73 RS Replica ready for paint ??

josie9 · 08:13 PM

A long time reader of this very helpful Forum, first time on board. I have a 73 T that has been updated to RS stuff. Car is fenders off, interior out, glass out, engine & trany out. Has been stripped and primmed. Rust free. Believe it or not, the car has been at the paint shop for about 4 years. I made the mistake of telling the shop owner I was not in a hurry, thinking I would get a better job done.
The paint shop is going to install the glass RS f & r bumbers. I talked to M.A. Shaw about the installation. Should I lose the battery box on the passenger side? I do have a 3.2 going in. I have a cooler and lines off a 85 - no fan.

TRE Cup · TRE Cup's Garage

Re the battery box on the passenger side: Good idea to lose it so the cooler can be installed a little bit further forward and it won't be blocked by the box. Get all your body repairs and fixes done before you paint. Also pre fit all the new body parts before you paint. A lot of "bolt on" parts may not match your chassis right off the bat, and may need minor adjustments.
4 years? heck our orange RS touring sat in a body shop for over 10 years waiting for a slow period so they could start!!

nick-moss · nick-moss's Garage

4 years! 10 years!

I am but a beginner at 1 year!

I think it's a shame to lose the '73 body originality by removing the battery box, the 3.2 motor can easily be replaced by the original 2.4, but the metalwork is part of the early 911 soul.
If you must add a front cooler, mount it in the bumper.

911pcars · 11-22-2002, 01:48 PM

Josie,
I suggest putting the RS front bumper to good use and house an oil cooler inside it. It's a much more efficient location for heat transfer. This way you save by not having to surgically remove the battery box and patch it. You can also sell the fender-mount oil cooler and buy a front cooler, hose and fittings. You'll have plenty of change left over. If you keep the fender-mount cooler, you'll need a fan for it.

Just my $.02
Sherwood Lee
http://members.rennlist.org/911pcars

Elombard · 11-22-2002, 03:07 PM

Id lose the battery box, it probably has rust anyway?

TRE Cup · TRE Cup's Garage

what cooler fits well behind the 73 RS front cooler opening , that a) allows air adequate flow thru the cooler to reduce heat on a 3.2 b) allows adequate oil capacity for the same??
We have had many clients with this problem (Dave Buhain's 993 powered "RS", Magnus Walker's 2.7 "RS", Hans Stoehr 3.0 "RS", Randy Thomas' 3.0 "RS" to name but a few) when they installed just a center cooler that did not have adequate size or air flow. Just because you can install a cooler in the nose against the pan does not ensure its effectiveness. The fender mounted cooler works well enough when air flow is available, is less fragile in off track "farming" incidents, and is easily replaced with like factory parts when needed.
The advantage of the nose center cooler is only superior once you have the right combination of air and capacity (installed air ducting for more air flow behind the cooler- which necessitates cutting into the trunk!). Competitive minded car owners accept the additional risk of having the cooler placed in the potential easily damaged area.
Center coolers: The other downside is additional cost - you can convert your factory fender cooler for use in the nose, but the added expense of the ducting, hoses, fittings, and other fabrication details can put you over the top of your budget.
Here is a neat idea that works:
Install your cooler in the right front fender, lose the battery box, open the center vent on the RS bumper, and direct the air passage from the duct towards the right side. You can use thin aluminum sheet, polyethylene- or abs plastic sheet to do it. Test it on the hottest track day around. If you still don't have enough cooling air, then consider cutting slots in the bumper face ala 911ST. Still not enough? Install a second cooler in the driver's side fender area ,ala 911R. Works on the hottest track days with a 3.6- ask Jack Olsen
If budget and chassis originality are secondary, then install a center air duct (several threads on this board with picx) and put a cooler there.
my 20 cents worth
have fun

josie9 · 11-22-2002, 06:48 PM

It looks like the removal of the battery box would be helpful. I don't want to cut up the trunk area for a front oil cooler, a little hard core. Now the bumper supports have to be fabed to replace the brace from the deleted battery box. Is there any other supports needed for the front of a RS bumper, or for the rear one peace, other than the original location?

Joeaksa · 08:56 PM

Josie,

I did the same thing you did, telling the shop that I was in no hurry and would be out of country for at least the next 3 months. He said that it would take a month and I told him to contact me and I would return to pick it up... no word from him... Returned 5.5 months later and the car was still not completed. Promised that it would be done in a week. Bear in mind that this was a simple paint job.

Returned in another 2 weeks to find the car still not completed and the owner telling me to rent a car for a week and it would be completed then. Told him that 6 months is too long and that I would be there the next day with a tow truck and a Sheriff to remove the car and funny how he finally stopped screwing around (and "partying at night" I found out later) and I drove the car away the next day. He had shot the paint months before and just not gotten around to putting the glass and trim back on the car.

I am sorry but 4 years is too long... 1 year is really pushing it unless its a complete restoration and do not even mention 10 years. We are all getting older, day by day, second by second and I want to enjoy my toys. If its slow because of my doing, then thats one thing but to have a business who is charging you money for this type of work, thats not reasonable. Do as you wish but you have a car that is tied up sitting there and you would much rather be driving it.

I would personally sit down with the shop owner and advise him nicely that its been a bit long for you and if he is too busy with other work to pls let you know and you can find someone else to complete the car. Not worth getting in a pissing match with him but if he knows that you want it done, and in your lifetime and he will lose the business to another shop unless he starts working on it today or tomorrow that he will usually change his priorities. If he does not then its not the type of shop you want working on the car in the first place.

Joe