Went to change a broken clutch cable, discovered car has cancer, bit emotional at this moment. Knew it was coming, didn't expect the scope |
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Went to change a broken clutch cable, discovered car has cancer, bit emotional at this moment. Knew it was coming, didn't expect the scope |
davebrossi |
Sep 8 2018, 04:39 PM
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#1
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Member Group: Members Posts: 52 Joined: 6-December 11 From: Idaho Falls, Idaho Member No.: 13,868 Region Association: None |
Hi All,
I prefer most often to lurk, but after a spin to a nearby autobody shop about filling in some rock chips on the rear fender flairs of the clown car netted me a 13,500 estimate, I've been a little on edge for rust. This morning I set out to change the clutch cable which had snapped last weekend. As I was getting myself situated I noticed some of the undercoating seemed more...flaky than usual. I moved my finger towards it, brushed it and off it came! along with another small piece. I was now staring in disbelief at a mixture of pink body filler and carpet. OK! I told myself, this seems relatively minor, let's just clean the area, I can fix this, maybe not the best way, but I can!. That was five hours ago. As I worked I realized I needed to see where the damage was on the interior, so I removed the carpeting. Once again, I spied a familiar orange tinge... under the urethane installed at the factory. I started working with a chisel and hammer. What was a small hole was in fact a seam running along and right up to the driver's side right seat bracket. The concrete below glared at me menacingly. The clown car (my 914-6) was the result of an venture from a forum member offering turnkey restoration of 914s. I have no interest in flaming or anything mean, so I will not say who, and that's not a challenge either, since frankly all of this was beneath urethane, and said individual cleaned, primered and properly painted surfaces all the way to the old urethane on the floor pans. but it is worth mentioning because rather than spiral down the inception styled road of 'oh god I'm doomed, DOOOOOMMMMED!' I sat back and thought about what they -had- restored and what I had to go back and work on. The interior of the door panels was rusty, I sanded, sealed with POR15, clear coat has a craze to it, but stable and looks fine. Small side sail bumps. Originally thought body filler, probably tin worm, but unlikely to fail while driving and drag me half out of the bottom of the car. Longitudinals, hell hole both extensively reviewed during restoration, both are clear. I don't see bubbles all over the car, and the 13500 was with a note saying "we don't serve yer kind round these parts try these guys since they do antiques" from a shop filled with classic american muscle cars and more of a 'get lost' message, which I understand because scope creep is real. I want to believe this is one of those typical stories where I don't wind up with the Porsche 914 equivalent of "you have died of dysentery" on the Oregon Trail PC game, but I also have to face up to the fact that I will have to acquire new front and rear floor pans. Happily they can be ordered from Pelican without much fuss (the available weld in panels for the 914 is really REALLY a reason I love them in an odd sort of way.) I know I have to invest in a welder as I lack the skills. I want to prepare the area as best as humanly possible because A.) I believe in being a good steward and B.) I'm afraid while I'm happy to pay for their services, I am cheap and would prefer to do the prep work myself. Advice (maybe prayers?) is/are appreciated, but I will be searching threads and educating myself accordingly as I know I need to. in the meantime, here's some NSFW Porsche Floor pan gore; the initial discovery and early cleaning The point at which I realize I should probably look at the top end of things. because regrettably I am a millenial, I wanted to show off my PPE for working with fiberglass and sanding. The moment my heart sank, the colour drained out of my face, and I had to go have a little sit down. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/barf.gif) This is the extent of the rot. You can see the garage floor clearly a menacing glare fixed on it's eyeball-less face :E! I wont blame the consumption of Hubert's lemonade, wait, no, yes I'll blame it for the rust after all! The start of (and at which point I realized that the floor pans were toast on both sides) the surface rust on the other side. I'll admit it was heartbreaking to discover. I wanted to give up and throw it all away, sell it and be done with it. But then again, new front and rear floor panels are made for a reason, and the last undiscovered country (Star Trek) both my father and I were starting into was body work in the last couple years. I'm hoping I'm not right thinking this will require the selling of one of both a kidney and a lung, frankly I have no idea, though (in a phrase I use talking with my employers often) I look forward to the opportunities it will afford me moving forward. Bonus points here in how my dad managed to cause the usual reaction that always happened when there was a setback and he had to tell mom one last time. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/chair.gif) |
davebrossi |
Oct 6 2018, 07:05 PM
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#2
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Member Group: Members Posts: 52 Joined: 6-December 11 From: Idaho Falls, Idaho Member No.: 13,868 Region Association: None |
Back again with brief update as I slog along to what will be the next 'cool' bit (which is going to be when I'm at the point that the car is on its side safely and all the nasty rust is being removed/thunderbolts and lightning, very, very, frightening, etc) today however is where I show off that I have limited space in addition to no reliable power, and have also begun the disassembly.
I'll be dropping the motor/transaxle next, then removing the stupidly full fuel tank (I expect some may leak (IMG:style_emoticons/default/slap.gif) ) and the first of several miracles will have to happen at some point here in the next few weeks (the conjuring of a rotisserie.) I have a ventless heating system, so there will be no stopping for the winter. yes I know about now the 'git gud n00b!' refrain of 'learn to weld!' is on reader's lips, I'd like to, but given I sell the gold standard in course materials for it and have a bird's eye view of the curriculum towards professional welderdom, I won't get there in a weekend, weak sauce, I know..So it's back to what I -can- do which is dismantle things, I'm plenty good at that! So in pulling the retrofitted pre-74 bumpers, I noticed surface rust both in the bolt channels and minor surface oxidation in the rear trunk pan. I'm not seeing 'paying owner of Restoration Design's child's university tuition' money tied up there yet, I think a nice wire brush and rust etching primer with paint cleanup should suffice. Yes, I did finally pull the tires, top gear top tip is, of course, to do so when they're still on the ground, but who ever said I went about things the easy way? One can also see there's a great deal of space now taken up by the doors...good god they are not light! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif) Why, yes, that is a canister of kroil. And no, the fiberglass side skirting there isn't being held on at this point by one stubborn screw at all, nope, not at all. Nothing to see here, just half the car as gently placed down as I can manage it. I give myself half a day before I scratch the ever loving crap out of any of the painted surfaces. I did locate some surface oxidation in the front trunk as well. Again, no need to cut and conjure new metal into place, but this is a case where I'll use the phrase 'it's a good thing you brought her in when you did, otherwise'... in a non-ironic sort of 'here's where your wallet bleeds at the mechanic' moment. The full fuel tank however, that will be....'fun'.... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/hissyfit.gif) I haven't decided how I'm going to get the foam upper inner firewall cover out yet, but it's about the only semblance of interior left short of the dash and all its glory. I'll also need to pull the ECU and relays associated meaning at last I have to break out the ziplock bags and sharpie so I can pretend to appear competent in labeling everything carefully for when I get the car put back together which of course is going to happen. As an aside, Dad's 3rd 911, a 73 Targa in Lapis blue apparently lived mostly in coffee cans for at least a year. He used to regale me with how he carried the engine block down to the basement on his back. I'm not saying he didn't do it as I can lift a VW type 4 long block no problem, but I was really hoping to avoid the whole coffee can thing. lets just hope the car's the only thing in my life oxidizing away. Smiles! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif) |
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