Very nice...looks clean.

Seems like I've been gone forever ....................
Thursday and Friday's work.

1. Finished up the muffler that Doug is selling to a friend here in PDX.
2. Blasted the remaining bondo from the donor cowl. . Not real pretty, but it can be fixed. Doug is going to scour the web for a new one. I asked Gary Emory at Parts Obsolete to dig thru his stash.

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I could measure the bondo with a yardstick ................. pretty lazy work.

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Super In law starting to work on the patch patterns ................. In Case It Needs To Be Used.

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Now the fun stuff, new metal.

Prepped the flanges with U-Pol Copper Weld Thru Primer. Way less splatter.
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Built a removalable copper backer to protect the accelerator tube.
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I like putting the seam under the center support. 1. I don't have to grind down the backside penetration which makes it stronger. 2. The obvious, its hidden.
Both the center support and tunnel will be coated with Eastwood Frame Coating.
Downside you can't use butt weld clamps so its pretty tedious and slow going. Basically I tune the butt weld perfectly flat one inch at a time. Making a stitch about every inch. Then come back and link the stitches.

Used self taping screws in every other rosette hole.
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Butt weld complete and finished up ...................
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You don't need to over grind, this will be schutzed.

Just received back some parts from Burnham Performance out of Camarillo, CA.
Can highly recommend them.
The turnaround wasn't much over 2 weeks time.

First were my MFI throttle bodies that were bored out to S/RS spec (engine will be a 2.7 RS MFI).
Larger butterflies installed.
Everything re-plated with a Dow coating for the throttle bodies themselves.
Works of art I think.
Love the detail.

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Secondly, Burnham Performance restored and recurved my Bosch distributor again to RS specs.
Another great job by them.

I added a set of Pertronix magnetic points to finish it up.

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One of the fun parts about doing a 914-6 conversion is coming up with a game plan for the wiring harness action in the engine bay.

Going from a 914-4 wiring harness through a 914-6 engine relay board and interfacing it all with an MFI engine does have it's challenges.
I wanted to make use of as much of the existing wiring in the 914-4 wiring harness as possible.
Also needed to use the 914-6 relay as there is something called an RPM transducer (or speed switch) that is nice to have with an MFI system to eliminate backfiring on deaccerlation.
Plus I'm going "old school" and using the on board voltage regulator vs. a built-in regulator in the alternator (newer ones are this way).

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So here's me with wiring diagrams for a 1971 914-4, 914-6, and 1973 911 E,S,RS trying to figure out what goes where.
This was made all the more challenging by the fact that my wife and I just had twins.
Talk about reinventing the wheel a couple of times.
I'd get so far with my plan of action then it was time for the twins.
Then where was I? How far did I get?
Maddening really, but eventually I got there.
Had to learn how the std Porsche round relays worked, how the cold start relay and accompanying thermo-time switch works, and how the RPM transducer and fuel shutoff solenoid on the MFI pump worked.
After that....simple as connecting the dots.

I'll have to add a couple of additional wires down the tunnel for the different 911 gauges I'll be using....oil pressure/oil temp.
But everything else can be dovetailed into the existing wiring.
Even on the 914-6 engine relay board, I'm repurposing the rear window heater relay as the fuel pump relay.

Eventually, I put together my own 914-6 relay panel current flow/wiring diagram.

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All the various switches and relays attached.
Nice NOS 1971 914-4 chassis wiring harness that I purchased from Aase Porsche many moons ago.

Of course laying this all out in the comfort of my air-conditioned office at home.

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Every wire connection identified, traced, confirmed and labeled for later installation into the chassis.

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It's time for the throw down to begin ............

I'm taking a couple weeks off from Rothsport to focus on getting Doug's car finished up.
Looks like a I could have timed it a little better. PDX forecast for the next few days, over 100.

Beautiful work... I could watch it all day.

I would suggest either postponing the work during this heat wave....

or starting at 5am while it's still cool and being all done by noon/1pm at the latest over the next couple of days.

We don't need any heat exhaustion cases out in Forest Grove please.

