a LOT of work to do - new owner intro

[sobamaflyer]

I had planned to wait for my very own "Hi Y'all" thread till I had my beautiful mistress all put back together. But I find I have questions as I try and re-assemble her and I've been around here (and many other forums over the years) enough to know how this works. Everyone wants to share in the joy of a new acquisition and EVERYONE (me too) needs pictures. So here's the story:

Tale as old as ....well, cars, I'm just one of the pile that plastered his walls in the early 80's with pictures of the gorgeous, shapely, 911. I have had a series of VWs driven and/or restored (Ghia, brought back from basket case, Type 3 Fastback, several Bugs) but have never satiated the desire for my own 911. I've been soaking up information on this and the other Porsche board for several years waiting for the right time to take the plunge.

___________________________

So I've wanted another project car since I sold the Ghia I'd restored some 9 years or so ago, the tinkering is part of the joy for me. I came across something I fell in love with. It was a stalled project, having the body work completed and sprayed in a color I'd have chosen myself. Overall about every part of the car is what I'd have wanted on the checklist, Targa, 16x7 & 9 Fuchs, Whale Tail, Euro H4's, the list goes on. It's a running car that's largely an assembly project.

Adding to the story I turned picking her up into a road trip for my Dad and I that was a long overdue reconnection. We had a downright adventure covering about 2000 miles over 5 days, including 2 southern boys traipsing (not wholly intentionally) through downtown Manhattan with a pickup truck and an 8' wide car trailer.





Here's her first shot in my driveway off the trailer:



And here are a few after a first week of some much needed scouring, and some initial re-assembly:










.....I know I've got a lot of work ahead of me, but I'm in car guy heaven at the moment, even though it now has to be fit in after diapers, bath and bed-times

Comments, advice, whatever is welcome. Thank you all in advance for answering the barrage of detail questions I know are coming. I do search as well as possible before I post.

Travis

[SP2]

Congatulations on your new car! What did you use on your Fuchs for that shine?

[Oh Haha]

Welcome to the family. You'll find that this forum is a source of info on Porsche like no other.

Keep plugging away at your 911 and soon you'll be starting threads about how much fun it is to drive.

I like that you are doing alot, if not all, of the work yourself. Your knowledge will surely help the next guy if you are willing to share your experience.

I'm not abig fan of fully polished Fuchs but they seem to work nicely on your silver car.

[vulcan300]

I'm doing exactly the same project except I'm only 70% through disassembly for paint. I'll be watching with interest to see what happens as it comes back together for you. Good luck!!

J

[NOLAsc]

Hey Travis,

Your car looks really clean. Nice interior! No a.c.? There's a good recent thread here about a.c. upgrades if you have the basics.

Is that tunnel shot your tunnel in Mobile? I remember running through there roof-off in one of my first 914s a couple of decades ago on the way to and back from Destin.

Man... have fun. I got my 82 targa nearing a year ago. It's been my daily driver. Car seats for the kids in the back (that's gonna become an issue). Big projects wait for long weekends.

[sobamaflyer]

Thanks all - I was so excited I couldn't sleep the week before the trip up and I've been a little past obsessed since getting her home (barely a week ago). Thankfully I have an understanding wife.

The Fuchs: They were done by Al Reed at some point, by the time they became mine they were a little pitted and in a bad need of polishing but not awful. Some 0000 Steel wool LIGHTLY, and about an hour each of hand polishing (each) with mothers has gotten them back to this point (I still have 2 to do). I'm not usually a fully polished guy either but something about them with the silver and my plan to keep the early touches (stainless bar, chrome rings, I'll strip back the 1/4 window frames) seems to work on the car.

My own work: Ive had a lifelong passion for cars and between manuals, the internet and general "how hard can it be" I've done about everything short of spraying a car on one. Most of this is out of interest, some out of the fact I don't have quite the toy fund to send what I consider simple jobs out to a shop to do. I definately document, I'll ask when I don't know something, but will certainly be too willing to share if I figure out something good.

