The restoration begins! Options

[993inNC]

So I hadn't been terribly active here lately since deciding to jump into the resto fire. I had hoped to have a driver i could restore, what I ended up with (from what I can tell) is a good candidate for saving. So I have been stripping it since September of last year. Took the holidays off and just this week really jumped in heavy.

Quick update, its a 75 L13 (Summer yellow) 1.8L and has had a few paint jobs (terrible ones) over its life.

I found a media blaster here locally (finally) and I have to admit, I LOVE soda blasting. Makes 35 year old metal look like brand new (other than damaged areas). Was considering sand before finding this guy, but he has convinced me. So far he's done the doors, deck lid and hood (threw my 993 track rims in there since they were looking ratty too (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) ).
Next week, his rotisserie is supposed to be available, so we'll load it up, he'll blast it down to metal (may sand blast the floors to get the nasty rust off and see whats left) and he's going to let me have the rotis for 1 month to give me time to replace the pans etc....

Now the questions

Who really has the best price and product when it comes to the replacement metal? I know Auto Atl and Resto Design have them and there seems to be a decent price difference. I know a good many of you have experience with both and since I have none with either, I'd like to rely on what you guys have to say. I'm going to need pans, inner lower firewall, engine tray (holds the engine rubber) under the battery tray, and maybe a couple other small metal bits.

I'll need this stuff pretty quick if I don't want to pay for the rotis after a month, so who can I rely on?

I'll be posting pics soon for a complete diary of the restoration. Hope I can live up to some of the amazing work I've seen here. I plan to do the pans etc myself, but there is rust in tight spots (underside of doors and small area on the rear decklid) that I don't have the talent for. The blaster was a Mercedes body man for many years and I'll defer that intricate work to him.


This is going to get expensive, I can already tell (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Oh as a bench mark, he said its going to run between 12-1400 to do the entire car. Sounded high but what are my alternatives .....? It is pretty work though, and I think is the right thing to do

TIA

[993inNC]

Woo Hooo (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)

Progress!

I can't believe $1000! That seems pretty good to me. I wish I could bring them mine. I am trying to get my shop built so I can't spare the $$.

Can you paint over the powder coating?

Yeah I thought it was a great deal, since the first idiot wanted $1200 just to blast! I ended up having $300 in the first guy and I'll have $1050 in this guy once the two decklids and healight buckets come back, so $1350 in all. Now if I could just find someone to do the body work that cheap and well done, I'd be in business!!

The second guy is a 914 fan, has one in the back of the shop tucked away awaiting resto and two more parts cars, so I think I got a combo good deal.....he's a fan of the cars and hadn't done one before so it was an experience for both of us.

And yes, paint over powder coating. It gets prep'd like any other primer coat from what he tells me.

[DRPHIL914]

Woo Hooo (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)

Progress!

I can't believe $1000! That seems pretty good to me. I wish I could bring them mine. I am trying to get my shop built so I can't spare the $$.

Can you paint over the powder coating?

Yeah I thought it was a great deal, since the first idiot wanted $1200 just to blast! I ended up having $300 in the first guy and I'll have $1050 in this guy once the two decklids and healight buckets come back, so $1350 in all. Now if I could just find someone to do the body work that cheap and well done, I'd be in business!!

The second guy is a 914 fan, has one in the back of the shop tucked away awaiting resto and two more parts cars, so I think I got a combo good deal.....he's a fan of the cars and hadn't done one before so it was an experience for both of us.

And yes, paint over powder coating. It gets prep'd like any other primer coat from what he tells me.

that's pretty cool- i could see if you wanted black, to do that in a gloss black.

Where is the shop in N.C. ? i'm down in S.C. , and eventually need to do the same with mine. (except i have some extensive rear long and jack point work to do.)
I have not found an experienced 914 body person here is southern SC., might be willing to transport, SC to NC not too far to do that.

enjoying the thread, please keep updating as work is done.


Phil