Latest Porsche porn to show up at my doorstep.

MFI pump rebuilt and upgraded to S/RS spec.
Sent out to MFI Werks (Mark Jung) here in Oregon.
He is the local wizard in rebuilding and modifying 911 MFI pumps.

Went through the pump completely replacing some worn parts and putting together a new space cam (S/RS spec) that can feed the new 2.7 engine.
All parts cleaned, painted, re-plated, etc.
As new from the factory.
All 6 injectors were checked for spray pattern, etc. Found a deficient one and replaced.

Pity a lot of this wonderful stuff is pretty invisible on a 914-6 engine.

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In addition, Mark supplies a nice flow chart for the pump with the new space cam configuration.

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Today I delivered a mountain of engine parts to Rothsport Racing here in the Portland, Oregon area.
Didn't know a disassembled 911 took up so much space in my garage, but now it's out.
Yeah!

Over the coming months these boxes of parts will be transformed into a 2.7 RS spec MFI engine making about 210hp.
Should be just about right for the narrow bodied GT vision of a car I have.
They'll also be reworking the gearbox.
904 mainshaft with some fun gearing that should make this car sing....and really move out.

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Jeff (Rothsport) is adding pressure to the Throwdown .................. the day I start he calls for the engine parts. LOL.

Throwdown Day #1.

While I'm working on the floor Super In Law is working on the patches for the cowl.
Which involves creating jigs for the reassembly. The last few weeks I went thru both Parts Obsolete and High Performance House and didn't find a cowl/windshield. So we'll make the donor piece gooder than new.

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Before I continue with the floor weld in it was time to check the door gaps, all is well.
I tweaked one just a smidgen to match Matt's doors. The H measurement is kind of ambiguous, the latch plate angles back. The 1039mm is basically dead center in the latch. But dead center is covered by the brace plate. One side F is a little tight, 2mm. Which throws off the X a smidgen. All still within tolerances but I'll tweak a little when the floors done and we weld in the cowl. Then back to burning metal.

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Got the inside portion of the floor all welded in.
This one I welded from the old metal to the new. I might try going the other direction next time. The heat needed for the new metal is a bit much for the outside edge of the old flange. I've been called anal and Rembrandt. LOL. It really doesn't make a lot of difference it all gets covered by seam sealer. But I know ............
Primarily used the belt sander to tune up the welds.

Ended the day with the inside temp at 98. Helps keep the metal warm .......

Throwdown Day #2.

Patched the cut out in the corner first thing.

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Finished up the tuning up of the welds on the inside. Then it was time to get down to business. Welding the floor to the engine firewall. Because this was a Rust Free car there wasn't too much damage/degradation to the flange.

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Could have used a couple more Vise Grips and clamps. LOL. All the weld thru primer seen thru the rosette holes was removed with a squared off 1/8" drill bit.

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Forgot to resize. I'll leave to show the detail.

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Ended the day right on schedule.

At days end inside temp 100. Outside 104. Oh baby.
Doug sent me a text reminding me that Rothsport has AC. LOL.

Jack points ready for the AM.
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Day #3 ....................

All pieces installed with U-Pol copper based weld thru primer. The new RD sheet metal was brushed with a wire wheel. Then wiped down with paint prep. Then sprayed with weld thru primer.

Beginning of the day ..............

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Welds not tuned up yet. I'm going to lengthen my stick out to get a little more heat. I'm getting too used to the .030 wire at Rothsport.

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Built up seat brackets.

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Outside brackets located and attached with self tapping screws.

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Quitting time ...................

Everything is looking great.
After such a hot day in your shop, sure hope you and Jack had time for a nice cool one after work?

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Day #4 on the ThrowDown.
Worked on the reworking of the CDI bracket for mounting to the battery tray. The design.
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Bracket trimmed down.
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Both ends of the ECU bracket will be trimmed off and rounded. A couple more mounting nuts will be welded to the ECU bracket. Flange on the battery tray will get extended to put the corner ECU mounting hole in the right place. Plus another mounting hole. I'll give the new right side a little tune up with the belt sander. Then I'll weld the CDI bracket to the ECU bracket.
Then off to powder coating. Super In Law modified the CDI bracket.

