It's aliiive !!!!

Not yet, but soon....
If you go back to post #4 you will find the beginnings of this project.

A 1974 Targa with a few ex-shops to its reputation, a couple of mystery engines that run up a tab at the towing company and some paint job that look more like bad cosmetic surgery than a show stopper.  But now it is here......and wait until they get a hold of me........

For 10 years I have been the operations manager her at Axiom Motorsports, and for 10 years I have seen this ex Targa come in and out just wishing. 

I am led to believe that some body rubbed that bottle the right way because for the last few months dreams are becoming a reality.   Picture this, you roll into the biggest parking lot anywhere and park.


You will never see another car like this in that lot or any other lot.

Sure, for the amount of money one can sink into a project like this, you can just go and buy a new car, then what?  when you go to a show there are 300 just like it,  maybe the color is different, oh! you might have a different exhaust.

But let's go back to the nitty gritty of the re invention of this 74 ex targa.

The body was treated to an 930 look along with some mods to provide air to the inter coolers hidden it the quarter panels, after that was done, we gave it a bath of triple black single stage paint, let that rest for about 6 weeks and then it was cut with 1000 grit sand paper to kill all imperfections and then another bath of polyurethane clear to bring the color to its highest resolution.

 
A 6 speed with steel synchros in first to fourth was adopted by the targa body that has been reinforced to the gills to cop with the 600 HP  ( that we are expecting) and torque.

Cosmetics like 993 gauges and interior are being accommodated for comfort and I have to admit,  some bling.

Go back to the first picture,  the headlights are custom made, the result of the 3 volunteers lamps and some bought on impulse made the angel eyes by xenon projection headlamps possible.   Later I will tell you about the evil eyes......

This 3.1 twin turbo will breath through KnN filters and 3' pipes, the wrapped custom headers will keep the charge at maximum velocity and will exit through the a high chamber custom muffler stuffed with 4 pounds of stainless steel wool that hug the exit perforated stainless steel pipe all the way to the carbon fiber muffler tips.

Coil on plug set up will have this beast's heart beating at a sequential level, making the pump gas or E85 burn rubber with a passion.

I 3 weeks time, it shall roar through the streets of L A and annoy his neighbors.........

Wish list

When it comes to restoring a Porsche 911

We usually get a big list,  sometimes it is all the matching numbers and sometimes it is all the mods to be made...

In the case of this 1972,  it is going to have some serious mods to take the 3.8 engine with a monster air injection and a 6 speed. 

So, this body will have to be reinforced:
1:  stitch weld the tub.
2:  reinforce the shock tower.
3:  rinforce the jack points.
4:  double the inner rocker panels.
5:  weld in strut braces.
6.  weld in section for power brakes.
7:  remove rear tray and fab custom one.
8:  remove rocker panel and fab stainless steel oil lines.
9:  remove rain gutters for a slick look.

151:  prepare for a tripple black paint.

201:  polish to the highest shine...I want to see myself !!

Looks like we have a lot to do yet, but it is coming.
Once the gaps and lines have been matched, it's all down hill from there.

Stay tune...........

Horror stories

They do happen from time to time

If one researches a shop, or one is recommended to one,  why is this the result ??

A 1974 911 that is in need of some TLC goes to a shop,  a promise of an excellent job is made and price is agreed.   After months and a lot of unhappiness, the result was not what was promised, sad to say but it was just make up.

I know I've had my shares of mistakes throughout my years of grease monkey, but to put 4 different bolts to hold the engine lid.....really, the most basic of things.

The horror of it is that the suspension pan was just tacked, I was surprised that the suspension did not fall off.   As luck would have it, our customer finally found TRE Motorsports and they recommended us to take care of Greenie,  we were supposed to take care of the suspension area and a few small things.

This car is special, it deserves the proper job and my customer said, I want the car the way it was on July 30th of 1974.

Stay tune..........

