Ultimate RUF Conversion Thread
 

OK guys,

Since I have been unable to find acceptable (quality and price) steel early fenders in the Midwest for my backdate project, I am now thinking that a Ruf CTR front bumper cap and a rear IROC (or the CTR) cover will fill my need to change the look of my car. I think this option will be w/in the budget I envision for the project (bumper parts and paint for the whole car).

I ran a search on the topic and saw some good threads, but now I want an ultimate Pelican thread on the topic.

Bill V does a good job of explaining the installation process, but I need more (call me dense). Bill tells of swapping his front bumper shocks with the rear ones during his conversion, but he has an Euro car. I'd like feedback from others on their installation.

KurtB, your thread was nice, but it appeared to me you skipped the front cap installation (or did I read it too late at night? So more please.

There were some great pictures on the threads I found. But how about some more...more angles, more close up shots of the detailed features (i.e. bumper mounts, modification for fitment, light mounting, signal mounting, etc,...)

I believe all the parts from the various venders were made from molds of the original RUF part, but sometimes I think there is a slight difference. Maybe it is the angle of the pictures. Can we verify?

Also, (most important) I have a 76 911S body so the flares are not the common SC flares that thes parts are made for. I like the SC flares, but I like the flares on my car too. So it comes down to dollars. I can hold off on the SC flares and until I can free up more cash, then I'll add SC flares. Who has done this on a 74-77 car? So me please.

If you're too busy to format your pictures to post, send them to me and I'll format them and post. (soukus@comcast.net).

I'll start the parade of pictures. This one is one that Mikel posted (thanks) and it is the one the really got me off track from my backdate project.

Below are some threads that I found. Thanks to all the went before me.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=53753&perpage=20&highli ght=ruf%20bumper&pagenumber=1

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=70914&highlight=ruf+bum per

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=68649&highlight=ruf+bum per

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6784&highlight=ruf+bump er


Let make this a good thread.SmileWavy

Thanks in advance,

Just a bit of History (although I'm only looking for cosmetic conversion)
 

Ruf 911 CTR - The 211mph modification

Porsche 911 was one of the favourites to car-tuners. Among all tuners, Ruf could be described as the "specialist among specialists". Alois Ruf created the "Yellow Bird", Ruf 911 CTR, which stunned the world in the supercar contest held by Road & Track in 1987.

R&T gathered 8 of the fastest production cars then - Ferrari 288GTO, Testarossa, Lamborghini Countach QV, Isdera Imperator 108i, AMG 560E, Porsche 959 Sport and 959 Comfort; and three highly-tuned Porsche 911 turbos from Ruf, RS Tuning and Koenig. They were tested in the Volkswagen Ehra-Lessien high-speed test track. At the end of the day, the Ruf 911 CTR beat all other supercars in top speed by recorded an astonishing 210.7 mph two-way average. It became the fastest road car in the world !

Suprisingly, Ruf based his car on the narrow-track 911 Carrera body, its lower drag might be the key factor to its record-breaking top speed. The engine came from the 911 turbo, with slightly larger capacity, twin-turbo instead of single, higher boost and bigger intercooler, power rose from 300 hp to 469 hp, even more than the 959. The engine drove a Ruf-made 5-speed transmission (in then the 911 turbo had only 4 speeds) and then 4 sets of 17in wheels wearing Dunlop D40 tyres originally developed for the 959. Brakes also came from Ruf itself.

I cannot quite understand why the Yellow Bird could be that fast. Compare it with 959 and you will understand my mistery - Yellow Bird was obviously less aerodynamic-efficient than the 959's 0.32 Cd, while its power advantage was only 19 hp, I can hardly see why it could be 13.7 mph faster. Because of taller gearing ? Unlikely, because the 959 had the additional 6th ratio. No one knows what magic Alois Ruf did in his car.

Model Ruf 911 CTR (Yellow Bird)
Years of production started 1987
Layout Rear-engine, Rwd.
Engine Flat-6, sohc, 2v/cyl, twin-turbo.
Capacity 3.4 litres
Power 469 hp
Torque 457 lbft
Gearbox 5M
Weight N/A
Top speed 210.7 mph*
0-60 mph 4.0 sec*
0-100 mph 7.3 sec*
1/4 mile 11.7 sec* / 133.5 mph*

I found this tonight..notice the one on the left. The original light recess (hole) has been modified to a curcular shape for what looks like cooling ducts. I have never seen this marketed. I think this is a better fit as it follows the circular theme of the headlights. Before I saw this, I thought I would make a part to fill in that woul replicate this look.

Anyone know anything about it?

I got the pic from this website, but I can't read German...hell, English was tough enough :D

http://www.driveandtravel.de/tuning/ruf.htm

Here is another shot of an authentic CTR front.

