101 MORE Projects for your Porsche 911...

[Wayne 962]

I'm finishing up the 101 Projects book for the BMW 3-Series, and I'm thinking of what to do next. I'm not sure about the transmission book - we'll have to see about that. My editor suggested something like 101 MORE Projects for your Porsche 911, but I'm not sure I could come up with 101 more interesting things to do that are worth writing about?

So, what do you think could be added to the list? Let's see how many we can come up with? I'll start everyone off with a few that were missed in the first book.

Transmission rebuild (overview)
Gate shift kit
Pertronix installation
AC upgrade
Seat swap
Gauge faces
Rust repair (yuck - there's a reason this didn't make it into the first one)
Aftermarket Engine Management install
Suspension upgrade How-To?

On the other hand, the other idea I had was to write a 911 Extreme Projects Book. Here is the synopsis I pitched in 2002, before the BMW book was contracted:

We've got 101 Projects for Your Porsche 911, and now we'll have how
to
rebuild your Porsche 911 Engine.

How about a how-to high-performance (really high-performance book) that shows you exactly what you need to do:

- Twin Plug ignition
- Electromotive TEC-3 Fuel Injection
- Supercharger Installation
- Turbo Charger Add-on
- Brembo GT2 Brake installation
- Coil-overs PSS9 suspension conversion
- 911 Dieting (weight loss)
- Limited Slip Install and gear ratio change

Basically a Workshop how-to book with all the goodies that
you hear about, but don't know how to do...

This extreme book would be, well extreme...

Another subtitle might be "How to build Jack's car..."

Thoughts?

-Wayne

[azasadny]

Wayne,
How about a book that contains the commonly asked repair/maintenance questions here in the forum? For folks who don't use the Internet, this could be useful...

[Emission]

Originally posted by azasadny
Wayne,
How about a book that contains the commonly asked repair/maintenance questions here in the forum? For folks who don't use the Internet, this could be useful...

"101 Things You'll Most Likely Ask About Your 911"

[mjshira]

3.6 swap
track prep
big brakes
stereo

[Bob's Flat-Six]

My Vote, 911 Hot Rod / High Performance instruction manual. With good pictures

[Elombard]

I still want the 915 tranny book.

[Zeke]

I think you hit on a good thing with the extreme idea. Except, I would consider it to be a "more in depth" book that could include the tranny rebuild, the suspension upgrade and some of the actual extreme items you mentioned.

Taking the title 101 anything kind of limits you to another publication that glosses over a few things and leaves something to be desired in the degree of how much you devote to the details.

Many have said before that 101 Projects was complimented well by having a Bentley or Haynes alongside. I would strive to become independent from that situation. In fact, you'd have to on articles about polybronze bushings and shock/t-bar pairings because that type of information is not to be found in a repair manual.

Lastly, it seems you might have had to stretch a little to make the 101 number of projects. Even though there are several projects that could have been included, the format may have gone too large, I don't know what the goal was. But instead, there are a couple of dubious "projects" that could have been ignored, IMHO. It almost got down to "How to Vacuum Your Interior."

Overall, 101 is a good read and I believe has seen some reasonable success. Anything you do will most likely be worthy. It has to, you've got a reputation now.

[jazzbass]

Originally posted by Elombard
I still want the 915 tranny book.

Ditto. Besides, a hot rod book will soon get dated. Aftermarket stuff comes and goes, this months brake kit is better than last months, etc. A transmission book would be timeless - the kind of thing that people are still buying in 10 years because its still relevant.

[patkeefe]

Wayne:
I think you could easily come up with another volume of new material. I would suggest the first section to be a rehash of "the basics", but with more depth.
There were, in my opinion, some areas in the 101 book which may be a bit lacking of information in certain projects, or a bit ambiguous, and this would make for an excellent opportunity to amend some of these areas. Please don't consider this overly critical or blasphemous. The possibilities for subject matter are practically limitless...just look at this BBS!

I'd also suggest "reader technical contributions" be incorporated, much like the Tech section of the website (would we thus receive royalties?). There are some pretty sharp guys on these boards who probably wouldn't mind their name in lights.

Thanks!
Pat

[ricochet]

Originally posted by Zeke
I think you hit on a good thing with the extreme idea. Except, I would consider it to be a "more in depth" book that could include the tranny rebuild, the suspension upgrade and some of the actual extreme items you mentioned.

Many have said before that 101 Projects was complimented well by having a Bentley or Haynes alongside. I would strive to become independent from that situation. In fact, you'd have to on articles about polybronze bushings and shock/t-bar pairings because that type of information is not to be found in a repair manual.

I have the Bently book for reference, but as Zeke said, add details and yours would be much improved. Tranny info would help, but mostly "more of the same" makes for good stuff. I know my unit (20 years) but learn from every trainee. You ask a great question, even better with your knowledge.

Am waiting for the next book.

[rotorhead]

Here's some ideas

Targa roof covering
Carpet installation
Seat recovering
Aftermarket Seat/ Steering Wheel installation
Headlight relay upgrade
Fiberglass bumper installation
Targa to cabriolet conversion
K27 Turbo upgrade
Engine detailing
Putting your 911 on a diet
Learning to corner
Air Fuel Gauge installation

my 2c

Steve

[Yellowbird RS]

front oil cooler instalation
trans cooler
FG/CF side rockers, bumpers and protection bars
fuse panel up date
964 wing install
mechanical to electric speedo
petronix and crane mag-points
csi to webber conv.
etc...etc.

[emcon5]

The tranny book.
Home wheel alignment.

Tom

[Fishcop]

Some ideas...

Wheel restoration
Re-carpeting
RS Door panels
How to do basic paint repairs (2pac vs single stage etc...)
Alarm/immobilizer installation
Polybronze/monoball suspension upgrades
Race seat/harness installation
Seat-belt replacement
Brake upgrades (master cylinder or calipers)

[duke3282]

I would like to see a book covering a little more extreme upgrades such as turbocharging, and maybe also some painting and powdercoating sections. Also a section on transmission rebuilding would be good, however to fit in with the extreme stuff you could include changing the gear ratios. Also I would rather have a more in depth and complete coverage of 20 or 30 projects instead of an overview of 101. Most of the projects in 101 could be sufficiently explained in a couple pages, but some of the more extreme upgrades would take little more to adequately cover. Just my opinion. By the way I love 101 projects and look forward to the next installment.

[BlueSideUp]

Just a suggestion

Lowering 911 seats (for us circus freaks)

[Shuie]

I would seriously buy a photocd or dvd of all of the great cars that have been loaded on the pelican image server. How about a book with glossy photos and documentation on some of the hot rod cars here. You basically own everything that gets posted here, right?

I would also buy the tranny book or a 102-tohowevermany projects book. The book would pay for itself quickly.

[rotorhead]

How about 101 things to NOT do to a 911

[ricochet]

Originally posted by rotorhead
How about 101 things to NOT do to a 911

Also an accepted option.

[Fishcop]

I'd echo Sherman's idea and expand a little... What about a quality "Coffee Table" style of book with lovely large colour photos of some of the simply superb Porsches people on this board have built (with Pelican input of course ). It could be titled something wanky like "Projects by Pelican"