Discussion
Thought I'd introduce my pride and joy to Pistonheads! It's not quick, but it makes all the right noises and makes me smile even as a daily drive 
Bought as a shed, I went out to buy a Focus for the wife with £5K borrowed from her Dad and came back with a rusty 911....
A few pictures of the motor at various stages of it's life in my hands:
My first Curborough track day with this car back in 2002, my previous experience round here in a variety of modified MK2 Golfs counted for nothing! Much amusement was had and a near vertical early 911 handling learning curve…
…as can be seen by this little moment which I love to say I caught and flicked round the molehill in one beautiful move.. but hey, I spun it.
The dreaded tin worm. Just a sample picture, don't want to X rate this site.
After much welding on my drive I nearly lost hope, but looking back I'm glad I didn't give up!
A year or so later having lost my job and house the 911 was still with me.. priorities and all that..I thought I'll just sort out that rust bubble on the rear quarter…suddenly a full strip down and bare metal respray was upon us. This was about 4 hours into the strip from a running complete car, just me, a mate, and some spanners, frightening really!!
After two months sitting on stands feeling sorry for itself it went off or a bit of TLC.
Then back to my garage to be put back together, this time in 2 weeks of evenings from a shell, as I was taking the wife away for the weekend and we HAD to go in the 911. Arrival of other new (human!) baby slowed the process…or I'd have done it in a week!
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My first trip out after the rebuild with my 2 year old son (at the time!). Quote ' Daddy car. Brum, Brum. Noise' Makes me proud…
Now I've sorted the engine bay:
...and rebuilt the gearbox:
Some years pass...
...and I poked the rust bubble again...this time I'm not going to trust someone else with the prep and f
k it up for me!
On the Mulsanne straight at Classic Le Mans 2008:
An appearance in Classic Car Magazine 8)
A evening blat across the Welsh mountains:
..and some more welding :shock:
Having found a 5p sized hole in the floor I thought I should sort it out “whilst it’s jacked up’…
Further investigation found this:
So out with the angle grinder and a couple of evenings later I had this:
I needed to put a decent bit of form into the panel if it was going to look anything like an original. Whilst I was never going to hide the fact it's been repaired, I didn't want it to look (too much) like a bodge. So I made up this rough tool to put a swage in where the heater drain exits.
A few taps of the hammer and some crappy welding later:
...and finally some playing on Photoshop from the other week
Having served a valiant 7 months as the daily drive and family car with two young kids it's now on second car duties again as I've gone back on the company scheme. Next summer it will be the daily again and it's off to Classic Le Mans again with the rest of the DDK mob!
Cheers
Gary
Bought as a shed, I went out to buy a Focus for the wife with £5K borrowed from her Dad and came back with a rusty 911....
A few pictures of the motor at various stages of it's life in my hands:
My first Curborough track day with this car back in 2002, my previous experience round here in a variety of modified MK2 Golfs counted for nothing! Much amusement was had and a near vertical early 911 handling learning curve…
…as can be seen by this little moment which I love to say I caught and flicked round the molehill in one beautiful move.. but hey, I spun it.
The dreaded tin worm. Just a sample picture, don't want to X rate this site.
After much welding on my drive I nearly lost hope, but looking back I'm glad I didn't give up!
A year or so later having lost my job and house the 911 was still with me.. priorities and all that..I thought I'll just sort out that rust bubble on the rear quarter…suddenly a full strip down and bare metal respray was upon us. This was about 4 hours into the strip from a running complete car, just me, a mate, and some spanners, frightening really!!
After two months sitting on stands feeling sorry for itself it went off or a bit of TLC.
Then back to my garage to be put back together, this time in 2 weeks of evenings from a shell, as I was taking the wife away for the weekend and we HAD to go in the 911. Arrival of other new (human!) baby slowed the process…or I'd have done it in a week!
[/url]My first trip out after the rebuild with my 2 year old son (at the time!). Quote ' Daddy car. Brum, Brum. Noise' Makes me proud…
Now I've sorted the engine bay:
...and rebuilt the gearbox:
Some years pass...
