Help!

[Dadsbaby]

I have a 1973 Porsche 911T that my dad left me when he died. It was his baby. It doesn't run and I don't know what's wrong with it yet. It's been in storage for a long time, and I haven't been able to see it because I live in Northern CA and it's in Southern CA. Any whoo, my problem is this: Last week someone broke into the storage unit and stole the wheels/tires and the steering wheel off of the car. I'm worried that now that someone knows it's there they will just keep coming back and slowly reducing the car to nothing. I want to get it out of storage, but I don't know anything about Porsche's, or the kind of tires/wheels I would need to get it moving. ANY help you can give me would be great...I just need to get it out of the storage place ASAP! My Father in law went and took some pictures of the car so I'll post those to see if that helps any.


I have a few more pictures if these aren't clear enough...thank you in advance for anything you can tell me.

[crustychief]

What area of So Cal?

[whiteSC59]

what about storage owners and cameras for theft? someone had to know it was there or was it outside? police?? that infuriates me as Ive had a total thief picking apart two cars in georgia for over a year and cant catch em. get it out of there with spare tires or anything you can borrow asap. theres gotta be someone who is local who can assist moving or loaning some wheels...post location for a start with contact info asap. good luck and hope you catch em.

[KNS]

You could call a Porsche salvage yard and ask for some cheap, steel wheels for a 911, any condition, with tires. It shouldn't be too much. I've also heard of some chevy wheels fitting but not sure...??

Definately get it some place safe. How did they break into the storage unit (without too many details)? Is it an unsafe/bad area?

[Hugh R]

If it fits, I have an old steering wheel from an 84 that you can have. I'm in Burbank.

[Dadsbaby]

CrustyCheif: The car is in the corona/riverside area right now.

WhiteSC59: The car is exactly where it is in the pictures I posted; outside and apparently next to the freakn freeway, so everyone can see it sitting there. The car has been there for at least 3 years, and they've never had a problem before...they don't have cameras but they do have some sort of alarm that the theives just "magically" went around...I have a feeling the owner of the storage place was involved, but no proof...Nothing I can really do about it other then get the car out of there!

KNS: They cut the fence next to the freeway. This is part of the reason I believe the owner was involved; my father in law who took the pictures said it was a very strange place for them to come in from, and it just so happened to be one of the areas where they could go around the alarms.

Thanks Hugh, I'll do some research to see if it will fit! I honestly don't know much about cars in general, let alone a porsche!

Thank you guys for your support, if nothing else! I was kind of worried I'd get laughed off or told for the hundreth time to just sell it.

[EA911]

Well - the thieves are smart to steel the rims and steering wheel first so you can't move the car and then slowly start taking the car a part

Take that car out of there NOW. I'm in N.Cal but someone on this forum from S.Cal should help him out.

[chocolatelab]

i am in murrieta and would be happy to help.

I was at a foreign auto dismantler in san diego the other day and think i saw a set of old steel wheels. number is 619-444-2290 ask for shawn or john.

If they have them i can stop by and pick them up for you.

I have a chevy 1500 and a 2500 so if you can track down a trailer i can help throw the wheels on and get it somewhere good.

I have a friend in the area who has a small storage yard where i store the 2500. We could store it there and put the car cover i have on it for visual shielding.

Let me know how i can help

chris 951-473-7226

[Dadsbaby]

Thanks for the number Chris, I'll give them a call tomorrow. I'm going down to the storage place on the 18th of July and plan on taking it back up with me then. I can't even have anyone tow it out before then because the unit is still in my dad's name and the storage company wont let me do anything until I bring them paper work showing them title is in my name. (which isn't a problem, because it is.) The storage place has actually been a pain in the ass because I used to live in the OC and they wouldn't even let me look at it. They've only started to cooperate since the wheels and stuff were stolen. Thank you though for the offer to tow it somewhere.

