I really didn't want a project this big....yet...
 

Time to start the project thread. I had intended to rebuild the suspension, make the exhaust legal, fix a coupe rust bubbles and a few small while I'm there tasks.

That was before I found this..
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1285447721.jpg

and this..
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1285447773.jpg

and this..
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1285448245.jpg

And some other ugliness.

So the project has grown. In addition to the tasks listed above, this thread will cover an windows out repaint, the addition of an IROC style whale tail, a refresh of the interior and some fancy front and rear bumpers (haven't decided what style yet) and probably a lot more while I'm in there stuff.

I'm going to need to learn a lot on this one. Definitely stepping outside my comfort zone.

I feel ya, one of my own personal cars is being torn down bare chassis.
I have a trickle or little bit of rust I had found. It's important to go over things with a methodical and sharp eye. No where to the same extent as you have, but the trickle could mean more. I can't risk it.

Good luck man.

This was the tip of the iceberg, so to speak.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1285449789.jpg

I knew there would be more but geeez...:eek:

Any time you have rust like that in your last pic, you have to know it's the tip of the iceberg. At least you'll know what you have after you're finished. Good luck.

Ah, so familiar, the feeling of being sucked into a Black Hole. The whole first half-year of my project was a series of unfortunate discoveries. But now, two years later, there's definitely light at the end of the tunnel. If you've got the will, the time, and the money, you can deal with whatever you find. Enjoy it, and good luck.

Mike

Glenn,
Good luck! you'll get through this!

If any one is interested...
 

I am detailing my adventures in rust repair in a different thread in the Paint and Bodywork Forum.....here

Shopped around a bit and have ordered a MIG welder. Should be here in a couple days. Waiting for control arms to come back from rebuild service at ER. Gotta source some body parts and buy a couple more small tools.

So today I installed the turbo tie rods. Actually a pretty easy job.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1285612123.jpg

Poke around the front wind-shield as well in the lower corners as this area also tends to rust and then drips water into the cabin behind the dash right where all the electrics are located!

I'm in the same boat and love it! I bought a Lincoln 140 last year and have been scraping and prepping, replacing bits and pieces. There never is enough time to work on it.

Good luck!

I think I found the front valance I will use. This is a TRE product and uses the stock bumper.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1285633606.jpg

This one is on a wide body but there is a version to fit my SC as well.

^Hehe, I took that picture when I used to work for Dave. Yeah, he can set you up with that valence. It's a replica of the NLA Kremer valence from the '80s (also used by Ruf).

Small world, huh?

I do remember the Kremer Porsches of way back. Not sure about the grill in the middle but I think it will work on a yellow car, good contrast. I'm going to have an IROC whale tail so I'm mixing decades.....

Basically, I need a valance that allows me to keep the stock bumper and fits an SC with stock fenders. This was the only one I found.

DaddyGlen-

I feel your pain. My car was about at your point 2 years ago. I bought a MIG welder and jumped in. It was actually fun once the anxiety wore off. Just be slow and careful and measure 8 times before cutting and recognize that the replacement panels almost never fit properly out of the box. The tough part now, once I have the body essentially sorted, is getting those outrageous estimates for painting the car. I have the feeling that painting is not as easily learned as metalwork.

Spent about 10 minutes and removed the windshield this morning. Pretty simple job.

I used a plastic thread gauge to push back the trim connectors and then slid the gauge under the trim. Pushing firmly and moving slowly all the way around freed the trim without any damage.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1285685117.jpg

Then using a razor knife with a new blade I cut the seal off the top of the glass.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1285685194.jpg

Then peel the rubber off and the glass is free to be pushed out from inside.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1285685247.jpg


After lifting out the glass and removing the rest of the seal I was greeted with good news. I had a few rust bubbles and expected the worst but it appears that it isn't too bad and I'll be able to get by with some clean up and POR-15. :)

That's exactly the right way to remove the glass so it does not break. I'm glad you found no major damage in those corners as this would be a tough job to fix.

Christmas came early. Several items I bought arrived today.

Couple used Corbeau seats. I will recover the blue in a yellow plaid.

A fiberglass IROC style whale tail. Very rough shape so I will be building my bodywork skills even more. (I knew the shape when I bought it and paid accordingly)

And a new Millermatic 140. Let the welding begin!

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1285805399.jpg

Go Glenn Go! I am sorry to see the rust but know you will do just fine repairing the yellow 911. My hats off to you for tackling the welding repair but know you are the kind of guy to get it done!

good luck. i don't have nearly that much rust on my car but its going to be nice seeing how u go about fixing yours. good choice in the miller unit. both my welders are millers never had an issue with either in 10+yrs of use.

I would dump that body and get a rust free roller to swap everything over. It will be less time consuming, likely more cost effective and on top of that more durable. That rust you have there will come back out unless you cut it all out to the bone.

George

Headed out to get some shielding gas for the welder and some metal to practice on today.

Found a little more rust when I pulled the dash out. I'm kinda getting used to the fact that there is serious rust repair in my future. If others can do it, why not me?

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286801151.jpg

Biggest problem I have now is that, mentally, I am slipping down that slope. Thinking about wider fenders, which means new wheels. Also thinking about a roll bar and other time and cash consuming ideas.

