'82 SC intro/new 915/lessons learned

[zacharyminot]

...gathered I owe an introduction after scouring the technical forum for months now. Hello Pelicans. I just got my Targa back after a 915 rebuild (also threw in a Rennshift shifter & WEVO coupler, loving it) and exhaust repairs.
A different shop replaced the fuel injectors last summer ($1200-how does that sound?) after the engine started running very poorly, told me it was fixed, then returned it to me with the same problem. A couple days later they blamed the fuel pressure relay, replaced it and the engine instantly started running smoothly again, though was down about 15-25 hp & they couldn't figure out why.
Fast forward to this spring & I brought the car to another shop, Restoration & Performance Motorcars www.rpmvt.com, to have the transmission rebuilt. They did a truly awesome job & have one of the most amazing shops I've ever seen-almost all vintage Ferrari & Porsche restoration. Highly recommended if you need a great 911 tech in northern VT. In addition to the transmission, they swapped out the Cat which had completely clogged from the failed fuel injection work & hot temperatures the previous summer. Instant power return and cooler running temperatures all in time for VT driving season. The transmission issues were traced back to the last rebuild (done by Brumos in Jacksonville Fl, about as reputable a Porsche dealer as I know of)...when they rebuilt the 915 they put the operating sleeve for 1st & 2nd on backwards (1st gear side has asymmetrical teeth & 2nd symmetrical) so you could only shift into 1st at a complete stop. Fixed that, some new synchros, new shifter....and I had no idea a 915 could be so nice.
Check out the shop's account of the 915 rebuild here & here: 915 transmission for Porsche 911
911 Porsche Transmission Buttoned Up

[dan79brooklyn]

Sweet car.
I was raised in Southern VT.
It's a joy to drive a Porsche in the Green Mountains.

Make sure you do a couple of rips up Mt. Equinox if you're around Bennington!

[skinnerd]

Yeah....I 2nd that.
Great looking car with an uncommon color scheme.

Glad you finally got your gearbox and FI issues figured out.
Makes for a transformed vehicle I am sure.

[zacharyminot]

Thanks for the compliments. It's a great car; I bought it from a very good friend who's father grew up next door to Peter Gregg in Jacksonville FL, so they've been deeply attached to Porsche scene for decades now. They bought this car new & drove it regularly but never far (~50k miles on it now).

@Dan79Brooklyn, I'll try to make it down to Mt. Equinox for a drive this summer; it's a gorgeous area. Enjoy NYC for me, I just moved back up to VT from Williamsburg a few months ago.

@Doug, yes it feels like a brand new car. I have an STi for our long winters and it's probably 2x as fast as the 911, but easily 1/2 as much fun to drive, especially now that the engine & gearbox are in proper working order. I also snagged some Rennline pedals (was surprised to learn they're a local business here) that raised the throttle enough to make heel & toeing a possibility. That alone transformed the car.

[sc_rufctr]

I like your car. The body colored wheels look great.

It's hard to describe but it's like a time machine.... It has an 80s flavor to it.

Please don't be tempted to start modifying the body or stripper her out.
She beautiful as she is.

Good luck. Thanks for posting.

[vash]

wow. nice car.

i love the color. i would like standard color fuchs..but hey. still lookin good.

$1200 for new injectors? ouch..they kinda just pull out.
off topic..so what is a winter in vermont like?

[zacharyminot]

Peter, the only things left on the list for this car are an eventual targa top rebuild from Dan@CarsInc, a Carrera oil cooler with fan, & probably H4s. I used to do all the work on my old 325i, but I've kind of resigned the work on this car to those more experienced than me for fear of seriously screwing something up. That being said, I'm on the hunt for a less-than-perfect SC or Carrera coupe to wrench on myself.

vash, yeah the fuel injector fiasco pretty much ended my relationship with the first shop. On top of the high costs on the fuel delivery end, they killed the catalytic converter while they were diagnosing the problem (which we're 99% sure was the $33 fuel pressure relay in the first place, not the expensive fuel injectors).
Winters up here are long but beautiful. If you ski or ride, there's no better place to be on the east coast. The 911 hibernates for about 5 or 6 months; with a big shot of Stabil she started up on the first key turn this past March. & also I'll admit the STi is about as much fun as you can have with a foot of snow.

[zacharyminot]

Here's some shots of the old cat & first gear damage; Steve@RPM found a great resource in CO who rebuilt the dogteeth for a fraction of the cost of replacing.

[kodioneill]

How much was the transmission repair? Labor/parts

[zacharyminot]

PM sent.

[pete3799]

Nice car.
Glad your back on the road with it.

[nineball]

be careful, because once you start buying rennline parts you can't stop. my only saving grace is that they are NOT local and i have to pay for shipping as well on everything i want, so it kind of holds me back.

[Walt Fricke]

$220, approximately, gets you six new fuel injectors and O rings from our host Pelican.

Labor should be maybe an hour, two tops if some of the insulating plastic holders pull out with them and also have to be replaced.

Brumos reversed the 1st gear engagement sleeve? Amazing, as about anyone who has even thought about rebuilding a transmission pretty quickly (while reading up) learns of the switch to the asymetric 1st gear part.

There are some transmission wizards here in Colorado (where I live, to be more exact). But I haven't heard they can put new teeth onto stripped dog teeth. They (and most mechanics) can put new dog teeth on the gear, though.

If someone is repairing/refurbishing teeth, especially ones so dramatically worn as these, I have a small bundle I have saved just because I hate to throw car parts away. I'm inclined to doubt that new teeth were welded on, though.

Lovely car.

Walt

[trader220]

THats one of the nicest looking SC targa's I have seen... just a classic beauty!

[zacharyminot]

Walt-yes that's correct, the dogteeth were replaced, not repaired (sorry for the misprint above). Now another misprint above is that the FI is definitely not sorted out anymore. Going a little crazy trying to figure out what it is...

Pete & trader220, thanks for the compliments.
Pete-where in VT are you? Have I ever seen your car around Burlington?

[j_mancini]

Agreed about the color combo - that's stunning! What is the color code? Is that yellow or cashmere beige?

[pete3799]

Zach,
I live in Topsham. Don't get up to Burlington to often.
Was up in stowe 3 weeks ago with the Porsche club. (green mountain)
Went for a ride last week through Waitsfield down to Hancock over to Middlebury
back over the hill to Waitsfield and back home.
Your in Burlington I take it?

[zacharyminot]

John, technically it's bamboo, but I've had people insist it's custard, khaki, cream, etc. I've seen one or two pics of this color before, but never both car & wheels.

Pete, yup I'm in Burlington. Driven through Topsham a few times, really gorgeous area.

[Jtilden]

nice car!...I love the combo

[regency]

Very nice car & really like the color.

Steve