my low budget dream car build

[Winter911]

Man... i'll tell ya that your progress and your ability to overcome your issues is inspiring a lot of ppl to finish their cars, including me.
I overwhelmed myself trying to do all the same body work that you're doing without any previous experience..
So this thread has been a huge guide for me and ive been managing. Glass-lite and filler will be here Thurs to finish my flares and i'll be priming the car in my own garage like you did.
So I appreciate the detailed steps you put in your posts when you tackle something.

Out of curiosity, why not put a few coats of clear over the base coat? is it a more in-depth process or is it just not necessary?

[LJ851]

Originally Posted by chrisbalich

IKR. This paint job has been a real emotional roller coaster for me. This was a huge win.


You should know that the first two responses I typed out were deleted because they were not nice.
I've made it very public that I am not having fun working on this car anymore. I do enjoy the company of my friends, and I hope to enjoy driving this thing when it's back on the road in a month or two. But this stage has been arduous and demoralizing and I've drug it out way too long.
I do recognize that putting all of this onto a public forum opens the doors to criticism and commentary. But for 200+ pages, we've kept it mostly very positive in here.
I'm going to force myself to accept that I'm not reading your post with the tone it was written with.
#carforsale
#looksgreatontheinternet

Chris,
I sincerely apologize if my post came across negative and offensive as that was the opposite of my intention.

I am someone who is also neck deep in a project that has gone on too long and feel like I know firsthand approximately what you are going through. My comment was an attempt at humor regarding my true excitement and the (selfishly) slightly frustrating anticipation of seeing this stage of your build come to fruition.

Not only do I appreciate and agree with most the choices and work you are doing to your car (unusual for me), seeing your struggles and progress is inspiring to me with my build. Thank you for sharing your build and gifting us that experience.

-Lorin

[shoooo32]

Pelican is basically group therapy at this point. Most of us bite off more than we can chew on a regular basis and need to vent, problem solve, find inspiration, etc.

With that being said, modern sports cars don't do it for me. Wrenching on old s*** just feels good. Driving these old pigs thousands of miles into the middle of nowhere, rallying the piss out of them, then wheeling home is unparalleled in modern car culture.

[tk32]

Originally Posted by shoooo32

Pelican is basically group therapy at this point. Most of us bite off more than we can chew on a regular basis and need to vent, problem solve, find inspiration, etc.

With that being said, modern sports cars don't do it for me. Wrenching on old s*** just feels good. Driving these old pigs thousands of miles into the middle of nowhere, rallying the piss out of them, then wheeling home is unparalleled in modern car culture.

^All of this, keep on sending it. I hope to get my version of pig on the road and meet up with members of FSS before y'all sell your cars out of frustration and end up in water pumpers with cruise control and power adjustable 47-way lumbar support, not that there's anything wrong with that

[TeeJayHoward]

Originally Posted by chrisbalich

I've made it very public that I am not having fun working on this car anymore. I do enjoy the company of my friends, and I hope to enjoy driving this thing when it's back on the road in a month or two. But this stage has been arduous and demoralizing and I've drug it out way too long.

A-freakin-men. I'm at the same point mentally with my build. I just want to be putting things back together, instead I keep finding little things that drag it out even further. Bodywork sucks. Getting motivated to get my heap on the road and out of the garage is hard.

But you know what? Your thread is a huge part of that motivation. You are a source of inspiration for many of us. Regular progress, regular updates, regular results. Keep at it, man. It's lookin' great!

[LJ851]

Chris, I hope your weekend is full of motivation, progress and a reasonably warm garage.

[chrisbalich]

I took the door handles to work to Cerakote them.
The pitting on my door handle is much worse than I thought.


Time to decide if I fill the pits and then Cerakote the handles, or if I seek replacements...possibly something lighter.

I signed up for Ruchlos 5 today. So I have until June 5 to have the LBDC rallye-ready.

It's supposed to warm a little here this weekend, but it's also supposed to rain.
I hope you all have a good weekend.

[PeteKz]

Here's a trick: The door handles usually pit on the top side first. Swap the left and right handles, and that will now be on the bottom, and the tops will be smooth chrome.

[Focker]

I'd fill and cerakote.

[chrisbalich]

Originally Posted by PeteKz

Here's a trick: The door handles usually pit on the top side first. Swap the left and right handles, and that will now be on the bottom, and the tops will be smooth chrome.

The one that was on my side is badly pitted top and bottom. I think someone may have tried that already...or the pitting is a reaction to being touched and that's why my side is torched and Kelly's is barely pitted at all.

Originally Posted by Focker

I'd fill and cerakote.

