SWB 911R...the beginning

[Matt Monson]

Lars,
I just sent you an unrelated PM and didn't know you were offering up use of this rotisserie. I may take you up on that offer. As I indicated in the pm, I would love some input on whether or not the car I have acquired is even worthy of saving...

[porschenut]

Lars, this isn't your style....I expected you to start by killing the cow first, then tanning the leather. You getting lazy? What's next, go out and actually buy a finished part??

[rennch]

Originally Posted by Matt Monson

Lars,
I just sent you an unrelated PM and didn't know you were offering up use of this rotisserie. I may take you up on that offer. As I indicated in the pm, I would love some input on whether or not the car I have acquired is even worthy of saving...

I think this thread shows that just about ANY car is worthy of saving. Nice job on the wheel Lars.

[Ira Ramin]

Hello Speedo,
Great job on the restoration so far!! It looks like the rear swaybar brackets are not in the correct location. The earlier chassis is a little different in the mounting area, and requires some extra fabrication to make the newer brackets fit properly. The location you have them in will be too low and too far out towards the outside of the car. A stock swaybar may fit but it will be lower than it should be. An aftermarket may not fit. See the picture below. It’s not totally obvious, but there is an extra layer of formed sheet metal that matches the bracket better. Also, it would be good to have the transmission cross member installed to make sure it all clears.

Ira

[V12man]

Ira

Can you post some more pictures of the correct location of th emounts on the SWB - I have the problem that they are too far to the ourside of the car - noticed after tacking one side up the bar would not fit.

I have no clear idea on where to go now - bars are SRP with the early narrow bolt spacing on the mounts.

TIA

[Ira Ramin]

The edge with the blue line should be up against the bottom of the red flange. The bottom picture shows it in the correct location. It will be about .5” higher and .3” towards the center on the car. It’s more difficult to install it correctly on a pre 72 chassis. Only a small section of the mount will be against the chassis inner wall. The rest of the mount will be sticking out and you will need to fabricate some sheet metal pieces to help support it. I don’t have any good pictures to show that part. Both the WEVO and factory brackets will have the same fit problem on the pre 72 cars.

Ira

[speedo]

Talked with Ira today...nice guy. I was fortunate in that my racecar has Tarret sway bars on it...so I didn't feel guilty about picking his brain. The problem is that the early cars on the inside of the longitudinal did not have a "step" that the later cars had. And both the aftermarket and OEM (which is what I used) sway bar brackets are stepped. If I use the step to mount the bracket, it provides a 1/2 inch of mounting surface on each side, and the balance of the bracket will "float" unles I create the "step" and either weld it to the inside of the longitudinal, or backside of the bracket. A the bracket is currently positioned, it protrudes about an extra 1/2 inch out from the longitudinal...but has plenty of contact surface for a good welded seam to the longitudinal. It is however, about a 1/2 inch wider (center to center bolt holes) than if it were mounted using the step. I measured my sway bar mounts and they are flexible...the 1/2 inch is no big deal. In fact, the weltmeister bar may actually fit better with a wider stance...less likely to "travel". All else considered, I'm pondering what I will gain, by moving them in closer. I don't think rigidity or geometry will be affected...maybe only the fact that a different aftermarket swaybar may have difficult fitment.

While I decide what to do if anything...my hat goes off to Ira. Nice guy with some very innovative-forward thinking products on his website. Pretty unusual to call a company and the CEO answers the phone, and "walks" me through the answers to my questions.

Thanks Ira

[SoCal70RSR]

Ira is indeed very knowledgeable and a nice guy to top it off.

I needed my rear swaybar right away (long story) and Ira had me over his house to pick them up. Thanks again Ira!

[speedo]

I decided that even though this car will be primarily for the street, it may see the track at some point in it's life. I will use the Weltmeister sway bars to start with and the existing sway bar attachments will suffice. However, if I need to replace the swaybars with some of Ira's or ( heaven forbid ) the car is ever owned by someone else, the correct positioning of the sway bar mounts will be necessary. The bummer is that I REALLY welded these to the longitudinal and they will be a real chore to grind out.

Fortunately, I can position the rotisserie to more easily facilitate the chore...(it still is going to suck)
I start to convince the longitudinal to relinquish the mount. The good news is that during this process, I am able to determine that the longitudinal is very solid
Not to bad...one side done
Here is the culprit...looking a little beat up...I'll fix that.
And his partner in crime from the other side

[speedo]

This is the problem side that Ira pointed out...oem Porsche part...designed for later cars...thus the "step".
This gives a better view of the step
I want to shim this backside and ultimately "fur out" the step to give me a flat surface all the way down to the bump on the mount. I grabbed some flat 1/8 inch stock and cut two pieces, and then added a couple more slivers of 20 gauge to make sure I would get the fitment correct

Now it looks like the step will be eliminated
I'm never going to be done welding...lets put' em together

[speedo]

I need to clean up the mounts and prep for re-attaching
The cross-section shows the step effectively eliminated, and I will have a much larger and accessible surface to anchor these beats to the longitudinal
Weld through primer on everything

[speedo]

This looks more like it
Back together
Both sides now
The broader surface on the shims made the welding easier and even more stout...these will not fatigue
Prime and paint

My Wurth Hi Build Undercoating finally showed up. I cleaned up the underside one more time (from the grinding I did to remove the swaybar mounts)
and laid down the final coats.

[911 tweaks]

a true master craftssman at his art here... Speedo is doing a great job...
modern living through modern chemestry... thank god for your skills and weld through primer!!
Bob

[speedo]

I have procrastinated long enough. The car needs a color and I can't decide. I thought I had narrowed it down to a few traditional colors...ivory, black or guards red. I realize that I would be "correct" going ivory/white, but I'm not too concerned about correct. I think that all the Rs were black underneath including inner fenders...which would be easy as the entire underside of the car is now black. I think in 1971 the cars became one solid color...but maybe someone else needs to weigh in on this for me. I think I want to do one color...makes it easier to see the individual "systems" under the car. Also makes things stand out more. So...if I am going to paint the inner fenders and the underside of the car before bolting the suspension up, now is the time. I want to bolt the suspension on to get the car to the painter, and I don't want him to have to mask off the "new suspension".

The suspension components have all been machined, rebushed,sandblasted,turned,powdercoated, and or painted and they are ready to bolt up. I finished repainting the struts today, and assembling the fresh calipers...disassembled, sandblasted,powdercoated,and rebuilt
Decision time...

[arrivederci]

So lindgrün is out, eh?

[speedo]

...Not yet....Resend those choices Josh...

[rennch]

I've got a few cool vintage colors in this gallery:

http://2syllableword.com/porsche_photos.php

[kenikh]

Slate Gray...period (pardon the pun):

[rennch]

+1 on Slate Gray

[DV 993tt]

Slate Gray