Unboxed the Mad Dog 914 GT stiffening kit. Cleaned with grease and wax remover. Then sprayed with U-Pol weld thru primer.
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Laid out the engine tin and went back thru it again to make sure it was ready for powder coating. Doug has a new over the muffler piece coming from RD. His blasted piece had a few too many PO mods. The black piece is a pattern piece from Rothsport in case I needed to repair it. Is the new RD piece cut away for the chain tensioner lines ? That will need to be done before powder coating.
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The seat belt bracket weld in will come tonight. Slept in (took wife to the movies), its time to go back out to the shop. Super In Law is chomping at the bit.

Now where was I. Here's Rick's measurements to get you started.
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I used the seat frame to set the alignment of the inner seat bracket.
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Drivers side went in without a hitch.

On this early car setting the left seat is even easier. You still have the solid nutserts in the cross member.
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That was the end of the good times on the passenger seat.
I installed (welded in) the adjustment bracket 3/32" off.
I used the usual measurement 11" on center from the outside wall. Checked 3 other cars here on sight. But to get the seat 100% straight ahead, it was off. So it had to come out. Dammit ............
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But by the end of the day I was back on track. Still pissed ....................
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Started Day #5 locating my second left seat frame to confirm the mounting alignment.
Then it was on to the preparing the right rear wheelhouse for the Mad Dog 914 GT stiffener panels.
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All of the epoxy primer needs to be removed from under the outside edge of the panels.
If left, it would add impuritys into the weld.

Then it was time to start pounding.
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Needed to cut one slit ...................
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Then it was time to fit, hammer, fit, hammer, fit, hammer. Then start screwing it down tight.
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All of the above pretty simple. This one not so much. Multiple angles and quite a few nip and tucks.
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As I'm working on the chassis Super In Law is refurbishing the cowl .................
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Fell asleep last night while writing the post ...........
The underneath piece is the only tricking one. It twists and turns a couple directions. I marked where I trimmed things off to get a nice tight fit.
Reminds me of being in rally car build mode.
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When it comes time to start welding. I'll flaten the tip of a drill bit to scrape off the epoxy as I weld each rosette.

When these stiffening plates are welded in....is it just the rosette welds or do you also seam weld the perimeter as well? Definitely will add some strength to the tub.

Or do you just use seam sealer around the perimeter of each stiffening plate to keep moisture and corrosion away?

Calls out seam welded too. Edges have been prepped for seam welding.

Whoa...that's going to take some time...and heat.
Stay cool my friend.

You're right, I got the Miller cranked up even for the rosettes. 16ga being welded to an additional 2 layers.

I'm pretty anal about the heat build up in the steel. Every new rosette isn't welded until the area is cooled to 105 degrees or less. I use the infrared to test as I go.
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Installed the 5 right side stiffeners. Nothing new to show.

Then it was time to start welding some rosettes ..........................
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2 down and 8 pieces to go ..........
Then I'll go back and do the seam welding.

Here's a couple shots of my door gap measurement tool.
One end on the door light switch. The other would actually sit right in the middle of the door latch. So on the outside it's a couple mm's from the radius.
Tool is piece of bar stock cut to 1039mm. Easy to grab and measure.
I'm checking it every time a weld in a new piece.

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Day #7. Worked a little over a half day. Finished up the rosette weld in on the right side. I have 2 of the left side welded in.
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Spent the other half of the day beginning to assemble and install the suspension and brakes on Matt's restoration.
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Day #8. Only put in a couple hours welding yesterday. I'm trying to run 2 races. Get Doug's car to paint. Get Matt's car put together so he can make it to Okteenerfest. Planning on another 2 hours this am. All the rosettes will be welded in and ground down.

Oh man......that is MFI porn...I love MFI.

This is one of my favorite threads. Hope you guys can make in down to So Cal sometime so I can check out this work.

