This non-Club seems to be comprised of a variety of skill-level owners. And, I'm a little curious as to the level of sweat equity people have. We all have different situations and time/money constraints. We vary from CW's to racers to conversion people. So, how much do you do yourself. How much do you farm out.

When I bought my first Porsche, I decided the only way I could afford it long term was to learn EVERYTHING about it (still learning after almost 35 years). I bought Factory manuals & tools & determined I'd do everything myself.

Through the years I also learned my limitations. I don't mess with transmissions or bodywork - everything else is fair game. Maintenance is the easy part.

Learned to tear an engine down by buying a 2.0 clunker at a swap meet for the sole purpose of breaking it down & seeing its guts. Tore mine down a year later, just to see if everything was in spec - heads were not & had an expert rebuild them.

So, what do you guys/gals do? Are there any of you who bid out ALL of your work - and detailing doesn't count.

90% myself.....unless family and other stuff intervene.

But I have a full set of tools, a lift, own my own home w/o a homeowner's association regs and don't care what my rich asshole neighbors care WHAT I do.....of course their complaints on on MY PERMANENT RECORD down at City Hall......

I do all my own mechanical work and I'm willing to buy any tools I need to do those kinds of repairs but when it came time to do rust repair I wanted it done right so I paid a guy who has over 30 years of experience in that area. Plus, I wouldn't have saved all that much money if I would’ve had to buy a welder and all the other tools to do the job.

I went back to school so I could do the body work myself, After nearly two quarters, I've welded on the flairs, repaired the rust in the doors and the trunk lid is ready for paint. I'm still tring to get the hood perfectly smooth. I could pay to have it done, but then it wouldn't be MY car.

Don't do transaxles or machine shop work. I farm those out. Brad Mayuer did my HB gear and billet intermediate plate and machine work is done locally. I also build stuff like garages, cabins and remodel my 100+ yr old Home.

Yeah baby! With you there - same circustances! Every time I fire up my old 911 I get complaints about smell & noise from the ASS'n. Niehbors drive past in thier chilli peppers & BMW's & look at me in disdain (while chatting on the phone). Love it!!!!

Only wish I had a 908 to pull out on the top of driveway to fire up - I'd do it every day, precisely at 7:55 am. Those who are unaware of the startup regimen for a 908 or 910 - suffice it to say IT MAKES A LOT OF NOISE! And the noise takes about 5-6 minutes to dissipate. By the EVERYONE is awake! Gotta get one, somehow.

haven't payed anyone to do anything yet...

Upholstry I will, and if there were paint, i would (after all the body work myself)

BJH

Yeah I do as much as I can myself. Right now the car is 99% stripped getting ready for paint and the engine is totally disassembled. I did the hell hole rust repair myself. I paid to have the transaxle rebuilt. I also do some fabrication as I have a bench top lathe and mill. I also do my own corner wts and wheel alignment. I could right checks to have someone else do the work, but where is the fun and satisfaction in that. My problem is that in my old age I'm getting impatient. I want to be out there having fun driving the damn thing and not spending all my time working on it.

I haven't had to send the car to a mechanic yet. It would actually be too inconvenient to get the 914 to someone who understands them.

I can not do head work (don't know how or where to start and don't really want to ).
I can't do engine machine work (no tools or knowledge to do the job right).

I do everything else (including mounting/balancing tires, corner balancing, alignments, and body/paint work) myself in my own detached building. I have all those tools and know how to use them.

For the most part, I learned by doing and getting some pointers from those who know more than I do about some of the work.

When I was 16 and had no money, I got a Ford that I could drive if I could keep it running. I was also given a repair manual for said car. Needless to say, I learned how to fix that car and every other car that I have owned since then.

I simply don't trust my life with the doped up kids that work in repair shops. (I worked in one of those shops during one summer before I graduated from college.)

just my $0.02

Hrm... Coming from the other end of the spectrum, I currently farm out most everything. I handle consumables and minor maintenance, and bits that just bolt on like rear shocks, speedo cables, antennae, lights, etc. Mostly on the 944, back in MA where I had room to work.