...and I poked the rust bubble again...this time I'm not going to trust someone else with the prep and f
k it up for me!On the Mulsanne straight at Classic Le Mans 2008:
An appearance in Classic Car Magazine 8)
A evening blat across the Welsh mountains:
..and some more welding :shock:
Having found a 5p sized hole in the floor I thought I should sort it out “whilst it’s jacked up’…
Further investigation found this:
So out with the angle grinder and a couple of evenings later I had this:
I needed to put a decent bit of form into the panel if it was going to look anything like an original. Whilst I was never going to hide the fact it's been repaired, I didn't want it to look (too much) like a bodge. So I made up this rough tool to put a swage in where the heater drain exits.
A few taps of the hammer and some crappy welding later:
...and finally some playing on Photoshop from the other week
Having served a valiant 7 months as the daily drive and family car with two young kids it's now on second car duties again as I've gone back on the company scheme. Next summer it will be the daily again and it's off to Classic Le Mans again with the rest of the DDK mob!
Cheers
Gary
Edited by gary71 on Thursday 3rd August 22:26
Stewart-83 said:
I'd LOVE a classic 911.
If I ever do I think I'll have to book a night class in welding by the looks of it!
It's not just the classics that rust If I ever do I think I'll have to book a night class in welding by the looks of it!
Try finding a decent 3.2 Carrera!Luckily I was able to borrow the kit from a friend for the main job. For the more recent work I made the investment and bought my own. I learnt welding as an apprentice a few (Ha!) years back, after 15 minutes blobing some bits of plate together and they had me welding up underframes on the line, I can only apologise to anyone with a late 80's Aston
Jon944S2 said:
What is a classic 911 like to drive?
A bit classic! To be honest it's a million miles from a modern performance car, but that is why I love it. You have to bond with it, or it just doesn't work. It won't just start, it has to be coaxed into life, you can't just change gear you have to feel the syncros engaging, and you certainly can't just stand on the brakes, or you'll be off All that not withstanding it's enormous fun and totally satisfying when you get it right (not often, but I try!). Oh and it has the best steering of anything I have ever driven, even my old MK1 MX5, and that is some benchmark.
It has done stirling work this year as the daily drive, even taking in a week around the Scottish highlands with the wife and kids. It amazing how much stuff you just don't need to take with you when you can't! You don't need to buy a Zafira just because you have children!
BCA said:
Beautiful.
I hope that by the company car note at the end/ two kids you have got everything sorted in life again and have a job/house once more. Fair play for the amount of commitment you've put into it, you can rightly feel proud.
All sorted as it's been a few years since that little trauma! I was a victim of one of the many downturns in the UK automotive industry, but as is often the case knowing the right people in the right companies found me back up and running pretty rapidly, albeit 100 miles futher north than I would have liked! Relocating north finally allowed me to get a double garage, so no complaints there!I hope that by the company car note at the end/ two kids you have got everything sorted in life again and have a job/house once more. Fair play for the amount of commitment you've put into it, you can rightly feel proud.
mark_mcd said:
gary71 said:
A evening blat across the Welsh mountains:
Stunning car and love the restoring effort. Not being cheeky but do you have the above in hi-res for my desktop? Only 1024 wide, but maybe big enough
Hope your TVR traumas turn out OK!
My insurance is about £160 a year, fully comp, agreed value at £14.5K. That may be a bit low as values have shot up since I last changed it. I certainly couldn't replace it for that. That price is with AON as a third car, but is unlimited mileage.
No tax of course
To keep up with your TVR fuelled need for speed you may find a 'T' (130bhp) a bit slow, but by the time you work you way up to an 'S' (190hp) of the same vintage you are looking at £50k
My choice would be a 'T' like mine and just drop in £3k of 3.0 SC engine for RS power for a tenth of the cost
My insurance is about £160 a year, fully comp, agreed value at £14.5K. That may be a bit low as values have shot up since I last changed it. I certainly couldn't replace it for that. That price is with AON as a third car, but is unlimited mileage.
