Upgrading a SWB (68) with parts from a 77.

[Rotmilky]

Well, I drug home a parts car to help out with my 68 restore. It's a 77 that I mainly thought I'd use for sheet metal. But, I know some of the parts from the 77 will bolt right on and make a nice upgrade (I plan to keep the old parts in case I want to restore to original later).

What parts should I upgrade from the 77?
1) I understand the front suspension and steering assembly is a bolt-on replacement and a good upgrade. Correct?

2) Brakes...the 68 has a 19mm master cylinder (I think). The 77 has, umm...maybe a 23 mm master cylinder with a booster. I'm thinking that I shouldn't use the 77 brakes because I don't want to bother trying move the master cylinder and mount the booster. I just don't think the 19 mm master cylinder has enough 'oomph' to drive the 77 brakes.

3) Is anything off the rear useable for a SWB? I know the control arms are not a bolt on replacement. I'm assuming the rear brakes and rotors aren't going to slap right on there either.

4) Any other parts off a 77 that I didn't mention that would make a nice bolt on upgrade to a 68 that I should consider?

[Flieger]

I believe the piston sizes are the same for the SWB and 77. The only thing that changed was vented rotors and calipers got heavier. Ayway, you will have no problem using the 77 brakes with a 19mm master cylinder.

[Flieger]

I am preparing myself to be schooled by the SWB gurus from the Early 911S Registry, though.

[Grady Clay]

Von,

Welcome home (from Africa?)

I’m assuming that the ’77 is complete salvage. Be sure the parts you use are not damaged.

Yes, installing ’69-’88 front suspension is a good mod. You can ‘lighten the load’ a bit by using the aluminum ‘S’ calipers from earlier 911E,S & Carrera, they too have the 3.5” caliper bolt spacing of the ‘A’ calipers from the ’77. I would ‘service’ the new front suspension with new ball joints, (Turbo) tie rods and match the shocks to new rear shocks.
Depending on the strut shock tube, now might be the time to raise the spindles.
Don’t use the ’77 sway bar, your ‘through-the-chassis’ sway bar is better. You will need to replace the sway bar mounts on the new A-arms.
You will want to use your original ‘pan’ under the front suspension, requiring two new tabs from the cross-member.
It is useful to reinforce the sheet metal around the original sway bar mounts through the tub. There are nicely formed aftermarket products for this.
I suspect you are intending to install larger torsion bars and sway bars F&R.

Carefully inspect your chassis mounting points for damage or rust and repair as necessary.

The ’77 has the fuel pump on the front cross-member. Now is the opportunity to make a circulating fuel system.
I installed the return line (3/8” high pressure SS pipe with heat-shrink covering) to the right of the tunnel with silver-soldered metric fittings outside the cockpit.

The ’77 has a larger capacity fuel tank but requires the collapsible spare. Your decision. You could modify the ’77 tank (retaining the 'swirl-pot') to resemble the 120 liter ‘rally tank’ from ’68. Quite a project (for later).

The heated rear window from the ’77 is a nice touch and adds only the weight of the wires.
Your ’68 has one trunk light, add the other from the ’77.
It is possible to convert your ’68 to the intermittent wiper system in the ’77.
I have never been happy with the lack of suitable interior lights in my ’68. I installed a glove box light. I have always intended to install (trunk or interior) lights above the foot-wells and the later light above the ignition switch with automatic fade. Total weight <50 g.

I think the ’77 clock has a second hand. It will be a quartz movement and keep proper time.
You want the ’68-only ‘S’ gauges (easy from N. Hollywood).

The ’77 has dual heat controls. Does it have the hand throttle? This combination bolts in your parking brake assembly (use early knobs).

Save the glue-on mirror from the ’77. You might need it if the ’68-only mirror has some distress.

The windshield washer pump is the same. Save it.

Does the ’77 have a front oil cooler system? If so, make it ‘new’ and use a full-fin cooler for your 2.0.
In our climates, you need the engine oil cooling – even with a 2.0.

Is there a 2.7 engine? If not repairable, you can find several other core 2.7s and potentially build a nice 7R 2687 cc carbureted engine.
This is a very pleasant (and fast) improvement for a ’68.

When you get the ’77 completely apart, save the complete rear torsion bar, rear chassis and rear seat assembly (and more) if not damaged or rusted.
This is useful to convert a terminally rusted SWB to LWB. I have a ’67 912 salvage that is a good candidate.

Is the ’77 a non-sunroof coupe? If undamaged, save the extended roof structure so someone can convert a Targa to a non-sunroof coupe.

Save all the hardware.
Recycle all the other parts to Pelicans restoring a ’77 or similar.

Best,
Grady