Sub $500 Winter Projects?

[MonsieurBrochan]

Hi Guys,

My wrenching finger is getting itchy just looking at the 911 in the garage. The roads around here are now wearing their winter coat of salt and I'll occasionally have the car out when its unseasonably warm and the salt has been washed away by rain... but I think its time to find one or a few winter projects. The snag is that I just finished with a lengthy and shockingly expensive head-stud repair so my toy-funding budget is pretty much wiped out for a while.

So my question to you guys... What kind of 911 projects have you done for under, say... $500?

In mind I have things like: make the engine bay sexier, powdercoat fan, restore a power window mechanism, clean up trunk wiring and appearance, shrink or shave impact bumperettes, fix the cassette player in my Blaupunkt Bamberg electonic, find and install an antenna that doesn't make the car look r/c, install a triangular strut brace, etc. etc. This list could easily keep me busy but I bet some of you guys have some awesome things I haven't even thought of.

What kind of projects have you guys done for less than $500?

Thanks!

Adam

[wolds]

rebuild your pedal box, clean all your ground points, clean all electical connectors, clean all fuse contacts. OK, so this is all pretty boring, but will make your car happy and possibly keep it from catching fire. Also, pull the fan/alternator and do an inspection and cleaning on that.

[CCM911]

Clean your car. Then clean it a little more. And when you are done...start cleaning again. And I mean everything from the fender wells to the engine compartment.

Again, not sexy, but it will force you to go over your car with a fine tooth comb. And when you are done, you will have a really clean car to enjoy when the weather warms up.

[grizzfan]

Our sponsor has very nice complete carpet kits to spruce up the interior for about that price in a variety of fabrics. Struts and shocks might run just a bit more.

I'm considering replacing my alternator with a rebuilt one and matching the voltage regulator brand to whatever brand of alternator I have in there. You know the symptom, alternator light never quite goes out (and the belt is tight).

Tom

[TheSt|G]

Pick a section(start small) and completely restore it to new. Clean it, replace anything broken, lubricate what needs it, and reassemble. Act as if you don't want to be in there for another 20 years.

Rinse/repeat if bored and still have more funds.

[T77911S]

pull out the rear tail lights and clean the dirt. prevents rust.

pull the wires one at a time on the fuse block and clean them along with the screw ends and fuse ends and fuse contacts.

if steering wheel shakes replace the bushing in the steering column.

[KTL]

Take out the steering rack and "rebuild" it with fresh grease and maybe a bearing or two. If the tie rods are old, now is the time to replace them with 930 tie rods. All told the job is a couple hundred $ plus an alignment. Very rewarding results because the steering feel is greatly improved and you feel it every time you drive the car, slow or fast.

[MonsieurBrochan]

That pedal cluster idea is awesome as well as the steering - I will look into that. Great ideas.

[Ayles]

My experience so far which isn't much... maybe you should look for a $200 project in case you uncover something needing more repair, accidentally break something or get a small case of the "while I'm in there". I think turbo tie rods as mentioned might fit this bill.

[JJ 911SC]

Here is a few that I'm doing this winter, from $10 to $400:

Originally Posted by JJ 911SC

This one is half way done.

Got the DIY kit from Bob (app biz) and I use a white board for the panel and Carbon Fiber wrap for the finish (no padding).

As a bonus, the weight saving is 10 lbs per door.

The before look:



The after look:

Originally Posted by JJ 911SC

This is a spinoff of the RSR Door project.

I'm adding another Wideband A/F meter, Voltmeter, Push Start, re-locating the Window Switches (leave the door really clean) and USB connector for Data Logging.



I did test drive the location a couple weeks ago:

Originally Posted by JJ 911SC

Another dead weight as it was never plug in...

Swap it for a shelf; a saving of 3 lbs.

Originally Posted by JJ 911SC

Got the Porsche kit in 2010 and the Seine Gate in 2013 so might as well installed them now.

[JJ 911SC]

Part deux:

Originally Posted by JJ 911SC

... and last but not least:

2015 being an odd year, it time for the biennial engine drop.

I'll will do the usual Valve Adjustment but using Kirk tool as oppose to the normal and backside method.

This time I got the gasket with the silicone bead on them to minimized the leak.

Originally Posted by JJ 911SC

One more...

All black and perforated floor board.

[/QUOTE]

[Porchdog]

If you haven't already, pull the bumpers, lights and stuff inside the front fenders. It's shocking how much dirt and gravel can hide up in there.

[dfhtrhjn]

Replace suspension bushings, readjust the handbrake, clean your sunroof drains, remove your seats/repair upholstery, start pulling windows and replacing the weather stripping.

Basically perform a 200 point inspection on your car and get started on the cheap stuff

[grizzfan]

Geez, I almost forgot to mention. If you don't have Wayne's book "101 Projects for Your Porsche 911" get one. Scads of projects in there and an estimated cost for each one. You can even order it from our sponsor.

Tom

[McLaren-TAG]

Hookers and blow.

[LakeCleElum]

Cheep projects: Shift bushings, repack wheel bearing, change brake fluid and ck pads. Wax and detail. Check suspension bushings and all fuel lines. Adjust valves. Plugs, cap, rotor.......You get the idea.....101 projects lists a price guide for each.......Your radio and antenna for sure........

[steely]

oh man you could go nuts.
great ideas above.
consider doing regular maintenance things like the plugs, distribution cap and rotor with some new plug wires.
your air and fuel filters.
replace as many vacuum lines as you can.
check the torque on the intake and maybe replace the gaskets and isolator/insulators there as well.
Or your front bushings - I did the steering rack while I was in there, and I sent the control arms out (and other tin) for powder coating - but I confess this will stretch the budget since the wound up doing the ball joints and tie rods too. (phase over time?)
When it's cold in the garage maybe make a list and organize the projects so you don't do things twice - after I did the front end, I was back in there doing the tunnel fuel lines. (doh).
Clean your fuze carriers.
Quick disconnect for battery.
inspect / clean battery area.
LEDs for instrument panel.
Headlight relay kit.
flush your brake fluid (supposed to be every 2 years).
brake pad replacement? Caliper rebuild?

as said above, get the 101 projects book.

[sugarwood]

Install the fuse for the dash lights. $10
Is it OK to fuse all 3 wires going into 58a for dash light fuse at headlight switch?

Headlight relays $40
Does my car already have headight relays from the H4 upgrade?

[Quicksilver]

Rubber hose replacement in the engine "because nothing is sexier then a car that works".
(Kind of like the fuse idea above ^ "because nothing is sexier then a car that fails to go up in flames".)

[NoYouRelax]

Originally Posted by McLaren-TAG

Hookers and blow.

What about a hooker who can refinish Fuchs,or does that blow the budget?