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> Bringing out the dead
Jeff Hail
post Oct 1 2007, 11:35 PM
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Bringing Out The Dead.....or how to restore a rusty 914 and convert it to a street/track car when I have time after dealing with everyone elses stuff.

My background is collision and restoration (day job) of high end automobiles for 28 years in addition to race fabrication. I jumped the fence and left that industry to pursue pretty much the same thing except on the paperwork end which is really boring and thankless. (another day job)

I look at rust like a diamond in the rough. Rust is afraid of me because it know's it cannot live in my world. Metal becomes submissive because I have confidence in my metal working talents. I will add to this post as work progress's.

I hope my years of experience can help others as I add. I believe there is a right way to repair a car and wrong way. I metal finish because in the end its cleaner, lighter and stronger. I was taught old school techniques with new school technology. A great combination. I also believe in doing a job once correctly using the highest quality materials and proper tools. Many ways to skin a cat I say. If you hold it by the tail it can still bite!

Good advice to follow:
Take measurements of the door openings and targa bar to windshield header. Cross measure then do it again to confirm. Recheck your measurements against the factory figures. Make a couple of adjustable braces for each side that attach from the upper seat belt anchors to the door hinges. I recommend cross braces also right to left. These can be made from rod or tube and turnbuckles for cheap. Racer Chris has some really nice ones with rod ends. Support the car from below equally on both sides of the undercarriage and front and rear. I do not believe jack stands can hold the proper tolerances at 4 points. It takes a minimum of 6 and preferably 8. These are all easy to do and are essential to a square and level chassis. Not everyone can afford a Cellete bench or hourly frame time at a shop for these type of do it yourself repairs. Impovisation can be done correctly and for a lot less money. Make sure your floor or platform is level.

Keep in mind that tolerances for the 914 were 7-9mm from the factory so anything you can do to make it better is worth it. 7mm by today’s standards is huge. 9mm is a Grand Canyon. Anything you can do to tighten the tolerances will provide a better end product. Exterior panels were fit with the adjust and weld method and are only a skin.

My 914 had measurements all over the place on the front end and the rust issues were all in the rear that needed correction. Car was never in any collisions.
90% of the measurements were factory assembly tolerances. Porsche's aint perfect.

I made my own dedicated bench for 911's and 914's. By some stroke of luck I ended up with a 1 mm variance in height (datum) and 2mm in length and width is zero with my own fixtures. This has been substantiated with endless anal cross measuring and factory manuals. I used a steel front suspension cross member as a front body holding fixture. I went through 4 before I found an acceptable one. The first 3 were so far off factory tolerances (4-6 mm out of square) I rejected them before I found a good one.

My bench is not for pulling. It was designed for assembly and replacement of structural parts. It will support 3,000 pounds. $350 worth of steel and another $175 in industrial castors was worth it considering its use. A stripped 914 shell is a feather and easy to roll around. When you cut and replace structural parts recheck your measurements. Control points change when you remove, replace and weld in new parts. They are easily controlled with patience.

If it does not come out perfect do not lose sleep. Remember tolerance and variance was not perfect from the factory. If you have a control point locating hole that is 14 mm a dowel or pin of 9-10mm was used during birth. That is why suspension systems are adjustable for variance and wear. You will also find center indexing points on the front and rear of the body. Easy tools to use are plumb lines, tape measures and levels if you do not have access to high end measuring equipment. You can locate and make symmetrical measurements throughout repairs. If you have one side that is undamaged or not rusted use that side as a starting point for measurements. Use panel gaps as a visual indicator during repairs and welding.

3 important factors- height, length and width. If you are me then there are 4 (Z axis) and that one will make you lose sleep!

Some pics of the beggining: A back east 914 comes to California.


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mr914
post Nov 30 2012, 03:00 PM
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Sweet (IMG:style_emoticons/default/pray.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif)

First time I've seen your thread,spent the better part of 6 hours reading your posts.


We all look up to you for the great work you are doing and sharing with us

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/party.gif)

Just wish I had seen this thread years earlier or... Before I started my own journey (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sawzall-smiley.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welder.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)

I was in California, el segundo specifically on the last Friday of the month to visit the driving museum and discovered that hot rod magazines workshop was right next door and having an end of summer bash that evening...

Went back and saw this among the other really cool cars.


Just a thought for lights and a question, are they really legal in California. Hella Catz lights

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Jeff Hail
post Nov 30 2012, 03:34 PM
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Hella Catz legal to the letter of the VC as a headlamp? No. Still have to have operational lows and highs to be on the right side of the grey area. I dont suppose there are actual 914 pop up lamps under those Catz somewhere?
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Rand
post Nov 30 2012, 03:45 PM
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I volunteer as your substitute shoulder.
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doug_b_928
post Feb 6 2013, 12:22 AM
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Wow!!! I just read through this whole thread. Thanks so much for documenting your repairs in such detail. I'll have to re-read sections several more times, but what a terrific resource. I hope you are back to 100% soon and looking forward to seeing your finished product.
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Jeff Hail
post Sep 7 2013, 12:54 AM
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I guess I should get something done...

