Are my gaps too wide!, Maybe it's just me . . . Options

[3d914]

Doing some test fitting on the SHO-914 and noticed that the gaps between the trunk lid and quarter panels seems a bit excessive. I know these cars are hand built - but just checking. One side shows just over 1/4in and the other is at 5/16in.

[stevegm]

IIRC, it is 3 dimes is too wide, and 2 dimes is too small. Or maybe it was pennies. No, dimes, I am pretty sure.

[bigkensteele]

Mine are pretty wide too, but one of my quarters has been resprayed, so I am guessing there will be some work needed when it's time for paint.

[rgalla9146]

For the long side gaps of the front and rear lids I'd be more concerned with uniform equal gaps from one side to the other.
On the rear watch for uniform, equal corners at the tailights.

[Tom_T]

Gerard - they look too wide to me - maybe 1/2 that much is correct, but you'd have to look at their 8 vol factory manual for the exact spec width cuz I don't recall offhand - just going by what my mental eye remembers from judging a bunch of 914s at PCA concours since `09.

If that's a stock steer lid & not cut down width or GRF or CFR lightweight lid, then the fenders were set too wide in a repair or rebuild sometime in the past. If it's GFR/CFR then those can come out odd sizes & you can do resin build-up on the edges out to the proper size & smooth it before painting. If it's a stock steel that someone cut down, then best to get another full sized lid from someone (Bruce Stone or Glen out here in SoCal, or that place on 20th in PHX probably has some).

If it's not a lid problem, then you're cutting & rear welding that unibody, & you'll probably need a Cellette bench (analog or digital/laser) to get the points back to correct & check everything else on the unibody out to make sure it's not tweaked or wanked & improperly repaired before by someone. Otherwise you'll be "Crabbing" down the road, chewing up tires along the way!

You can get the manuals + some other bonus ones on that CD from AA & it's well worth having one on hand anyway - digital &/or hard copy!

Good Luck! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
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[Rand]

EVEN. Just keep them even.

[r_towle]

I don't buy what Tom wrote, sorry Tom.
I have owned more than a few of these cars, without accident damage.
ALL the gaps for the front and rear trunks were different.

If consours judges are claiming something different then they should be ashamed of themselves.

The 914 was not hand built, the unibody came from karmann off a body jig.
Sure, the hood and trunk were bolted on, but that is it.
Those side gaps cannot be changed without welding on the edge of the lid, which was not done by Porsche, would not be concours correct, and would be a modification.

So, those gaps need to be set even on both sides....simple.

[somd914]

I don't buy what Tom wrote, sorry Tom.
I have owned more than a few of these cars, without accident damage.
ALL the gaps for the front and rear trunks were different.

If consours judges are claiming something different then they should be ashamed of themselves.

The 914 was not hand built, the unibody came from karmann off a body jig.
Sure, the hood and trunk were bolted on, but that is it.
Those side gaps cannot be changed without welding on the edge of the lid, which was not done by Porsche, would not be concours correct, and would be a modification.

So, those gaps need to be set even on both sides....simple.

I agree, how can they be changed since they fenders and quarters are welded in? Both of my cars have no known accident damage except for a front end impact on the silver car, rear trunk gaps appear to be about 7-8mm as the best I can measure for both.

[mepstein]

I'd like to hear from scotty or rick but I think these cars were built sort of quick and cheap and close was good enough.

[altitude411]

If consours judges are claiming something different then they should be ashamed of themselves

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/av-943.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif)

[Porsche930dude]

my gaps are quite wide aswell. maybe wider than yours in spots.

[3d914]

Thanks for all the feedback. OK, a couple of clarifications though.
This is a project car, so lots of welding & reinforcement has been happening. The fenders had FG flares installed by PO & I didn't measure the rear trunk lid gaps before doing all my mods. The lid is not installed - just sitting on top the weather stripping. I was fitting another metal lid when I noticed the gaps seemed a bit much. Put the original lid on to compare & they were about the same.

The only damage I'm aware of was between the driver's door and fender flare.

I have cut part of the rear firewall out, but have a steel tube support welded in prior to cutting. The gap at the forward end appears better than the gap at the back, by about 1/16 or two.

Here's a shot of the mods to the front of the trunk, but nothing done at the rear of the trunk.
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads/post-1191-1385942751.jpg)

[3d914]

my gaps are quite wide aswell. maybe wider than yours in spots.

Any pics to share?

[Chris H.]

The gaps on my rear trunk are at least that wide. Sorry I don't have any pics right now. Will try to shoot some in the next few days.

[wndsnd]

Thanks for all the feedback. OK, a couple of clarifications though.
This is a project car, so lots of welding & reinforcement has been happening. The fenders had FG flares installed by PO & I didn't measure the rear trunk lid gaps before doing all my mods. The lid is not installed - just sitting on top the weather stripping. I was fitting another metal lid when I noticed the gaps seemed a bit much. Put the original lid on to compare & they were about the same.

The only damage I'm aware of was between the driver's door and fender flare.

I have cut part of the rear firewall out, but have a steel tube support welded in prior to cutting. The gap at the forward end appears better than the gap at the back, by about 1/16 or two.

Here's a shot of the mods to the front of the trunk, but nothing done at the rear of the trunk.
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads/post-1191-1385942751.jpg)

Now you show us.... Forget the gaps, even them out, no one will notice a thing.. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[screenguy914]

I don't buy what Tom wrote, sorry Tom.
I have owned more than a few of these cars, without accident damage.
ALL the gaps for the front and rear trunks were different.

If consours judges are claiming something different then they should be ashamed of themselves.

The 914 was not hand built, the unibody came from karmann off a body jig.
Sure, the hood and trunk were bolted on, but that is it.
Those side gaps cannot be changed without welding on the edge of the lid, which was not done by Porsche, would not be concours correct, and would be a modification.

So, those gaps need to be set even on both sides....simple.

If "concours" judging requires wide panel gaps as manufactured, so be it. For example, the concours bible for Corvettes requires factory-type glue to be slathered on random areas like they typically rolled off the GM assembly line. If vintage manufacturing tolerances is the target, go for it.

However, if building a car at a higher level, including tight gaps (like current mass-produced CAD-designed chassis parts), do whatever is needed to achieve it, including reinforcing the 914 chassis to reduce chassis flex (increased rigidity goes well with high torque engines) and welding add'l material to the panel edges. I doubt many will criticize you at all for the effort, and those who appreciate craftsmanship will stare in awe at the results.

[Porsche930dude]

my driver side front and back are 1/8" and 1/4" passenger front and back are 1/4" and 5/16"
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i721.photobucket.com-13819-1456784446.1.jpg)
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i721.photobucket.com-13819-1456784446.2.jpg)

[Andyrew]

Probably a bit wider than normal, but most 914's I see have wide gaps including mine. If your concerned then why not add 1/4" to the rear trunk and make the gaps a nice crisp 1/8" ? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Bulldog9]

Center it.......... especially if you're worried about the aerodynamics... I mean afterall, 1/16th" is definitely going to make the car pull that way SHOnuff.... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif)

[Gunn1]

Wish I was to the point where I had to worry about my gaps.....

I guess I can dream..