Save the Porsche!

[ClausGraf]

Here is my 1974 Porsche 914 When I got it July 2013

[racer]

And how about now?

[ClausGraf]

Removed a lot of nuts from the engine.



Cleaned the tank and injectors, changed some hoses, installed the exhaust. Got it running August 2013. Drove around the cul-de-sac once. Because of the rust I was afraid it would break in half. Got it in the garage and removed the engine and tranny.

[bobt4945]

has the makin's of a great story " i was afraid it would break in half " got my attention. glw the rusturrection.

[ClausGraf]

Originally Posted by bobt4945

has the makin's of a great story " i was afraid it would break in half " got my attention. glw the rusturrection.

Thanks! It has been a real learning experience!

[ClausGraf]

I made my metal brake to fabricate the longs.

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Cool! Fabbing your own sheetmetal will be quite a project, and you'll probably learn a lot about how the 914 is put together.

Note: Several people who have fabricated 914 panels have said that it would have been better (and cheaper!) to buy already-made ones from Restoration Design. But if you're not doing this for financial reasons, don't let their opinions stop you!

--DD

[beatnavy]

You made a metal brake?? Very Cool. I just made a significant purchase (one of several, I am sure), from Restoration Design. I'm learning enough as it is without attempting to fabricate major sheet metal components like you! But as Dave says, if you're doing this because you want to (and not have to) then more power to ya'.

[The Glademister]

I'd love to see that device in action. I can see how fabricating a long rectangular clam-shell would be quite difficult without some kind of forming device. Basically the long is an inner and an outer clam-shell welded together to form a long box. IIRC the top and bottom seams are off-set from one another. There are some stamped areas on the outer side to define the door sill supports and add rigidity but I'm curious just how much those recesses add to the structural integrity.

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Well, just about any 3D elements add some strength to a flat plate, so I'd guess they add at least a little bit.

--DD

[ClausGraf]

Working on the 914 body is like an automotive engineering class of how these cars were put together more than 40 years ago! Also, creating the sheet metal pieces is more a mental exercise on how and in what order I'm going to bend them (you have to think it through real well) and the of welding to the car. The Restoration Design sheet metal looks great, but the budget is small and the money is going to a college/university starting this Fall (my oldest daughter).

Here is a cross section of the longitudinal. (These are the test samples)

[ClausGraf]

Here is a picture of what the passenger side long looked like.

This picture show the repairs

[The Glademister]

Interesting Claus. It appears the only remainder is the upper portion of the inner long. So you've fabricated much of that inner and a complete outer. Also, it appears you've added long piece of sheet metal through the middle that ties in with the rear wheel house section. I remember that the long under the battery tray had two pieces of sheet metal layered - one of which tied into the long under the door. I think anytime you can add structure to these areas - it's a good thing. Good job showing us there's another way rebuild this troublesome spot

[ClausGraf]

The rear fenders looked good a few feet away......


But were not that good...........


In the lower corner near the door it had a layer of bondo, a riveted galvanized sheet metal, and a fiberglass layer covering the rust........

[The Glademister]

Wow. That's pretty extensive. It's all repairable however. Patching that lower spot will be cake. The sail area slightly more complex due to the contours.

[ClausGraf]

A fellow 914 enthusiast in Houston sold me 4 fenders and 2 door, so It will be easier to repair.
This is how the car looked in December 2014

[porschetub]

New metal,now you can go ahead,well done.

[ClausGraf]

So, how bad was the rust when I got the car? Was it close to breaking in half?

I measured the displacement between the roof and the body.

With the doors closed and roof latched.




Then with the doors open and the roof latched. (about 1/8" displacement)




And with the doors open and the roof unlatched. (almost 1/4 inch displacement)

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Yeah, that's not a great sign. It's OK if you have a big dude like me in the driver's seat, but with nobody in the car... Not so good.

--DD

[lorenzoscribe]

What I would like to see are the blueprints for that amazing body cradle you used to keep the body straight for the rocker repairs. How long did it take to build it? It sure looks like a lot of lumber.

Larry Steckel
1971 Porsche 914