No tax of course
To keep up with your TVR fuelled need for speed you may find a 'T' (130bhp) a bit slow, but by the time you work you way up to an 'S' (190hp) of the same vintage you are looking at £50k
My choice would be a 'T' like mine and just drop in £3k of 3.0 SC engine for RS power for a tenth of the cost ...and I'm an old fart with kids When I first rang up for a quote on the Porsche he said '£120' and I was like.. 'well £1400 a year is a bit steep maybe I'll ring round...' then he pointed out that was for the year! I nearly died of shock
Guess that's what happens when you are 31 and have kids, you are a safe bet, now even older..and slower
When I first rang up for a quote on the Porsche he said '£120' and I was like.. 'well £1400 a year is a bit steep maybe I'll ring round...' then he pointed out that was for the year! I nearly died of shock Guess that's what happens when you are 31 and have kids, you are a safe bet, now even older..and slower
A few weeks ago on a run from Coast to Coast following the Wainright walk (sort of!)
With friends at the hotel
Welding in a repair panel to the front wing prior to the LHS respray at the start of last summer:
The final paint was done by my local Audi main dealer in Crewe, and a great job they did
With friends at the hotel
Welding in a repair panel to the front wing prior to the LHS respray at the start of last summer:
The final paint was done by my local Audi main dealer in Crewe, and a great job they did
Edited by gary71 on Tuesday 20th October 22:44
snotrag said:
Great Idea regarding the C2C trip, I'd never thought of that. One to try in the future, maybe.
Credit for that idea (and the route!) goes to a friend in the club I belong to , (not Porsche Club GB!!!!)The route includes that classic challenge, the Hardknott pass, just to make sure your clutch and gearbox are in good condition!
Edited by gary71 on Thursday 3rd August 18:08
A friend just sent through this video from a recent Curborough track day A bit shaky, he must have been excited...but you get the idea No spins I'm afraid, only the odd puff of tyre smoke tells you I'm trying really hard 
edit : I could try including the link!
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v228/gary71/?act...
A bit shaky, he must have been excited...but you get the idea No spins I'm afraid, only the odd puff of tyre smoke tells you I'm trying really hard edit : I could try including the link!
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v228/gary71/?act...
Edited by gary71 on Saturday 5th December 21:49
BoRED S2upid said:
Stewart-83 said:
I'd LOVE a classic 911.
If I ever do I think I'll have to book a night class in welding by the looks of it!
Same here. Luckily (by the sound of this thread) I opted for a classic Mini, its a lot cheaper to repair rotten panels on a Mini than I imagine a 911. Still the 911 looks amazing. If I ever do I think I'll have to book a night class in welding by the looks of it!
You can buy some bits of it, but you are correct they are exceptionally expensive. You'd patch a front wing several times before admitting defeat, they are £750...Same goes for the rear quarter, and they are obviously a complete bh to fit. At some point (maybe when my son inherits it!) it will get new rear quarters and front wings, problem is for me if you achieve perfection using all new panels, assembled as original then you'll never use it because it will rust like the original and be completely messed up again inside five years. So if you actually use it then patch for as long as possible!
Having said that it is currently hiding from the salt in the garage, so I'm a hypocrite
It was such a great looking afternoon today I thought I'd venture out into the Welsh mountains to stretch the legs on the 911 and play with my new camera. I've been experimenting with off camera flash to light the car, with mixed results, but it's something I need to try more of.
I need to take a car wash with me though! By the time you get out to these locations the car is filthy
Strangely enough the highest mountain pass in Wales was still covered in snow and ice... Didn't see that coming
I may, or may not, have felt the need to perform a doughnut or two before leaving.
I need to take a car wash with me though! By the time you get out to these locations the car is filthy
Strangely enough the highest mountain pass in Wales was still covered in snow and ice... Didn't see that coming
I may, or may not, have felt the need to perform a doughnut or two before leaving.
Edited by gary71 on Thursday 3rd August 18:11
All the pictures are edited to some extent. All except the shot over the engine cover are composites of more than one image. I have another picture with more light on the rear of car I'll bring into the mix and see how it looks. I'm also going to redo the first one to bring the background up a little.
Cheers to all for the positive comments
Cheers to all for the positive comments
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