I'd like to move up, but need to get a slab poured in the lower level of the house so I'll have someplace to do it...

Everything I've owned I worked on from a VW Rabbit diesel to a Benz diesel and would not have it any other way. The hard wire nut and bolt aproach to 914s is so mechanicaly friendly. The trany and engine thing is something that I need to learn more about and do. Can't resist to learn more and tinker on this sweet little NARP. Its like a toy model that one can actually use. I love the original desing but get my rocks off symplifying it even more and making it lighter in the process.


Isa isa toy!

I do almost all my own work. I have a small shop and can do lots of machining and welding. I do it mostly for the fun and making it my own car. I have a lot of trouble trusting others to work on my car. Until I found this board, I didn't know of anyone who knew these cars. I wasn't about to take it to a Porsche shop out of sticker shock fear. So I do it all myself. I still haven't decided on the painting for my latest project. This may be too messy and hazardous for me but then again....

I did all of the bodywork, flared & painted my car, twice, once after a fire. Re-geared the tranny, added bigger brakes, new wheel bearings, braided stainless lines, fabricated a million little brackets & such, built 2 engines but I farmed out the machine work and a friend rebuilt the carbs, added a F oil cooler & ducted it, brake cooling, small battery in the F trunk, fuel cell there also, added a fire system twice, the first one failed and my car burned, added an accusump, battery switch, big tach, big oil pressure light, 5 lug conversion, high volume fuel pump, tow hooks, new bilsteins, springs, torsion bars, F sway bar, turbo tie rods and rack spacers, hard bushings, camber plates, aligned it a few times.
This is just the bigger stuff. It's nice to write it down and see how much I've accomplished over the last 6 years on this car. It's probably worth 1/3rd what I've put into it, now that's what I call investing!

When I had my T-4 I did almost everything myself except the machine work and welding. Put tons of time into it it and had it very well sorted. When I got it done I was very satisfied with my handywork. On the /6 though, I don't really have the knowledge to do the motor work and I have ZERO knowledge on how to do bodywork so those things will get farmed out. I've lost alot of the energy for really getting deep anymore so more and more things will end up going to a shop.

I dont mind doing just about anything that doesnt require a specialized tool that costs big bucks.

I rebuilt my 2.7 /6, my tranny, all electrical, my fuel injection, my ignition, and customized my interior and exeterior myself. The only things I farm out are ones that I have no resources for: paint, body, upholstery.

I agree, if I hired itout it would not be mine. I like buying the special tools when I need them. Even if I use them once and they are kinda pricy, I let people use them or go to their houses and use them for them

Over the years I have learned to do most if not all the work on the 914 myself. I will farm out painting, and final body work since I want the best finish work possible. Most everything else I will do myself except for any machining; do not have room or special tools.

Steve Hurt

...of course mine WOULD run though...

I do it all, paint, body, interior, engine, never done a trans, I've never needed to. If I won the lotto tomorrow I would still do it myself, I enjoy the challenge. I have to admit that I don't really like getting super greasy anymore, but will do it if needed.

I normally do 90 - 99% of all that needs to be done myself.

I do not have a garage (unless you count my front yard)

I do not have a lift (unless you count a 2&1/2 ton hyd. jack and four jack stands)

But, I do have more tools that I would ever know what to do with ( thank YOU Harbor-freight!)

About the hardest thing I have ever attempted, and done, is change a set of front struts by using rope and a 1/2 socket extension as a twisting method to compress the coil spring...I was kinda scared when doing this, I know I should have gotten a spring compresser, BUT - THAT would have taken another hour outta my day----

No place to do work and generally I suck at being a backyard mechanic. I am also allergic to dirt and petroleum products. Converted my four into a six so I could bring the car to people who understand how to work on Porsches as opposed to Type 4 VW's. Much bigger pool of good mechanics who work on 911 motors.

