Panel stiffness, Door metal thickness Options

[porschefile2010]

I wouldn't mind some input from the USA if possible.
Down here in NZ 914's are a rarety and my 75 2.0 is the only one I have really been close to and there are no others handy to check out.
I am bare metalling the car to go back to original- so paint strip, rust kill, etch prime etc.
I have noticed when I have been scraping the paint off the panels ( it's had three repaints)that the door panels have a hell of a lot of flex. The rear guards have a small amount, the fronts not too bad, but the doors! Are they all like this. There doesn't seem to be any side bars inside and they flex probably as much as 1/4 inch in the softest patches.
The doors are absolutely rust free and original paint right back to the first coats so it doesn't look like there has been any bodgy repairs.
So, question is this normal and if so filling and fairing must be tricky as it seems a difficult job bogging a flexi surface and then boarding it down to a fair surface?
Thanks

[porschefile2010]

I would be careful glassing the inside unless you are sure that the shape is dead right on the outside. Once the glass goes off it would be very hard to get rid of a bulge. I like the idea of firing some expandable foam in there but again, too much might push the panel out. However, if the beams are only welded at the ends then maybe it will release out under the beams and not point load the panel.
Tricky one isn't it?
And Tom, thankfully, although there was a lot of bog, there is no rust whatsoever in the doors. The only rust I have found is in the gap between the top rear of the guards and the panel that goes across in front of the windscreen. I actuall have a couple of small holes which I am planning to clean up, rust kill and glass!!! I can't afford the whole panel off and reweld thing and I am already overcapitalising the poor little car. But when finished I think it will ,look a million bucks to me anyway. And of course it's the journey as much as the destination which is fun.

[Tom_T]

I would be careful glassing the inside unless you are sure that the shape is dead right on the outside. Once the glass goes off it would be very hard to get rid of a bulge. I like thttp://www.914world.com/bbs2/style_images/L96B/folder_rte_images/underline.gifhe idea of firing some expandable foam in there but again, too much might push the panel out. However, if the beams are only welded at the ends then maybe it will release out under the beams and not point load the panel.
Tricky one isn't it?

And Tom, thankfully, although there was a lot of bog, there is no rust whatsoever in the doors. The only rust I have found is in the gap between the top rear of the guards and the panel that goes across in front of the windscreen. I actuall have a couple of small holes which I am planning to clean up, rust kill and glass!!! I can't afford the whole panel off and reweld thing and I am already overcapitalising the poor little car. But when finished I think it will ,look a million bucks to me anyway. And of course it's the journey as much as the destination which is fun.

Guys - I'd be very concerned about adding either Foam or FGRC into doors or anywhere on a 914 or older pre-hot-dipped car body which is prone to rust, which our 914s & all pre-77 P-cars are!

Even new seals in those doors will let some water inside - which is why they have those drain holds on the bottom. Anything that attracts & holds moisture could be a future problem.

Richard - I would strongly advise that you not FG those rust spots on the cowl nor anywhere else, & instead of doing costly full panel replacements, just do smaller cut-n-weld sheet metal repair pieces. If you're not adept at welding, then get a buddy or shop who is to help out with those spot repairs.

Other than the water retention concerns - there is a differential heat expansion between metal & FG, as well as a differential flex problem between the 2 materials which can & probably will lead to cracking & repair failure.

It will also devalue your car by having an amateurish "shade tree repair" on your 914, which will generally be frowned upon by future buyer prospects, and then you become "that DAPO" who did the repair.

Even if you are a bit upside-down today in the repair costs vs. current value, a proper & well done welded sheet metal patch repair will both last much longer & bring you better value in 5-10 years as 914s resume their appreciation as collector cars, once this worldwide recession ebbs (it's already starting to happen from what I'm seeing in NADA values here in the USA).

Believe me - I KNOW! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)
I had a pro-shop do a rolling resto rust repair & repaint on my 73 914-2.0 back in 4/80 then drive it until 5/85 when a gal whacked it in a parking garage, then it was stored since in my dry SoCal garage - but most of the rust repairs came back with a vengeance because the shop shortchanged me by using metalicized polymeric filler - instead of leading or welded patches as instructed & paid for by me!!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

My advice is not to take short cuts - as well as doing a proper rust preventative sheetmetal treatment & quality primer/sealer/paint job, & your 914's resto will better stand the test of time, as well as getting best dollar (NZ) whenever you sell it in the future. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

Unfortunately, it costs more to properly restore an older car of any marque from this era than most will be worth immediately when done - and only the most expensive "project cars" to start with end up gaining enough value to cover resto costs today (e.g.: 356s, older 911s, some Jags, Ferraris & Lambo's, etc.). (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

The truth is that the car resto hobby is NOT a good investment plan!!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

Cheers! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
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