It is great seeing this work. It cannot be underestimated the amount of time a patience it takes to do this work. Nice stuff Doug and great work Cary.

The rosette welding has been completed on both sides. Pretty tedious.
I'm thinking the seam welding will be worse. I'll do it in 1" stitches.
Nice thing is I'll be able to tune the heat down. I only need to weld to the outer layer.
This is the end of the Throw Down. Heading to the Eagle Cap Wilderness for a 6 day backpacking trip.
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Like always, I'd didn't get as far as I wanted too. But put a good dent in it.

While Cary's off hiking in the woods collecting mushrooms....

Been working on the NOS wiring harness some more.
Although NOS, untouched and basically new....sitting on the shelf for 40+ years has it's issues.
Most of the wrapping tape has lost it's stick-um if that's a word for it.
It all needed replacing.

Additionally, the NOS 1971 wiring harness doesn't come with all the little bits of aux wiring you need....like the jumper between the two horns up front.

My original one, like the main wiring harness, was in rough shape.
Lots of paint overspray, iffy connectors and a cracking sheath meant a new one was in order.

So after about 30 minutes I came up with following replacement.
Nearly factory (except for the wire colors) and will more than meet my needs.

Amazing what you can do when you've got the right materials and some patience.

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I've always got on hand the correct wire connectors and the right tool for the job.
Add in some heat shrink tubing from the local hardware store and you're in business.

If the local hardware/auto parts store doesn't have what I need....I go to Belmetric for the electrical non-insulated connectors and McMaster-Carr for special heat shrink tubing and plastic sheathing materials.



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These builds are quite the journey.
Thanks for posting.

Working or mocking up the new LED headlight bulbs from 914 Rubber.
Assembling in the newly painted headlight assemblies.
New plating and fasteners in most areas.

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The H4 assemblies from 914 Rubber are quite nice.
The H4 fluting on the glass doesn't scream "LED lights."
I like that.

Wet sanded and painted my "white" headlight surrounds.
They were beyond help from a simple bleach soaking.
I used a paint made for plastic and the color was heirloom white.
Put a couple coats of clear on it.
Should be great for a driver.

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Back at it. Seam welded in the left 3 fender portions of the Mad Dog GT stiffening kit.
With cooling down between welds it took about 4 hours, 3-4 stitches at a time.
5-6 and you could hear the the metal expand under the weld. Too much.

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Yup about the same for me.. Takes awhile..

It's Tuesday and back at the welder.

First piece of the day was the left suspension tie stiffener. Had a few issues with impurity's coming up thru the weld. Primarily epoxy primer down in the crack and crevices. It doesn't take that great a picture after I get it all tidied up.
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Then on to the left long "elbow" piece. Decided to do the top seam first. Might as well get the hard part out of the way. Pretty tricky getting in there. I was triggering the MIG gun with the left hand and guiding the stick out with my right. But I had to dig out my Miller scuba mask to get my head in there. The warmer weather made using the scuba mask much easier. it didn't seem to steam up. Or maybe it was the taking it off while letting it cool.
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Then I seam welded the left and bottom. Decided on three stitches attaching it to the jack point. Just in case in 50 year it needs to come off.
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Then onto welding in the right 3 piece inner fender stiffener combo. Ended the day about half way completed.
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Fiddling around with my side shift rear rod today.
The one I had to work with was really worn badly back at the rear of the car.
Obviously the plastic bushing had worn out allowing the rod to rub back and forth
on the rear housing.

I tried to clean it up the best I could with a file, but the rod wasn't really moving in the
new plastic bushing all that smoothly.

A quick search online for a new rear rod was not what I wanted to hear.
AA has one for a mere $500.
Ouch.
I was worried that another 2nd hand rod would be worn as badly as well.
Really....how many people keep that rear plastic bushing in great shape or change them out at all?

So instead I removed the old end from the rod.
This took some doing as I needed to cut back far enough to get through all the spot welds holding the end into the bar.
But finally had success.