I've done quite a few different things on the various 914s I've owned and with rare exception I do everyting myself. For my Subaru conversion I had to get some welding done at a shop locally. A couple of small parts were machined by friends who have access to a milling machine or large lathe. All the fabrication otherwise though was done by me. The engine installation, etc. all completed in my small 1-car apartment garage.

I haven't started doing bodywork yet but its coming soon and I expect I'll do most of that too. For the welding I'll likely drive to someone's place who has a welder.

The best part of the sweat equity is the learning that takes place.

-Tony

I am goign to have a go at doing everyhting myslf that does not require a machine shop to do.

I am muddling my way through body work. Then I will muddle my way through paint. Then I will muddle my way through my electrical and engine (though the heads willhave to be farmed out - machine shop stuff). Hell, I am even going to try and get DrE to help me muddle through my tranny.

When I am done, I want to be able to say that I did everyhting on my car, from the paint to the upolstery to the door panel trim.

Zach

I can do simple things, not a full blown engine rebuild change oil, spark plugs..... you get the idea. I have always wanted to do a complete gorund up project car So I bought the two cars below. One is a complete 71 911 T targa, but it has rust issues the other is a nice 71 911 T targa tub. I have no clue what I'm doing, but its going to be fun.

I have given myself two years and budget of $15k. My goal is a mainly stock looking 911 T targa with maybe a 2.7 or 3.0? Mild flares painted either signal orange or a blue color close to the complete 71 911.

I'm doing a lot of research now and will start around mid March. I have a few honey do's to finish before I start the car project.

Wish me luck

Oh, forgot the my 914 is down at Shelby's (flat out) for the winter getting minor body work and paint. So I will have to put that back together come spring so I can AX for the 2007 season.

I do as much as I can myself. I have yet to farm anything out. I rebuilt my trannie, motor, brakes, fuel pump and various other things. I am in the middle of creating a custom center console and backpad out of fiberglass.

I will be doing my own body work and paint soon.

The key is not to be afraid and take your time. If you don't know ask and have fun, that's what these cars are about , having fun.

I forgot, I had to farm out the heads for valvr guides

Half the fun of owning old sporty cars is knowing what makes it work--and the best way to learn that is to take it apart and put it back together...I can't do some things as well as others, so I ask and listen, and sometimes that means (bodywork & paint) that I hire someone who is good at it. Generally, with air, toolbox and common sense, I get it done.

I don't have a valve machine or a line bore nor can I micropolish my crank or

resurface my flywheel but I handle everything else.

I've done everything on my car except resurface the flywheel (as we don't have a lathe or other large machines).

I've never rebuilt a tranny though, one day I will try.

Those that can .. DO

Those that can't...... sit in little chairs drinking wine from little cups with their pinky's upraised and have open wallet$ with money flying out....


As for me, I was too poor with a wife and kid and college tuition to do anything else but learn to repair cars. So, I learned to weld, paint, repair, dissasemble, clean, measure, and reassemble. Done just about anything including some machining engine rebuild, tranny rebuild, manuals hydros, waterpumpers, aircooled etc. If I can't do it, it usually requires a machinist with skills and tools.

Heck, even made tools to knock out and replace valve guides.

All I can say is I have fixed almost everything. What I have found is the majority of the time it is a simple fix and am amazed somebody would throw something out or spend big $$$$$$$$$$ on a trivial fix.

Hmmmmm..... mebbe that's why I became a mechanical engineer....

Ken

Well, I've found this thread (so far) to be exactly what I expected.

Majority are gearheads. Either because they need to, or want to (that's me - want to).

Others have circumstances that require farming out - and that's not bad, because there are some good mechanics that need to feed thier kids too.

I was just interested in the mix.

I, personally, have the time, tools & guts (though maybe no longer the back) to try anything except the black art of a transmission. It's always a learning experience for me. Always enjoyed getting my bean counter hands greasy on the weekends, though I've learned that Nitril gloves remove that problem.

Great reponses!