Note, when I installed mine, I took the bumper shocks off completely. The front and rears are just bolted to the body panels. They're so light, this is not a problem (unless I hit something), and it saves you 20 lbs...as I think each one is 5 lbs...or it could save you 10 lbs if each pair was 5 lbs, I don't recall.
I could paint them with a spray can these days with the practice I've had. The main concern there is getting the paint gun/can up close to the panel after it's been sanded with 400 and putting the paint on horizontally in long overlapping strokes that start beyond the panels themselves.
If you're painting when they're on the car, you'd put some cloth over the wheel wells and start painting on the cloth and move the stroke slowly around the front bumper for example. This is the thing I didn't do that caused me to have to redo the doors when I painted my car. Not doing this long even stroke method will make the paint look wavy from way back at an angle even though, EVEN THOUGH, you may have sanded all of the orange peel out.
It's amazing to me how many things have to be right for things to get painted right. Looking back at the job they did on my car for 1500 bucks I'm just amazed at how easy they made it seem when in fact, it's just so hard to do right. Sorry about this "painting tangent" once again, but I am still going over places here and there and getting things just right, so it's always on my mind!

Kurt,

Thanks for the paint tip. Until I get everything sorted out on the car, at which point it will get a pro. strip and paint, I will paint the f-glass parts to match my white car. So this is good information.

One thing I am considering is to spray the backside of the f-glass parts with truck bedliner spray to prevent shattering, esp. if it gets hit by a rock from the wheels. There is a Rhino Liner place not so far from my house I might check out for this process. It would be after the final fitting and prior to my painting.

Yes, it will add a little weight, but for all that I'll be losing, that small added weight will be acceptable. I think it will give the backsides a nice finished look when I'm under the car turning wrenches.

Hear is another pic for the thread. We have seen it before, but it is good view of the front.

How about that ctr bumper for a widebody, anybody got a pic of that??

I like this front bumper so much I'll post it again....anyone seen one of these out in Cali or ???

Souk,
i love the way you think!
The CTR look is BY FAR the best IMO.. I have wanted to go that route for a while.. and will this tear make the plunge as well,
I have the rear bumper but i need a front..
Great Idea this thread..
I hope it stays on the CTR yellow bird topic..


Eric,

Quote:" I got the pic from this website, but I can't read German...hell, English was tough enough"

Dear Souk,

I have read the article on Internet you are referring to, it is a general article about RUF, there are no specific comments on the pictures. The only thing I can say about the pictire is that the license plate of the right car is definitely German, and the left one looks French to me, hope it helps.

I started to embark on my YB project but found other problems with my car along the way (rust on the torsion bar tube). I have the front and rear YB bumper caps from MA Shaw and I may be changing my mind about this. I guess it depends where you live, but installing the bumper caps without anything under them is a very big gamble here in Puerto Rico. The probability of coming in contact with another car is very high here and I can garantee these bumber will break under any collision. I would ever have to worry about kids using the front bumper as a park bench. I am sure a 100 pound kid sitting on the YB bumper is heavy enough to rip the bumper cap from the body. Just my honest opinion.

Possibly a slightly different version on the black car (ignoring the add-on splitter)?



http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads/chris911sra.jpg

Here are a few great shots to help out as wellhttp://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads/BTR4.jpg http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads/rennlist3.jpg http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads/rennlist4.jpg http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads/rennlist5.jpg http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads/si.jpg

This car was done on a SC chassis! It gives me hope. hahaha

another nice rear bumper.. with out vented rear bumper.
I prefer the venter look http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads/ctr3.jpg
Eric mckenna
78SC

one more as i never get tired of looking at this car!:D http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads/87rufctr1.jpg

Did anybody save the pics of the white SC in the very first post? The web site posted is no longer up. I checked yesterday.

I'm about 0.5mm away from pulling the trigger on a sharp white'78SC Euro coupe, and the RUF bumpers look too good. :D

jurgen

Do the NACA ducts on the rear fenders (the pic Eric posted) mean the intercoolers live there? The car has what looks like a Carrera tail, maybe there's not enough room for the intercooler in the tail?

I recall seeing a yellow turbo RUF a few years ago, and the owner showed me the intercoolers in the fenders - but I don't know if it was genuine.

Can anyone confirm that the YB had larger flares/rear_fenders/wings than SCs or Carreras? I still find it hard to believe.

here are a few more shots to help us later..http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads/rufdet.jpg

Eric Mckenna
78SC

IMB,
Yes a few of the Yellows did have slightly larger rear flares.. but other had stock SC width..
You can see the diff in a few of the pic's posted.. some are wider than others..


Eric Mckenna 78SC
SmileWavy