Body Parts

Since we had this project on go status, many things have changed, from the client, from the contractor and from us

The ride on the frame machine is over and now it's ready for the next one,  so in this amusement park the next big ride is us,  we have to make sure it is of the right height to ride the next one

The line is pretty ling but once it gets there, it will be rotated, rotated and shot,  but with soda, it may need a little heat too.
The body will be slow heated to melt all the undercoating and then blasted with baking soda.

Baking soda is the softest media to strip the body of all impurities without leaving any residue.

But all the ugliness that an old body will be revealed,  and donor parts are being collected, except for the fenders, two brand new ones have made their way from Germany to our location.

On life support

As it is tradition of a car enthusiast, as soon as a car gets acquired, something needs to be upgraded.  It could be simple as a shift knob, or extreme as a complete body kit.

But at some point,  it will go back to its original shape,  This 73 long hood took a detour and was lost for years a C2 body fiberglass suit, now now it has found its way and it is ready to join the long hood party


CLEAR !!!
beep..beep...beep.......

Now that we have brought back to life, it is time to address the other terminal deceases,  A typical weak spot in a car of this age is the suspension pan, we will cure that area first.

So, after painfully removing all the bad areas, A coat of rust inhibitors will be applied to the hidden areas and then we fit its new parts. 

After welding and sealing all needed was a coat of its original color,  next we will move to the other sensitive area.............The rear tray.

Frame Off Restoration....

In my time, I have heard this term thrown in a lot.....

 By shops, enthusiasts, hobbyists, and tree shade mechanics,  I've even heard of a one man operation.

There is no frame on these cars.......

But, everybody has their own way of doing it, and this is the way we do it: 

This original 1971 Viper green was to be transformed into a Mexico blue RS

 First order of business is to prepare the tub for stripping, we removed the suspension, wire harness and brake lines.

Then it gets cooked............I mean, the tub goes into an oven, at a very slow temperature it melts the undercoating and paint, after that it gets blasted with a media of our choice.

As soon as it gets delivered back to us, it gets hung on what I call the "chicken Roaster"  others call it a rotisserie.

Every project comes with a list of mods to be added, these are a few of them:

Stitch weld the tub.
Replace the rear sway bar brackets.
Replace the shock tower.
Reinforce the tube.
Reinforce the through body front sway bar points.
Remove the battery boxes.
Modify flare to make look like a RS flare.
..and a few more.

Then we turn our attention to some rust issues, they all have it, it's just a matter of how much.  After all that is taken care of, the body work begins.

Deconstruction of an S

 This is how the story goes, one day in 1997, the previous owner drove this 1970 S in the garage, left the door open and the car kept running until it ran out of gas, then he raised it up and left it on jack stands. 

2011, it was put on a trailer and started the journey to Los Angeles.  Its new owner is now going to attempt a resurrection.

But this was no Sleeping Beauty.  time did left a scar on it.  at first glance, the suspension pans and parts of the structure have gotten rust,  and they need to be replaced.  A frozen fuel pump and dried up fuel lines are not going to be delivering the liquid gold this 2.2 liter needs to scream.

Today we pulled the engine  out, and it's not looking too happy,  the mechanical injection is going to need surgery.

The good news is that the interior is in fairly good condition.

Tomorrow....we operate.

Long distant relationship

Hailing from Washington DC, we got us a real contender. a 1969 S that wants to soar with the eagles...it is unfortunately that it was found hanging with turkeys

After removing all the bad feathers, we have to prepare the skin, we have to work fast, the tub was sent to a media blaster, for this application, walnut shells were applied, we don't want this birdy to suffer too much by using sand or glass beads.

Then is attached to a rotisserie, turn every five minutes and tap lightly to remove the excess dust from the blasting, using compressed air and vacuum cleaners the bare skin wets prep for the first step;  Direct to metal primers and corrosion resistant compounds.

Once the skin is well done, we will asses the damage that time and weather has done.  This recipe is going to require, fresh suspension pans, a couple of large doors, two ripe fenders,  one battery box and the whole rear tray.  For now it sits simmering, we should start adding all other ingredients as they arrive.