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Posted by: Eric_Shea Apr 8 2004, 07:06 PM

Hi Gang,

While the front suspension seems to be a breeze (bolt on a 911 set-up), I was wondering if anyone would be interested in a turn key (bolt them on) rear conversion?

Kit would contain:

2 Control Arms - Bead blasted to bare metal. Checked for straightness. Repainted with POR-15.
2 New Wheel Bearings
2 Rebossed and drilled 5-lug Hubs. Factory 45mm Studs. Set in the new wheel bearings.

I was thinking $450 plus your loaded/usable control arms as cores (control arms and hubs).

So for $450 you have basically "brand new" control arms, bearings and 5-lug hubs ready to go. You'd have to buy 914-6 rotors.

Doable? Anything I'm missing? You could add items at will (Mueller bearings, Box kits etc...).

Thoughts?

Posted by: Brad Roberts Apr 8 2004, 07:10 PM

The problem is whether or not their cores are any good. Unless you build a jig from a known straight control arm.. you will never know.

We probably have over 700 control arms here in the "Hizzy" Right now I pick and pray.


B

Posted by: Mueller Apr 8 2004, 07:13 PM

Hey Eric,

It sounds like a good deal !!!!

Unless you can confirm the rubber bushing are in perfect shape, I'd make replacement a standard item. If you are set up for this kind of work, would you be interested in being an installer of front and rear bearing kits?

Not everyone is setup to do these kind of projects, Brad and I have discussed having a few "authorized" install people so that shipping wouldn't cost too much for people wanting to do an exchange.

I plan on hitting up Chris Foley with the idea, but it might conflict with his own sales.

Posted by: Eric_Shea Apr 8 2004, 07:24 PM

Sure... it basically depends on the interest I get. I'm not looking at mass production but after going through it a few times I have contacts to do these things right (bead blasting, qualified machine shop, etc...) and a full array of tools here.

Thinking it over over a Woodfords Reserve in the rocks...

Posted by: Brad Roberts Apr 8 2004, 08:50 PM

We found a bad ass been blaster here at the shop. I dont have to farm anything out/run shit around.



B

Posted by: Eric_Shea Apr 8 2004, 09:04 PM

I have a sand blaster and a glass bead blaster here. I just don't like breathing dirt...

Seeing as how you're replying to the list, it must mean you're not at the welder guys place huh? I was just getting ready to call.

Any news?

Posted by: Mueller Apr 8 2004, 09:22 PM

I use a HEPA filter on my shop-vac to help control the dust, works good..........


the control arms cleanup nice if soaked in Castrol SuperClean for a few days....easier to blast to get a nice finish

Posted by: 914gem Apr 8 2004, 09:35 PM

Mueller, does the Castrol SuperClean leave an oily or any kind of film? Do you mix it with anything?

Posted by: 914ghost Apr 8 2004, 10:20 PM

Eric-
Whatcha think about a couple different "stage kits".
Like stage 1 being your whole deal.
Stage 2 might be hubs / bearings ?
stage 3 Just the damned hubs?
I know my car was originally owned by an attourney/demon and was never driven real super hard, and never hit.
Drives straight...so maybe I don't need new control arms?
And if my bearings are good now, why replace them?
I do want them hubs though.
See. . .?
Just trying to make your life more difficult.
Bob O

Posted by: lagunero Apr 8 2004, 10:24 PM

I'm very interested. Keep us posted.

Posted by: jonwatts Apr 8 2004, 10:37 PM

Actually, as with all core parts, I would think there would be a surcharge if your core wasn't reusable.

Posted by: Mueller Apr 8 2004, 10:59 PM

914gem,

it's water based....you need to rinse it off real good....it's sold at Wal-mart for about 6-7 dollars a gallon

for steel parts, I've left them in cleaner for a few weeks with no problem, for aluminum, just a few hours max depending on the concentration...I put a piece of aluminum foil in the cleaner for a few days, the foil turned to dust when I took it out.

works even better if you can get the mix nice and hot, I poured boiling water in my tank to get the average temp in the 150° range.....


I got your PM, thanks for the info on the caliper spacers and other parts...i had a brain fart on a different idea for rear brakes, vented rotors and the parking brake...once I draw it up and look at how feasible it is, i might show it off (if it works that is....the bad ideas get deleted...well most of them, LOL)

Posted by: jonwatts Apr 8 2004, 11:09 PM

Yeah, you got lucky on that one.

I've been using the Super Clean to get the grime and overspray from a bad paint job off my wiring harness. I'm using it with fine steel wool and it's working good. I'm holding final judgement for when I see it in a real degreasing situation, though not much stacks up well to aerosol brake cleaner.

Posted by: Eric_Shea Apr 9 2004, 06:44 AM

Let me answer a few:

This is actually the problem with doing a rear end conversion. It's not as straight forward as bolting on a 911 front end. It pretty much needs to be the whole deal. Here's why:

1. I'm not talking mass production etc. Unlike Brad I don't have a pile of control arms laying around so I would need cores (your old ones) to sustain the process. You may not need new ones (and I assume most people wouldn't) but this package gets you two straight, bead blasted ones as part of a "bolt-on" solution.

2. That being said, that would do away with stage 2 because you can basically buy bearings any where. The problem is you can't take out your hubs without damaging your bearings. It's a split bearing and 40% of the time one of the bearing halves comes out with the hub. Regardless you won't want to reuse a bearing once you've taken the hubs out.

3. I could get the hubs done up no problem. Again, you'll need new bearings though. Just because they're good right now doesn't mean they will be once you get the hubs out. A lot of people aren't set up to press in and out new bearings.

So in for a penny, in for a pound as I see it.

What I was thinking is; put your old grimy (straight) control arms and 4-lug hubs in a box. The following week get a box with new shinny control arms, new bearings and 5 lug hubs. From Mueller's comments I would agree these would probably include new bushings as well. I read through Mueller DesignWerks installation pdf's and I'd be good to go for any of those installations as well (front and rear).

Posted by: maf914 Apr 9 2004, 07:10 AM

Eric,

What do you have in mind when you say "rebossed and drilled"? As has been discussed many times, the early hubs have bosses for both four and five bolts, the late have only four. By rebossed, do you mean surfaced?

The idea of an exchange kit sounds good to me. Please keep us posted.

Mike

Posted by: echocanyons Apr 9 2004, 08:42 AM

sounds like a good deal Eric.

Any thoughts of doind the conversion with 911 ebrakes?

Posted by: Aaron Cox Apr 9 2004, 09:02 AM

GPR parts sells a kit it includes, /6 rotors, drilled/studded hubs, wheel bearings.

Posted by: Mark Henry Apr 9 2004, 09:04 AM

How about just drilling the hubs for 5-bolt and 4-bolt VW/honda pattern?

Posted by: Eric_Shea Apr 9 2004, 02:41 PM

Yes. Sorry wrong terminology.



Need to source the 911 e-brakes. They probably wouldn't be cheap and cabling would be up to the buyer. I'm doing mine with a 911 center mounted e-brake handle so I'm not sure how the other cables would work. I could do them if I had the parts though... pretty straight forward.



Hubs could be drilled any way you'd like I would imagine.

Posted by: Eric_Shea Apr 9 2004, 02:48 PM

Yup... then you get to remove your control arms press out your bearings, press in the new ones and pull in the hubs. All for a decent price... $325.00

All doable