914 Body In White, chassis fixtures being made Options

[McMark]

Well, I started on this path a long time ago. Back in 2011, I pick up a Celette bench on Craigslist. I rented fixtures a few times, but along the way Celette moved everything to a newer setup/system and trashed the old fixtures.

Last year I was able to get the new style adapters but would still need to rent fixtures. So it was nice to have the capability, but rental fees meant that expediency was critical. For a project like SirAndy's 914-6 there will be a lot of measuring, checking, cutting, welding, etc. That translates to a lot of time on the bench, and the less I feel the need to rush, the better. When straightening a chassis, it's critical that you have a plan and make pulls and adjustments in the correct order.

Restoration Design just started carrying their own set of fixtures that are compatible with what I have now. They had the early 911 fixtures, but thankfully they jumped on the 914 next. So I just placed my order for these. Now I'll have everything in house to put cars up on fixtures for straightening, major rust repair, and/or cage work. This is a huge development for Original Customs.

I've always done rust repair, but this is the first time that I'll start offering a 'chassis restoration service' for both individuals and other shops. So anyone, anywhere can ship their chassis here and get back a solid and straight body, ready to build on. I'll also be on the lookout for suitable cars to straighten/repair and sell ready to run, 'off the shelf'.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/boldblue.gif) I can't wait to get started, then add early 911 and 356 fixtures...

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.restoration-design.com-419-1532972340.1.jpg)

[mepstein]

I think the 914 community might underestimate the cost of "chassis restoration". Like getting a car painted, it's easier to justify the cost on a $100-250K car but it's a much larger percentage of a 914.

But I think the service is needed as less and less shops do this kind of work.

[McMark]

I think the 914 community might underestimate the cost of "chassis restoration". Like getting a car painted, it's easier to justify the cost on a $100-250K car but it's a much larger percentage of a 914.

But I think the service is needed as less and less shops do this kind of work.

Absolutely. It won't be cheap, but if you're embarking on a full restoration (or hiring out a full restoration) this is a significant opportunity. EVERYTHING else on the project can be swapped out as needed (engine, transmission, suspension, etc) -- but if you have a crooked chassis you're piling good parts onto a bad skeleton. Once you get a chassis painted, the opportunity to fix the body is gone....

[horizontally-opposed]

...if you're embarking on a full restoration (or hiring out a full restoration) this is a significant opportunity. EVERYTHING else on the project can be swapped out as needed (engine, transmission, suspension, etc) -- but if you have a crooked chassis you're piling good parts onto a bad skeleton. Once you get a chassis painted, the opportunity to fix the body is gone....

Genau. Precisely.