Hi, i'm currently converting this 914 to a GT for a customer and thought i'd post the metal work progress as i go along.
Thanks for looking !









www.themetalsurgeon.com

You should keep the luggage rack. It will set your car apart from the other GT clones...

if you have time - pls post pics of the tools - and tools in action - if you have time

The rear LH side had been in an accident in the past taking damage to the front fender,door and rear quarter.Before we graft the flare in, the door was metal finished and the front section of the rear quarter panel replaced with freshly made metal along with the door handle depression fixed and grafted into the new quarter.



















my metal work blog www.themetalsurgeon.com
.......know whats under your paint....

Thanks for taking the time to post this, Jon. I'll definitely be watching.

Thanks for the welcome and checking out the thread.

Very nice, keep them coming! Clean surgical work

Just clear coat the thing when you finish, that work is too nice to cover with paint.

Beautiful workmanship

I presume that is all TIG welding?

I would guess oxy acetelyne

rdauenhauer your right TIG welding.

that would be awesome to clear coat.Finished colour will be orange.

Nice work.


KT

I spent some time on your web site... Wow! You are very talented. Amazing work.

Awesome work. Very, very first class. I thought was looking at an early 356 resto. It took me a minute to remember what site I was on. Im excited to see someone do work at this level on a 914.

Thanks all ,im really enjoying working on this car.

Wow. Are you lead-ing over the welds?
So how many hours on this build? I see you have 320hrs on a 356 in your blog.
Roughly 100$/hour this is going to be an expensive build???
Also, how do you keep the surface rust off all this bare metal?

No lead over the welds ,just bare metal.

I'm $60 per hour plus materials used.

To graft the flare,time taken 14 hrs from setting position,cutting in,TiG welding to metal finishing to completion.

If you guys would like ,i can give you a build sheet/cost break down to restore/customize this body?

thanks all.

Are you lead-ing over the welds? So how many hours on this build? I see you have 320hrs on a 356 in your blog. Roughly 100$/hour this is going to be an expensive build??? Also, how do you keep the surface rust off all this bare metal


Dry climate in Colorado, there won't be any surface rust issues.all cars are kept inside the workshop .

On the 356 ,this car was basket case to begin with.

Nice work!

Metal finishing right hand door

If you guys would like ,i can give you a build sheet/cost break down to restore/customize this body?


Yes build sheet would be fantastic! That way we / I have an idea on what if cost.



Thanks!

Yes please

Excellent work. BTW, I've been following some of your work on FerrariChat also.

Can you describe the steps and tools you use to clean up the butt welds?

--- Rob

mr metal surgeon - pls tell us about the benefits of tig over mig and when you switched over from mig to tig.

i thought for sure that was leaded too.

Any additional updates?

The rear show evidence of being lightly hit.Rear inner brackets had to be relieved to gain access to straighten out the drip rail flange.Once straightened the lower section was removed as been previously badly repaired,and upper section pushed up,where rule displays a non straight line.Also this will make ease on replacing rear trunk floor inner right corner panel.
Last photos show the rear panel being filed up and metal finished.

my weekly metal work blog www.themetalsurgeon.com














working on build sheet for you guys.

Hours update; 103.5 hours to date

includes;

Hood channel restoration
wiper arm recess area restoration
right hand foot well restoration
interior vertical panel between seat restoration
Metal finish/restore RH / LH doors
Remove battery tray
Metal finish trunk lid
Metal finish hood and repair inner structure
Rebuild LH 'A' Post and replace rear section of fender with new metal
Remove rear LH quarter panel,make new and graft in.
Graft in LH rear fender flare
Fit LH/RH rocker panels [new]
clico into position 3 remaining fender flares ready to graft in
Rear end tail light panel restoration.

Shop rate $60 per hr plus materials used.

i will continue to update as we make progress.thanks


....know whats under your paint..... www.themetalsurgeon.com

Parts ordered and received to date

Source; Restoration Design

P345-914 Each 1 Floor Pan - rear half - Made in Canada 185.00 US$185.00
P316 Each 1 Battery Tray - Made in Denmark 58.00 US$58.00
P335 Each 1 Trunk Floor - Made in Canada 195.00 US$195.00
P315 Each 1 Battery Clamp - Made in Canada 8.00 US$8.00
P300L Each 1 Outer Rocker Panel , left- Made in Canada 155.00 US$155.00
P300R Each 1 Outer Rocker Panel, rightMade in Canada 155.00 US$155.00
5001 Each 1 MPF (US orders only) 2.00 US$2.00
5002 Each 1 Duty 2.5% 1.45 US$1.45


total US$860.68

Freight US$101.23


www.themetalsurgeon.com

Pay attention, and watch the numbers folks. This is why cars end up sitting at shops. Just as Jon says in his tag line. " Know what's under your paint " ( and undercoat )

This work is neither quick, cheap nor easy if you want any kind of quality. Right now I am putting quarters on a 73 911S. Tigging and metal finishing just as Jon is doing on this 914. By the time I'm done, I will have as much time in those 2 panels as I normally have migging and mudding 4 flares on a 914


Beautiful work Jon

You get for which you pay. Quality costs.

Very nice work!

thanks guys!

Amazing work. What are you using to file down the weld on the curved section of the fender. Round rasp file? I went to Ron Fournier school a few years ago and have been dabbling a bit in aluminum I just cant get the nice final finish you pros get. Not sure what I am doing wrong. Do ever use a shrinking disc?

yes i use a 12" machine file.I do use a shrinking disc.

Absolutely terrific. THat car is fortunate to come under your care.

Thank you! i will be posting more pics tomorrow.

Awesome skills. Keep the photos coming. If you have the time, a short caption on each photo would be cool. Not that any of us could do that kind of work, but I think many of us are interested in the process.

Breathtaking craftsmanship, Jon. Just wow.

Excellent work

it's true about knowing whats under the paint. This is the reason my car is still waiting on color, you constantly find areas the need work. we've had a few hot spots that kept popping up and you don't want those festering under your paint.

I'd rather add a month to the build than be unhappy with the final product.

Impressive !

Want to do mine next !

Beautiful workmanship. Thanks for sharing.

Really nice work. This car will be too nice to drive. I know how to draw file and I have done it a little. I also am pretty good with a two inch rotary air sander. I am guessing to filing is not much just showing the high spots. Also it doesn't make heat. Do you think the tigging is softer than easy grind mig wire. I'm guessing you are trying to not get the weld too brittle. I can tig and thats the main reason I bought a tig other than aluminum and ss work but I was hopeing I could do as well with easy grind.

I did a 42 ford jeep and had 370 hours in it for my friend but he only paid me 10.00 a hour using my tools. Course the jeep had filler wiped everywhere.

I'm gonna follow this thread for sure. I like the way you squared the flare on the body. Really interested in the front flare placement front to rear for fat wheels and the rocker fit up.

I would love to do yours next!. the transformation of shape with the GT flares is just awesome.

continuation of grafting....
Front LH fender to get the real feel of the conversion.

I tack with the MIG, but TIG weld the panel in as i can control the heat source.Mig is more of a brittle weld on sheet metal in comparison to TIG.


















'know what's under your paint'

www.themetalsurgeon.com

Front RH fender/arch removal





'know whats under your paint'.....

www.themetalsurgeon.com

This is better than porn. I want bigger pics 800x600!