red dawg racing, body kits Options

[Rider914]

"They also have a thing for making convertables out of 914's... to the targa bar, and away we go then weld some pins on the now removable targa bar so it doesn't slide off when it's put back on (no method of holding it down other than gravity)
Note the seam at the base of the targa bar"


Everyone needs to take a ride in one of these kits when in convertible mode once. I am amazed at the lack of wind buffeting - I don't know why this car works so well but it is better than any production car I have been in. This is the way I drive it 99% of the time, I only put the targa bar on if it may rain and I have no other driving options.
One day I will own a bone stock teener - and I will smile at it's original design. . .

[Crazyhippy]

have any pics of the targa "mounting" system? (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/chairfall.gif)

You're car is nice, how much of it has been re-done since it left red-dawg?

And you are right about the buffeting, i was pleasantly surprised.

[Rider914]

QUOTE (Crazyhippy @ Oct 15 2005, 06:52 PM)

have any pics of the targa "mounting" system? (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/chairfall.gif) You're car is nice, how much of it has been re-done since it left red-dawg? And you are right about the buffeting, i was pleasantly surprised.

I will post some pics of the Targa mounting "system" when I put it back on - I will also ask for better ideas for securing. I agree that it isn't the "safest" way to tie it down, but I do have a roll bar, it doesn't spend much time with the targa on and after all it is a thin doored '72 and I don't expect much more than a motorcycle for crash protection. But a rear window upside the head isn't what I would want.

I don't know the history of the car before the 5 - 6 years I owned it.

It has less buffeting in convertible mode than with the top off and the rear window piece on.

How many kits do you think are out there?

[Crazyhippy]

out there, or actually on the road? (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/dry.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/rolleyes.gif)

I know of 3 plus yours, and 2 of the 3 are on the road now (plus yours again).

The 3rd is the yellow car that the suspension pics came from. It would have cost more to get the car fixed to a safe level than the owner had budgeted.
It would need:
Complete 911 front suspension and brakes (a-arms, struts/spindles, sway bar, hubs, rotors, calipers, brake lines, etc)
complete 914 rear suspension (trailing arms, shocks, springs, etc)
911 rear rotors and calipers (and lines)
2 of the wheels had MAJOR curb rash, and a 3rd was visibly bent when spun by hand
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/headbang.gif) , so add them as well
4 tires, the ones on it still had nubs, but were so weather checked they leaked down roughly 1psi/night
That gets it back to a roller...
then theres a tranny re-build (i no longer trust ANYTHING to have been done reasonably well on this car (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/sad.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/slap.gif) )
Motor freshening (same reasons as above, if it's not done know, it will be needed in the near future, do it while it's out)
The fuel line was replaced by braided stainless line (hose clamped to hardlines on both ends (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/confused24.gif) ) run up the center tunnel (until it wouldn't fit through the factory holes, so it came up through the rear access panel, and through the firewall (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/icon8.gif) )Need to replace that too
The wiring in the motor compartment was cut off and then hardwired to the motor (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/idea.gif) so you either have to replace the wiring harness, or spend some serious time backwards engineering the wireing (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/barf.gif)
Who knows about the back of the guages (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/confused24.gif)
The shifter setup in the car was 100% backwards (915 trans, 1st was all the way right and up, reverse was right and down, 2nd was centered and down, etc (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/headbang.gif) )plan on doing a cable setup (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/driving.gif)
Then you get to the regular conversion stuff...
Radiator, clutch pieces, halfshafts.

Poor car, it was nice and rust free, and someone killed it (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/bootyshake.gif)

Sorry for the rant, this is a bit of a hot subject for me though. I love the idea of a well done v8 car, (rider914 understands why). Cars like this are unfortunatly what alot of people assume all v-8 cars end up like, and that makes me sick (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/sad.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wacko.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/barf.gif)

Oh yeah (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/hijacked.gif)
BJH (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/welder.gif)

[Rider914]

Kinda makes mine "special". . .

I make no boasts about it. It is what it is. I like it.

Thanks for the info on the ones you have seen (crazyH) - if you ever want to take mine for a spin let me know. One way or another it will scare the S%^t out of you.

[Crazyhippy]

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif) You'd be suprised... i've driven a v8 teen or 20 in my time (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif)

The scariest ones aren't the High HP, high dollar cars (they're a rush (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wub.gif) ), they're the ones that were thrown together still on stock, non vented brakes... the 3rd or 4th time you get on the brakes, they fade really bad, and you're scared to death until the damn thing actually stops.

Course right now i'm driving a stock 1.7L car... a Honda CRX is impressive acceleration wise right now (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/headbang.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/headbang.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/headbang.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/happy11.gif)

BJH

[Andyrew]

v8's with stock brakes and suspension are scary...

Simular to muscle cars..... lol

One purpose, straight line, You wana turn? your screwed, you wana brake? your even more screwed....