so this is how a backdate project starts...

[SpyderMike]

Actually, the last thing I did was spend a half hour or more taking the old seals off the taillight buckets and cleaning old glue residue off. I received new seals today and will do a fairly quick cleanup of these. I had to buy new hardware to install them as the old stuff had seen better days.

[SpyderMike]

Today's effort was to sand, prime and paint the satin black area of the door in preparation for the new door panels:






While the paint was drying I installed the hardware and reset the spring ends on the window regulator:



and shortened and reterminated the keyless entry wires (this system installation is now complete):

[SpyderMike]

I am now waiting for some parts to finish the doors off. I can install the regulator on the passenger side. I need a new rubber boot for that door switch.

I am also cleaning and resealing the rear light boxes. I have new seals but they are grey-ish in color. I am getting some rubber restore before installing them.

The end of the door work is in sight! After this I will move to the front end of the car where I will be replacing the fenders, hood and bumper. I have the bumper in hand. I need to source all the rest of the bits.

[SpyderMike]

Got the parts in and started by finishing off the passenger door. I like the RS A door cards. I spent a bit more time than I planned getting the plastic done and right. I used 3M Window Weld Butyl for the waterproof seal of the plastic.

[SpyderMike]

I got a day to myself and attacked the front end. It was very satisfying to removing the bumper/valance, the fenders and the rocker covers. This should be the final push.

Years of dirt to remove in some spots:


But it cleans up nice:


I need to treat the fender to chassis seams as I found some light surface rust in spots:



How do I get down to the painted surface in the wheel wells without damaging the paint?

[Malaga76]

Cleaning painted surfaces:

1. Spray on degreaser (I used Formula 88 from Home Depot). Let set for 5-10 minutes.
2. Pressure wash, not too much pressure and keep wand at least 18-24 inches from surface.
3. Repeat steps 1 & 2 as needed.

[SpyderMike]

Thanks, I will give it a try soon.

[Flojo]

so, how's it going?

[SpyderMike]

Slow right now. Guests in town visiting and fenders on order waiting for arrival. Thanks for checking in.

[kgieg]

Subscribed! Would love to do this to my "74. I used non diluted simple green with a soft round brush and the garden hose. Worked great down to the original finish. Made a big catch basin with 10 mill plastic and washed it out the garage door when done.

[Mad Max]

Subscribed

[SpyderMike]

I am thinking of pushing the car out in the driveway and washing this all down into the gutter. This is suburbia So Cal, will there be a huge stain in my driveway afterwards?

[SpyderMike]

I received notice that the new fenders and seam sealer have shipped!

[Modifier]

Where did you source your fenders from?...I need to do the same and haven't found any good used ones.

[SpyderMike]

I bought new Porsche fenders from Sunset Porsche in Beaverton Oregon. They came poorly packaged and I have to check for damage. Not sure which party was responsible for the damaged packaging just yet. Total cost delivered for the two fenders was $2800. Yikes. Hope they fit well.

[SpyderMike]

Okay, got about 5 hours in today. First off I test fit the fenders and looked for interference. I found I first had to remove the horns. I will probably separate the horns and put one on each side of the chassis pointing towards the horn grills (makes sense).



I also had to remove the white bracket that held the horns to the chassis (arrow). I will probably come up with a "L" bracket off sorts from the chassis to support the headlight bucket area of the fender.

Then I found the bumper shock area needed to be notched (red rectangle). I cut in about 3/4" and down about half way. I may need to take more meat off to clear the horn grill or I will have to trim the horn grill. We will see after I buy those.







Then there was a slight interference with the oil cooler. I moved the cooler all the way inboard that I could and notched the edge of it.

[SpyderMike]

Next I had to massage the body flanges and fender flanges where the blue tape is showing. I need tighter 90 degree bends to allow the metal to come together. I also had to hammer some sheetmetal on the chassis that seems to cause a high point in the curve near the front lid edge.





My car has been in an accident so I am thinking this may have cause some wonkyness in places. The fender on the passenger's side sits slightly higher and still has a high spot, but after a few hours of massaging, things started getting close:









More work to be done in the next day or two. I still have to decide on a hood/lid solution.

[SpyderMike]

Making progress now. The passenger's side fender still has some crowning interference in the underlying chassis. I tried to take some of it out with a hammer to the tub. The most forward fender attach hole doesn't line up. This could be a result of the accident years ago. You can see an uneven gap between the chassis and the horn grill area inner edge...this difference is about 1/4". Anyway, we just make it fit the best we can. After all, I have never done this and it is not a show car:

[SpyderMike]

So now I try to fit my bumper on. First I removed more of the bumper shock attach point (red vertical lines) while retaining the shock clamps bolt holes:



Then I have to locate and drill these slotted holes (picture borrowed from this site - disregard the arrow). Someone was nice enough to give me some guidance to get me started on another thread I posted:



I bought stock URO brand brackets that were really nice pieces ($29 each). Very stout. With the slots at the bumper attach end and slots and floating nuts in the chassis attach end there is a pretty good range of motion on locating these brackets. I did feel a little interference with the oil cooler sheetmetal against the valance:



The oil cooler sheetmetal is real thin there and easily bent out of place.

Here is where the bolts end up. I might make a strap to connect the two bolt heads and double up on the Driver's side and use larger fender washers where I can:





The head of one bolt is real near the jack holder, but the head still turns. Worst case, I can get a standoff and longer bolt to bring the head out beyond the jack holder.

[SpyderMike]

I still have to come up with a bracket to tie into the headlight bucket to support the fender, and into this flange of the bumper:



I also think a clamp of some sort (not a C Clamp as shown) between the fender and bumper flanges in a couple of places will help prevent the issues I see with a lot of cars in this area - uneven bumper to fender gap. For some reason my eye always goes to those details - the horn grills slightly cocked, the turn signal lenses that are askew, the hood to fender gaps and the fender to bumper gaps. I will see how well I can do this.