Restoration priorities: Help me!!

[Isabo]

It was very cold today in Milan so I guess winter is coming.

I've got a limited budget and I need to decide what work to have done this winter on my 911E.

What should my prioritys be? My car is not period correct and I am not looking for originality. I know I will never get back the money I an spending but I intend to keep her.

Engine overhaul. The engine is tired with about 220000klm. It runs ok and my mechanic says it shouldn't let me down yet but its going to need overhaul soon rather than later. I do about 5000klm per year.
Bodywork. The paint is awful and I have cheap and nasty fiberglass flares and front wings, I would like to replace these and repaint. I have had some rust repair done and I expect to find some more, cost would be about the same as engine overhaul.
Interior needs new carpets, and either refurbish or replace front seats, I am very tempted by leather interior with tartan insert like first turbo. This would be the cheapest option.
My suspension, steering, gearbox were renewed by the prev owner and are ok.
My boss has said to drive the car until I get a problem and then have the engine done, as poor bodywork and torn seats don't leave you stranded at night. But the poor thing looks so forlorn and unloved...
Advise and opinions please.

[Jim Richards]

Like putting food on the table before considering new clothes, I'd focus on the mechanical work before body and upholstery work.

Winter's coming here too. I've already started to dream about next Spring.

Regards,

[McDaniel]

Do only the things that mechanically with get you through the
winter. Why take care of rust now when wet nasty weather
won't do much more, and then take care of it in the spring.
I would leave interior, paint, rust etc until warm weather. Save
money through the cold and be ready to have the work done
in spring.

[targa911man]

The last thing you want to lose is driveability, so I'd say do the overhaul. A nice-looking car you can't drive is a bummer. The cosmetic things are more amenable to price-shopping for patiently over a period of time. Welcome to the Board and good luck whatever you decide.

[Tim Walsh]

my sugestion is just like everyone else.. mechanical's first, cosmetic's later.

[silverc4s]

Isabo,

Well, I guess that I disagree with just about everyone, so far. It sounds like mechanically your car is in pretty good condition, with a high mileage engine that will need an overhaul/ rebuild/ replacement at some point in the future.

If the car has some rust already, and you do not like the flares you have, and the paint is somewhat ratty, then this is where I would concentrate this winter. If your funding permits, have ALL the bodywork, mods, and rust repair done in time to paint just as the weather turns nice next spring... then drive it through the summer, and decide if you want to do the engine next year - during the same winter period..

By that time you may change your mind about the engine, decide to upgrade to a 3.2 or even a 3.6. At worst, you have an extra year to procure all the parts needed for an engine rebuild, and there are LOT$ of those, trust me.

Always do the interior last...

Just my opinion, others may differ, of course.

[Fishcop]

I totally agree with Bill. If your car is running fine, don't fix what isn't broke....

Have your cosmetic needs seen to followed by fresh paint for summer. You will be very proud of your beautiful looking car and won't hesitate to spend more on the engine when it is needed

In my opinion it is easier to sell a rust free cosmetically pretty car than one with "just a new engine" should you find yourself in a position requiring you to offload it.

Next winter if the car is still running nice, have the interior re-upholstered, put in new seatbelts, and maybe a nice steering wheel.

The following year you will be begging to put a 3.6 and roll cage in

[Matt Smith]

A classic Body versus Mechanical debate!!

People who are scared of bodywork will always say mechanicals first. People who like nice looking cars will always say body first.

For what it's worth, I find that a good looking car will inspire you to want to spend up on mechanicals, not the other way around. It's better practice to get your car bodily sound before investing vast sums on mechanical work, especially in a Porsche, which has steep mechanical repair prices.
A car with a rusted out body will always be a POS. A rust free car with tired mechanicals is merely a great car waiting for a work-over.

[JSDSKI]

Early car = early start on bodywork and rust removal.

Mechanicals can always be refreshed - hell, you can put a different engine or suspension setup every month, if you've got the cash. But an early car with limited, if any, galvanizing and you'd be surprised how fast small rust holes creep into chassis seams and turn a driver into a parts car. (Where do you think all those extra engines come from anyway )

If you have the money and the time - make the body/chassis right for another 30 years!

Good luck and send us some pix.

