Pictures of my 914/6 project, Done by 9/14... ? Options

[siverson]

Click here for the pictures

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

I thought I'd share some pictures of my progress on my car, and ask a bunch of questions at the same time. A little background... I've owned the car for about 12 years now, drove it around with a 2.0 four for about 7 years, then converted to a 6-cyl 3.6 liter engine, drove it around for about 2 years like that, and now about three years ago I started to take it all apart (again) and do all the things with the conversion that I didn't have the time or money to do the first time (I did the whole 3.6 conversion in about 3 weekends the first time, and was still about 3 days late getting back to college!)

Anyways... The "re-version" includes:

- factory steel GT flares

- carbon fiber front and rear lids

- extensive chassis reinforcement

- 13" front rotors, 993TT front calipers

- Vellios trailing arm adapter, carrera rear wheel bearing, carrera e-brake, 930 rear rotor, C2T rear calipers

- 964 3.6 engine, rebuilt by Andial with Euro RS cams and a couple other fun things

- rebuilt '84 915 w/ factory LSD (Vellios adapter)

- and that's all I can think of at the moment...

(And yes, just to be clear, I agree with all the Vellios bashing that occurs on this board. The parts are pretty nice once you get them to work, but they are far from complete and George Vellios is an extremely difficult person to work with. I wouldn't purchase them again...)

Questions:

- Any problems that you can see from any of these pictures? I'd appreciate any critique. In particular, do I have any of the rubber installed backwards or incorrectly? For example, the front rear trunk (if that makes any sense) is asymmetrical, but seems like it would function fine either way, but I'm sure there is a correct way.

- At this point, it seems like it would be just as easy to run braided -3 or -4 line for the brakes, or reinstall the factory hard lines. Any reason I should choose one of the other? I'd like to also install a cockpit mounted front/rear brake bias adjuster.

- Do I need those back metal "dust-cover" things for the rotors? I currently don't have them on the front or rear. Am I going to really regret not having them after the first couple hundred miles, or is it no big deal? If so, I'll have to figure out how to adapt some sort of 13" cover from a C2T or 993TT, because the early 911 covers that fit on my struts or rear trailing arm now are way too small for the rotors.

- All the rubber is OEM Porsche, but the rubber on the door (long piece) seems to fit so fugly. I've got to be doing something wrong...

- What do you think about my cheesy plastic "grommets" I made from the plastic wire loom stuff? Anyone have a source for something better? Some nice, smooth, high-temperature resistant rubber would be nice. It's primary used to protect braided oil lines where they pass through the body.

- Anyone have a Bosch Hammer (KTS-300 or KTS-500) (aka Porsche tester 9288) for sale?

- What's the best way to remove super glue from chrome? (Sigh... don't ask.)

Thanks for any tips!

Click here for the pictures

[Lawrence]

What a gorgeous piece of work. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/clap56.gif)

What do you have on the longitudinals?

I like the "cheesy grommets"... at least in the pictures. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

-Rusty

[siverson]

Thanks - that is the Brad Meyeur (sp?) longitudinal kit. The car was/is about as rust free as 914s come (Arizona then California car), but the door gaps started to look worse after having the 3.6 in for about 18 months. The chassis reinforcement was one of the big reasons to undertake this project.

I haven't driven a car with the kit yet, but so far, I love it - even on a rust free chassis. It does add quite a bit of weight, but it just seems so much stronger now. Even when jacking the car up it just feels rock solid.

This is how I learned to weld!

[seanery]

Very, very nice.

[Lawrence]

I suspected that was the Mayeur kit, but I didn't want to jump to conclusions.

Your car is a real piece of art. Congrats!


-Rusty

[914guy]

Your car looks great.. My project was in the paint shop today being painted, I am going over there after work tonight to take pictures, and hopefully will be on the road by Saturday, just in time for our meet here in VA!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/MDB2.gif)

~Eric

[maf914]

Wow. Extensive project! Your hardware looks great, all clean and shiny. Is that cad plating? If so, what is the basic process for that? Media blasting then plating? Is it costly (like what isn't?)?

Mike

[siverson]

re: the cad plating.

No - believe it or not, it's not expensive at all! Magna Plating, in Orange County, did all the plating for me and in total I've spent about $100 for all the parts. They just charge by the pound. You send them a box of old grimy, dirty parts, and they come back looking better than new. Ask for yellow cadmium type II - or just tell him 914, he's familiar with Porsches.

To keep the cost down, they do things in batches, so the worst part is that you have to re-sort all your parts/bolts.

[krk]

I'll add my voice to the throngs -- that's a beaut! The final pics will be awesome.

It's also good to hear the random bits of info of your experience rebuilding it. Many of us (me included) are thinking of our next projects and wondering, so info is always welcomed! Thx a bunch!

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/mueba.gif)

kim.

[TMorr]

Hi Siverson,

Very nice project.
I just wanted to check if your plater had mentioned the need to post process the hi tensile fasteners after plating to avoid hydrogen embrittlement? If not, then it's now too late, do not use them!
You mentioned doing them in a batch, that flagged it for me.
It is critical on high tensile and heat treated steels - like fasteners and springs, not necessary on low carbon steel like brackets and engine sheet metal.

Not beeing a killjoy, but dont want to see anyone inadvertantly hurt themselves either.

Perhaps there is an expert on the forum who can elaborate the technical explanation?

Regards

Hayden PTBT

[siverson]

Hmm... No, I am not that familar with the cad process, but I will call in the morning to confirm things are ok.

[TMorr]

Hi Siverson

Found this in a quick search, the spec of the process is probably similar to what your plater has done and this does allude to the embrittlement relief....

[QUOTE]CADMIUM PLUS YELLOW CHROMATE
Applicable Industry Spec: ASTM B766, CLASS 5, TYPE II
QQ-P 416 Class 3, Type II
The parts shall be capable of passing a 96 hour salt spray test to white corrosion and a minimum of a 200 hour salt spray test to red rust per ASTM B117.
Typically, cadmium plus yellow chromate offered by PEM is .0002" to minimum of cadmium applied to all significant surfaces. Significant surfaces exclude such features as threads, holes, deep recesses and bases of angles.
A yellow chromate conversion coating is applied after cadmium plating.
Steel parts requiring embrittlement relief after plating are baked according to industry standards.[/QUOTE]

To others on the forum attracted to salvaging old fasteners and hardware (I know I am) be careful to separate parts that require baking before delivery and be certain your plater can complete the treatment.

We learned the hard way about 15 years ago when we had about 40lbs of BMW parts plated. All the bolts ended up scrap, air filter clips, throttle butterfly springs, large suspension botls etc. Only the simple steel parts like tabs, brackets, some suspension pieces could be used. Since then we have approached the plating process with parts divided into groups.

Regards

Hayden PTBT

[914Timo]

Hello Siverson,

I think I have sade this before, but your 914 is really nice !!! I did like it when it had narrow body and 3,6L. Now I think I like it even more.... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif)

But, your door seals are upside down. The end of the seal that suppose to be in front, seems to be in the rear. I took coulpe of pics for you.

[914Timo]

... and second

[siverson]

Thanks for the pictures about the door rubber! I'm switching it tonight!