Early 911 with see through firewall

Spede · 05-02-2006, 06:02 PM

I remember an article in Excellence about a really trick early car.

It had carbon fiber bodywork that was partially painted with silver.

I'm looking for information/pictures about the area behind the seats. From what I remember, it had a clear firewall which permitted you to see the engine and tranny.

Anyone remember that one?

mshriner · 05-02-2006, 07:52 PM

I can't remember which Excellence but I am pretty sure the guy who own's the car is "GrantG". (Sorry I can't manage to copy his Avatar over) Go to Rennlist and do a search for "GrantG" and you should be able to email him. I think he is from Denver? I found the picture but can't get it to post. He blended the carbon fiber and silver paint scheme. Beautiful and lightweight to the max.

Matt

Grant
73 Carrera RS 2.7 Carbon Fiber replica
96 993 C2 Coupe Polar Silver/Full Flamenco Red

Former:

73 911S Aubergine/Blk
89 944 Turbo S Blk/Blk
02 996 C2 Artic Silver/Met Blue
88 944 Turbo S Silver Rose/Burgundy plaid

randywebb · 05-02-2006, 07:55 PM

Also go to Rguppe web site or Thom's rennlight.com and find my table of comparisons among light wt. cars. Grant's is there as Carbon Copy, the name in the Excl. article which is cited at the bottom of my table.

Yes - it is an interesting and exciting car. I think the max can be pushed a bit further...

mshriner · 05-02-2006, 08:12 PM

Uh oh now I've done it.....I've insinuated that there is a limit to lightening a car.....Does the Church of Light Weight have the capability to send down thunderbolts! Hmm, I wonder if I am hit by lightning while in the car if the resulting fire would burn off extra weight? ;-)

Matt

Early_S_Man · 05-02-2006, 08:20 PM

Matt,

A nice oblong 3' x 2' hole vaporized in the roof would probably save you a lb or two ... if only you could somehow get the plasma to exit through one of the windows! Otherwise, the 'other' 3' x 2' exit hole on the way to ground could get a bit messy to patch!

randywebb · 05-02-2006, 09:42 PM

there is a limit to lightening a car... in fact, there are lots of limits: technology at a given time; and more to the point, how much moola you can spend -- a guy who makes CF parts for Porsche once told me that you need to think in multiples of 10 -- cost for parts in some race series are in the $100s /lb.; next up $1,000s/lb. then...

there is a limit to lightening a hummingbird... or so a graduate student claimed when I was a biology prof. His PhD showed or at least suggested that one could not pack more mitochondria (energy generators) into the flight muscles and still maintain the contraction strength of the muscle.

So that's a hard limit. Money is just a soft limit. Keep repeating that to yourself...

rlh930 · 05-02-2006, 09:59 PM

Potential disclaimer:

See-through plexiglass firewall! (not for prevention of actual fires!)

Jadams1 · Jadams1's Garage

It was at Hershey 3 years ago. I have pics at home. Someone also posted a lot of pics of the car on Renlist too.

Spede · 06:35 AM

Any pics or links would be greatly appreciated!!

I'm looking for more pictures of the inside.

GrantG · GrantG's Garage

Hi - I think you're asking about my car. The firewall is aluminum to about 1/2 height and then Lexan from there to the roof. Feel free to email for more info. I don't have any great photos of that area, but could probably find some time to snap a couple.

-Grant
grantg10@aol.com

Jgordon · 05-03-2006, 07:23 AM

Grant, I don't think you're going to find anyone here that would mind seeing some more photos of your ride.

david c. · 05-03-2006, 08:17 AM

I always thought it would be interesting to explore turning the motor and gearbox around a la 914 in a 911 with a firewall behind the front seats like that.

GrantG · GrantG's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by dave cardone
I always thought it would be interesting to explore turning the motor and gearbox around a la 914 in a 911 with a firewall behind the front seats like that.

Yeah, I thought about that too, but how much would that change the weight distribution? Is the mag motor really that much heavier than the mag 915 box? I guess it's probably at least 100 lbs heavier or so?

david c. · 05-03-2006, 09:20 AM

My offhand guess is that it's 200-250 pounds difference depending on what motor you have. Add a little more if it's an aluminum case or a late motor with all the bells and whistles like a 3.6.

lateapex911 · 05-03-2006, 09:25 AM

Well, the quick answer to that question is, which car is better balanced...a 911E/S, or a 914-6???

GrantG · GrantG's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by lateapex911
Well, the quick answer to that question is, which car is better balanced...a 911E/S, or a 914-6???

I've never driven a 914. How would you compare them?

I have driven a Cayman and 996 and that difference was interesting. I also examined a nice 906 racer recently and saw how the drivetrain was mounted with the cooling fan against the firewall...

How would one make the transmission drive forward rather than reverse? Turn it upside down 180 degrees? What about lubrication in that configuration?

Would make for an interesting shift linkage too...

randywebb · 05-03-2006, 10:41 AM

The motor would be 300 lbs. + heavier, of course, the real question is which vertical slices (parts) of what component weigh how much, at what distance from the car's mid-point... i.e. think in terms of taking 1" slices up & down and rearranging them -- each one gets multiplied by the moment arm it acts on (the distance from the mid-pt., more or less).

A cable shifter can work for many wierd congiurations - the Boxster and 996/997 uses that, IIRC.

Grant -- more pics would be fabulous...