24mm Carrera rotors on Carrera hubs, stubs and axels. Oh wait I did that a long time ago.

I think I will add a 911 parking brake while I'm in there since I have all these parts just laying around in boxes. Might as well also throw on the appropriate 4 piston calipers.

I have seen a lot of conversions and thought I would have to use SC rotors. Nothing of the sort. I had to trim the stainless posts on the calipers 2mm each. and the inboard brake puck backer to clear the adaptor by a hair. Other than that direct bolt on, no extra washers or extra shims. Perfect.






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Jeff Hail
post Sep 7 2013, 12:59 AM
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I believe the carpets should always match the drapes.

Can't do the rear without the proper Fung Shui on the front end.







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Jeff Hail
post Sep 7 2013, 01:13 AM
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Long way to go and a short time to get there...

Little change in the formula. The replacement ass is going to make J-Lo look like a stick figure.

Night for now
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bulitt
post Sep 8 2013, 01:17 PM
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Great thread! Six years to write it, 4 hrs to read it ... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif)
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ben*james
post Sep 8 2013, 04:14 PM
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Vysoc
post Sep 8 2013, 07:10 PM
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Joda is back and working on his craft, time to get back in the game again.

Jeff, Thank you for all of your excellent work, photo's, descriptions, advice, instructions!!!

I would have never tried to go after my 914-6 project if it was not for this thread, it has given me the courage to repair the Floor Pan and some rust in my long. And a bunch of other crap.

You have given so many of us the motivation to go after our challenges by taking on a bigger challenge and teaching all of us during your journey.


Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!

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2mAn
post Jan 31 2014, 02:47 PM
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I hate when I get through amazing threads and the car isnt done when I finally get to the end. however, this is a thread that is more of a reference for when someone decides to tackle rust repair on ANY car. truly a work of art. Id love to watch you work, Im not too far away.
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Jeff Hail
post Jan 31 2014, 09:45 PM
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Still here and I have never given up. I don't know how to give up! Just side tracked with other things.

To be continued...
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rsrguy3
post Mar 1 2014, 02:58 PM
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Any closer to some closure?
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Jeff Hail
post Mar 9 2014, 11:55 PM
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Back to work....

Rear parking brake conversion finished. Disassemble everything and parts
moved to the powdercoater bin. Afterthought... I already powdercoated the arms once before. Oh well.


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rsrguy3
post Mar 10 2014, 12:00 PM
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That's pretty sweet but is it a pia?
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r_towle
post Mar 10 2014, 03:34 PM
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nice job Jeff....

I would love to see a separate breakdown on those rear end bits and pieces....great ideas on there.

Rich
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Jeff Hail
post Mar 10 2014, 11:04 PM
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QUOTE(r_towle @ Mar 10 2014, 02:34 PM) *

nice job Jeff....

I would love to see a separate breakdown on those rear end bits and pieces....great ideas on there.

Rich



Rich -
You caught me after I took everything apart and put it away until I can take a bunch of parts to the powdercoater in one batch!

Basically the arms are boxed. Have Foleys pivot bracket and parking brake kit. For what Chris's kit cost it wasn't worth going buying a quality swaging tool, cable, fittings etc. to use it one time and his CFR stuff works. Elephant bushings. The wheel bearings are stock 914 Fag on Carrera hubs with a spacer to use the Carrera axels. The parking brakes I bought used from a 912 for $15 off the Samba. Only thing that was good are the pads, adjusters and backing plates. I bought all new hardware (springs, retainers, spreaders new). The calipers are obviously Boxster which these days make no sense to buy used since the price has dropped dramatically. The adapters came from Rich Johnson.

DID I SAY "Have Foleys pivot bracket and parking brake kit. For what Chris's kit cost it wasn't worth going buying a quality swaging tool, cable, fittings etc. to use it one time and his CFR stuff works".

Chris/ CFR always gets a plug from me.

This is all the small consumable parts I ended up buying. The arm modification is straight forward. Grind the bearing carrier down until the backing plate fits like a hat. Weld the pad stop on, CFR cable tube and relocate the cable anchor bracket.






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Jeff Hail
post Mar 10 2014, 11:05 PM
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QUOTE(rsrguy3 @ Mar 10 2014, 11:00 AM) *

That's pretty sweet but is it a pia?


Not at all. Its fun! Considering everything except the caliper adapters and CFR cable kit are off the shelf P-Car parts its really simple.
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Jeff Hail
post Mar 10 2014, 11:15 PM
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God gave to Nascar and he also taketh away from the Nasty Car guys and then put it my garage.

I picked up a used 4 gallon Patterson oil tank ridiculously cheap. Half a dead president cheap. 16 AN fittings, dual outlets, dual breathers and triple inlets. Came with a tank heater, two temp probes and a couple of monsterous mounting straps. A little wear but clean and no leaks.

Patterson is located close by at the Van Nuys airport so I only need to pickup a new o-ring. I may have them shorten the inlets and close one off.




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rick 918-S
post Mar 11 2014, 07:15 AM
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Hey nice rack! -Celette
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I haven't clicked on this one lately. Very nice!
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