Dr Phil’s copper 914 restoration thread- paint and body work on deck- getting fenders fixed and car repainted! New thread to document process, Update:- some finishing touches - constant , never done LOL Options

[DRPHIL914]

Guys, I don't have a picture to post - but car was stripped down to the bare except for my dash which was new and installed last year- , I took the car to storage of my new body paint guy- Mike on Saturday- a short 90 minute drive up from beaufort/bluffton . Mike has done work for a few other guys int he area, including billh, and I am confident he is up to the task.

While there I met up with Bill to give him his swag from theOkteenerfest that he missed due to the flooding from the hurricane- so he treated me to a couple drive in some other aircool rides tail-draggers but very cool- Bill - thanks for the awesome rides and I look forward to you having a 914 actually running soon!!!

while cleaning out the wheel wells I found a rust thru spot on passenger side front behind bumper and that will have to be patched, the other was drivers side wheel well but inside the back of front wheel well, at the bottom- Mike says no problem, all will be cleaned out they will be cleaning out all the undercoating out of wheel wells and off the bottom of the car, and all rust spots cut out, cleaned patched and sealed properly!!!

I now have a decision to make- I'm still on the fence for doing bumper back dating- now is the time to do it or never look back , to modify the front now would be best so it gets primed sealed and painted, later would be bad to cut and grind off parts newly painted- so should I or shouldn't I ?? I really would like to do this, I think early bumpers look way better. , lighter etc. even just to do the fiberglass for now and SS later, ( probably cant afford it- )

I'd like some input from the peanut gallery - back date nor not!??

- new parts I need to get:
*new rocker panels- probably RD
* new carpet-
* new side marker lights
* I also need new bright parts- chrome trim for the rear targa sail panels

* new a-pillar and side pillar interior trims needed with front top edg trim that goes under the visors, and rear targa bar trim that goes across inside top edge of targa bar. - has anyone had thse recovered?? I know Mark might eventually but this would really be awesome as Ive already done my seats and dash

- I will also be installing new gauge set I have from Tim, LED etc, inside will be SWEET!
will spend the next few months getting motor cleaned up and sorted out- I have to reseal , replace oil cooler seals, I already have allnew tin, and I have parts coming from Bruce Stone , - I might send the TB out to rebuild,
This car has 150k miles on it just turned over on the Okteenerfest trip- so at some point the motor must have had work done because the leak down and compression numbers are very good. - no need to dig into that, just a freshing up of the cosmetics on top side.

any advice about "while I am in there"?

Thanks!
will post pictures as they start sanding down and repairing stuff, then its prime, block paint -- 3 coats of base and 3 coats of clear , PPG L99K, Copper Metallic!

[mepstein]

If you think the early bumpers look way better, do the backdate. Its your money and you are the only one that matters when it comes to your car.

But I would suggest finding some steel ones. Fiberglass usually takes so much bodywork to fit and look right that its not a cheap way to go and a tap will crack or brake it.

[DRPHIL914]

If you think the early bumpers look way better, do the backdate. Its your money and you are the only one that matters when it comes to your car.

But I would suggest finding some steel ones. Fiberglass usually takes so much bodywork to fit and look right that its not a cheap way to go and a tap will crack or brake it.

Bill suggested the same thing, so I am looking now - some decent painted steel ones would be fine, but I am sure I will eventually go with chrome or SS ones. Just cant afford that will all the other stuff that I have to get- like new rocker panels getting ordered from RD right now.

Does the stock front valence stay on under there even if I put steel back dated bumpers on and put LE type valence?

[DRPHIL914]

also I found that pelican has some of the chrome trim pieces in stock fro the roll bar and all the parts for front window! I am going to check with dealer since we get a nice discount for PCA member and see how prices compare.

-

[Cairo94507]

Hi Phillip,

I think you will be very happy with the early bumpers, painted or chrome. You will not regret the early bumper swap.

If you do the LE front valance, the stock valance is removed first. I like both looks. I have a modified stock valance for the front (oil cooler opening) of my Six but on my last six had the LE front valance.

Good luck and enjoy the process.

Cheers,
Michael

[DRPHIL914]

will be looking for bumpers to back date with - unfortunately I was not able to get a set of the bumper tops on the black Friday sale on 914rubber.com - go LOTS of other parts but just could never seem to be able to get those when restocked!!
so I will wait for another sale, and keep looking for some bumpers - cant afford the SS ones at this time, so maybe some fiberglass bumpers for now? so many things to consider- the fog lights for one thing and the grills as well, not cheap or easy - so I will be listing my barely used NOS late fog lights - never mounted before I put them on 6 months ago, will be listed for sale along with my very clean and good/great condition late rubber bumper covers, with shocks etc.
-Phil

[Coondog]

Congrats on your decision to back date your bumpers, best mod you can make on a 75/76 914.

