3D914s 914-6 SHO 3.2L v6, Build Thread - Project for sale. See classifieds Options

[3d914]

OK here goes . . .

I sold my beautiful Ravenna 914/2.0 so I could develop a custom 914 in good conscience. The sweet Ravenna was to stock to cut up and customize, & an admiring buyer wanted to return her to full stock - so it seemed like the perfect match.

Now I've found a 74 1.7 that someone has already led down the path of the Dark Side (as the puritans see it), and I'll simply take it the rest of the way. Just as a warning - this is not meant to be a factory GT look alike or anything close. I want to incorporate some of my own ideas and those I like that others have done. In fact at this point its not even going to be a Porsche six. My initial intent is to go with the Ford 3.0L SHO. Plans may change when I get to that point, but that's where I'm headed.

It seems reasonable to start with Before pics, so heres a couple of the car before I started any dismantling:

[3d914]

OK now we get down to the fun stuff - stripping! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/w00t.gif)

First are the bumpers and that very overstated rear spoiler.



You'll note that the original color is black, and it doesn't look like there are any other colors between that and the current white. This should simplify some of the prep work for a complete strip sown and repaint.

[3d914]

Next I wanted to clean out most of the interior. The seats are in good order as is the upper & lower dash. The seat rails had the adjustment arms jammed up in between the rails, so it was necessary to use a lonnnnngg screw driver to lift the rear portion of the arm so I could move the seats forward.

Anyone with a used set of seat rails in good condition - let me know.

The back pad was already in pieces, no console, or A/C (though all are on my list of desirables).

I'm limiting the stripping at this point to just what is needed to ascertain the overall body condition, locate any holes or rust, and identify any repair work for the FG flares.

So here's the interior as it stands. I'm wondering if this insulator pad can be removed all in one piece. I know its glued on, but I think it will stay together. Anyone BTDT?



Floor material is still in good order also. I've cleaned around some areas where surface rust is visible, but removing the edge of the rubberized sealer reveals clean metal. Since this stuff is still pliable, I'm going to leave what I can. I'll just expose the surface rust, treat it, then recover with Wurth's or something similar.

[3d914]

Being the suspicious type that I am (especially of PO's) I decided to focus my initial efforts on the FiberGlass flares. After viewing them from underneath it was evident that someone (I suspect Maaco since I found their business card in the car) took some shortcuts installing the flares.

The metal was cut to overlap the FG joint & this was good. However, it doesn't look like any kind of sealant or adhesive was used between the metal and the flares - this is bad. They used the rivet method, and all the rivets appear to be holding. There are only a few minor cracks around the flares, but I don't know how long they've been on.

So its on to see what lies beneath the paint.

However, before starting all that sanding I need to find a simple way to contain this mess. So I made a trip down to the local hardware store and picked up some 3/4in PVC and fittings to build myself a 3x5x6 ft sanding booth.



I enclosed it with some 4-5mil plastic I had around on all but the bottom and half the front - to give me an area to work. I could then drape the rest over the car.

[3d914]

Well the portable sanding booth worked well. I started on the right rear fender using a 6in orbital sander. Since I'm new to pneumatic tools I wanted to start off with just 80 grit so as not to sand right through the fender. Within 30 minutes I moved down to 40 grit and was able to make good progress.

What I discovered though only indicated that more work was ahead. It appears my friends at Maaco used Body Filler as their means of bonding the flares to the metal. This won't do. After consulting with the body shop that did the terrific repair work on Ravenna's tail end, it seems there will be more work needed as I thought.

Since they did not use any FG matt and resin to bond the flares to the metals fenders, I will need to sand down the existing filler so that this can be done. I also want to repeat the similar process underneath and close off the gap between the flares and the cut fender edge to prevent moisture from getting up underneath the fiberglass.

[SirAndy]

another one saved (sort of (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) )

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif) Andy

PS: wouldn't hurt to add it to our VIN database either ...
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?act=membervins (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

[roadster fan]

Thanks for posting the progress pics. Looking forward to future installments.

Jim

[biosurfer1]

bondo to attach the flares!? seems like a good push on the flare would have broken them off...is this normal for shops to do that?