[82SC]

well is this your only car?

do you have other transportation?

what is your budget?

if you have your another car and have some money set aside...

do the cosmetic first...

why you ask?

because it is much easier to paint and fix rust and such with a bare chassis

while it is in the paint shop...drop the engine off to get fixed or do it yourself.

unless you tranny is absolutely horrible leave that for the end...it almost seems cost effective to swap trannies then rebuild one...(I mean finding a good cond one or a rebuild/exchange program)

engine options...the sky is the limit...

paint will prob take about 2 months...if you disassemble and reassemble yourself you can cut paint job costs in half

once all the pieces are back put it all back together

that is what I am doing with my car

[Isabo]

Thanks for all the great input.
The car is a weekend toy I use a Ford Ka everyday. I can afford to throw about E10K ($10,000 at current exchange rates) into it this winter, this is probably more than the car is worth but it's not about money, and not because I have a lot but because its important to me to have the car right. I am still unsure about what I will do first but I have some time. Thanks to my husband and my boss I am learning to do some basic maintenance but this type of work I want done by professionals.
Thanks again - Isa

[autobonrun]

Sounds like you're willing to do some work yourself. If the engine is running fine, I'd hold off on the mechanicals. From your post it sounds like the fiberglass flares and the fact that it is not period correct bother you.

Typically, the average mechanically inclined individual can do some electrical and engine work, but body work takes special tools and a place to paint.

I'd recommend first having done the things that you can't do yourself. I would first get rid of the fiberglass, add metal fenders, and paint it the color I liked. Probably $4-5k on this.

How much of the carpet that needs replacing is actually glued to the floor versus the carpeted floor mats? Try cleaning and re-dyeing the fixed portion and buying matching floor mats to replaced the damaged ones. Should able to get by inexpensively at less than $500.

Buy some inexpensive used seats in good condition and put your originals in storage until you decide whether to have them refinished or replace with an upgrade. This way you can still drive the car while the seats are being refurbished. Or if having the seats period correct is not an issue, go ahead and upgrade to Recaros or similar. Upgraded seats can be expensive so you need to decide which path you want to take before you spend anything on these.

Take the other $3000 or so and set it aside until you see what mechanicals you wish to tackle in a year or so. By then, the amount available to spend will probably be back up and then you can consider engine work. Although I'm not sure what you mean when you say the engine is tired. I don't think 220k km is that bad; that's like 135k miles if my math is right. Maybe it just feels tired because you don't like the way the car looks. Have a mechanic you trust run a compression check and see if it really is "tired" and what else is wrong.

Before you start down any path, decide how important it is for the car to be period correct. This will dictate what gets replaced and what gets updated or refurbished.

[Superman]

A proper job would involve taking every part off the car,, strip paint, fix rust, paint, reassemble. Glass and everything. I don't think there is a "partial" way to do this job. So, it is expensive.

And if everything is removed from the car, then it can all get cleaned up and shiny. You would take great pride in a car like that.

Perhaps you can get a good price on upholstery work using that great Italian leather.

[CamB]

Whichever option you choose, I suggest you make sure whatever rust there is, is fixed now (even if the progress is merely halted).

I like your attitude by the way! You know how you want it to be and you realise it will cost more than it is worth. As far as I am concerned that is the only proper frame of mind to start a car restoration in.

Matt Smith - so when does the body restoration start!!!! Trainee body man Baudinet ready to assist.

[Isabo]

Developments.
Fate has worked it out for me.
I used my 911 today as my daily car was havings its cartest today. It failed, repair is not viable so I have to get a new daily car. So reduced budget for 911 restoration. What to do first has now been decided for me as the 911 broke down on my way home. It's been towed to the workshop and the mechanic says it's either a full overhaul or a new engine, if I like he has a 3.0 he was preparing for his own car, I can have it as he's just done a deal on a 3.6. If he wasn't an old friend I might be a bit suspicious. I called my husband to pick me up and because of the traffic he came on his bike, he remembered my helmet but not a jacket, 25 miles at speed in the cold and I am now an icelooly, as punishement he has been sent out for pizza and beer. I'll be doing the sums properly tomorrow but with a new engine AND a new car my budget next year is going to be tight.

[silverc4s]

Isa,

, I am really sorry to hear of your misfortune. It seems as if cars do sense when we are about to do something, doesn't it?

Can you tell us a bit more about this 3.0 engine, we may be able to add some value in your decision making. In general, i think that a 3.0 is a good size for an early car. It will have more torque, which will add to the "fun factor" without being too radical to use regularly. Some details of the rebuild, did he use new pistons & cylinders, for example, was the oil pump checked / replaced? What induction system does it use? CIS or some other...

Anyway, good luck starting NOW, to you..