Vintage Calipers from 914-6 #11, ...the very first 914-6 to leave the factory Options

[BKLA]

Parts Porn!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/drooley.gif)

I L O V E this stuff.... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif)

[McMark]

Great stuff! Thanks Eric!

[rhodyguy]

eric, you should consider submitting a write up in excellence on these yourself. i find the reader submitted tech/how-to articles interesting. you write well, it would make a killer piece. nice work on the parts.

k

[Eric_Shea]

Thanks Kevin, (don't remind Pete... I owe him a caliper write up but my pictures came out bad... time to try again I guess) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

As promised, heres the final installment... the S-Calipers. I think this will actually be interesting to quite a few people. It will show you what's involved in saving a valuable S-Caliper and help dispell the myth that there's a "cheap" S-Caliper bargin out there waiting to be found.

Remember what these puppies looked like from page 1?



Again, one of the main problems we see on nearly 90% of the S-Calipers that come in is this... the plated pistons are rusted.



These pistons are plated to avoid a dissimilar metal bond. When they sit (and vintage Porsches sometimes do) they tend to rust around the top and where the piston seal rests against the piston.

Steven Stomski of Stomski-Racing to the rescue. This is where the myth begins to smack of hard, cold reality. These are the best stainless steel replacement pistons out there but... you're now out $240.00



Well... everything is back from the polishers and the anodizing shop and ready to get bolted together. These calipers have to be de-anodized, polished and then re-anodized. Myth-buster #2. That'll cost ya... the average cost on a restoration like this (with pistons) will be just North of $700.00 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)



New factory crossover pipes are a must for a restoration of this caliber. One was damaged in shipment and the other was just too rusty to plate up nice. We want #11 to look it's best... Oh, almost forgot, more ka-ching. These are almost $60-$70 a PIECE!

[Eric_Shea]

Let's get dirty.

Fist step is to clean out the rear cover mounting bores with a M6x1 tap. There was polishing compound and other goodies in there that would make getting the new bolts in impossible. This is a pain (especially when you're putting together 4 pair of these...) Once the tap has been run through everything, we turn them upside down and dump out the crud and then blow it out with the air hose. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)

Polishing compound:



The tap:



Next the piston seals go in. Outer first:



Then inner:



Next it's time to put the dust covers on the pistons. They simply pull over the top:



It's a good idea to lift the dust cover to expose the mounting area. Look around and make sure it's seated properly:



Done. Pretty pistons all in a row...

[Pat Garvey]

You are an artisan, my friend! Truely an artisan, and dedicated to his craft. We are fortunate to have you around!
Pat

[Eric_Shea]

Thanks Pat... I just dig this stuff. No real art here. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Now its on to installing the pistons.

The first thing we need to do is apply caliper grease to the seal and bore area. We also like to apply a little grease to the area the dust cover slips into. These dust covers are usually pretty tough to slip into their slots. The grease helps.



Next we determine which side will be which (S-Calipers are interchangable) by putting the bleeders in. They always go on top.



Then we position the pistons so the cut is facing 20 deg. into the face of the oncoming rotor. We use an old piston positioner to get the angle just right.



We usually use a simple press to get the outer pistons in. These pushed in by hand but others can offer a tad bit of resistance. A special plate is used to press the dust seal into it's slot.



Next we put new o-ring seals in the rear piston cover plate. These are unavailable so they had to be sourced via alternate methods:



These shots didn't come out so well but... the cover plate then gets torqued into place in a cross bolt pattern:



The inner piston bore is covered with caliper grease as above and the piston and dust cover are pulled into place with a hand vise/clamp.



Top it all off with the new lines...

[Eric_Shea]

#11... you are officially ready to go errrrrrr... stop!

Family photo:



The fronts:



The rears:



Thanks for playing along at home (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[type47fan]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif) Absolutely inspiring, Eric!

Thanks for the show,

[Eric_Shea]

Thanks Wayne... these were a blast to do. I can't wait to see them on the car. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[Rusty]

I nominate this thread for Classic status!

[PeeGreen 914]

#11... you are officially ready to go errrrrrr... stop!

Family photo:



The fronts:



The rears:



Thanks for playing along at home (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

That's just down right hot and sexy. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/drooley.gif)

[twash]

914-6 #0011 had factory race support from vw of america , who at the time was the importer of the 914s and parts supplier for porsche/vw. 914 043 0011 had access to all the early trick items for race.

[JmuRiz]

Interesting, I wonder if the owner of #11 contacted Porsche, weren't they looking for the oldest of each model for some kind of event?

[brettm69]

Those calipers are almost to nice to use again... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

[TJB/914]

I nominate this thread for Classic status!

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

Tom