Converting race car back to street hot rod

[skidmark]

Bought back my old blue car known as "the smurf" in many circles. I built the car for 2007 PCA Parade auto-x here in San Diego in hopes that my son Erik Kinninger could make a run at ttod with a street driven 911. As it was he finished third overall out of about 400 cars and was the fastest 911 and within a second of 2 very light 914's. I always try to sell my cars to local buyers so I have a chance at buying them back at a later date. The car has been thru a few local PCA owners in the last 8 years and I wound up buying it back just a month ago. This may come as no big surprise but the build will be as a 73 RSR this time. The cage is coming out and car getting full interior among other mods. The car is a 1981 911SC with a smog legal 3.6 conversion that still runs Bosch motronic injection and makes over 300hp. Much help is coming from "flynhawn" pelican Dave Kealoha with all his experience on the backdate part of the build. This is before pic from 2008 with Erik running car at Qualcomm stadium. More pics to follow. Mark Kinninger

[DonNewton]

Mark:
Really going to follow this as I'm planning the same for my 914 (and you'll be doing the things I can't/won't do). Plan to watch closely!

[KTL]

I remember seeing that blue meanie in Excellence a while back. Now it's getting the flyin' Hawaiian treatment? Wow..........

[3rd_gear_Ted]

I've had the privilege of time trialing with the "Smurf" car with multiple drivers over the years in many TT events with the SDR PCA, it is a very well built example of what an AIR COOLED 911 can do.
Speaking of fast iconic SoCal cars, I heard something about the "Killer Bee" ????
Nice to hear the build will be that year and type, seems very appropriate considering the racing provenance of the tub.

[onewhippedpuppy]

I did something very similar, taking a PCA Club Race G50 Targa and making it into a street hot rod. The 3.2 was built but very streetable with a MAF conversion, and the G50 gearing still was suitable for road car use. I swapped some RE11s onto the Fiske wheels, traded the headers and megaphone for a used set of SSIs and a sport muffler, put Hawk street pads into the Big Red/Black brakes, yanked the race seat and cage, installed new carpet, pulled the huge wing, and reinstalled the original seats and interior panels. Because the sound deadening had been removed I used a roll-on lightweight elastomeric sound deadening "paint" on the floors prior to carpet. Except for the missing A/C it was a very fun street car.

[Trackrash]

Talk about full circle. I remember the first autocross the Smurf ran. I will never forget riding in this car with Eric at the wheel. Consistent TTOD car this.

Fortunately, Mark, you never really cut this car up or destroyed it's originality. OK the dash has some cuts in it...

Have you considered doing an IROC style hot rod or maybe a RUF clone? I'm guessing the huge demand for the long hoods are driving things however. It will be interesting to see how this works out. Good luck with your build.

[skidmark]

Thanks for comments guys. I always enjoyed going to the track events and watching my old cars run well. Getting it back and giving it a facelift is good fun. Was busy over weekend finishing up rear flairs and fitting new bumper from Dave Kealoha. It is so light it tried to fly out of my parts hauler when it hit boost.

[skidmark]

[Tbone1209]

Looking forward to watching this build!

[skidmark]

New doors with power windows getting hung to replace gutted doors. Cage finally out after about 20hrs of cutting and grinding. Lindsey Fuchs getting refinished. Rally car shift tower leaving soon.

[Cajundaddy]

Actually kinda sad seeing this potent race car being put out to pasture. I enjoyed many a lap in the right seat with several different drivers and owners of Smurfy as we pushed her performance envelope. Quite a car!

[skidmark]

Actually I have no plans to neuter the car. The cage will be replaced with a rear bar otherwise same drivetrain and suspension so it can do an occasional track day. Its good hearing from all the people that got to ride/drive the car over the years.

[mrm930]

just completed the same conversion of my 67 911S from a full out vintage racer to a street outlaw. One thing that really helps - on mine at least, being a full bumper to bumper racer, the mechanics and suspension setups were already completed and work well with the street. The only thing I would change, mechanically, is 5th gear. Trans set up is close ratio for the track. Car pulls well, even in 5th gear - so cruising would be a bit better with a higher 5th gear

good luck with this project.

[3rd_gear_Ted]

Originally Posted by skidmark

Did I just hear the "farmtruck" calling you out??
When you going to OK City?

[911SauCy]

Originally Posted by skidmark

New doors with power windows getting hung to replace gutted doors. Cage finally out after about 20hrs of cutting and grinding. Lindsey Fuchs getting refinished. Rally car shift tower leaving soon.

Let me dare to be a dullard and ask ... what is the deal with the rally shifter? It looks like a basically stock unit mounted up high to aid in a shorter reach for the driver?

Is it something that can "simply" be added to a car with a stock 915?

I'm thinking the linkage would interfere with the e-brake handle?

Just asking because I personally think it's wicked and would love to have it in my street car

[KTL]

Years ago there was a guy here making them. But I can't find the thread(s). I also recall John Walker sharing his solution to extend end of the 915 shifter lever. I copied it (as he predicted people would) and I have to say it's quite a noticeable difference in a good way



http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/240038-amazing-long-shifter.html

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/727654-moving-shifter-back.html

What I noticed most is that my habitual memory takes a long time to change. I still find myself reaching lower for the shift knob. But that's a small personal problem for me I suspect. The positive is that it's pretty cool to have the shift knob positioned so close to the steering wheel. When you take your hand off the wheel to shift, the knob is right there.

JimmyT here on the forum makes a really nice extension piece with an ingenious method of installing it via a long screw using a long expansion nut that cinches it into the original shifter tube. Everything Jimmy makes is top shelf quality & design. Reasonably priced too.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/820219-anyone-make-shifter-extension.html

[betterair]

Aaah , I see your using the FM5's .Very nice . Brakes hidden behind them look like they will handle they will haul down the 3.6 w/o a problem. Specs?

[Jonny042]

Originally Posted by skidmark

What, praytell, would be causing THAT to hit boost? Awesome.

[911SauCy]

Noted. Thank you because the last thing I want to do is $ shift my car because I am forever reaching way forward to make the shift happen.

Originally Posted by KTL

Years ago there was a guy here making them. But I can't find the thread(s). I also recall John Walker sharing his solution to extend end of the 915 shifter lever. I copied it (as he predicted people would) and I have to say it's quite a noticeable difference in a good way



http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/240038-amazing-long-shifter.html

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/727654-moving-shifter-back.html

What I noticed most is that my habitual memory takes a long time to change. I still find myself reaching lower for the shift knob. But that's a small personal problem for me I suspect. The positive is that it's pretty cool to have the shift knob positioned so close to the steering wheel. When you take your hand off the wheel to shift, the knob is right there.

JimmyT here on the forum makes a really nice extension piece with an ingenious method of installing it via a long screw using a long expansion nut that cinches it into the original shifter tube. Everything Jimmy makes is top shelf quality & design. Reasonably priced too.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/820219-anyone-make-shifter-extension.html

[skidmark]