[AZBanks]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/thisthreadisworthlesswithoutpics.gif)

[Coondog]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/thisthreadisworthlesswithoutpics.gif)

Really !!!!
I counted 15...... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/poke.gif)

[Larmo63]

Backdate now, you'll be so glad you did.

[DRPHIL914]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/thisthreadisworthlesswithoutpics.gif)

Really !!!!
I counted 15...... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/poke.gif)

lots of sand in the rubber seal thst is supposed to cober the back side of electrial connectors for turn bucket - also some rust in the ftont trunk seal channel,

[DRPHIL914]

mess and a bit of rust in the fender wells behind front bumper

[DRPHIL914]

original copper undwr the window trim show the difference from the respray thats coming off

[DRPHIL914]

front foot well with the foam out, this will all get cleaned up and resprayed with aound deadener thsn new unsullation pad under carpet

[DRPHIL914]

can you name that wire??

[mepstein]

can you name that wire??

Erg wire

[DRPHIL914]

can you name that wire??

Erg wire

Winner! - matches the plug in the trunk , rear drivers side- didn't know what this was when I was trouble shooting some electrical issues when i first bought the car, had some wiring shorted out in the trunk- my understanding it was in 75-76 for the emissions add-ons with the catalytic converter etcc.

[DRPHIL914]

progress!

finally some pictures to post

old paint has been stripped off, outside anyway, and is in primer!

[DRPHIL914]

update coming! car should be ready for paint in a few weeks, , just got my bumpers in, and have been cleaning up the engine, ready to put the new shroud and tin back on

[DRPHIL914]

been working on getting all my bits together for the
motor, cleaning stripping and repainting some of the tin pieces like the air cooling flaps this past weekend, pulled all the tin off the motor,
pulled the shroud impeller etc to clean behind it all and look for leaks-, replaced the front crank seal too.

The car itself is really close to being ready to paint. Had to source a new driver door- Thanks BigKat Bob for providing one for me! That was stripped last week cleaned up primed etc and fit back on the car.

The last step before pain is to go up and help this weekend do the mods for the bumper back dating- I will post many more pictures this next week when I get to the shop.
I was able to source some bumpers, and right now I am chasing down some quotes for rechroming the bumpers.
Found out I have a 50amp alt which should be 55, might get a rebuilt one that's built to a 75, not sure yet. the costs of stuff and the "while you are there" is adding up. so much easier to do some of this while I have the motor out - like the push rod tube seals, alternator

Big thanks to Bruce Stone for a lot of powdercoated bits! all of the heater accessories like the j-tubes and s branch parts and the beautiful redone fan shroud.
Also the intake runners,

nfrigi - provided me with a late chrome front bumper and tops for front and rear, Thanks Noel

this weekend right here locally I found early door panels with MINT vinyl and pockets!! I will post some pictures. - very by accident one mile from my house there is some wharehouse area, and I see a beautiful aircooled 911 turbo pulled over by local PD, I think it someone I know so I go back around to see where it is and the cop leaves, it goes to a warehouse and there is a half dozen porsches inside getting various rehab- this car is sitting outside and has bee getting prepped for Ameila Island Concourse this week- there is a rare factory 924 race car inside, etc etc and a 1950's Citroen, a really nice mint 912E(1976), etc
he has some 914 stuff he says that he picked up in a batch of other 911 things, and these door panels were there- no warp no cuts not mold or mildew - This guy says he has owned more than 400 Porsche's - hundreds of 356's, a few 914-6's and now just mainly 911 stuff- AND I got an early 8/10 front chrome bumper with out the bumper guard holes and a mint bumper top on it!! it was my lucky(blessed) day!!!

More parts this week and next from Mark and 914 Rubber- just got in a whole new set of vacuum lines from them.

Things I want to do yet but $$ may have to wait-
- send in the throttle body for rebuild and cleaning service but - $350
- get brand new outer rocker panels from Restoration Design but- $$300
- new windshield maybe- I have mine and another no cracks but -est. is $450

I should have the car back in about a month and begin reassembly-
will post some pictures as the day goes on to update all the motor work clean up and parts sourced.

Phil