Door questions (while it's apart)

[Sicklyscott]

Hi -

I had the door tops off my '80 SC to recondition them and decided to finally look into my missing lock pin. I took the door apart to find a missing rod. I'll have to order that with a new lock pin but have some other questions I was hoping you can help me with:

1. Are the rods that support the lock pin different from right to left?
2. I notice that the door handle is a bit stiff on the inside "almost feels like I"m going to break the plastic lever), what should i be lubricating while the door panel is off?
3. What if anything should i do with the power windows? Anything I should lubricate in there as well?
4. How do i get this stupid speaker grill off the door? Any ideas?

[doublebuffle]

4. That metal grill comes apart from the plastic surround. Try getting a small screwdriver in there. The Speaker is screwed to the door and that plastic surround.

[Creve]

Originally Posted by doublebuffle

4. That metal grill comes apart from the plastic surround. Try getting a small screwdriver in there. The Speaker is screwed to the door and that plastic surround.

To elaborate a little on the info above, these speakers were top of the line in the 80's and are still worth a lot if in nice shape so be nice to them. The metal screen can be _gently_ pried off with a small screw driver. Be careful not to mar the plastic surround. Once the screen is off, you can access the screws holding the speaker to the door card. There is a threaded washer on the back side that is supposed to grip the card material and allow the mounting screw to bite and hold the speaker securely. More often than not these backing washers will slip after many years and the screw will merely spin without backing out. (Ask me how I know.) You will have to remove the door card most likely to do a proper job of removing the speakers. As I said these were primo in their day and still excellent if in good nick. A bonus is that they are/were period correct for top of the line audio in the 80's and usually partnered with a high quality amp from the same company. The company was called a/d/s and they made all their stuff in the US at that time. The model of these speakers is a/d/s 300i. I've had many of their products over the years and my 86 Carerra actually came with these speakers in the rear and a/d/s 320i's in the front paired with an a/d/s PQ10 amp. Probably installed at the time as aftermarket when it was purscased by the PO.

[universeman]

Regarding your lock/latch questions: I think the latch rods are the same on either side, and the rod going up to the lock pin is almost certainly the same (it's just a threaded rod with a bend in it.) The latch rods could be different b/c of the 90 deg bends at the ends, but even that may not be the case.

I took my driver side latch out and lubricated it entirely after cleaning it. It did seem to help make the door open and close better. There could be an adjustment needed if your door handle is binding that much, it could be too tight against the striker plate; are your doors hard to close? If so you might want to mess around with the striker plate. Does the door handle open easily if you latch the door by hand (twist the latch in the door jamb) and then use the interior handle to open it? That would tell you whether the striker plate is likely involved.

Lastly, order and install the aluminum door handles from our host. They are a great improvement over the stock plastic. My stock plastic handles were bending outward from years of what you describe.

On the power windows, John Walker in Seattle told me "heavy grease in the channels" so I went heavy (crazy?) putting grease in the slider channel (back of the door) and the rails (bottom of the glass) to ensure the windows are not binding. It's messy but seemed not to hurt anything. I would not mess with the regulator or motor itself unless you're having problems, it can be a PITA to get out or back in.

[Sicklyscott]

Originally Posted by Creve

To elaborate a little on the info above, these speakers were top of the line in the 80's and are still worth a lot if in nice shape so be nice to them. The metal screen can be _gently_ pried off with a small screw driver. Be careful not to mar the plastic surround. Once the screen is off, you can access the screws holding the speaker to the door card. There is a threaded washer on the back side that is supposed to grip the card material and allow the mounting screw to bite and hold the speaker securely. More often than not these backing washers will slip after many years and the screw will merely spin without backing out. (Ask me how I know.) You will have to remove the door card most likely to do a proper job of removing the speakers. As I said these were primo in their day and still excellent if in good nick. A bonus is that they are/were period correct for top of the line audio in the 80's and usually partnered with a high quality amp from the same company. The company was called a/d/s and they made all their stuff in the US at that time. The model of these speakers is a/d/s 300i. I've had many of their products over the years and my 86 Carerra actually came with these speakers in the rear and a/d/s 320i's in the front paired with an a/d/s PQ10 amp. Probably installed at the time as aftermarket when it was purscased by the PO.

This is interesting. Porsche has on record that this car came with option m494 which to them meant "amplified speakers" though other sites refer to this as rear shelf speakers. Could these speakers reference that option code?

I've been looking for a stock radio to replace the aftermarket radio in the dash and have been looking for the CR-2001 but there appears to be a CR-3001 that was also an option for the 911 that came with an external amp. Is that the amp you're referring to?

I guess if what you say is true about dealer installed or aftermarket options then my above questions are irrelevant.

[Sicklyscott]

Originally Posted by universeman

Regarding your lock/latch questions: I think the latch rods are the same on either side, and the rod going up to the lock pin is almost certainly the same (it's just a threaded rod with a bend in it.) The latch rods could be different b/c of the 90 deg bends at the ends, but even that may not be the case.

I took my driver side latch out and lubricated it entirely after cleaning it. It did seem to help make the door open and close better. There could be an adjustment needed if your door handle is binding that much, it could be too tight against the striker plate; are your doors hard to close? If so you might want to mess around with the striker plate. Does the door handle open easily if you latch the door by hand (twist the latch in the door jamb) and then use the interior handle to open it? That would tell you whether the striker plate is likely involved.

Lastly, order and install the aluminum door handles from our host. They are a great improvement over the stock plastic. My stock plastic handles were bending outward from years of what you describe.

On the power windows, John Walker in Seattle told me "heavy grease in the channels" so I went heavy (crazy?) putting grease in the slider channel (back of the door) and the rails (bottom of the glass) to ensure the windows are not binding. It's messy but seemed not to hurt anything. I would not mess with the regulator or motor itself unless you're having problems, it can be a PITA to get out or back in.

Thanks for this. With the door open it takes me some effort to move the mechanism by hand. I'm not sure I trust my skill level to take apart the mechanism as it works now. I'm going to look into those aluminum handles as a "just in case".

[TheSt|G]

What you want for the mechanism is Wurth HHS-K, which I'm pretty sure is sold by our host. It's an aerosol based penetrating grease that leaves behind a grease lubricant layer after the penetrator dries out. Made my doors like new again, with a perfect door latch mechanism and closure clunk. Also great for all the other hinges and such around the car.

[universeman]

Thanks TheST|G for the HHS-K tip, had never heard of it! Sounds awesome!

[TheSt|G]

Originally Posted by universeman

Thanks TheST|G for the HHS-K tip, had never heard of it! Sounds awesome!

It's one of those products, that once you use it, you will be stunned you ever got by without it. After that, prepare to dance around hosing down the hinges/latches of the rest of the cars in your fleet.

[Creve]

Originally Posted by Sicklyscott

This is interesting. Porsche has on record that this car came with option m494 which to them meant "amplified speakers" though other sites refer to this as rear shelf speakers. Could these speakers reference that option code?

I've been looking for a stock radio to replace the aftermarket radio in the dash and have been looking for the CR-2001 but there appears to be a CR-3001 that was also an option for the 911 that came with an external amp. Is that the amp you're referring to?

I guess if what you say is true about dealer installed or aftermarket options then my above questions are irrelevant.

These would definitely be aftermarket & not the original porsche option you are referring to. They may have been dealer installed, but not a Porsche option from the factory. Hope this helps.