1966 Porsche 911 in my garage!

[travisprice]

Hey guys, first post long time lurker. I decided to wait until I actually had a Porsche in the garage before posting. And finally it has happened! It’s a 1966 Porsche 911 (the other specifics I do not know yet). My father-in-law purchased her 25+ years ago. When I met my wife in 1997 it was running (and I actually got to drive it) but according to him it had a fuel pump issue. He rebuilt the engine himself when he purchased it and apparently kept meticulous notes (which I have not found yet). It has been sitting in the garage for the past 15 years untouched. My father-in-law passed away in March. My wife and I inherited the Porsche. It is a very special car to the family and we intend to keep it and pass it down to our children.
It has some leaks and I think it is best to rebuild the engine. I’m going to do as much myself as I can (I'm pretty handy and mechanically inclined). There is a shop nearby that has experience with air-cooled BMWs and Porsches so I have someone to lean on when I need help. I am also looking for any other Porsche mechanic contacts near Sacramento, CA. I bought the book “How to Rebuild and Modify your Porsche 911 Engine” and am actually looking forward to digging into the engine!
I figure I will start out with a stand and motor mount, not yet sure if I need the jack pad (or if there’s one in the garage already, he said he could remove the engine in under 30 minutes). I’m on a budget, so I’ve been looking at Craigslist for stands.
I appreciate any advice for a newbie as myself, being this is my first rebuild of any engine. Here are some recent pics.

[DaddyGlenn]

Very nice!!

word of warning, once you crack open the engine, kiss your budget good bye. Actually, now that you own the Porsche, kiss your budget good bye.

You are in for a lot of fun and we're here to help.

[CCM911]

What a nice car! No need to spend a ton of money just yet. Why not clean out the fuel system, change the fluids, and then see what you have? You may be pleasantly surprised. Oh, and don't forget to rebuild the brake system. No need for nasty surprises.

You are going to have so much fun!

[super80]

Sorry about your father-in-law's passing. Glad to hear that this wonderful car will remain in the family. Looks like it is in great condition too. Good luck with the engine rebuild.

[porwolf]

Congratulations to the new member of your family. Great looking in great shape! It looks like rust, the most expensive Porsche problem, may not be a big issue at all. Why not get the engine running and see where the car leads you?

[jkarolyi]

I agree with the others...don't just jump into rebuilding your engine. There's lots of other jobs to do that have a higher priority. I've owned a lot of old 911s, and some have never had the engine rebuilt since new with over 300,000 miles!

If your FIL rebuilt the engine it's probably in fine shape. There are a few common oil leaks that are pretty easy to fix.

[RWebb]

yes, search up the critical safety issues thread before doing the motor

[travisprice]

Thanks for the advice guys! Yeah the brakes are actually sticking...noticed that when I loaded it. It would be great if it didn't require a rebuild, guess I'll know more once I have a chance to take a closer look. I research the safety thread and see where that takes me...

[Sway Bar]

Sorry about your loss but congratulations on your gain. Looks great, take your time, and enjoy. Love the color.

My biggest suggestion is to keep her as is and maintain...resist any temptation to change anything or customize.

Have fun.

[ganun]

I've had a 66 and 67 912s , just drive it and fix as needed. Just don't go too far at first! Best thing it's a very simple car.

[Porchcar guy]

Clean the tank, fuel lines, maybe a fuel pump and then see what you have before tearing the engine apart.

[nickyclyde]

I've rebuilt a few engines in my time with varying degrees of satisfaction. But I made a decision to have a good shop do my P-motor. When I see what my mechanic points out to me and listen to his explanation of what and why he is doing ,I am truly amazed and humbled. I believe these guys on this forum who do their own engines are of my mechanics ability and knowledge level. Therefore ,I am absolutely positive that I made the correct decision in going to someone with vast knowledge of these engines. Ebay is filled with half finished porsche engine rebuild projects.

[Roger 911]

Looks nice. I wouldn't worry too much about some leaks. These old air cooled motors have a tendency to leak. My 2.4 leaked for 14 years, but it ran great and used very little oil. But it would always leave a few drops on the ground after it was run and parked for a while. More of a nuisance than a real problem.

As others said, get it running, then see what you've got. Enjoy!

Roger

[porwolf]

Originally Posted by Roger 911

Looks nice. I wouldn't worry too much about some leaks. These old air cooled motors have a tendency to leak. My 2.4 leaked for 14 years, but it ran great and used very little oil. But it would always leave a few drops on the ground after it was run and parked for a while. More of a nuisance than a real problem.

As others said, get it running, then see what you've got. Enjoy!

Roger

There is a simple solution for small oil leaks: Replenish the oil and put an oil pan under the car in the garage..

[boss11]

Love the colour, looks great w chrome hub caps

[Scbrindley]

Congrats! My dad has a '66 911 in Polo Red....it's an amazing car. Enjoy it....and more importantly, DRIVE IT!

I love cars that pass on from generation to generation. It's a piece of the family that can keep living regardless of who's behind the wheel. So many memories are made around cars, I'm glad this one is staying in your family.

[docrodg]

Sorry for the loss. Very nice car.

I have an inherited 68S but motor was motorsheister done. You may not need to tear into motor. Mine too will be passed down to someone with appreciation for these fine machines.

[PushingMyLuck]

I would get it running first, and see what the issues are.

[Reiver]

What a great inheritance. Clean the fuel system, rebuild your brakes (replace hoses), check valves/timing/points, change oil and all filters....get spark and test drive....have fun.
Beautiful car.

[livi]

Excellent!