Finally, back in the game!

[timmy2]

Well, it took almost 4 years but there is finally a 911 in my garage again.
I sold my '73 911T Targa when I was moving a few years ago after listening to my wife. Huge mistake, both of us had regretted that decision ever since.
I just picked up what I would call a real gem in the rough! It's a ROW '78 911SC targa with only 81,000 miles. It's been off the road for a while and hasn't had a bunch of different owners. One family imported it, passed it down internally once and then changed owners due to debt. I'm the 4th proud owner/project manager....
The car has minor issues but nothing I can't deal with myself. There are some oddities and interesting updates/mods that I will mention later.

Reason P.O. selling:
Just spent 3k regasketting motor and leaks worse than before. Won't idle at all. Tired of seeing it parked, really angry and just wants it gone.

Condition(s) at Purchase:
1. Won't idle unless PO puts fuel in air filter!!! Holy crap, don't blow the airbox up trying to show me it will run!(Backfire etc.)
Fix- Install oil tank breather return line in CIS rubber boot at the back, install large hose clamp at base of CIS rubber boot. Drain fuel, purge lines and add fresh premium gas that is methanol free. (available at some locations in OR)
Result: Runs smooth, idles good, revs strong.
2. Oil leaks, smoking heat exchanger (pass side)
First fix- well it was just re-gasketted, lets check torque on valve covers.
Result: Fire your mechanic, or at least buy him some tools...
Second fix- Ordered the leaking triangle parts from our host, engine drop soon. will pressure test oil cooler while I'm at it.
3. Missing stuff like cooling hoses and fans.
Fix 1- Our host for needed hoses and a backdate kit for both sides that was on e-flay for under $100.
2nd fix- Take apart "broken" $400 blower motor that was in a box of "stuff" solder the resistor wires back on the brush holders, test and smile at a running blower that cost 10 cents to repair. (solder and electricity) (Being an electrician for 25 years helped too!)
4. Dashboard is toast! plastic dash cap in back seat, windshield removed but whole.
Fix-(temporary) remove existing dash, shave to fit dash cap, install dash. Looks good for now, will obtain new one when I win the lottery!
Then clean up good condition windshield rubber and re-install. Glad it's a ROW car and they used sealant instead of glue on the windshield. Re-installed in like manner so I can pull it easily when I re-paint in a year or 2.
5. Wiring and Lighting. H4 glass cracked from stone, $35 from our host. Done.
High beams don't work? Smoke from switch! Removed and contacts welded together where the black plastic broke off, jammed and overheated unit. (recall anyone? LOL) New switch delivered tomorrow from our host! Will be installed by Sunday.
Wiring loom has been played with. Hey, I know an electrician and I have every manual and wiring print for the car. Guess I'll get started on it while I do the turn signal switch. 3 packages of new fuses in assorted sizes arrived in mail this week too!
6. Targa top broken at drivers side hinge. One latch broken, headliner falling off.
Fix- $845 delivered from e-flay for a really good one that I only needed to install a couple of screws from my broken one and glue a little vinyl back on.
7. Seats. Leather very dirty and cracking.
Fix. I'm going with vinyl for now for my Lobster Red seats. Easier to keep clean and I can get them made for $350 delivered for me to install.
8. Fiberglass whale tail/deck lid that needs minor attention.
Fix- repair and paint, then hopefully find OEM stuff here on this forum to do it right.( I love the look, so I'll stay with it)

That's about it for major stuff (minor really) I put in hood shocks and a couple of other items like one door light switch etc.

The rest of the car looks very good for it's age. carpets in cabin and trunk are new, everything seems to function properly, leaking too much oil to drive it a lot.
Gonna fix that right after vacation in August!
Absolutely no rust anywhere! I've done frame off restorations in my garage on other '50's and '60's vehicles , so I know rust! Couple of door dings but I'll get those when I paint.

Oddities I've found so far compared to the "usual" cars I've seen here in USA or described in manuals etc:
1. aftermarket or dealer or upgraded A/C? nice small seiko compressor and a heat exchanger mounted behind drivers side rear wheelwell with a blower motor in the engine compartment ducted to the unit. Simple duplex 3 stage switch mounted to the right of heater controls on dash. Non console car.
No Cruise control, no power windows. Power mirrors!
Non stock muffler, Catalytic converter with unused/plugged hole(s) for O2 sensor. (makes for easier F.I. install) Air pump gone. (Maybe that's why the cat?)
Fix=SSI's.....

Well I could go on, and on, and on. but I'll wear out my welcome here if I tell you guys everything right away!
I've had the car for 3 weeks. I'll keep it until I can't push in the clutch anymore!

Oh, and for those that want/need to know, the angry P.O. delivered the car to me from Bend, OR to Salem, OR at a total delivered price of $6600.00!
Here's a couple of pics that were on Craig's List where I originally found it listed at $13K then it dropped to $7k and I made a phone call (or two, three, four etc).

[timmy2]

Here's the other pic:
Guess I didn't get both the first time...
I will post more as I get this beauty up to snuff.

[DRACO A5OG]

Welcome Back Brother Targa!

Love to see more of that Lobster Red Interior PLZ

[tevake]

Welcome aboard Timmy2. Sounds like you are off to a very good start with your new targa. It does look good with the red interior. You are going to be out enjoying the ride in no time.
Cheers Richard

[timmy2]

It's really good to be back,
I'll take some pics and upload them soon. I like the contrast of red on black inside. I think I'll keep the dash black for now. Not sure how a red dash would look, maybe too much red... But, that would be more original. Maybe I'll photoshop a picture of the dash red to get an idea of how it would look when I have time.
Here's some pics of my last car, a '73 911T:

[DRACO A5OG]

You New Baby's Later Ego Nice

[timmy2]

Here are some pictures I took a few minutes ago of the car as it sits right now:
I know it's dirty but I will clean it up soon. Going to install the new turn signal switch tonight, maybe even put the steering wheel back on...
Ignore the '69 442 convertible in the background that's going through a full frame off. It can wait until my 911 is done!