That's the plan. I left the dang JBW at home this morning. I may go grab some more and get this party started. (the Cerakote will be done here and I left them here over the weekend so I would do other stuff.)

[chrisbalich]

I was free all weekend until I wasn't.
I had a friend fly in late last week for some family stuff. So we hung out at the service on Friday night and then I helped him clean out an apartment on Saturday before joining some other friends Saturday evening for a birthday dinner. So Saturday was a wrap before it even got started.

Sunday, we slept in (stayed up too late Saturday and we're getting old, so that 5hit hurts) and then went to breakfast. I watched a little YouTube (mostly European hillclimb racing) and then headed out to the garage.

I know that cars that don't even look like they drive are more of a bummer than cars that (at very least) look like they can drive. So I started pushing in windows. I bought a 964 rear screen seal (thanks, Pelican) to wrap my SC glass in. It fit the window pretty nicely, but does not fit the tub. I took a video to send to my friends, but I'm not going to bother to put that on YouTube so I can share it here. Just know that a 964 seal does not work with an SC tub and SC rear glass. FML.

So I pulled the metal strip and shoved the rear screen in with the old seal. It's not a permanent solution, but it'll seal the car enough to roll it into the drive and keep leaves and light rain out of it. It'll also look better and that should help me feel better.

Then, I moved to the quarter windows. 993 seals this time with the OG glass from 79. (green tinted Sekurit) I'm on a mission to keep water out of my car. If it costs me some pounds, so be it. The car is plenty light enough to suffer the weight of glass windows and a steel hood. I digress.
They pushed in super easily! I used nylon 1/4" rope and glycerin and knocked them out in a few minutes each on the first try.
**I did spend over an hour cleaning the glass. There was all manner of old stickers and dried out caulk and who knows what on them. I ended up using a razor, a bathtub full of hot water, and BarKeepersFriend to get them clean.



Then, I moved to the door windows and frames. I can't put together the interior until I sort the door handles, but I can certainly get closer to closing up the cabin.
My side went in pretty handily and Kelly's side offered even less resistance.

I will say the 993 quarter seals are exactly what I was hoping they'd be. Makes the pain of buying new front and rear glass a little more sufferable as I know it'll be worth it.




The wheels are Porsche Matte Indigo Blue...just like the GT4RS.

I've got to go order a bunch of expensive glass and a couple seals. :/

[MikeD930]

Just checking out your updated thread. Nice job on your car's morphing from narrow to wide body. Plus great colors on the wheels and body! They go well together. Keep pressing on...you'll get 'er done.

[shoooo32]

Oh man, the secret is out! Hammer down brother

[YellowBee69]

Blue was never an option in my mind when trying to figure what color the wheels would be.. GREAT choice. They go together so well. Cant wait to see in on the road! Weather is starting to warm up (maybe) here in Indiana.. Crunch time!

[Joesmallwood]

Looking great and great choices. Bring it home and can't wait to see it on the mountain.

[Focker]

Great work!

[MFX]

I recently converted to a 993 windscreen and the change was amazing! My original screen never fit perfectly and would leak and now with the glue in screen it is rock solid. Also the wind noise in the cabin has dropped significantly.

One tip I did find was that the 993 screen comes with the mounting clip for the rearview mirror on it. A 993 mirror was expensive but a 996 mirror is the same and was dirt cheap. Boxster mirror will fit but it is the wrong shape.

[Psychepilgrim]

Great choice on the color combo, like many others already said : this blue is going so well with the grey you've made.

Looking forward to see the LBDC pictured at Ruchlos ...

[Psychepilgrim]

Originally Posted by MFX

I recently converted to a 993 windscreen and the change was amazing! My original screen never fit perfectly and would leak and now with the glue in screen it is rock solid. Also the wind noise in the cabin has dropped significantly.

One tip I did find was that the 993 screen comes with the mounting clip for the rearview mirror on it. A 993 mirror was expensive but a 996 mirror is the same and was dirt cheap. Boxster mirror will fit but it is the wrong shape.

Hi Jeff, watched your 993 winshield episode, was a great one, really helpfull. As my SC winshield is do for a change and cause the insurance company will only replace it with the same exacte one (can't ask for a 993 winshiel instead), do you think the SC winshield would works well with the 993 two piece winshield?

[chrisbalich]

Rebuilt my headlights for 2025.
Out with last year’s LED lights. (For sale if anyone is interested. DM me.)


Pulled the reflector and installed bi-LED assemblies in the original H4 lamps.
Tested and ready to go. Just need to wire them in and stuff em in the fenders.