'80s interior and glass questions, in Austin TX

Novelty Fashion · 11-13-2012, 09:22 AM

I've got an '85 930, but putting this question here, since the 911 and 930 shared interiors.

My dash is cracked internally and lifting badly and the windscreen seal leaks at the lower corners. So I figure I'll kill two birds with one stone. I enjoy DIY projects, so I plan to remove/cut out the old seal and pull the windscreen myself. I am planning to pull the dash, and likely send it off to get restored to new. I would drop a used dash in, but I wouldn't know the provenance, and if it'll crack and deform next month. Has anyone had good luck with used dashes?

My issue is, I see the rear shelf is lifting a little bit too. Does this necessitate the removal of the back glass, or can I pull it and fix it with the glass in place? What's the best way forward for a slightly lifting up rear shelf? It really isn't that bad or noticeable, but I can tell, and it bugs me.

I am located south of Austin, TX (between San Marcos and Austin), and would also be needing a good Porsche glass guy who makes housecalls to come reinstall the windscreen. I refuse to mess with that. I want a watertight car and don't want to break the glass. If there are local interior/dash restoring places you guys can recommend too, that would be awesome, since if I can get it done without shipping, that would be ideal.

Thanks for any help. The car cosmetically is close to perfect, (to me), but it just needs a few things to put it over the top of the hill.

KNS · 11-13-2012, 10:36 AM

The rear shelf comes out with four screws. Just remove and pull towrds you. Older models have a tab that slides into a slot so you must first push the panel up a few insches and then pull towards you.

Chuck.H · Chuck.H's Garage

I got good windshield removal advice to slice away the rubber trim BEFORE trying to remove the aluminum insert - this way the very soft aluminum will not be bent. You want to slice away enough rubber to make the trim almost fall out.

I did what you are suggesting, I removed the glass, cleaned up the glue, and took the car to the glass shop to let the pro's install it. BTW, I just placed the old windshield in the frame (no gasket), put some duct tape on it, and drove carefully the couple miles to the shop.

It was the first time I took my car to ANY shop in the 20 years I've owned it!

Chuck.H
'89 TurboLookTarga, 342k miles

aschen · 11-13-2012, 12:06 PM

I got a new OEM dash online for my 930 for about 700$. I dont believe I used our host. It is a bit of a pain to wrestle in and out, but I basically did as you are planning. I tore my old dash to hell getting it out.

Bob Kontak · Bob Kontak's Garage

The dash is "easy" to remove - just tedious as hell. I recall no tearing, beating or destroying of my 81 leather dash getting it out. Just a hell of a long time figuring out where all the fasteners were hidden. (quotes on easy as aschen is correct in the pain part but it's mostly the lack of experience that makes it a pain)

You have to go in from the trunk with long extensions to get to all the nuts.

Buy the Porsche windshield seal. Do not buy aftermarket.

agfours · agfours's Garage

There's a guy that was recommended to me by the guys at Moorespeed, but don't remember the name. He's been doing all of their Porsche work for a while. Because of your location, you should call Jones Autowerks in SA - he'd either do it or recommend a good source for glass.

Bob Kontak · Bob Kontak's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by agfours

Because of your location, you should call Jones Autowerks in SA - he'd either do it or recommend a good source for glass.

+1 My car was worked on by them in the 1990's FWIW.

If you have to suck it up and drive to SA, you could always just put the glass in the rubber (without the embedded trim pieces) and install it yourself. Without the trim installed and without glue it would be an easy removal for the pro.

Novelty Fashion · 11-13-2012, 05:12 PM

Thanks for all the advice so far!

A couple more questions:

While the dash is out, is it worth it to upgrade to a 1986 or later dash with the larger center vent and different style defroster vents? My research here indicates that the 1986-and-later dashboards can be removed without the windscreen being removed. This, combined with the larger vents, would be nice.

My original plan, (which still might happen), was to redo the original dash. Who is the best person to do this? I looked at Classic 9 Leather, Autobahn Interiors and Just Dashes. They all look like they do good work, so the decision is tough.

Or just drop in an perfect-shape OEM later dash and keep it out of the sun as much as possible. Still looking at that option.

agfours · agfours's Garage

You should read through a couple of threads on the dash swap...been a while but from what I recall it is non-trivial due to sheet metal modifications, etc for the vents to align. I would certainly recommend keeping a stock approach on a 930 if the rest of the car is not highly / permanently modified for the most part.

