How does one inspect the hell hole looks like you can't see much from up on top.
Geoff looked at mine quickley but I would like to dig a little deeper. Any suggestions
Neal

take the battery and brain out and get some good light in there.
then, use a big screw driver and try to poke holes in your frame rail.
pray that it won't work ...

Andy

I stick my hand down in there.....and have the scars to prove it. If you feel holes, fergit it....no holes makes it worth a closer look... along Andy's lines.

I've "felt up" a bunch of 914s. Does that make me some kinda pervert?

I need to do that, too.. have a good look from above and underneath, remove the rocker covers, look around. I see some rust, and I want to see how serious it is so I can prioritize my spending.

also, more often than not, it is rusted through the side wall.
jack the pass. rear up, take the wheel off, get a good light in there
and check for rust on the inside fender well.
i did patch the holes from both sides, kinda like a sandwitch.
should last for a while.

Andy

framerail from above:


same, plus fender hole patched:


from inside the fender:

and the final result, just ingore the sand, this pic was taken AFTER the beach party

A shot of my hell hole all purdy....

I ventured into the Hell Hole and found it only the purgatory hole the attached photo is the small hole I found, I assume I have to remove the battery tray and patch the hole ?, or are treated little holes ok to live with ?.

P.S all the metal except the hole is sound, I poke with a big ass scredriver and only found this one spot.

patch it. you don't want anymore stuff falling (and rotting) in your framerail.
cut out the cancer. don't leave any behind. get some "metal-ready" and spray it inside the frame rail, trough the hole. then weld shut.

Andy

I think the issue is what does the behind that hole look like?

It could be a time bomb.

yepp, that's why you should cut it out. have a look inside.
if it's only surface rust, put plenty of metal ready in there and weld it shut.
otherwise, start cutting out rust from the underside ...

Andy

Sounds like a few of us up here in the Emerald City are going to be cuting and welding. I just got a couple pieces from Restoration Designs but the pieces I really need are not available. Apparently, they need to make some new dies and it may be a while before they do. I'm hoping the lower firewall and inner fender are not too bad and can be patched rather than replaced.

I should find out pretty soon. I'll have it up on blocks in a month.

Dave

...only if you didn't enjoy it!


Get an Optima battery and or move the battery for total peace of mind after you fix it.

Please give me a tutorial on "cut it out" and what needs to be removed to accomplish this. Do I have to remove the battery tray or can it be done with the try in place, also should I inspect from the wheelwell ?. This is my daily driver so this will be a slam bam fix for sure.
Neal

depending on where exactly that hole is the tray might be able to stay in there.
if you can't get in and do the work because the tray is in the way, and the tray itself is not rusted, drill out the spot-welds so you can weld it back in afterwards.

cut out the rusty area with a cutoff wheel, give yourself plenty of room, meaning cut PAST the rusted area. cut a square (rectangle) hole so you can patch it easy with some sheet-metal. make the sheetmetal bigger than the cut-out, like at least 1/2" wider all around. drill holes in the new sheet metal and weld like you would do spot welds. when done, you can lay a seam around the piece if you want. if the area is not flat, make sure the patch sheet is molded into whatever shape you need. this is done with cuts and a BFH

if you look closely, you can see that in my first and second pic.
Andy

Neal, it might be cost-effective to ask a local shop to do the patch or whatever. I'm not sure if Redmond European does this kind of thing.. there's a better chance that Mercer Island Svc Cntr would do it, and very reasonably too. Their hours are usually 7:45 - 4:00, M - F .. bring in the pic, and ask for Carl or Richard.. they have LOTS of Porsche experience.

Dave, you might try Stoddard's..?

It would be better to trash the tray and support so you can get in to do the work.
I laid the new metal in and butt seam welded it so it you couldn't tell it was put in unlike Andy's. The rusty stuff must cut out regardless and good new metal installed to protect the long.

The new support and tray get welded in last.

Geoff

Here is a picture of what I had to cut out. With the battery tray out I found more rust. The picture doesn't show all that I cut out before I repaired it all but it gives you an idea of the work involved in trying to do the repair with the tray in place.
Trays are cheap and yours probably needs replacement if it never has been yet.

And after the repair.

And after that....

Just wait, I love doing this...
and after that...

reverie
Please tell me more about the Mercer Island Svc Cntr. Is that how their name will be listed in the phone book? have you had "Hell Hole" work done by them?
Thanks

Photo of mine before repair....

Still have much in other areas.

My tray is new, that is what caused this problem Battery Jizz, have an Optima now and car is always garaged as it was since 76. I feel like I have a tumor

Neal

My battery tray is new, also. It just ain't here no mo.

Damn how did you get those self tapping screws into the frame rail to hold the hose clamps ?? Did you drill a pilot hole first ??



B

Neal and 914NNP,

You might want to use John Kelly as a local resource.. he's the guy who makes custom flares
for 914s and Karmann Ghias, and he was the chief fender-banger at Korijo's flare party:
www.ghiaspecialties.com

He could probably recommend a local shop.

They're not self taping, but stainless sheet metal hex heads....drilled holes and dabbed with Rustolem.
I figure a few small holes won't hurt the structure, as long as it don't rust.

I'm a stainless fetish. Bout all the fasteners I've put in the car...where strength isn't required, are stainless.
Several hundred bucks worth.....but a little at a time.
A Chinese water torture thing

OK, here is a shot of the restored hellhole with everything back in. Can anyone spot the RX7 part in this picture? (besides Blair)

Geoff

Geoff,
The silver thingy in the middle with the green wire attached to it? or the coil mount?

Those are my guesses!

Andrew

coil mount is factory. What's the "silver thingy"?

This silver thingy, I dont know what it is, so I call it a silver thingy. I dont have one on my car (unless its the fuel return thing) so I call it a thingy..
Sorry for my lack of knowledge..



Andrew

You are close but no cigar! That is a 911 oil pressure sensor.

Geoff

Whats the thing with the spring on it?

Andrew

Hey Im learning

Edit: Throttle?

Throttle return spring. You were closer before

coil

Nah, standard Bow Wow cheapie coil for VW's.

Andy was close in the beginning...........


Geoff

The ss line attached to the sensor ?

YES! good eye!

It was in Blairs leftover RX7 parts box, and the rubber one I got from PP leaked all over the place so I switch it. Very rice don't you think!

Geoff

I saw that, but thought that that went with the "silver thingy"... Oh well, I guess I should have said it..

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