Control arms are on the way back from Chuck. Replacement metal for the front bumper shock mount areas is also on the way.

Funny....I'm looking at a lot of lower-priced ( than the "norm") SC's and 3.2 Carreras...for a project I have in mind....and a LOT of nice sounding/looking cars had this very same lower rocker-to-latch plate area rust show up. Some very badly. What the heck is goin' on?. Is this a place that "packs" with crud and decays rapidly? It is ending up much too common to feel comfortable about.

I've scoured the forums and it seems to be common. I think it is the design of the front end of the rear wheel wells. Traps all kinds of junk and rots its way forward.

Here is a picture of mine. You can see how crud would build up there.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1286853026.jpg

There are no inner fenders on these cars. None of the German cars of that era had them. A real shame, it isn't that the inner plastic fender wasn't invented by then. You get some salty mud in there during the winter time and it will be the gift that keeps on giving all year long.

Nowadays rust prevention by manufacturers include avoiding any traps like that. Even metal lips and edges are sealed off with body sealer. If the customers would not have gravitated towards the companies offering the best rust protection / warranty, we'd still have the car companies sell us self-destructing rust buckets.

George

G

Porsche at some levels is a company of contradictions. Electrical fuses are another area that was well known by the 80's in industry... and Porsche was stuck in the stone ages and continues with flawed electrical circuit designs. Can't even call that late-news....just simply bad design known all along.

And yeah...lack of plastic fender liners.....the thickness of maybe plastic milk carton jugs could have done the trick. Pretty cheap to incorporate into the build/design.

Think of the many threads that speak to packing the crud "really and truly" well into the car into the various collection points.

- LF fender area by the water bottle for mid 80's Carrera's
- tail-light housing assemblies...if you ever take them out, you'll see the tons of crud that accumulates.
- now seeing "this" latch plate area.
- I'm sure many others. The top-edge seam where the body meets the front fender longitudinally on the top ledge and leads to the cowl...( you know the area I'm talking about), that area is exposed to view whenever a front fender is removed. I've never seen an SC or Carrera *without* rust on this body "ledge", although the cars are galvanized.

Porsche introduces galvanized steel and doesn't finish the job for the simple lack of thin, cheap, plastic sheathing.

Amazing.

I may make some design modifications as I make repairs or after.

Glenn,

How do you like your auto set Miller welder ? Seems like you will have your hands full.I just picked up a Millermatic 212 with auto set in replacement of my smaller Lincoln unit and i can't wait to try it !
Hopefully not on MY car ... lol

Just waiting to pick up 10 Meters of 8/3 SOOW cable to wire into my machine ...

Cheers !
Phil

I know EXACTLY how you feel and think!

Tom

Not much done lately but here is a quick update.

I've chosen fabric for the seats. Yes, I'm going to use a yellow plaid. the yellow is a pretty good match for Talbot Yellow. I just can't decide if I should cover the cushions in the plaid and leave the rest of the seat black or cover the seat in plaid and do the cushions in black.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1287968383.jpg

Also sourced some metal for the front and did some practice welding this weekend.

Any updates on the metal work?

Love'n that yellow plaid. Awesome.

I posted a metal work update here.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/paint-bodywork-discussion-forum/565023-talk-me-through-rust-repair-please-3.html#post5649370

Got some more work done. Here is the driver's side front shock mount, replaced with a coat of POR-15, primer and several coats of Wurth's rubberized undercoat. The undercoat builds very nicely.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1292005865.jpg

It has been slow going. All the metal replacement on the front of the tub is done and I'm working on the area around the door/rocker panels. I've got to replace the kidney bowls on both sides and the lower 2/3 of both door lock posts. Here is a shot of the left side while I await the arrival of new metal.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1300569835.jpg

Looks good. You have a lot going on. I'll try to stop by in a few months to introduce myself. My motor is out and so is the front suspension - new rubber bushings, inserts and regrease the rack, plus some other small WYIT stuff. Still, will be back on the road in 6 to 8 weeks.

Are you planning to doing the welding on the rear fenders yourself?

Hey Greg. This project isn't the half of it. Got a ton of stuff going on in the other aspects of life, too.

Yes, I plan on doing all the welding myself. I also plan to do the interior and as of right now, the strip and repaint, too. I am comfortable with the mechanical stuff but the metal and paint work is pushing my skills to new limits. Wish I only had 6-8 weeks.....:rolleyes:

I am now living in Upper St. Clair. It would be nice to meet a local Pelican.

Progress photo.

Caption: "Dear Lord, what have I done?!" :eek:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1302607964.jpg

Daddy,

Good work, thanks for keeping another one on the road!

You sir, are a madman with the sheetmetal, great work. Not to hijack this thread, but have we met before? Did you ever hang around the north park swimming pool at the NHSCC autocrosses? I remember talking to a guy a few times with a yellow 911 that he had just repainted himself, looked pretty nice. Seems like you fit this description pretty good. I was there every weekend with a red 911 sc.

Good job Glenn, keep up the momentum. If the Pittsburgh Pelicans ever organize a get together, I'd like to see it.