how many man hours to cut out battery boxes and re weld

[twin plugged targa]

Roughly how many wrench man hours expected to cut out the 2 battery boxes in my 71 targa and weld closed the holes?.

I am also going to get a battery tray installed so that I can have a larger single battery.

So should factor in th costing of this plus single battery conversion wiring!.

I am trying to get the work done locally and want a gauge of how long the job should take (time=$$$$).

Also I have a mocal oil cooler kit (instant G) with aero quipt hoses.
How long to install the kit professionally?

I would have loved to have done the kit myself but with a new baby on the way and new house decorating etc. I must get these jobs done so I can drive the car!.
After all I did not buy it to just look at it in the garage!! although I seem to spend a lot of time doing that!

Any ideas of time taken to complete these tasks would be appreciated.Thanks
Ben

[TWork]

It's actually not a terribly tough job to cut out the battery boxes and weld in a panel. What probably takes more time is removing the fenders in order to get access to the the boxes. Its actually probably only a few hours time to remove the boxes and weld up panels.

[twin plugged targa]

can you not cut the boxes from the outside and the weld from the inside?
Do the fenders have to be removed?
The fenders are just in such good condition paintworkwise that I fear for their condition after!.
Thanks
Ben

[TWork]

I'm sure you could cut from the inside. You should look up inside the fenders as there are fender supports and a resevoir on the driver's side. I'd think it'd be a bit more difficult to navigate these things from inside the trunk.

[lateapex911]

Is there a reason you want to do this?? If you're going to do it, I think the fenders must come off, or how will the insert panels be properlu sealed, primed and painted? Sure it's possible, I guess, but a lot more hassle, I would think. (I've repaired my own boxes)

Also, where will the batter go? There are buckets of single batteries that are sealed and small enough to fit one box that can power the car easily. And it's a good place to have 15 pounds. (RF)

I use my "extra" batt box to store things neatly out of the way, leaving more trunk space.

[Zeke]

Many have removed their battery box(es) to allow air to the fender mounted cooler. Other than that, there is no reason to do so. However, that wasn't the question. One can cut the box out from the trunk side and weld it up from the same perspective. This should take a couple hours a side, IMO, having done it.

Bear in mind that the bumper ends bolt to a bracket that, in turn, bolts to the box and to the underside of the headlight bucket. I would think some sort of substitute would have to be fabricated and put in place. The ground wires for the turn and parking lights will have to be relocated. Add some time for thise tasks.

You didn't say whether you have an oil cooler (or two) and need the air flow. I cut my box on the cooler side in the front and the back side allowing air to pass thru. This, of course, necessitated blocking off the opening to the trunk. For that, on my own car, I used an aluminum plate that I folded the edges on and riveted in place.

The oil cooler kit might take a little more fussing. To be generous, and to get a finished job, I'd budget 2 days for one man that has all the right equipment to do both jobs. Also, you didn't say whether you want the person doing this to hook up the cooler. Add some time.

[twin plugged targa]

Milt- thanks for the insight.
Sorry did not give enough info on original post.
I am having a 44 row Mocal (Instant G) kit installed with the cooler going in the front right wheel well/arch/fender.
So this does not help me in any way with weight distribution (not a major concern as she is not a race car and way overweight!).
I have not managed to find, as yet, a dedicated porsche workshop to do the work for me and so am trying to find the most practical route to complete the task without doing to much of a 'hack' job!.
When I asked about cutting the boxes I was wonderring if that could be done from the trunk and welding from the same?.
However, if I do need the wings removed, is it likely they will need repainting after assuming reasonable care taken.
The only real reason for removing both was because of the hassle finging small enough dry cell batteries (in Europe) and also the fact that this is a high compression engine which is already having issues with starting problems with it current setup. This may be a fault with the current wiring which may be resolved when the 2-1 conversion is done. However, I thought 'IF' the removal of the boxes was easy, then removal of both with a battery box similar to the Carrera location would be more convenient for battery choice and also weight dist. improvement.
Originality does not come into this as the car is about as un- original as they come!.

So I guess i am now looking at maybe just doing the right side for the cooler.

Time to do the job via removing fender versus time to do job via cutting from trunk and welding a plate from trunk.

The kit install I imagine would be 5-8 hrs?

[twin plugged targa]

Just sized up the cooler against the fender and at 1st glance appears that the cooler will in fact fit without the box being removed!.
As these are flexible aero quipt hoses, I was wonderring if I should try and install the kit and see what temp results I am getting before I try and attack the bodywork?.

Am I wasting my time?

Rgds Ben

[Doug Steinel]

The writeups on this forum have a detailed description of installing a mocal oil cooler. See:

http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/tom_sharpes/oil_cooler1.htm

C'mon, you can do it. You are closer to Stuttgart than we are!

[911pcars]

Ben,
Maybe you considered installing a bumper-mounted oil cooler and decided instead to mount one in the fender. In that case, I'd recommend removing the battery box to provide more space for airflow which this will need..... and a fan.

I'd reconsider a bumper-mount cooler. It requires a larger bumper (RS-type), but no fan is needed and this location is superior (more efficient) to one in the fender.

MHO,
Sherwood