You can also join your local chapter of PCA and go to gatherings of other Porsche people. You might be surprised how many of us there are - and close to you. Look in the regional section of this forum.
While there is a great deal of good information on the internet, there is also a lot of opinion that's not necessarily based in fact. Here in my area we're very lucky to have 2 of the premier Porsche race car shops in the country. I always run the bigger projects by them first.

-C

Phase I of the resurrection is done (with a lot of interruptions during the holidays). All I need to do is align and corner balance but before we go there Phase II has begun: replacing the blown air box.

The front suspension was relatively easy as about everything you need to know has been covered in numerous threads. I "cheated" on a couple of things as one of my goals was to not buy any tools which would be of the one time use variety. My torque wrenches don't go to the 184 # required by the ball joints and I definitely didn't want to buy that special socket so I delivered the powder-coated control arms to a local Porsche indy shop and for a very reasonable rate he installed the ball joints, removed the races from the front hubs, pressed in the new races, packed and installed the bearings in the hubs - ready to install on the spindles.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1389917069.jpg

As to the air box, you definitely can remove the CIS on a '74 without a partial drop. Now getting it back in ?? Will be replacing all the usual gaskets and seals, new injector sleeves and o-rings, new pop-off valve, cleaning up everything, etc.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1389917555.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1389917579.jpg

and onward through the fog....

I have a '74 and I think I've got the CIS install down pat.

First off, you will drive yourself crazy if you try to install it as a complete unit. Without some type of jig or template, you won't be able to get everything to line up and you'll end up having to loosen all the hose clamps to get the runners to fit without stripping the head/runner studs.

I found that the easiest way was to:
1) Install the passenger side runners to the heads and torque.
2) Install the air box to the right side runners. It's fairly easy to install and reach around with a screwdriver to tighten the hose clamps with the driver side not yet installed.
3) take the remaining runners and slide the rubber hose gaskets on. But, push the rubber hose gaskets farther than the normal point so that they are flush to the ends of the runners.
4) Install the runners and torque
5) now slide the rubber hose gaskets onto the airbox and tighten the hose clamps.

Vern,

Appreciate the guidance on the airbox install. When removing it I could tell it could get interesting trying to get it all back in.

CIS Reinstallation
 

+1 on Vern's method

After wrestling with trying to reinstall the CIS I discovered Vern's method as well.
Right side (passenger side) runners go in first and then the left side.
The key is to Push rubber runner seals all the way on past the indent then pull them back onto the air box port and tighten clamps.

I'm 62, and just finished the front and rear suspension rebuild on my 84 track car. Don't have a garage, only a carport with dirt floors, over which I laid down several sheets of 3/4" plywood.

Seems like it took forever, but really only about 6 weekends, what with waiting on parts.

Crawling around under a car on jackstands at my age is not easy, but I managed it. Last weekend I cleaned out 20 years worth of junk from the GFs garage, completely filling a 30 ton dumpster. That killed my back and I've been taking medication ever since. No more garage cleaning for me.

Yeah, but you're 62 and have a girlfriend, life's pretty good! (Just hope your wife doesn't find out!)

I'm starting my rear suspension and engine replacement soon. Need to be finished by and of February.

Before the internet. Now that is an interesting thought since my first two 911's were prior to 1988 and yes, you relied upon paper catalogues, independent shops and omg, the dealer for repairs, parts and information. I got into club racing in 1988 and then spent over 20 years racing various Mazda products in SCCA. By the time I got out of racing, not only did I have the experience of working on and building several race cars but also the internet and forums were present to take a lot of the stress out of working on a 911. In fact, 911 parts are just about as easy to acquire and as reasonable in cost as Mazda Miata prices unless you factor in the Mazda Competition parts deal. I have been able to locate and purchase parts from all sorts of vendors and to date, have not ordered or purchased an official Porsche part from the dealer(yeah, I know that day is coming)
Anyway, it is much easier now to tackle a big project on a 911 than ever before and depending on your comfort level, there is not much that cant be done in a decent garage.

Her last name is Reid, too. :) Here's where it really gets weird: Her name is Mary, my mother's name is Mary; they have the same initials MSR; and share the same birthday 25 years apart.

I have no chance.

Funny, I can still do transmissions without a problem. My issues occur with the vertigo that comes in waves as I lay under my car. Even doing an oil change has come close to me getting ill, so I'm probably getting close to putting my SC up for sale. Its only needs now are a set of oil return tube o-rings. I did one tube, and it was a miserable experience, so I'll drive down to L.A. and have Marc @ Red Line do the other three for me!http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1389982950.jpg

I bought a brand new 914 2.0 in 1974. I did 98% of the work on it myself for 20 years. In 1995 I bought my 911 and sold the 914. The catalogs were the best source for parts back in the olden days.

Our local Porsche Club and friends I met through the club were a great source of guidance.

Pelican makes things a LOT easier. I would have never tackled my complete suspension rebuild without Pelican. I remember a suspension thread and saw a dentist then an accountant discuss how they did the suspension on their cars. Neither guy had any professional experience as a wrench. They rebuild the suspension and showed how step by step is is fairly simple. I did my suspension several years ago. It made a huge difference to the car.

My wife still does not understand that working on the car is a HOBBY. I have learned how to work on the AC and I installed the Griffiths dual condenser upgrade and made my 911 blow cold. I am just now finishing up a complete engine rebuild. I can't imagine trying that without what I learned from Pelican.

Climbing underneath a car to work on it is like taking a valium for me. The feeling of relaxation after an evening of wrenching is incredible after a day of dealing with judges. other lawyers, staff and clients. Yeah, my joints and muscles may be sore but it is worth it for the release. YMMV

Amen! Many a nap I've taken in the cool shadow of my cars undercarriage.

I feel the same way most of the time but there have been times after crawling out from underneath a car I wished I had some of the real stuff - valium that is.

Might this be of some help?

Home Page

Interesting to read accounts of the car hobby before the internet. A different time, for sure. I now have a dedicated garage iPad for when I get in over my head. It gets a lot of use!

I don't think I would've had the courage to work on my car if it wasn't for the Internet and Pelican. Even when you have access to information through books or technical mags, those sources can't really replace the encouragement and wisdom that comes from the person that blazed the trail ahead of you.

I'm officially middle-aged now. I love working on the car and just like awhnry said, it is stress relief. I may be sore the next day, but the sense of accomplishment makes up for it.

My uncle has been a car nut his whole life. He built a 3-bay garage when he was about my age now and has been wrenching ever since. Mostly it was for his enjoyment but he has done some restoration projects for others too. He's about to turn 80 and just pulled the engine in his '31 Buick for some work. I hope I'm doing that when I'm his age!

Nooo, my issues tend to be from frustrations and irritations over frozen fasteners, busted knuckles, things that go bump in the night, etc. - not physical.

Like the gas stations of the past, you could actually call these parts companies on the telephone and receive real world knowledge! They were the forum of the past. Go I a book store, buy all the Porsche magazines, call all he companies advertising in the back and have them send you a catalogue, and then call back to discuss your questions and order parts fom the one who helps the most.

It was a simpler time!

Im ending 39 and its been several times that I told myself: never again I'll do a backbrwaking finger bleeding carjob. All that oily dirt, PITA bolts and parts breaking you didnt plan to change, allways more work to be done even though you envisageed the worst, never expecting the best.

But its a virus!!
You feel, you MUST do it yourself.

At the end its sooooo rewarding!

Keep it up!