Looks like you're going to have to rework the inner wheel wells to match the arch on the 904's wheel openings?

Yeah, the whole front will drop some more so it will bridge the gap some, but yes I think some more re-shaping will be in order. Another reason I didn't strive for perfection when I was doing them the first time, I was pretty sure it would be a work in progress. I won't really know where everything needs to be until the suspension is completely set up and the body in it's final spot.

Happy New Year everybody!

Happy New Year Adam

+1

Nothing big this week, other than saying goodbye to the big brakes. In order to keep them I would have to run the super big wheels, and with the narrow body it wouldn't really work. So the big brakes are going and stock brakes are going on, they are 80's 911 SC/Carrera brakes, so still plenty of stopping power. Though I will miss the big ones, they were just so big!
Also, Rick can't help me this weekend, he is skiing, oh well. Next week more progress.

I was able to avoid a Sunday party that my wife went to today and got some time in on the car. I was able to get the front suspension done. Keep in mind the shock is completely out of adjustment, but you get the idea.
Hoping to get the car back on it's feet this week than the last big cut, right down the center of the car. I had to say goodbye to the big brakes today.

Ok, today was kind of monumental, the car is back on it's feet for the first time in several years. I put the wheels on and dropped it off the lift. Now I can move it into the main work area and start the final chassis work. A good day!
Also, bye-bye big brakes, anyone need some Wildwood big brakes?

I wonder if you'll need to change out the master cylinder to match the new brakes. Keep on truckin.

I may have to. The plan was to get it rolling again, finish the chassis cuts, and then take it back to the mechanic to hook everything back up and make changes where needed. Oh, and headaches like shortening the shifter, or moving the oil tank closer in. This project gets ever more complicated as time goes on. I realized in March I will have been working on it for 4 years!
At this rate I don't have to buy another project for the rest of my life because I still have to finish the 550. Then I have the A Coupe that won at Daytona, then I have King Hussein's 911. I can see my future...

Holy Shit!!!!!!

Did that ever get finished????

It's been on the back burner for a year, I went full steam ahead on my 550 project, it's now at a stoping point so in May I''m jumping back on the 904. I'm dropping the chassis for the 550 off at a friend's place to get it running and driving, I told him I don't want to see it for a year at least, so I can get really back into the 904 project, it's like having two girlfriends, with my job being my wife!
Stay tuned.

That storage rack seems way to sturdy!

Lucky for me, aluminum is lite!

Ok, finally caught up at the shop with all the Covid backlog, now I can spend some time on my projects.
Started cutting the sides down in anticipation of the big cut, shortening the body.

Got the driver's side where I wanted it. I'm hoping I can retain the jack spur, it would be nice to have a hard jack point.

Feels good to get back to work, almost back to normal, at least the shop is, not the outside world, normal is far off there.

Our selling season is over so I can concentrate on long term shop projects and my projects until Spring, so expect weekly updates moving forward.

Glad to have stumbled on this thread - I'm on board now!

Got the passenger side done, and like most things on cars, the other side goes twice as fast as the first!

It feels really good to be humping this car again. Here's to a little bit of normal!!!!

I was just wondering where this project has been. Welcome back . . .

Nothing crazy today, just clearing the car for the big day tomorrow. Tomorrow we cut, the car in half! The day I've been both wanting and dreading. In order to make the 904 body fit I have to take 5 inches out of the length.
More updates tomorrow!

Big John gonna karate chop that thing in half? Those are some long rear suspension plates on the 550 frame. Looking great.

Yikes - 5 inches is a lot!

I told him to use his laser vision.

I may have to shorten my femur's! I'm glad I'm not a tall dude, because tall and 904 don't work. I'm 5'9" and I look squeezed in this real one 904-0014.

Ok, scary day, big cut done, it is currently two cars. We chopped the 5 inches out and you can see it's now as tight as a 904. Look for more updates on Monday when we seam it back up. Glad this part is about to be behind me in the build, I dreaded this part.

More pics.

Like
Tom

Wow that's tight. Maybe you can sneak in another inch or two by denting in the lower cross member behind the seat? Go-cart for sure.