How much should I expect to pay for tires/wheels? Someone sent me this link:
Steelies w/ caps & tires

Is that reasonable and will they fit? Do I need to get anything special to put them on? I'm sorry if I'm asking "duh" questions, I just really don't know anything about Porsche's and the window of time I have to get the car is very very limited. Basically, if I don't tow the car up the 18th I don't know when I will be able to go back down and get it. We're expecting our second daughter in September so after this I'm on house arrest! (we're actually going down for the baby shower)

[EA911]

Originally Posted by Dadsbaby

How much should I expect to pay for tires/wheels? Someone sent me this link:
Steelies w/ caps & tires

Steel rims by themselves should run around $50 a piece so $200 for the set. With tires in running condition - maybe another $20-$30 bringing your range to $280-320 or so which is what the person is asking. don't worry about the old tires since you won't be running them and they seem to hold air.

Keep us posted. Where in N.Cal do you live?

[Dadsbaby]

EA911: Thanks I PMed him about the tires. I'm a hour from Sacramento, but I'm there every day. My husband is actually doing the Sacramento Sheriff's academy right now. (okay I'll stop bragging! But I'm really proud of him!) That's why we moved up here; I'm originally from Orange County. I'm going to need some connections to a good mechanic up here who can at least tell me what's wrong with the car. I know when I was younger and it ran my dad had a lot of problems with it over heating which seems strange because they're air cooled. Is this a common problem? I've never even talked to anyone else with a Porsche so I don't know.

You guys are a godsend.

[euro911sc]

She is going to need lug nuts! Anyone local have a junk set they can give up? I might, but i'm in S. FL...

Looks like Bahama yellow or something close. Love that color on an long hood!

-Michael

[Dadsbaby]

again with the dumb questions:

do I need special lug nuts? lol I've never even changed a tire. I'm sure I'm going to drive you guys crazy. I'd rather ask you guys though and look stupid on here then try to buy some and have them not fit...and if I dn't ask I won't know right? thanks for baring with me

[schamp]

If you are paying for storage I would ask for the name of their insurance company and put in a claim. You also will need a police report.

[ramonesfreak]

sounds like an inside job to me. sorry bout your troubles.

you do not need "special" lug nuts, but you do need the correct size thread. Someone here should be able to tell you exactly what size you need. the proper OEM lug nuts are pretty expensive..You should be able to get a satisfactory lug nut at Nappa etc...for a few bucks each

[Dadsbaby]

Schamp: We did file a police report. The storage company did as well for the hole in their fence. The contract my dad signed with them basically says we can't do anything, which sucks.

Srandallf: Thanks, I'm getting the tires from Bill so I'm hoping he can tell me what I need. Luckily my father in law and my husband know more about cars then I do. But neither of them know anything about Porsches...lol it's still the blind leading the blind.

[C4 Pazzo]

Dadsbaby,
I have a set of 14" Fuchs with very old tires that would work to get the car on a trailer if the car has stock brakes. I also have lug nuts and a steering wheel. You are welcome to borrow them all if you'd like.
I'm in Discover Bay, which is about 30 minutes West of Stockton - probably would add an hour to your trip if you are driving down.

Doug

[Dadsbaby]

C4 Pazzo: Thanks for the offer, but I'm buying a set of wheels from Bill...I wouldn't want to borrow any because I don't know how long I'd need them for yet! I don't have anything to put the car on over here, and I'm not sure if I'm going to be taking it to a mechanic or to my house yet...do you have any recommendations for a good mechanic who can at least take a look any maybe tell me what's wrong with it?

[C4 Pazzo]

.... do you have any recommendations for a good mechanic who can at least take a look any maybe tell me what's wrong with it?

Sorry, I don't know any mechanics in the Sacramento area, but I'm sure if you did a search here you'd find a thread with some recommendations.
Doug

[Mr.Puff]

There is a mechanic in Sac that someone recommended on here. His name is Rob, but I can't find my thread where I asked...

--Puff