My New (To Me) 79 Carrera Targa - Build/Renovation Thread

[sempaipaul]

Guys,

As some of you may already know I recently picked up a 1979 Carrera SC Targa. The vehicle has 165K miles, is a California car - and has spent most of its life owned by an older lady. Car was purchased in 1979 from Oakland Porsche - which appears to be a rather famous Porsche dealership out in the West Coast. I have been around Porsche's for awhile at this point. The fever started with a 1987 Carrera Convertible back in 2008. I purchased the vehicle and then soon sold it (HUGE mistake). Too many vehicles in the family at the time and I still - to this day - miss that car:




In any sense - the car came with records back from 1979 - and is in the following condition:

• VERY little rust (primarily on the body line where it meets the window seals) - that's about it!
• Originally white (Grand Prix White/R4) and has had some so-so resprays done in the past
• Interior was in fair shape for the years - however; was out of the car at time of purchase - and is now at the upholstery shop.
• Engine was in good shape - 165K miles; has had major serious work done before and is up to date on all maintenance.

The car has the following factory options (came with a Certificate of Authenticity )

1. Equipment for California --- Not sure what this means - if anyone could clarify I would appreciate!
2. Option Group A72 --- Not sure what this means either - if anyone could clarify I would appreciate!
3. Sport Seats - L/R
4. Electric Antenna
5. Engine Compartment Light
6. 2 Loudspeakers in Shelf Below Rear Window
7. 2 Speakers on Rear Shelf
8. Air Conditioner
9. Pirelli Tires

I purchased the car with my mechanic being present. He immediately drove it from the previous owner to his shop and is currently conducting the following work:

1. Replacing the oil pressure sensor
2. Upgrading the existing mechanical chain tensioners to Oil Pressure Fed units
3. Conducting a valve adjustment
4. Replacing ALL oil lines
5. Replacing the fuel filter and several fuel lines
6. Replacing all gaskets
7. Replacing all sparkplugs
8. Replacing bushings and bearings in the steering column
9. Putting on a Fabspeed muffler bypass

Some of the previous "Hot Items" completed by the Previous Owner

1. Aluminum Turbo Valve-Cover Gaskets
2. Pop-off valve

Some near future plans:

1. Strip out interior (Done)
2. Have seats/quarter panels/targa bar/rear deck reupholstered; leather on all seats, and recycled leather (80% leather and 20% pleather) on the panels and etc. (In Progress)
3. Scrape off all the old sound-deadening gunk off the flooring, apply new product "x" - would appreciate some input on this!
4. Install new Silverknit carpet (Ordered)
5. Install RSA Door Panels (Ordered)
6. Install an older style "Nardi" or alike wood steering wheel
7. Install a matching wood shifter
8. Center Console Delete (Removed console as part of interior disassembly - now need to come up with how to relocate the AC controls)
9. New visors (Need some if anyone has some for sale!)
10. Install a stereo - as the PO ripped it out (Would appreciate input on a stock looking head-unit as well as good speakers and a place to locate factory or factory look alike speaker grilles for the front doors. I will be keeping the original perforation look on the rear shelf --- I think)
11. Disassemble the body (take out windshield, rear targa glass, quarter panel windows, bumpers, fenders, lights, etc etc etc.) and have the vehicle completely sanded down/blasted, and then resprayed in original color. Re-assemble with all new window gaskets, a Carrera lip, and etc.
12. Euromeister 17" wheels (Ordered and already received - now plan is to fully polish them)
13. Hankook Ventus 215/45 and 255/40 tires (Received)
14. Lower to euro-height

All in all - quite a list to complete. Hope to have it ready by summer of 2014!

I would welcome all comments and suggestions I will be posting quite a few ads in the classifieds.

Thanks,
Paul Zhgilov

[sempaipaul]

More pictures of the car before it gets worked on!

[sempaipaul]

Some of the new parts going in!

1. New Oil Lines
2. New Pressure Oil Sender
3. New Fuel Filter
4. New Oil Filter
5. New Gaskets
6. New Spark-Plugs


7. Pressure Fed Oil Tensioners

More stuff is in the mail!

