Question about restoration/engine-rebuilding
 

Reading the threads about Leland's rebuild and Ben's bare-metal repaint, I'm struck by the fact that everyone on this board seems to work alone when they do these huge projects. How come no one teams up on these things? For myself, I wouldn't mind helping a fellow Chicagoan a couple of Sundays a month with such a project in exchange for similar help down the line when my time comes. It would be a great learning experience, and for a heck of a lot less than a class on the subject!

What would be ideal would be 4 or 5 guys all planning to do their cars. Agree to team up on each car a couple of weekends a month, until all of the cars are done. I think it'd be fun, and the work would sure go faster. (Of course, I'd get to go first because it's my idea :-)

So how come everyone's working solo? Are we all friendless computer nerds in addition to being Porschephiles?

Emanuel



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Everybody wants a normal life and a cool car;
most people settle for the car." Chris Titus
1966 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow
1983 Porsche 911 SC Targa

If you're anything like me, you are working on the car when you get a chance....or the inspiration. I spent a lot of hours on the Old E just to check out what the PO had done to the poor old thing. Sometimes you need to spend time alone with someone in order to get to know them. When I took the car in for its inspection, I had a good bit of satisfaction in the knowledge that I had gotten this beautiful old beast back on the highway. There's still lots to do. There always is. For me the car is a labor of love. So it's just me and the Old E. Besides, the nearest 911 is thirty miles away!
Les

Let's see 30 miles in an E, maybe 15 min.

Feel free to drive to Idaho anytime you get an enkling to help me on my car http://www.pelicanparts.com/ultimate/wink.gif.
Seriously... there really isn't anyone areound here that shares the same passion as I do about cars in general. I did enlist the help of my roommate for the bottom end reassembly. He is a lost soul of the drag racing community and his mechanical skills are limited to the max amount of NOS he can put in his Mustang without burning a piston, but he is willing to help and I do appreciate that.
I often wish I had a friend here that was in to porsches. I guess you can relate that to a single child always wanting a brother.
But, I enjoy working on my car alone sometimes too.

Well to be honest with y'all I am all for developing a partnership with fellow local Porsche owners to work on our respective cars. Last year I had a friend with a 79 Euro SC who needed to do work on his car, as I did on mine. We took turns on weekends helping each other out and it turned out to be a fantastic way to learn and work on our cars. We did the entire front brakes/rotors/lines bearings on my car and all shocks and caliper work on his. What we learned was that two heads are definately better than one. We had a blast doing it and saved a lot of money in the process. If anyone in the local NY City- Westchester Area is up for this sort of work for light projects, I am always interested. Who knows, maybe we can develop our own work groups and
help each other out. I always feel that a cooperative effort can lead to interesting new relationships. It would be one notch down from a tech session at a shop, but who knows, maybe we can recruit local mechanics to assist or supervise some of these little get togethers. I welcome anyone's invitations or comments.

Bruno
73 - 911E

[This message has been edited by Bruno Lavion (edited 06-14-2001).]

That's what clubs are all about...like-minded enthusiasts helping each other out. Join up with your local PCA region. My particular club is full of knowlegible folks that are more than willing to help tackle any task.

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'81 SC Coupe (aka: "Blue Bomber")
Canada West Region PCA
The Blue Bomber's Website

I am assuming I am the "Ben" in question.... http://www.pelicanparts.com/ultimate/wink.gif

I really dont know of anyone in my area "South Carolina" that is into this kind of punishment. Althought there is the PCA, it seems most of them arent into this kind of massive project, I will say I havent met alot of them so this isnt meant as a put-down.

I do know that Jim Smolka isnt to far from me and is VERY involved with the PCA. I temd to work faster when I work alone. I can take a break and sit and stare at the car at my leisure and dont have to explain myself when I decide to "Block that panel one more time".

I have always been the type that learns as I go, which I suspect many of us here are. But I am not against helping anyone in my area out with a hand or just some advise from someone who "has been there".

Ben in SC

I can't even get the other Porsche owners in Bellingham to wave much less help me work on my car!

I enjoy working on my car alone as well, but there are some projects where two minds and four hands would help.

Robfix...
I'm just 45 min from Bellingham.
Tell ya what, anytime you need a hand with your car, just let me know. Be more than glad to help.
Say....how about meeting for lunch and a brew at the Archer Ale House in Fairhaven?


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'81 SC Coupe (aka: "Blue Bomber")
Canada West Region PCA
The Blue Bomber's Website

The Archer Ale House is my favorite watering hole in Bellingham. Pretty decent food to. I'll make it easier to meet me for lunch though, and I'll even buy. I work at Semiahmoo so next time your near the border give me a ring.

I make it to Vancouver on business once in a while but I'm ussually with one or two others who don't share my interest in meeting other 911 owners!

Hi Bruno,

I am alsways up to helping you out. You can use my car as a point of reference whenever you need to and I love working on these cars.

Marc Weintraub

I'm already a PCA member, but I haven't heard of anyone in the club doing what I describe.

Emanuel

epbrown:

I really wish that local PCA regions would organize repair and maintenance groups. We do a good job of getting 100 people to a race; seems like we could also get a half dozen owners together to work on our cars.

I even suggested that the PCA sponsor workshops and classes throughout the season. These could range from basic stuff for new members, all the way to advanced topics for the experienced wrenches.

I'd love for someone to help me with my project, but most of the guys in the club are "rich old men with Porsches" and don't do their own wrenching. I've recently asked a female friend of mine if she'd like to help...small hands are always a good thing to have...didn't recieve an answer yet. http://www.pelicanparts.com/ultimate/frown.gif

Other than that, sometimes I work on the car at very odd hours of the day, and it's hard to find others with the same schedule.

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Jeff
1976 911S

If anyone in the Houston, TX area would like to do something like this, I would love to lend a helping hand and learn.