How do I get my 944 Turbo Cab to concours condition?
Discussion
As some of you may know, I finally bought myself a beautiful (RED!) 944 Turbo Cab with 80k on the clock. Absolutely love it but I want to bring to close to concours condition.
The car is currently in excellent condition mechanically. All it needs is a new backbox.
What I was wondering was this...
Is there anyone out there, or anyone who can recommend someone who can:
(a) inspect my car top to bottom (incl mechanical)
(b) tell me what needs to be done to make it a 100% (the car is at about 905 in my opinion... couple of rattles here and there)
(c) do it!
(d) all this for as much under a grand as possible?
Money is an object, the job needs to be good. I realise that this costs, but then some people cost more than others for exactly the same thing! Plus, maybe there is someone out there who is known for being super-meticulous?
I want to take this car out and win concours with it... or at least get something in the amateur categories!
All suggestions gladly taken on board, and forgive me for picking PH'ers again and again and again.
This place is truly a fountain of knowledge and co-operation.
The car is currently in excellent condition mechanically. All it needs is a new backbox.
What I was wondering was this...
Is there anyone out there, or anyone who can recommend someone who can:
(a) inspect my car top to bottom (incl mechanical)
(b) tell me what needs to be done to make it a 100% (the car is at about 905 in my opinion... couple of rattles here and there)
(c) do it!
(d) all this for as much under a grand as possible?
Money is an object, the job needs to be good. I realise that this costs, but then some people cost more than others for exactly the same thing! Plus, maybe there is someone out there who is known for being super-meticulous?
I want to take this car out and win concours with it... or at least get something in the amateur categories!
All suggestions gladly taken on board, and forgive me for picking PH'ers again and again and again.
This place is truly a fountain of knowledge and co-operation.
The only way to win concours prizes is to roll up your sleeves and do it yourself! There is nobody out there who will put in the necessary time and effort for anywhere near cheap money. I take it that you have been to concours events and had a CLOSE look at the cars that do well? You do realise what you are trying to achieve, in other words? There is a world of difference between a properly sorted and very clean and tidy car, and a concours winner. The former, you will cherish and enjoy. The latter, you will have put in too much work to want to drive it much...
Just IMHO!
Just IMHO!
AdvocatusDiaboli said:
I want to take this car out and win concours with it... or at least get something in the amateur categories!
whatever floats your boat....but I agree there is a world of difference between concours approach and "daily drive". in my (albeit limited) experience of concours events they are very very picky. most of the winners seem to me to be garage queens. a stone chip will lose you the title. they take off marks if the airvents arent all aligned to centre. what they dont do is drive them around in anger so mechanical condition (beyond a spotless engine bay) is irrelevant.
my car will never win a concours. but it is (I hope) in as good nick as a daily drive can hope to be. if you really want concours, my advice is buy another car for daily use. get someone like miracle detail to fix all the paintwork and zymol out the swirls. then clean clean and clean again.
softinthehead said:
get someone like miracle detail to fix all the paintwork and zymol out the swirls. then clean clean and clean again.
And then have a cup of tea. And then go out and clean it again. Go to bed eventually, safe in the knowledge that you have missed a bit, somewhere...
Seriously AD, I know where you are coming from - I had exactly the same idea as you when I got my 968, before I had much idea what concours was really about. I still haven't much of a clue about concours, because what I have seen scared me too much to delve into! However, when I sold my car last month, it was in better shape than when I got it and was as near as perfect as could reasonably be, for a car that got used, albeit increasingly infrequently. I still only saw all the imperfections though. I think getting involved in concours would be bad for me - it would bring on an OCD... <pullsocksup/rollsocksdown/pullsocksup/alignkeyboardnorthsouth/hitreturn>
Thanks All, very sound advice.
Yes, I have been involved with concours, and have no intention of even trying to win the main event! I own a beautiful Zagato Flaminia (Lancai) albeit abroad, and that is near concours...
I guess, what I am trying to do is just get the car into the best possible condition. I concur with you all! "Concours" is probably the wrong word... I just want a car I can display with pride at a P meet. Its one of only 43 in the UK and I want to make it appear that special!
I am not mechanically competent enough (though not entirely incompetent!) to go over the car with a comb, I also lack the knowledge to compare the car with another 944. Not quite sure whether everything is exactly as it should be if you get my drift?
What I really need is someone who CAN compare, who can pick out what isn't 100%.
Do you think a garage could do this?
So far I have identified:
(1) few rattles when the roof is up and there is no outside noise
(2) new backbox, the tail is a bit corroded
(3) stone chips (the old foe!)
(4) piping that needs pressing (there is a tiny gap) on the lower half of the left front mudguard
(5) the interior could use a bit of a freshen up. The leather is in great condition but a little bit of wear in the places that have regular contact.
I know there has to be other stuff, and I need someone meticulous to find it!
My thanks again.
Yes, I have been involved with concours, and have no intention of even trying to win the main event! I own a beautiful Zagato Flaminia (Lancai) albeit abroad, and that is near concours...