I have a couple of tricks I can do to squeeze a little more room out. Instead of a Speedster seat I can use a Spyder seat, they are smaller.

Prepped the two pieces of the car to go into one tomorrow. Everything is lining up well and fitting nicely. Stay tuned.

Holy cow!

What was once two pieces, is one again.

Reunited, and it feels so good!
Now we are back to normal stuff like trimming out the front fenders and fitting the body, no more scary parts.

Sitting in the car is tight, but it feels as tight as when I sat in a real 904. My brother is 5'6" and sat in it, it is much more suited for him than me at 5'9".

Amazing! Loving this project.

Wow

Here are some pre-welding shots, to show how tight we got it.

Damn, that is a tight space!

That is a small space, wow.

Before you go further Adam you really should do a string alignment with special focus on toe and wheel position. It’d be a shame to get everything else fit up and find out that the center of the car is at a slight angle which results in a crab walk which can’t be adjusted out.

Better have some WD40 to spray your back side to get into that....wow.

Click to view attachment

Yeah,
I'm loving it.
The front steering geometry has now been altered, the instantaneous and imaginary, intersections must be recalculated, determined.
This is the part where it becomes interesting, to emulate the performance of the factory design, 60 years later, with computers.
https://www.google.com/search?q=4%20wheel%2...483&bih=742
https://www.restoration-design.com/store/SRCH?Search=PP355
http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci...782011000400007
https://www.turnology.com/features/chassis-...ineering-speed/
http://performancetrends.com/SuspAnzr.htm
https://www.susprog.com/download/SusProg3D.pdf
Cameras mounted at the corners to analyze tire contact patch, while testing, the motions, the heat transfer by infrared.
That will be fun, enjoying the build, hope to hear it make nice sounds.

One option to address seating position would be to shorten the steering column and move the pedals forward. I've done this to 911 and 914 racecars now. A bit of a PITA, but really helps with the seat position.

Stan,
I think you're onto something. I consulted with a friend of mine last night who owns 904-0014 and this is what he said,
"The length is adjustable. Since 904 seats do not adjust, they made both the steering and pedal ass'y adjustable.

Attached is a page from the 904 parts book showing the steering.

When you are strapped into your seat, you should reach out above the steering wheel, drop your straight arms down and your wrists should touch the top of the steering wheel. That allows you full control of the car w/o taking your hands off the wheel."

I might have to entice you to head upstate to consult with me!

This is a great build....
Wish I could help....
Matt

I wonder which parts bin the switch assem came out of?

Blah blah blah ,yada yada yada . When is this sweetheart gonna carve some corners???? I might venture that some of these folks are jealous of your skills. I am. Ride on..!!!

Hey Adam - would definitely like to get up there to meet and check out the project once some of the current craziness settles down!

Ok, it's all welded up, one car again. Now the real fun can begin!

Nothing terribly exciting today. Found an hour at the end of the day today and pulled the big wheels and big brakes off the back. Swapped them out for regular stuff.

Tomorrow should be fun though, my mechanic Rick is coming by to help me set up the suspension. I bolted it all up but it's not set up. The magic hands of the the Bavarian Rocket Scientist will be on display.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhDPybl8Kwg


Dino 246, Testarossa, Daytona, 904GTS.
If a market exists for a miniature electric 914, what quality threshold would make them collectible, as say, matchbox toys.

Today went exactly as planned. Rick came by and did in 45 minutes what it probably would have taken me 3 days to get right. It helps sometimes to bring in someone who has been doing Porsches before I was born.

Ride height is nice, set well, so I can start fitting the 904 body now.
I feel like this is like painting a car, 100 hours of prep for 2 hours of paint work.

Oh well, no one said this project was going to be easy, and it's cheaper then therapy.

It's been so long since I started on this project I put some side by side pics to see how much the car has been transformed.

Looks kinda like a dune buggy now....or maybe a lunar rover.

Great progress.

25 years ago I made a dune buggy out of a 914 I found in a junk yard. It was a running, driving car and now I often wonder what I was thinking.