Thanks all for your informative posts and opinions. I know that dealing with 30+ yrs old Mg car parts is not the easiest/most common car issue on the planet. But this is (at least one notable item) what makes our air-cooled cars so special.
I think I'm going to go the outsourced resto route (at least until I experience total fan/housing failure). It seems like the best route to 'preservation'. To pay the info forward, here's a list of the resources I gathered from reading forum posts and google searches:
I.
DIY "Light" resto - aka Dow #7/Sanchem/Mg Conversion + JB weld cracks (from ClickClickBoom post): Cost = approx $200+, Labor = wknd project, Lifespan = ? (maybe brief, maybe longer depending on extend of corrosion and cracks), Would also still need some protection (clear coat/power coat/ceracote/etc.) after the conversion process., Con: messy and potentially toxic, JB weld is suspect for longevity, no 'strengthening' happening here.
Links:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/1029154-fan-shroud.html
https://www.chemical-supermarket.com/product.php?productid=652
II.
Outsource resto - aka pay someone more experienced than me to do this: Cost = approx $500, Labor = remove/pack/ship fan + housing, Lifespan = ? (maybe longer than DIY), Turnkey process = complete fan that was orig to car and will likely have no fitment issues after process, Con: more $ than DIY but less work. Providers of outsource fan resto service:
a)
Mark Motshagen (mots356@yahoo.com) - now retired?
b)
Tru6/Shaun (shaun@tru-6.com) - Cambridge, MA
Tru6 Restoration & Design
c)
FlyingJay (flyingjay1@gmail.com) - So Cal/San Diego Area
d)
mb911 (ben
mbconsulting21@gmail.com)
https://914-6werkshop.com/ located in WI, Only does weld repairs (not refinisher)?
III.
Repro replacement (available in Mg or Al) - aka get a 'new' one: Cost = $1000+ (depending on Mg vs Al), Labor = online order + replace fan, Lifespan = longest, as these are effectively 'new' parts, Thorough process = completely new parts, Con: might not be exact fit/finish as orig, some suppliers have poor qlty parts, Al = 4x heavier than Mg (but would likely last longer). Providers of repros:
a)
Vertex https://www.**********.com/
b)
FVD https://www.fvd.net/us-en
c)
PelicanParts/EPS (Al only)
d)
Carpoint (ebay/DC Automotive)
Gotta keep em driving!