[beren]

Nice! I see two things that also effect my '88 - the targa rollbar paint and the caulking between hood and fender. What's the plan for those? I see some rust near the trunk (engine) pull....

Interested in what you do with the center console delete. I plan to re-construct mine.

I'm installing a Fabspeed cat - how do you like the muffler?

[sempaipaul]

MECHANIC REPAIRS - TRIP #1

As mentioned previously - my mechanic drove the vehicle immediately from the previous owner to his shop and started doing some work on it.

Here are some pictures of the disassembling that has been taking place:







Funny moment --- Purchased a set of lower and upper aluminum valve covers as I was expecting for mine to be magnesium. Well- the mechanic calls me and says "yours are aluminum!" and I think to myself - "well - that's great, except I spent 4 HOURS polishing one of the top ones yesterday :/" So - Needless to say - they are up for RE-SALE!

(you can compare the one on the left vs. the one 2nd on the left. The one on the left just needs a few more passes with the polishing wheel )

[willcall]

Your car looks really nice!

Only point I thought to make is that it is not a Carrera. They stopped badging them Carreras in '77 & didn't start again until the mid 80's.

Doesn't change the fact it's a good looking car though.

[sempaipaul]

MECHANIC REPAIRS - TRIP #2 - DO IT "MYSELF" WORK

This past weekend - I had my guy park the car outside so I could strip out the interior. My original plan was to take out the front and the rear seats. Well - One thing lead to the next - and I have removed my entire interior







The old owner for some reason took out the old stereo (which he gave me - except for the speakers - however; for some reason instead of being smart about removing his speaker grills and then the speakers... the guy CUT OUT the grilles :/... Now I am looking for some new grilles.




The plan for the interior is:
1. Full leather seat re-cover (original factory sport seats) - Front and Rear Seats (At the upholstery shop)
2. Recover all other components in 80% leather/20% Pleather material - Looks and feels like 100% leather!!. This will go on all the door panels, quarter panels, rear shelf, Targa bar. (At the upholstery shop)
3. Carrera RS Door Panels from APPBIZ (Ordered)
4. Some kind of NARDI Wood Steering wheel with a PORSCHE horn button
5. Some kind of matching wood shifter
6. Polish the Carrera shifting stick
7. Silverknit carpet kit (Ordered from Automotion)

[sempaipaul]

Originally Posted by beren

Nice! I see two things that also effect my '88 - the targa rollbar paint and the caulking between hood and fender. What's the plan for those? I see some rust near the trunk (engine) pull....

Interested in what you do with the center console delete. I plan to re-construct mine.

I'm installing a Fabspeed cat - how do you like the muffler?

Yes - the Targa Roll Bar Paint is peeling. That will be done as follows:

• Repainted to the standard black look
• Polished

I am leaning more toward the regular black look - however, polished with black "Targa" badges would look pretty nice. I do wish to keep the car as original as I can thought... Soooo probably black

The caulking between hood/fender (I suppose you mean the black "gaskets") will be removed when I pull the fenders off for the repaint. They will be replaced at that time.

The engine pull - yes there is some minor surface paint finish type of rust in a few places of the door jambs.. I plan on doing all the jambs as well when the car is stripped/re-painted. I do hope to preserve the original door badging.... not sure how that is done - but I have heard of that being done...

What do you mean you plan to reconstruct your center console? I plan on deleting it completely. The AC controls I will probably extend to the ash tray area and mount some sort of bracket under there to hold those.

I have not yet heard my muffler bypass - and as for a fact I am still in the process of re-polishing it as soon as it's done - it will be installed! and I am sure it will be heard . I was planning on doing the Fabspeed cat bypass - but can't drop the extra $350 on it right now - unless I locate a used one that I can re-furbish/re-polish.

Originally Posted by willcall

Your car looks really nice!

Only point I thought to make is that it is not a Carrera. They stopped badging them Carreras in '77 & didn't start again until the mid 80's.

Doesn't change the fact it's a good looking car though.