[MoveQik]

Very cool Gerard. When will we see it completed at a local dinner?

[3d914]

Thanks for the encouragement guys. I think this one is going take more than the summer to complete - maybe two!

OK, I've reached one of those - "Am I on the right track" moments (Bodyshop newbie). I've sanded down enough to see that adjacent to the edge of the FG flares there is body filler over the metal all the way around the flare. Here's a pic. Yellow indicates metal, red indicates body filler.



Since I want to do this correctly and apply FG & resin to adhere the flare to the metal, I need to get all the adjacent body filler sanded down to metal - right?

And I should have a small lip where the flare overlaps the metal fender that will get filled with the bonding FG - right?

See some more pics.



Now to move over to the driver's side. This is not going to be pretty. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/barf.gif)

[jasons]

Since I want to do this correctly and apply FG & resin to adhere the flare to the metal, I need to get all the adjacent body filler sanded down to metal - right?

I would. Glassing to bondo is like the tail wagging the dog.

And I should have a small lip where the flare overlaps the metal fender that will get filled with the bonding FG - right?

Seems reasonable to me.

A propane torch makes removing bondo a lot easier. Not sure what it would do to your glass flares though. Are you planning to pull the flares off or leave them riveted on and glass them to the steel?

[3d914]

AT this point I'm planning to leave them riveted on since they appear to be securely attached - at least in that regard.

[1bad914]

Go to your local Harbor Frieght and pick up a portable sand blaster and blast all the filler off. They are inexpensive. Do it in the yard, the sand is good for the grass! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) The is the only way to remove it all.

Try this: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/disp...temnumber=34202

[3d914]

Randy,

That's not a bad idea. My only concern would be how to keep from affecting the FG at the same time. Can you direct the flow of the sand that accurately to get precise?

PS: Harbor Freight has become my second home.

Thanks,

[3d914]

OH the shame of it! I've never seen anything so (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sheeplove.gif) up!.

I knew something was squirly with the drivers side, but I couldn't tell exactly. That is until I got past some of the body filler. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif)

All I can say is SEE FOR YOURSELF!



It appears someone cut out the lower portion adjacent to the flare. Probably before the flare was added.

I was at the point of chipping away filler with a CHISEL!



Now it looks like I'll have some metal work to do. Guess I'll get some use out of that welder finally. Now I just have to find a decent quarter panel to cut pieces from.

I'm just glad I didn't pay more for this car than I did.

[jasons]

OH the shame of it! I've never seen anything so (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sheeplove.gif) up!.

I knew something was squirly with the drivers side, but I couldn't tell exactly. That is until I got past some of the body filler. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif)

All I can say is SEE FOR YOURSELF!

Having owned a car that was banged in the same spot, I always put my hand in there (through the wheel well) to feel for a cave in or wrinkle.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/sawzall-smiley.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welder.gif)

Oh and remember that post about propane and bondo? That will really help you there.

[3d914]

This is the first I've been able to get back to the "black hole" since last week. After a couple hours of sanding, cutting, banging, I've cleared out the bulk of the filler to expose the metal around the edges that I have to work with.

It's as I thought. But there is enough there to do either a lap joint or a butt joint, depending on how badly mis-shaped the metal is. I feel a lot better at least knowing whats not behind there anymore. The filler is typically 3/8-1/2in thick!

Its also a given that the entire flare will have to be removed from this side. That's the next step.

[3d914]

Oh yeh!

About the propane & bondo thing, and the sand-blasting. How do I protect the flares so that they are unaffected by the heat or the sand?

TIA,

[degreeoff]

here is what I did....I actually cut each and every section you see here @ about 1.5" and then bent in in 90 deg and then moved outabout 1/8" and bent it back up(with simple vice grips) in essense I recessed the metal to allow the flares to sit almost flush and therfore minimized the amount of bondo. I should also add that this was VERY time consuming and took 50 rvits per fender but damn it looks good!!

BTW this was from my "jackstand resto" 8 yrs ago!

Sorry for the poor pic!

Josh

[jasons]

Oh yeh!

About the propane & bondo thing, and the sand-blasting. How do I protect the flares so that they are unaffected by the heat or the sand?

TIA,

Not sure. Just don't put the flame directly on the glass?