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Next I needed to find a replacement rod end.
McMaster-Carr is one of my "go to" places for tough to find items.
I ended up buying a foot long piece of "tight tolerance multipurpose O1 tool steel rod."
Tight tolerance is the key word here.
They have a lot of different rod diameters....not just your typical 1/4, 3/8, 1/2" etc.
Careful measuring yielded me purchasing the 0.6094" diameter rod.
This worked fine but needed a bit of fine tuning on the ends.
The 0.594" diameter would have worked better I think.
But in the end, I sawed my new rod to the correct length and drilled a new hole for the conical screw.

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Then I aligned the hole for the conical screw; I had marked the rod in yellow paint where the hole was aligned previously.
Then hammered it into place.
Next time I'm over at Cary's shop (MiddleMotors), I'll get him to tack weld this guy into permanent position.
A coat of paint and it will be like new again.
This new rod end will move in the plastic bushing like a greased pig now.
Certainly ready for the next 100k miles....
And the best part....a 10 dollar fix beats a $500 new part every day of the week.

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Quick pic sent to me today of the 2.7RS short block that Rothsport is building for me.
Case is a 7R variety.
Long block should be complete in the next week (or two).
Engine will have S cams and S/RS spec MFI for the induction.


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My new seatbelts arrived from Seatbelt Planet today.
A bit of a custom application.
Sent them my tongues as I wanted to use them and the factory receivers.
The belts and retractor mechanism and other hardware are all new.
These will be a big improvement over the "fixed" early belts that a 71 would come with.
I've had the seat belt mechanism provisions from a later car welded into my back pad sheet metal to bring the car up to modern seat belt capability.
Thanks to Cary and Middle Motors for all that work.

The belts I chose are navy blue to go with my tartan plaid seats.
Subtle hopefully but custom and different from stock.

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Also today in the mail arrived my "custom" gear shift knob.
Not sure how to describe this other than an "old world craftsman" making these.
He's from Mexico and a lot of guys on the 911S Early registry put these in their cars.
I saw one that caught my eye (checkered pattern) and went with that plus some of my own ideas.
This guy uses exotic woods and it's all hand crafted (inlayed, laminated, the works) to come up with "one of kind" knobs.
Just what my car needed I thought.
Suppose you need to know where all the gears are? Think I can handle that one. Ha
Mated to my side shift transmission updates.

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Last on the agenda for today was finishing up the mods to my NOS chassis wiring harness.
Finished hooking up everything to the gauges today which entailed coming up with a couple of ground "jumpers" for the 911 gauges I added.
There's a bit of additional wiring that needs to happen when you're transplanting a 911 six cylinder engine into the car.
My special crimpers and heat shrink plus some brown wiring took care of it.

Tomorrow I'll post pics of the entire NOS harness with the new harness tape and "mods."

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Worked on getting the new gauges all hooked up into the NOS 71 wiring harness.
This necessitated adding a couple of ground jumpers and additional wires.
You'll see the orange wire coming in from the left.
That will feed the oil pressure signal from the engine.
The amber warning light will become my low fuel warning light.
Since I don't have the 914-4 multi-gauge anymore, I had North Hollywood Speedo put a fuel gauge in the bottom of the tach.
There was no provision anymore for a low fuel warning light.

Anyway....all the terminals or bulbs have a dedicated wire now and should work as desired.
Quite a busy area this is behind your gauges.

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Refurbished the 914-6 engine relay panel I had sourced.
A thorough cleaning was necessary.

A couple of the copper traces on the backside were not making good contact with the connector on the front of the board.
These needed to be re-soldered.
Additionally, the potting on the backside had seen it's better days.
I re-potted that with some interesting stuff.
It's called Magic Gel 300 and it's made by Ray Tech.
A 2 part solution you mix up and "gels" up in about 10 minutes time.
I like it because it's translucent....so you can see the copper traces on the backside.

Finally I had to locate a couple of relays for the panel.
The RPM transducer (box at the top) was spendy but necessary I thought with the MFI motor I had planned for.
This electronic gizmo shuts off fuel to the MFI pump when you are coasting both saving you fuel and preventing back firing.



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