I guess, what I am trying to do is just get the car into the best possible condition. I concur with you all! "Concours" is probably the wrong word... I just want a car I can display with pride at a P meet. Its one of only 43 in the UK and I want to make it appear that special!
I am not mechanically competent enough (though not entirely incompetent!) to go over the car with a comb, I also lack the knowledge to compare the car with another 944. Not quite sure whether everything is exactly as it should be if you get my drift?
What I really need is someone who CAN compare, who can pick out what isn't 100%.
Do you think a garage could do this?
So far I have identified:
(1) few rattles when the roof is up and there is no outside noise
(2) new backbox, the tail is a bit corroded
(3) stone chips (the old foe!)
(4) piping that needs pressing (there is a tiny gap) on the lower half of the left front mudguard
(5) the interior could use a bit of a freshen up. The leather is in great condition but a little bit of wear in the places that have regular contact.
I know there has to be other stuff, and I need someone meticulous to find it!
My thanks again.
your car is already very very special. your fellow PHers and others will already be very very envious! I think you should trust your instincts, not anyone elses. Youve identified some things that bug you so get those attended to. then I would consider a professional detailing- I had mine zymolled in the summer and it looked great. what I didnt appreciate at the time is that it only takes 20mins with a hose and some zymol soap/chamois to get it looking brilliant again. once waxed, the dirt just falls off. so get it mechanically sound, service it regularly, fix those things that irritate you, get it detailed, and enjoy!
Nice Lancia!
If you are up North, take it to Hartech for any mech stuff you need doing - they are about the cheapest and probably one of the best specialists around. It sounds like you could throw a grand at your car and it would be top notch. I agree that a professional polish would work wonders. As said above, it is a very special car already!
If you are up North, take it to Hartech for any mech stuff you need doing - they are about the cheapest and probably one of the best specialists around. It sounds like you could throw a grand at your car and it would be top notch. I agree that a professional polish would work wonders. As said above, it is a very special car already!
David, softinh, thanks very much for that!
I absolutely love it and do feel quite special to own it.
The Lancia is drop dead beautiful, must figure out how to get a bloody picture up here! Its one of only a 100 made. Zagato bodied and what you bought if you didn't want the equivalent Ferrari 250 GT. Hot work driving it though!
Hartech sounds great, but unfortunately I am in London!
I think the zymol should be a great first step. Then the mechanics of it. The interior could use a kiss and a hug too... Wonder where I should take it for that.
What a pity you sold your 968 David. I saw a beautfil black one the other day. Both drivers smiled at each other, he flashed his lights and in my attmept to be a part of the cool porsche-fraternity I switched my wipers on like a pillock! Need to sort out that whole left indictor, right wipers thing....
I absolutely love it and do feel quite special to own it.
The Lancia is drop dead beautiful, must figure out how to get a bloody picture up here! Its one of only a 100 made. Zagato bodied and what you bought if you didn't want the equivalent Ferrari 250 GT. Hot work driving it though!
Hartech sounds great, but unfortunately I am in London!
I think the zymol should be a great first step. Then the mechanics of it. The interior could use a kiss and a hug too... Wonder where I should take it for that.
What a pity you sold your 968 David. I saw a beautfil black one the other day. Both drivers smiled at each other, he flashed his lights and in my attmept to be a part of the cool porsche-fraternity I switched my wipers on like a pillock! Need to sort out that whole left indictor, right wipers thing....
I was told a story last year about the lengths people who enter their cars into concours competitions go to. They will spend one whole day per wheelarch, yes one whole day, fettling the inside of their wheelarches 
never mind the rest of the car.
Can you then imagine them driving the car to the competition and it rains on the way?
never mind the rest of the car. Can you then imagine them driving the car to the competition and it rains on the way?
I know quite a few people who do concourse events. A week before the event they clean the car- one evening on the engine, underside, wheelarches, interior, etc. And that with the cr spotless to begin with.
He also had all documents with the car, brochures etc. And the obligatory mirror under the car to show the underside.
He didnt win because he didnt remove the fuses and clean underneath them.
This is the problem with concours today: unless you enter a "pride of ownership" class, where driving the cars is as important as polishing, then the standard is sooo high the judges have to look at extreme lengths just to differnetiate between the cars.
At pebble beach, they changed the rules when brooms had to be used up exhausts pipes to check for soot.
And I'm not joking...
He also had all documents with the car, brochures etc. And the obligatory mirror under the car to show the underside.
He didnt win because he didnt remove the fuses and clean underneath them.
This is the problem with concours today: unless you enter a "pride of ownership" class, where driving the cars is as important as polishing, then the standard is sooo high the judges have to look at extreme lengths just to differnetiate between the cars.
At pebble beach, they changed the rules when brooms had to be used up exhausts pipes to check for soot.
And I'm not joking...
AdvocatusDiaboli said:
Hartech sounds great, but unfortunately I am in London!
Any number of options then, though maybe a little pricier ...
If you're central I recommend RGA in Vauxhall, and Bob certainly knows his 944s.
JZMachtech (Wembley) always get good reviews but never used them myself.
Other places that people have recommended at various times are Tower (near Tower Bridge
) and Charles Ivey (Fulham). Gassing Station | Porsche General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff