Time to dig in...softie conversion

[saxen]

this is coming along!!! great to see this process

[techweenie]

Perfect Gemini match. Good gaps. You'll be enjoying the car long after the bad actors get their just rewards.

[speedo]

Maybe a bit of a temper regarding my painter experience, and a bit mental at my ignorance (handshake contract) and how everything ended up. Car has been under a car cover in the shop. It is there, I know it is there...but I have not wanted to indulge it by paying any attention to it. I have a 914-6 on the rotisserie next to it that has yet to cause me the grief the targa has. Kind of like when your dog does something it knows it shouldn't do...you catch it in the act, and it puts it's head down and heads towards the vanquished "bad dog" place. It wants desperately to catch you looking it's direction to give you the "I'm sorry" look, but you just ignore it.
Ok, so in the past when a project has gone astray...I need to tip-toe back into it. Build up a rapport...some steam. I have been busy in the shop...but the projects have been 914-6 related, or peripheral stuff. I ended up with a lot of extra MFI stuff far and beyond what I need for my own engines...and finding homes for these parts helps the Porsche account. This weekend, I forced myself to do a couple small things to re-develop the relationship with the targa. Don't bust my chops...here goes.
I had refinished the rear decklid grill a while back, but now I have the chance to install it , check the fitment and attach the one-off 2.2 badge I made.

New studs aligned perfectly. The original badges were riveted. I will use JB weld and the existing rivet holes.

Everything is lined up, and the area under and around the vanes is protected from JB weld ooze.

Bingo...24 hrs later all cured...looks great if I do say so myself.


I was on a roll, albeit a roll on a very slight slope. The rear got attention, so I headed to the front. The badge has a bit of early patina.


I am starting to warm to the car

[merbesfield]

Don't hold it against the car, it cannot help it if it's owner went a little crazy. As for EFI parts, Richard, aka Zookeeper on S reg needs some help w an MFI pump.

Show us some more skin.

[rennch]

I'm just glad you're back on it, Lars! The sad part is, you do so much cool stuff that's only noticeable if people have read this thread. That must give you some satisfaction when you're rolling down the street.

[speedo]

I had suffered through the (personal/me) recover of a "347" 914 dished wheel and I am the reason that the professional resto shops do so well...it takes me a long time and a lot of blood (needles and skin) to recover a wheel. You would think I would have learned from past experience. I recently picked up a very lightweight Nardi wood wheel. Incredible how light as compared to a factory wheel wood wheel. A buddy hooked me up with the correct hub, but I couldn't find a reasonably priced Porsche horn button. Plenty of Nardi emblemed horn buttons, but I didn't want a Nardi horn button. So...I needed to find an alternative. Here is what I started with...the center hole criteria was 2 1/4 inches.


Ok, so I looked around the shop for something Porsche...that might work as a horn button. I looked at maybe turning down a centercap on a fuchs, but the dimensions were prohibitive. So I looked at everything I had in the shop...and stumbled on these

These are the emblems on the moon hub caps...2.1/4 OD. This hubcap was beyond repair, so the emblem got sacrificed.

Here are the components...

This is the emblem polished up...

I need to create a spacer between the horn button and the emblem to get it flush with the surface of the Nardi...plexiglass. It will be invisible, and the horn button will still work.

The finished product...



I'm not sure...but to me that looks almost gothic. The button is free and has plenty of movement for the horn to work. I think I will ignore the trim ring around the button that conceals the bolts holding it to the hub. Flame away

[speedo]

Here are the results using the original trim ring...


Or and my preference...without


BTW...side view shot of the plexiglass spacer. If anybody wants some dimensions...pm me.


Thanks for indulging me.

Speedo

[Brillo]

Really like the polished emblem. I prefer it with the trim ring.

[obrut]

I vote for with the trim ring - or use chrome dome headed hex bolts.

Ps. Nice work as usual.

[Doug&Julie]

I vote sans ring, but agree maybe with some nicer looking bolts? Well done on the button!

[Jays72T]

Geat work on the horn button, looks great.
No ring and I like the hex bolt look but button heads would look more finished.

[mikeferg75]

I like the trim ring

[lateapex911]

With those bolts, go with the trim ring. With polished button head cap screws, then maybe go ringless...

[Matt Monson]

No ring. Though nice hardware on the final assembly.

I might need to get in touch about this. I've got a Racemark wheel that I have run without button for years. A bit tedious touching a lead to the side of it when I actually need a horn. I like this solution. And since my Racemark is black, and so are my counter sunk allen fasteners, I could just spray the cap matte black and call it done.

[speedo]

McGuckins. And the old hardware dudes that work there know their stuff. I show up and they raz me about what project I am working on, and why it is taking me so long. Big difference between McGuckins and a Lowes or Home Deop where you have to find someone in a dept and tackle them...then they usually cannot answer the question so they have to call someone on their walkie talkie. They felt my pain when I said I needed to find some alternatives to the 5mm bolts on the Nardi...here are the new choices. Both are an improvement.




I have pulled a couple more emblems off rusty half moons and am now looking for two more hubs and basic horn buttons to complete a couple more aluminum wheels that need help. Let me know what you have. The targa is going to fly the Nardi as it sits.

Speedo

[merbesfield]

McGuckin's is a very cool store for sure. My mom goes there all the time. I have one of their baseball caps I like. If they don't have what you need try McMaster-Carr.

[speedo]

Was painted poorly. There was either dust or debris underneath. My painter mixed me a bit of Gemini Blue metallic in a couple rattle cans. I realize it is the front latch panel...but it could be cleaner. I stored the front hood and fenders so I could repaint the front panel. I have decided to work from the front of the car towards the rear. I have sanded down the panel and getting it prepped.


This took a couple hours....and I'm not pissed that I need to redo this...really.

Protected

Primed

I can put the color on tomorrow and then start to work my way to the back of the car. Looking forward to being able to use some of the bling...


Speedo

[lateapex911]

Regarding the wheel fasteners, I'm not diggin the phillips...the button heads are better, but i'd prefer them ii another finish. Stainless? But no matter they are by far the best choice so far.

[John1180]

Originally Posted by lateapex911

Regarding the wheel fasteners, I'm not diggin the phillips...the button heads are better, but i'd prefer them ii another finish. Stainless? But no matter they are by far the best choice so far.

I'd try a light beadblast on stainless!

[Eric_Shea]

Stainless hex button screws McMaster-Carr

Cool wheel.