[timmy2]

Here's a couple more:
The new front trunk supports sure are nice to have. No prop rods is definitely the way to go.
Have a fair bit of work ahead of me to clean up the engine. I'll post pics as I proceed.

[Kidasters]

Nice! Save the Targa's!

Euro tail lights - H4's. Clean it up and bring that beauty back!

Mine was in pretty rough shape, but after a year, I've got most of it under control. If I do paint next year, it'll be perfect!

Ken

[timmy2]

Those are H-4's. Are they euro taillights I have?
Still learning what is what on euro cars.
Here's what I have done in the past to restore a vehicle.
From this:








To this... after one year of nights and weekends in my garage







I like to Tinker... LOL!

[Kidasters]

Nice Chebby!

Yeah - the look like Euro's to me. The european ones are red and orange. The US ones are all red.

Keep working on it!

Ken

[timmy2]

New turn signal/headlamp switch installed. Broken H4 glass on one side swapped out.
Nice to have fully functional lighting. Doing this work exposed a surprise or 2.
So, I've been busy replacing a wires in the harness that had melted in the past, now I'm going through the entire harness to make sure it's all safe and correct. 30 years of previous ownership shows! Butt splices and crimp connections, partially bare wires etc. Nothing I haven't seen on other vehicles I've worked on, but more than I expected. I've been very busy soldering and heat shrinking all the inferior connections (butt splices and crimp connectors)

The tough part about doing this kind of work is knowing that there is absolutely nothing visible to "show" for all the work involved. I need to focus on my personal satisfaction and peace of mind knowing it is done right and the car won't burn up from an electrical fire.

Being an electrician, I want to remind all peeps to do the job right. No wrapping wires together and taping them. Butt splices are cheap and easy but they corrode, heat up, fall apart and can start fires. Learn how to solder and heat shrink properly, you don't want to see your car burning up after you add a new stereo!

[timmy2]

Wow, What a PITA... finally finished replacing and soldering and wrapping the wiring harness, pulled the fuseblock and cleaned that up while I was at it! spent at least 10 solid hours on it.
Tracing, labelling and making my own schematic from the USA version for my ROW car was "fun". I'm going to have to do a drawing on the computer to keep for future reference.

Now I'm repairing a couple of deep parking lot dings on the passenger side and a definite dent in the same side wheel well, not going to be perfect but it will be good enough until I do a re-paint.

All this is just "fill" time while I wait for some more parts from our host and then drop my engine and attack the oil leaks.

Found a small oil seep in the front of the left wheel well on the back hard line connection. Anyone know of a special tool or method to tighten that one or do I have to remove the one in front of it?

[Kidasters]

Careful with the oil lines. That's one of those projects that can snowball rapidly. Or so I've been told.

Ken

[timmy2]

Surprise, surprise, I just keep adding things to my list for "while the motor is out"!

Carrera Chain tensioners are on their way, SSI's should be getting shipped this week by a member here, Mocal oil cooler is on it's way. Assorted tools and parts to aid in these "necessary" changes are on their way. All backdate parts are in or on order for the SSI's. It's too easy to read about something on this forum, decide I need it and order it here....

Once I drop the motor I'll be working on it for a while... Far too many posts of shiny detailed engines on this site. I'm going to have to put in some extra time to get a nice engine compliment!

What are some good options for 2 inlet, one outlet mufflers for the SSI's?
I'm more interested in a good flow that won't restrict horsepower too much, but won't wake up the neighbors every morning either...

[Brown747]

Nice job on the '55. My first ride was a 55 found in about the same condition...Good luck with the Targa project.

Thor

[timmy2]

Well, you never know what you're going to find until you can take a good look!

Dropped the motor out tonight after work to look for the oil leak(s)

I think I may have found the cause of the P.O.'s woes!



Installing the crankcase vent hose and then tightening it perhaps would have been a good thing?

Still going to do the normal leaks back there while it's out.
I've found so many loose nuts and bolts on the motor, actually just sitting on the motor! from the P.O's "mechanic" that I can't trust what he may have done in there! He actually siliconed the tops of some of the tin surround to hold them there? Guess he never heard of blue loctite...

And yes the "spare" hose clamp was sitting right there when I dropped the powertrain...

I took a few "as found" pictures, I'm used to doing that in my job.

Makes re-assembly easier, but I won't do it like the last guy!

[timmy2]

Well I've had 3 busy evenings this week, replaced the 3 usual leak suspects, changed the oil cooler gaskets, cleaned everything.
Tore down the CIS cleaned it up (Very nasty) and changed the gasket and o-ring, installed the pop off valve, re-installed the CIS and replaced the injectors and their o-rings. New breather hoses too.
That should take care of the back, top 1/2 of the engine....

Next it's on to the carrera chain tensioner update, then strip and repaint the tin and mounts, A little more cleaning and detailing and back it goes after cleaning up the engine bay. Oh yeah, install SSI's and exhaust with backdate set up.

Some pics to enjoy:

Dirty....



Should this really just fall off when you put it down???



Cleaner and Room to Work!



Looking good!



Back together again...

[KNS]

Nice work!

[GaryR]

Looks good Tim, bet you replaces all those hoses on the intake manifold! They get brittle after 25 years or so..