SWB 911R...the beginning - Page 4

speedo · speedo's Garage

Things went pretty quickly....

I removed the wheels and took a couple quick pics of the before...note the asphalt stuck to the outer torsion bar covers. This stuff is packed all over the underside of the car. I have removed clumps of this stuff...in 5-10 pound globs. One of the previous owners must have worked for a paving company. All told, I have taken out 40-50 pounds from the underside of the car.

I then removed a couple hundred pounds of weight in the way... torsion bars came right out no sweat.

Then on to the front...before...

And the weight loss program...

I put a little over four hours into the removal. It goes pretty quick with the car bottom easily accessible.Here is basically what came off...

The early A arms are definitely different...I will replace with an aluminum cross member and carrera struts and later A arms...providing everything bolts up.

I needed a quick fix of something completed, so I cleaned and painted the sandblasted pedal cluster so I can rebush and assemble it.

bigchillcar · bigchillcar's Garage

nice work, speedo.

speedo · speedo's Garage

And I sourced a pair of A arms off an SC that ought to bolt up.
So I will trial fit struts off a carrera, and aluminum crossmember and the A arms.

Anybody got any orders with Restoration Design that are unfulfilled? He is almost two weeks overdue with my shipment and does not return phone calls...and there is no email link on his website. Being the only game in town does not necessarily mean you can fall asleep at the tiller....On the other hand, I hope he is ok....and maybe just behind or forgetful?

I will probably order SWB Weltmeister adjustable spring plates unless I source a cheap set of LWB spring plates and make a jig to shorten them . I am concerned that I may need to use the ends of my SWB that capture the outer ends of the tbars (because the bushing that goes into the torsion bar tube is apparently a smaller diameter bushing) and the outer (adjustable) side of a LWB spring plate to make up the adjustable set. Which means killing two sets to get one. Anybody done this before? This may result in me just buying the Weltmeister set to get it done more quicky.

Let me know what you guys think...or have done.

BTW...I hate non-adjustable springplates. Keeping the stock ones is not an option. Indexing tbars repeatedly to get correct ride height sucks. And I always take my cars to a local guy to get corner balanced, lowered and aligned at the same time. The only way that can happen is with the adjustable spring plates.

Here is a quick pic of the 71 2.2 vintage car that I finished this spring ...1850 lbs of fun.

Goosh · Goosh's Garage

For me the neophyte re Porsche - what is a SWB and what does 911R mean? Thanks in advance.
Goosh

Brother · 05-29-2007, 07:16 PM

SWB = Short Wheel Base

911R - Racing version of the 911 from the late 60's.

Doug&Julie · 05-30-2007, 03:23 AM

Speedo, for what it's worth, I've heard a lot of stories about Restoration Design taking an inordinate amount of time to fill orders. I don't remember ever hearing why...but your story is not the first I've heard.

That's probaly not much help, as I don't remember any solution to your dilema, but know you're not the first and only.

1982911SCTarga · 05-30-2007, 05:12 AM

Great thread and great work! A rotisserie definitely looks like the way to go for a project car. Thanks for posting, speedo.

Brian

Porsche_monkey · 05-30-2007, 05:21 AM

I am sure Restoration Design will get you the parts you need. He is always late and not returning phone-calls is normal. Patience.

I could be wrong, but my guess is that while you wait for him you can find some other area of that car that needs attention.

Doug&Julie · 05-30-2007, 05:27 AM

Yes, I should add that I've never heard of anybody not getting their orders from RD.

speedo · speedo's Garage

I'll give Bill some space....but if I cashed a check from a Pelicanite and hadn't shipped or responded to multiple phone messages more than 2 weeks later....this board would trash me.

Had to make a new 10 gauge extension cord for the welder...with the appropriate male-female plugs for the welder

Yes I still do have some metal removal to do...

But some of this is dependant on the size of the panel I get to replace the oem part.

I also have some sizing work to do to fit what I need from the replacement seat buckets

Into the problemed areas

But, I di just receive my pair of deep 15x6s that may be used for the front of the car...

Otherwise I'll run 15x7s all the way around .

bigchillcar · bigchillcar's Garage

wow..that's some metal work coming up! holy cow! kudos to you again..it must be a satisfying feeling.

MJHanna · 06-01-2007, 10:29 AM

Nice work !!!I"ve got to watch this one progress.

overman · 12:41 PM

Ditto... I've followed this project from the 1st post. speedo's the man!

Question... speedo. With the body shell being suspended via the rotisserie, is there any concern with body shell alignment? Obviously, this would be very unfavorable while welding in new body panels... How will you work around this?

Kemo · 06-01-2007, 12:40 PM

subscribed!

speedo · speedo's Garage

...will be more critical up front with the replacement of the suspension pan...but there are factory measurements to check against.

As it relates to the floor as this car is a coupe, and is triangulated several different ways....unless I was sawing into the longitudinals...should not be an issue.

This has all been done before. I am simply "doing it again".

BTW...I caught up with Bill at RD and he appreciates my "patience and understanding" and is finishing up my parts that were already finished 17 days and 15 phone messages ago. What he missed was that I don't have patience and understanding . Somebody in Michigan needs to buy that guy's business and turn it around....it is obviously not a "one man show" as he purports. Dr St Germain...from Kelloggville...are you listening?

Busy weekend coming up with kids and sports tournaments, but I hope to get the rest of the front suspension pans drilled and separated as well as start on the floors.

I may try out the new welder on some small repairs....and maybe assemble and rebush the pedal cluster. ...small jobs help keep the energy going...just a little bit every day.

Porsche_monkey · 06-02-2007, 04:29 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by speedo
...BTW...I caught up with Bill at RD and he appreciates my "patience and understanding" and is finishing up my parts that were already finished 17 days and 15 phone messages ago. What he missed was that I don't have patience and understanding . Somebody in Michigan needs to buy that guy's business and turn it around....

Not sure that he has enough business, or ever will, to make it viable. If he is limited to 911's it can't be a booming business.

Brother · 06-02-2007, 07:05 AM

He does 914 and 356 panels as well, and he's the only game in town.

Porsche_monkey · 06-02-2007, 07:08 AM

But still, what sort of annual sales volume could he be doing?

EarlyPorsche · 06-02-2007, 07:27 AM

With the increased popularity of these cars he is probably taking home some ok money these days. Think abouut it like this, he has the stampings to parts that nobody else does and the parts are all for expensive cars.

speedo · speedo's Garage

With the age of these cars, more and more candidates that were too far gone 10 years ago now become restoration candidates. That means sheet metal and body panels. Same thing happened with 356s and they made a hell of a lot more 911s than they ever made 356s....maybe even more 914s than 356s too.

That is a business that is at the very cusp of a very favorable market cycle...somebody just needs to run it like a business venture, not like a retirement hobby...like old HO train sets, or building ships inside bottles.