Thanks! It is in fairly good shape for being 30+ years old and for the most part original.

and yes... yes... not a Carrera - even better... a Super Carrera

[sempaipaul]

INTERIOR CONDITION PRIOR TO RE-UPHOLSTERING

[sempaipaul]

[sempaipaul]

[sempaipaul]

MECHANIC REPAIRS - TRIP #3

Another trip to my mechanic yesterday - and some crazy news! One of the mechanical tensioners was partially collapsed! It caused absolutely NO damage - but who knows! Maybe a few more miles and I would have to get a whole rebuild. Thank god I moved forward with these Hydraulic Tensioners! I was debating on the suckers....

Anyhow - the following was completed.

• New Chain Tensioners installed
• Valve cover gaskets installed
• Another oil line changed out
• Valve adjustment was performed

Old mechanical tensioners:


New hydraulic tensioners!:

[sempaipaul]

I also took the time to snap some pictures of the virtually rust free underbody/fender areas! Only one spot is on the front there - I guess a few speedbumps could have done that...

[Ayles]

Sub'd! Looking forward to seeing you interior. I have been working on mine as well. Recently redid my targa bar liner. Looks like you are heading that way soon!

[porwolf]

Congratulations to your "new" 1979 SC. I also have an original California edition 1979 SC. Here a re a couple of observations that might help:

"1 Equipment for California --- Not sure what this means - if anyone could clarify I would appreciate

I am pretty sure it means special California smog equipment, for that year, not offered anywhere else. My car has a "smog equipment" sticker under the rear hood indicating just that.

My 79SC car, that I bought new from a local dealer, had a Blaupunkt "Porsche CR" radio installed:



From looking at you pictures it seems that your pop-off valve is not installed correctly. The valve hinge should be pointing toward the back of the cars not to the left side of the car. Your installation could prevent the pop-off valve from completely opening when needed because the open top would interfere with the air box cover.

Hope it helps.

[porwolf]

FYI: Here is my original '79 California Emmisions decal under the engine lid:

[porwolf]

And here a little larger:

[1990C4S]

I don't see any suspension work listed....

[Smoove1010]

Originally Posted by sempaipaul

I also took the time to snap some pictures of the virtually rust free underbody/fender areas! Only one spot is on the front there - I guess a few speedbumps could have done that...

Nice looking car, looks like you're making great progress on your punch list!

Is that some discoloration near the drain plug in the suspension pan on the right side of the picture? Any signs of rust under the battery tray, or softness in the pan around those plugs?

[sempaipaul]

Originally Posted by Ayles

Sub'd! Looking forward to seeing you interior. I have been working on mine as well. Recently redid my targa bar liner. Looks like you are heading that way soon!

I look forward to seeing the interior as well )

Now - there is a part of the targa pleather covering (the edge) that seems like it is simply glued to the body metal. Same thing on the immediate vertical interior pieces when you open the door. I will have those redone when the car is repainted...

Originally Posted by porwolf

Congratulations to your "new" 1979 SC. I also have an original California edition 1979 SC. Here a re a couple of observations that might help:

"1 Equipment for California --- Not sure what this means - if anyone could clarify I would appreciate

I am pretty sure it means special California smog equipment, for that year, not offered anywhere else. My car has a "smog equipment" sticker under the rear hood indicating just that.

My 79SC car, that I bought new from a local dealer, had a Blaupunkt "Porsche CR" radio installed:



From looking at you pictures it seems that your pop-off valve is not installed correctly. The valve hinge should be pointing toward the back of the cars not to the left side of the car. Your installation could prevent the pop-off valve from completely opening when needed because the open top would interfere with the air box cover.

Hope it helps.

Thanks for the feedback! I wonder if the california version is worth anymore than the standard

Hmmm.. interesting point on the pop off valve. I also saw a picture of the valve with the hinge facing the font of the airbox.... I gotta check further into that. Does anyone else have any more input on this?

Originally Posted by 1990C4S

I don't see any suspension work listed....

No clue on what I should be doing. The shocks look fairly new --- just dirty. I know I want to lower it a bit..... any other suggestions?

Originally Posted by Smoove1010

Nice looking car, looks like you're making great progress on your punch list!

Is that some discoloration near the drain plug in the suspension pan on the right side of the picture? Any signs of rust under the battery tray, or softness in the pan around those plugs?

...not sure what you are referring to on the discoloration? I need to check on the battery tray area...