duke]

I have shaved gutters on my car. I love the look. Most people think the car looks more modern, but cannot identify what it is, even Porsche enthusiasts.

As far as stength goes, a bar or cage would address that. I plan to add one myself for peace of mind.

[Jim_Amsterdam]

Did this last summer.
You get a smoother look. I added some rollbar for extra strength. Lots of filling and sanding ahead of you...

[kenikh]

Don't do it if you EVER plan on driving the car in the rain. You should have seen the look on Dane's face every time he opened the door at the Triple X last year and water dumped into the car. It was raining cats and dogs.

[EarlyPorsche]

I dont really see how strength would be that jeapordized. That is not a concern of mine. A "hot rod" is a hot rod, not a Volvo! However if I was going to track it I would be right there with all of you with a cage. Thanks for all the great help guys. I don't think I will take it on as I think I would prefer to keep water out of the car.

[Kemo]

ive heard that it rains INSIDE the car if you dont have rain gutters...even on a sunny day!

personally, I think its a sharp look and given the nature of the "pinch" weld, or however its pressed together, it seems that this mod would actually stiffen things up a bit.

[randywebb]

"I dont really see how strength would be that jeapordized."

- If you read and looked at the earlier threads on this and don't "get" then please don't do this mod. You will destroy the car & maybe yourself.

And, if you ever sell it, and the Next Owner (NO) dies in a rollover -- they will come looking for you. And you will be at complete risk for creating what used to be called "a thing of danger."

So either do the intricate welding or leave it as is.

[EarlyPorsche]

Randy, stating that I don't think that doing this modification will jeapordized strength assumes a tig welded roof. My point being that if the roof is tig welded back together correctly I don't think that a considerable amount of strength is lost. I am not an engineer so I am assuming, clearly nobody is taking my opinion as fact. However, I never meant that I was going to take a grinder to them and then use lead, a soldering iron, and gorilla glue to put the car back together.

[randywebb]

Ok. I agree that if it is welded it should still be strong.

BTW, some bonding techniques are stronger than welding - not Gorilla Glue on metal tho...

[kenikh]

Yes, but those bonding techniques typically leverage large (relative) surface areas, like an aluminum lug with nearly an interference fit into a carbon fiber tube. You won't get that kind of strength in a "butted edge" situation like when grinding off gutters.

[Seeeu911]

strength debate aside that is still one of the prettiest mods you can do to a 911.

[Kemo]

Originally posted by Seeeu911
strength debate aside that is still one of the prettiest mods you can do to a 911.

well put.

[aigel]

There is one reason not to do it: Where are you going to bolt that roof rack to? How do you get the track tires to the racetrack?

It certainly is a mod that isn't easily reversible. Mods to cars go with fashion. Once this isn't hip any more, it aint' like unbolting a set of wheels. And yes, this may look great now, but in 20 years we may roll our eyes as much as we do it now, when we see a 70 S converted to a widebody slant nose.

George

[ianc]

It's a mod that's all bling and no go, extremely difficult and time-consuming to do, compromises useability of the car in the rain, and can have serious effects on rigidity. So what were the reasons for doing it again?

ianc