The tunnel: Actually that's one of the tunnels going across New York City on the way back home from picking her up. By the time she see's our Wallace Tunnel it will be under her own power not on the bed of a trailer

[Pascal]

Congratulations! Nice Lincoln tunnel shot.

[GaryR]

Very nice Travis, looks like new front oil lines on her, does she have a center cooler or the stock trombone? A couple hours in the engine bay and some work on the fan/housing and she will be back to her former glory!
Enjoy!

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

Travis,

That is a beautiful car! Very clean!

A/C??? That is like stinckin badgers!!! We don't need no... and it robs horsepower! And we all know it never gets hot/humid in Alabama. Just take the top off and enjoy!

This board will help keep you busy and on the wide road of "While I'm in there".

[Jtilden]

Awesome car!...it's going to be dead sexy once you complete it. I look forward to seeing your progress.

[sobamaflyer]

thanks!

I think I've got a stock trombone (several rings of pipe in the front R. wheel well?) Those steel lines are secured on the side and back, but seem to be somewhat unsecured in the front. Does anyone have a picture of how they should be battened down?

I guess I'm turning this into a re-build thread, here's another night of progress. Had to be a bit creative for re-fitting the bumper shocks (missing the rubber pieces around them). Also [as expected] having to get bits of hardware when I don't find some in my stashes.



Yes, you do see red pieces by the bellows. I have several pieces (chin piece, side skirts, rear valances and front pieces) that need to be sprayed, most are already primed, not sure why they didn't get done when the rest was done but whatever...

[sobamaflyer]

Time for a minor update

I've got 3 of the 4 corners of brakes redone, found out I have a "late '75" which has different brakes than I first thought, bolted on more bits and baubles and ordered more parts. Seems the more I get done the more I see the more I see needs doing

But I am getting somewhere

[nesslar]

Nice! You sure are getting somewhere!
Why the dumbbell on the floor there? Isn't fixing the car enough of a workout?

[sobamaflyer]

I'm hoping she'll be off the jack stands by the end of this week (the dune buggy look isn't working for me ). I've got the chin spoiler, side sills, rear valences, etc to get sprayed so they can go on. A bit of wire figuring out and also rubber gaskets to figure out where they go.......lots of little bits but I'll get there.

The dumbell is my all purpose holder, fixes parts together when glued, etc. It was more recently used as a wheel chock.

[Math]

No door mirrors??

[sobamaflyer]

There's flag mirrors in one of my many boxes, but I have another idea

[sobamaflyer]

So close, I'm recovering this weekend from very minor surgery or I'd be out driving my car. Finally got all my brakes in, lights are working, interior is coming together, made my little RS door pulls (so now I can open the doors from the inside). Tons of little odds and ends resolved.

Just need to bleed the brakes. I even have insurance on her effective this last week, time to go to the DMV and go find some flat-6 joy in the sunshine









I still have lots and lots of work to do, obviously need to take half a dozen pieces back off and get them painted Arctic Silver. I'm missing a few odds and ends bu this great site and it's members are invaluable there (I've even managed to begin trading some of the duplicate parts that came with the car for what I need)

So there's the new excited owner update

Travis

[da Vinci Dan]

One of the nicest shots of the Lincoln and NJ Turnpike Ive seen in a long time - Keep up the good work.

[sobamaflyer]

She's Alive!!!!

Ok, so she's not gorgeous yet but oh wow the fun of having a running car!

Here's a few latest shots





She's not ready for the "Ultimate Targa Thread" imo until I get those various pieces painted and a few missing items sourced.

Also looking forward to a little fun with the 911 and spouse thread but that's going to take a bottle of wine to get my cute little wife to drape herself over the mistress

[kidrock]

I think she looks great...I'd drive her for sure. Great work, I'm looking forward to see your progress.