Australian project. left to right 3.2 - Page 2

gavinlit · 03-21-2006, 01:05 AM

Chris - I've pm'd you.

saintz · 03-21-2006, 01:07 AM

By the way, that isn't rust in the corners of the floor area, just crystalised German carpet glue.

eimkeith · 03-21-2006, 02:50 AM

Mike (or recipients) - could I get a copy of that as well? fax number is 704-821-2518.

Thanks!

JohnJL · 03-21-2006, 02:54 AM

Congrats Saintz!

I went the 'easy way' and went straight for the track...

JohnJL · 03-21-2006, 03:02 AM

pics posting?

saintz · 03-21-2006, 04:15 PM

Here is my fax number Mike. Australia 61 2 49651940. thanks in advance. Mark

MBEngineering · 03-24-2006, 04:07 AM

HI both fax's sent , let me know if it is not clear, will try again.

regards mike

eimkeith · 03-25-2006, 03:35 AM

Thanks! fax recievd!!!

saintz · 03-25-2006, 01:00 PM

Thanks Mike, I will check on Monday, it has gone to my office.

Meanwhile, the project continues, windscreen succesfully removed safely and stored, the real fun is now about to begin.

Whilst removing the screen, cutting the rubber seal as recommended by the book I encountered a fair amount of clear clean water in the rubber 3/4 down the r/h piller, you could imagine what I thought I might find at the base but no, luckily no corosion of any kind, clean as a whistle.

saintz · 04-17-2006, 01:56 AM

It's been three weeks of leave from work and I have spent most of that time getting personal with a di grinder removing spot welds. I purchased a front cut (read raw steel only, no dash, no goodies) and spent a full week carefully cutting out the rhd steel bits, butchering the front cut surrounding it and then spent 2 days butchering the lhd steel but preserving the car body around it so at this point in time the car is officially half way there and classified as a "no hand drive".

the attached photos may explain. The right hand drive panels are on the grass and the red dashes show where I had to remove the spot welds in the car.

The half cut was damaged in the pedal area so I am waiting for a free replacement and then the rhd welding will begin, a friend of mine came and did a test weld on the galvo body and all is fine, from what I have observed it takes less than a minute to weld a spot weld and from hard experience about 5 full minutes to remove one, so I am looking forward to more progress from here.

rotorhead · 04-17-2006, 07:10 AM

Saintz,

I only just picked up on this thread. I have a 88 930 that I had proffesionally converted to RHD using parts supplied by swan porsche in WA. While you are doing your conversion I am happy to send you any pictures you need of modified sections of the vehicle to help you with your progress.

Steve

saintz · 04-18-2006, 01:33 AM

That would be great thanks Steve, can you private message me with an email address so we can communicate and I can see those pics?

morganb · morganb's Garage

Great Project, you must be really patient with the spot welds.

For the seat belts there are already holes on the parcel shelf, you just need to find them for the retractable seat belt mount. I put external ones on my import and bolted in the mount.

For my M-Benz I imported you can actually buy a kit that has the required high level tail light, fuel filler mod (unleaded fuel), tyre pressure stickers and the seat belt mounts. My dad helped comply the 911 so I am not sure where to those bits came from. You might want to see if a similar kit exists for a Porsche.

Tasroadster · 05-06-2006, 04:36 PM

Hi Saintz,

I am very interested in your project.

I too will be doing a 3.2 converstion and your pic's and info are invaluable.

The information available on such a project is impossible to find.... as you know.
So it's so good to find a great body of info such as yours.

Keep the info and pics coming....... you are helping a lot of enthusiasts out there.

Thanks again.

David... Tasmania

jk911 · 05-10-2006, 06:10 PM

This post is very interesting and invaluable. I have heard alot about these conversions over the last 2 decades here in Australia with very little info about the process.

Well done Saintz on your project and on this post.

I would be very interested to see lots of pics of further progress.

One question I have is what happens with the Vin/Chassis number ? do you keep the LHD one or the front cut one ?

saintz · 05-10-2006, 08:22 PM

The engineer that will certify the car spent 5 minutes drumming it into me that the vin number must not leave the body ever at all.

If there is evidence of this then the car is a "non vehicle"in the eyes of the roads and traffic authority and it will remain unregisterable for ever !!

So it took a fair bit of thinking and working out how to do it without taking that part of the trunk floor away but I have worked it out.

The spot welds along the left side inner guard stay in tact so that the cut out part of the floor with the vin can be lifted off the cross wall and then the donor trunk floor will slip underneath.

Upon reading what I just wrote I'd better post some pics later this evening to explain it better, keep an eye out.

The vin shouldn't be on the half cut wreck but it is, it will be completely covered over by the original part of the car but I will grind it out in order to save any problems for future owners.

Fishcop · Fishcop's Garage

Be very careful of creating a "double skin" by overlapping panels - you create a real rust risk... If that is what you meant?

wolf · 05-11-2006, 01:57 AM

why dont you guys buy british cars instead of doing these rather huge conversions?

Matt Holcomb · Matt Holcomb's Garage

Why convert a 911 instead of buying British?

Because the amount of work involved in converting a 911 is the same as what's required to maintain any British car -- on a monthly basis.

A friend of mine once owned a '76 XJ-S V12. It's been four years since he sold it, and he's still receiving shock therapy.

charleskieffner · 05-11-2006, 03:47 AM

saintz, your decal(band-aid) for your full blown rebuild my car patience endurance test is on its way via pony express! after viewing your pics and progress i guess hacking on a spitfire,mustang,zero is hard! the p-car probably due to size is a walk in the park for you guys! after viewing your work site i was really impressed. would love to show up down under for a month someday and dive the barrier reef and go chase "whitey" with my digital and nikonos IV and V w/strobe. if you need anything give a shout. aside from porsche just down the street, we have 20th street auto parts.com here in phx that specializes in porsche wrecks(only one really in southwest-no rust issues) for that odd ball part that NOONE has. oh yea we have the PIMA AIR MUESEUM in Tucson for that odd ball P-39 aircobra KA-NUTEN VALVE! you may need!!!!LOL! keep me posted. chuck