How do you remove the seats?

[don hopkins]

I need to start fixing my rusted floor pans. But I can't figure how it get the passenger seat out. Also, has anybody used the POR-15 Floor Pan & Trunk Kit? How does it compare to welding in new floor pans from Auto Atlanta? Finally, I have rust under battery tray (see attach photo). Is this structural? How should this be fixed? Would it be safe to drive the car to a shop to have this fixed?

don hopkins

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

You can remove the seat a number of ways. I prefer to slide the seat all the way forward using the adjuster (the loop handle--unless the loop has broken off). Then reach under the other seat rail and push up on the retaining tab in there. You might want to wear gloves, as it tends to be pretty greasy. Then slide the seat the rest of the way off forward. You can then unbolt the seat brackets and such from the floor pan.

I don't know how the POR-15 kit works, but if you have rust-through then you need to replace the metal. Pelican sells replacement sheet metal. I believe we have both better prices and better service than AA, plus when you buy from us it helps support this BBS.

The rust you show does look structural, but I think you can get away with driving the car to the shop.

--DD

[cruiksdr]

To remove your seats, you just unbolt them (brackets and all) from the floor. There are two bolts at each corner at the front and back of each rail. Just slide the seat forward and back as needed to access the bolts. Should be a pretty easy opperation. I'm just completing the body work on mine and getting ready for paint. I used POR-15 on the floor pans, in the trunks, engine compartment, and on the front and back under the bumpers. From what I can tell, this will stop whatever rust was left after heavy wirebrushing to bare metal, but I cut out and replaced anything that was heavily pitted or all the way through or getting thin. My floor pans werent too bad, but I think I would at least want to weld in new sections if not whole new floors if they were too heavily rusted (ie, all the way through or getting thin). POR-15 stops rust progress and should inhibit new rust, but it does nothing for structural integrity. The only thing between your but and the pavement is that floor, so it should be sound You can probably find used sections from parts cars that you can cut in as needed fairly cheeply (I got a passenger side firewall section for mine for $30 from Dave at GPR). As for the area under your battery tray, I can't tell if it's structural or not from your pic. If it's just the part that goes around the engine, that's not a big deal. You will need to cut in some new metal there. But if the wall is that bad, especially the lower part, which is that back part of your rocker structure and suspension console, then you have bigger problems. That will need careful repair. It probably is safe to drive to a shop as long as it's not too far away and there aren't a lot of big pot holes Again, depending on the degree of damage, it may be relatively simple to fix by cutting in new metal. All the parts are available from various sources. Auto Atlanta should be approached with great caution; however, I've had nothing but good experiences with Pelican, GPR, and Restoration Design (www.restoration-design.com). Again, don't overlook used body parts. There are lots of chop cars out there with good metal that can save you a lot of $$.

Here's what I started with in December for my 2nd 914 resto (purchased from Dave @ GPR):


I'll be painting within the next few days. Here it is about 6 weeks ago after the first primer filler for the parts that were done.



Finally, an example of cutting in a new piece (in this case, fabricated myself).


Hope this helps! Good luck and have fun

{DD--edited to try to get the images to show instead of links}

[Porschekid962]

rust is like cancer, it's hidden, it's bad and it likes to spread. it is only bad for your car, get rid of it. check the whole car over to make sure there isnt any other rust hiding from you and have it fixed. looks like you might need to have some new sheet metal welded in. hope it all gets taken care of

[BURN-BROS]

Look well at your longs and right rear suspension console . I doubt that they are sound.

[Tidybuoy]

Looks like your questions have been answered. I have only one thing to add: I have had problems everytime I have purchased something from Auto Atlanta - yes, every time.

I have never had any problems with Pelican & they seem to carry just about every part.

Vern

[funnyguy]

Don,

Your car looks so familiar. I think I saw with the same engine compartment in my garage!

I removed my seats yesterday. What I did was I slid them all the way forward and removed the 2 bolts at the back of the seat rails on each side. Then on the side of the seat there is a small lever sticking up. Just push the level forward and lift up on the seat. Mine did not have bolts at the front and back of the rail, nor holes for them.

Your engine compartment looks kinda normal for most non-restored 914's. The battery tray is gone, and the rest isn't too good. It looks like your inner wheel house is pretty rusted. Luckily PP carries one of rhe parts needed from Restoration Design, Inc. PP carries many of their stuff so you could checkout the www.restoration-design.com website for part listings and order there if PP doesn't carry them.

I have the same problem, so I'm going to drop the motor in a few weeks after doing some preliminary body work. Then I'm going to replace the inner wheel house and engine tray. Battery acid has also destroyed the seam where the firewall and floorboards come together, so I will be replacing the floorboards and lower firewall metal as well. Those can possibly be fabricated if not too large of sections are needed.

You many also inspect the inner longitudinal, lower wheel housings up front, and the front trunk and pedal area for other common rust. The inside wheel well and logitudinal are structurally more important than other things.

Also, PP is the best Porsche supplier out there that I have found. There are many good ones, and many not so good ones. I've heard lots of bad things about AA and Part Werks. Unless you can drive there and pick something up, I'd use them as a secondary supplier.

Good luck.

[don hopkins]

My question is: Can I fix this myself? I have never welded before but I have a book. My wife says she is very worried about me handling something giving off 50,000 degree in the garage. She wants to be out of the house if I try this. My car will need new floors, new firewall, new battery tray area at a minimum and maybe a new rear trunk. Can I, a 55 year old man, whose auto knowledge comes mainly from high school auto shop back in the '60s do this or should I hire somebody? Does anybody know anyone in the Philly area who is good at this if I chicken out?

don hopkins
___________________
1981 911SC-: "the beast"
1976 914 -"the rust bucket"
1994 Mercedes C280-the wife's ride

[cshogen]

Originally posted by don hopkins
I have never welded before but I have a book.

Can this be the quote of the week?

Just kidding Don! I am an amatuer welder myself. If you want to get the car done quickly and have the $$$ you might consider getting it done by someone. If you have the time I have always heard that you should take a class on welding in order to get it right. At least practice a LOT before you actually weld on the car. That's what I did. It does take a while to get the hang of it.

Good Luck!

[cruiksdr]

Originally posted by cshogen
Can this be the quote of the week?

Just kidding Don! I am an amatuer welder myself. If you want to get the car done quickly and have the $$$ you might consider getting it done by someone. If you have the time I have always heard that you should take a class on welding in order to get it right. At least practice a LOT before you actually weld on the car. That's what I did. It does take a while to get the hang of it.

Good Luck!

That's what I did. I got the welder, did a lot of reading, and watched people who knew what they were doing, and practiced a lot. I've done all of my welding myself, and have developed the skills to replace metal in cosmetically important places without too much problem. Welding is not rocket science, but it does take some skill. Once you develop that, though, it's amazing what you can do with a welder and a grinder. Also, brazing is very handy too. You can get those little brazing kits for $50, and do quite a bit with that (albeit, using lots of O2 tanks).

If you pay someone to do it for you, it's going to be very costly. You might want to consider having someone else do the structurally important parts (ie suspension console/rockers), but do the floor pans yourself. Of course, if you just want to get the car done and you have $$$, as was mentioned above, just take it in. Personally, I have gotten tremendous satisfaction from being able to do it all myself