Doug's Targa Get's Naked

[fhernand]

Meet Doug's very cool 1970 Targa. My goal with his car is to strip it naked...strip to bare metal. Remove old bondo, dents, dings and waves. Remove old rusted out light buckets and patch all rusted areas with new metal. I commend Doug for staying true to the Tangerine color...gorgeous indeed. The final paint will be a single stage Glasurit urethane finish. Stay tuned as I transform this cool Targa back to it's original glory, a show room finish. Read some history on this unique car as told by Doug himself. BTW, check out the historic lic plates.

My 1970 911T Targa was originally owned by a Naval officer named Ralph Loveless. I know that in 1972 he was a Lt. Commander stationed in Honolulu. The second owner told me that Loveless was an Admiral (retired) when he bought the car in 1993, but I haven't been able to verify that. He was stationed at the Naval Post-graduate School in Monterey later in his career. There is a sticker on the rear/side window that says "Commander In Chief United States Pacific Fleet." I'm assuming he was on the staff when he was stationed in Honolulu. The PO told me Loveless had the car when he was stationed in Italy and toured around Europe in it. He also said he transported the car on his ship, and that he got the car into a John Wayne movie (being hoisted onto a ship). I haven't been able to verify any of this (and I think I watched all of the non-Western Wayne movies made after 1970 trying!). But its fun to think of him cruising around Europe in the car and then the car cruising on his ship.

Thanks Doug for allowing me do your car.

[fhernand]

Light buckets on our older 911’s have been problematic in regards to rust. Two reasons have contributed to the demise. First, light buckets are never maintenance or cleaned. Factory buckets came with a drain hole at the very bottom of the bucket. Most, but not all buckets, have installed a water drain grommet. When the grommet gets plugged of dirt coming in from behind the bucket or around the ring seals, the water simply is trapped and eventually rust begins. If you car has been worked on be sure that they have install a drain seal. Secondly, most after market buckets come with out any holes thus, living up to the installer to fabricate appropriate holes. If the drain hole is overlooked when installing, the bucket becomes a water bowl.

The buckets on Doug’s car were never cleaned and did not have the drain grommet in place. Prior to Doug’s ownership, some one had repaired the rusted holes by simply using glue to hold on a ½ washer over the rust holes. Here are few pictures of the old bucket and new bucket installed.

TIP: When replacing the original OEM buckets make sure to mark the orientation of the buckets before removing otherwise, your rings and lights will not fit properly. If your buckets are after market, dry fit light and rings before welding. Better to make your holes after the light buckets have been installed. Be prepared to take both fender off for the repair.

[tabasco]

Subscribed !

[digitaldgp]

Subscribed!!

[Shaun @ Tru6]

sub'd

[sfoster13]

Freddie's threads are restoration pornography

[fhernand]

Restoration pornography? Now that there is funny!

[dshepp806]

Nice work!!!!!!!!

[tabasco]

Freddie,

since you're the professor... can you give us a few hints of what's coming next ?
You must have a plan and schedule in mind.

Some questions I have :
- Do you have an idea of how long will it take, what are the major steps ?
- It seems you already stripped the body... How long will it stay like this ?
- Did you strip the paint with chemicals like in the 101 tutorial ?

-Guillaume

[Doug&Julie]

I feel the need to subscribe...can't quite put my finger on why.....

[nineball]

must be an ohio thing

[jimbauman]

I like the DeLorean look.... keep it - but spray with clearcoat!

JB

[fhernand]

Guilluame, (AKA) Tabasco....cool name. I'm far from being a professor...still a student trying to prefect the process. The way I have outlined this paticular project is as follows:

1. Strip the car down from all moldings, chrome, lights, windows, latches, etc. I don't like to see anything but a clean exterior shell.

2. Adjust doors, hood, fenders, lid. I live all gaps at 4 mm. In areas where gaps are too large, I add metal to edges to close the gaps. Call me crazy but I'm a fanatic about gaps and flat panels being left close to perfection.

3. Strip the entire car to bare metal Everything is striped to metal rockers, jams, all posts all of it. I use metal cleaners to prepare the metal for two coats of epoxy.

4. Address all rust issues. New panels or metal to areas needing to be cut out. Surface rust I sand blast.

5. Work the metal so that all dents are as far out as possible. Lot's of hammer and dolly work. Thereafter bondo and lot's of blocking and more blocking.

6. Spray three coats of primer and block out any waves. Spray another three coats of primer until panels are flat to the touch and eye.

7. Wet sand entire car with 400 and prep it for paint.

8. Get it to the booth and have some fun. If desired by owner, next day I start blocking my clear with grit 800, 1000, 1500. Buff the entire car to a show room finish.

9. Re-assemble the entire car back to how it started.

My goal on this project is one month. One month allows me to do the fine details without rusing the process. I work on one car only. On this project the major steps are repairing the rust and striping to bare metal. I stay away from chemical striping these days. I either strip by light grinding or, media blasting. Depending on weather conditions I will leave the car in bare metal no longer than one day.

[80-911SC]

Originally Posted by jimbauman

I like the DeLorean look.... keep it - but spray with clearcoat!

I second that, and this time its not just my opinion(kind of a change)

Steve

[911FASCINATION]

Hi Freddie, I'm amazed by the one month timetable! Please make me feel better about myself by saying you've got a full staff working on this and it's not just you.

[shbop]

Originally Posted by sfoster13

Freddie's threads are restoration pornography

Last one that I saw, was over the top. Glad I caught this one.

[fhernand]

FACINATION, my goal is one month. Realistically, due to the unexpected surprise of rust, it will probably be longer than one month ; ) I work on these cars alone and occasionally bring in Gus (AKA Chicowow) to help when I'm feeling overwhelmed. But normally only I touch the car...one man show. I'm not a body shop where the car moves through several hands and departments. I like to provide personalize service this way my Porsche compadres can get me a beer or two (Dark Dos Equis XX) and talk shop.

PS. Steve and JB if you can convince Doug of the DeLorean look, I’m game…best wishes.

[911FASCINATION]

Geeez Freddie, Even if it's two months to completion you must be putting in some crazy hours-out of curiosity what's an "average" work week look like? Do you make time for trivial stuff like sleep and food?

[ratpiper71T]

Freddie,
thanks for the start of another great thread. I will be following it for updates, as probably all other pelicans and earlys'ers will too.
Thanks also for what I'm pretty sure is the first demonstration with pics of light bucket replacement. I've been searching for a while for examples as I'm hoping to save my fenders when I begin my 71 resto later.
Also, when you are reding the panel gaps and you say that you add metal when necessary, can you elaborate a little more (with fotos) on that process- is that welding a bead or lead?- if possible? I'm a little lost on how you bring this to perfection.

Thanks again,
eric

[ntrylvl]

Freddie,

I am SO excited that you are going to do my Targa soon, and my car should be honored as well.

Chris