Whether you redo the current dash or replace is probably just a matter of cost difference, but if you are thinking of dropping coin on an OEM replacement that would indicate to me that you are keeping a pristine stock car. Otherwise, I would think you'd probably be happy with the results from a well respected shop to redo it.

Sorry, I dont have any recommendarions on the shops you've listed as I havent got any direct experience with them. I would ask the guys at Moorespeed who the recommend as they deal in Porsche and other Italian high end exotics.

Novelty Fashion · 11-13-2012, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by agfours

You should read through a couple of threads on the dash swap...been a while but from what I recall it is non-trivial due to sheet metal modifications, etc for the vents to align. I would certainly recommend keeping a stock approach on a 930 if the rest of the car is not highly / permanently modified for the most part.

Whether you redo the current dash or replace is probably just a matter of cost difference, but if you are thinking of dropping coin on an OEM replacement that would indicate to me that you are keeping a pristine stock car. Otherwise, I would think you'd probably be happy with the results from a well respected shop to redo it.

Yeah, it's a bone-stock survivor with 36,000 miles on it. Just Texas heat and time has deformed and lifted the dash. Otherwise the car is pretty well mint. A few stonechips and such, but nothing untoward for a car that is 27 years old. I am planning on some mechanical mods next year, but nothing irreversible and most geared towards driveability and reliability.

Regarding fixing or replacing the dash, I am HEAVILY leaning towards redoing the stock dash, since I don't mind the small vents and such, and the places listed allegedly do work that equals OEM in look, feel and actually (again, allegedly) surpasses in durability because they use a better vinyl, which won't shrink in the sun like the OEM vinyl, causing the dash to warp.

agfours · agfours's Garage

Sounds like a fine specimen of a very rare car - as an 85, I am assuming a euro car as well.

One other shop you should check is TPWS in Austin. Matt who owns the shop and can give you some additional thoughts.

If you want local aircooled Porsche restoration, either Jones Aurowerks or TPWS are the shops. Not sure if they will forward you elsewhere but that is where my journey starts and frequently ends any time I am not doing the work myself.

I have the same full leather dash in my factory widebody and have the same warping issue for a car that didn't even grow up in the South. I understand it is just an accepted issue due to the ubiquity of its occurance.

Novelty Fashion · 11-14-2012, 06:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by agfours

Sounds like a fine specimen of a very rare car - as an 85, I am assuming a euro car as well.

Yeah, Euro. Bought it from the original owner who took delivery of the car in Germany, drove it around Europe for a couple thousand miles, then imported it to the US, (Denton Texas, matter of fact), where the remaining miles were put on. All documents and such came with it. It was Federalized well, since I've seen some real bodge-job Euro cars, and this one is very well sorted. I've since removed the air pump and crappy "Federal catalyst" exhaust and refitted a proper Euro muffler, bringing it back to full Euro-spec.

Mechanically, it's in near perfect shape, and the only issues are the dash, the leaky windscreen seal, and a slightly leaky rear sunroof seal. All this is easily fixable. It starts, runs and drives like a proper low-mile 930 should.

The 930s came fully loaded as they were, but the only additional options this car has, (and the only ones I really wanted in a 930), are LSD and factory sport seats. They do not reflect on the option sticker under the trunklid, though, which is odd.

Quote:

Originally Posted by agfours

One other shop you should check is TPWS in Austin. Matt who owns the shop and can give you some additional thoughts.

If you want local aircooled Porsche restoration, either Jones Aurowerks or TPWS are the shops. Not sure if they will forward you elsewhere but that is where my journey starts and frequently ends any time I am not doing the work myself.

I'll check them out, thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by agfours

I have the same full leather dash in my factory widebody and have the same warping issue for a car that didn't even grow up in the South. I understand it is just an accepted issue due to the ubiquity of its occurance.

Yeah, I'm hoping with modern materials, it won't happen again.

tirwin · tirwin's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck.H

I got good windshield removal advice to slice away the rubber trim BEFORE trying to remove the aluminum insert - this way the very soft aluminum will not be bent. You want to slice away enough rubber to make the trim almost fall out.

I did what you are suggesting, I removed the glass, cleaned up the glue, and took the car to the glass shop to let the pro's install it. BTW, I just placed the old windshield in the frame (no gasket), put some duct tape on it, and drove carefully the couple miles to the shop.

It was the first time I took my car to ANY shop in the 20 years I've owned it!

Chuck.H
'89 TurboLookTarga, 342k miles

Agreed. What you want to be very careful of when removing the metal trim is that you don't bend it out of shape too much. This requires patience and it helps if you have a lot of hand strength.