My new project.........

hot66 · Post by **hot66** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 8:37 am

that is looking fantastic Mike

So how many hours have you spent researching the RSR specific details ?

sladey · Post by **sladey** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 8:56 am

Looking great Mike - keep those pictures coming

oliveR · Post by **oliveR** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 11:40 am

Great Mike!!!
Did you plan to fit the left front oil cooler?

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 7:11 pm

964RS wrote:Mike - excuse my ignorance here but it seems to me that you bought a car you were really pleased with and then have torn it apart to build the perfect rep? Was this the original plan? Would it not have been cheaper and more cost effective to just start with a donor shell and build up than start with a complete car, strip down and rebuild up again?

No doubt this is going to be an awesome car when finished just interested in the rationale behind doing it this way....or did it just end up going this way?

Have to admire your attention to detail and your obvious passion in going through the resto...get the feeling thats at least half of the enjoyment for you...can't wait to see it finished.

The car was such a great find, not only an RSR rep which was what I wanted, but one that was after a particular car so therefore it came with a fascinating story. More important was the incredible condition of the shell. It has only lived in New Mexico and then Arizona and everybody who has now seen its stripped metal cannot believe its original condition. The fact that it's based on a 72 'S' so not only is it the right year for what it represents but as an 'S' its what the factory used themselves for the RSR prototypes, means it will be an incredibly accurate recreation of a 'werks' car.

With the cost to restore and paint just a shell correctly in the region of £20,000, I'm pretty happy with the way it's going at the moment, when you consider the car and the wonderful parts that came with it are in the condition they are.

At the end of the day it is all in the detail, as I found out with the level of interest in my old RS rep, it's what I enjoy the most, making it just right.

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 7:41 pm

hot66 wrote:that is looking fantastic Mike

So how many hours have you spent researching the RSR specific details ?

Hi James, seriously sad that I am, it is what I enjoy doing.

As an example I had been looking for a Heinzmann fire extinguisher here and in the States, but then realised that not only would it be horribly expensive but after all these years it wasn't going to work either! So although it was just for the period correctness and look it would be sensible if it did actually function, just in case the high butterflies went up in smoke

So the solution was to 'borrow' an original then photograph the labels, which the vinyl man will re-create for a modern unit that actually works, problem solved

One of the 3 labels pictured below........... now, where did I put Bert's number................

Barry · Post by **Barry** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 7:46 pm

I fear it may be too late, even for Bert

.

I have to confess, I love this side of it, particularly when it involves getting creative to acheive an end result.

Can't wait for the next chapter ....

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 7:50 pm

oliveR wrote:Great Mike!!!
Did you plan to fit the left front oil cooler?

yes Hi Oliver, the fabricator has duplicated and welded on the sill brackets for the gearbox oil lines we have re-manufactured, together with the 'reversed' loop cooler for the left side.
We have made a batch, let me know if you need any!

You going to do me a deal on that fuel tank yet

Matt black70 · Post by **Matt black70** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 12:33 am

What a superb car, your attention to detail is second to none, I hate to think how long your research alone has taken.

Spydermon · Post by **Spydermon** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 9:04 am

Hi MIke,

Sorry I've only just caught onto and read this thread. WOW that car is just incredible, and what a story, surely it's worthy of a mag article?

I absolutely applaud your attention to detail, and it really is worth it, it's amazing what the eye registers but we don't consciously think about. Look at the detail faults that James (Hot66) pointed out for me on the OZ RS, and I'd never even noticed them!

Back to your car though: I have to say that this is the most memorable of all the 911 colour schemes, for me even more than the Gulf! (What've I said

) I fondly remember my Scalextric model of this car, and being gutted when it got scratched, but I digress -for a change

-.

I can't wait until I can see and hear it, and have something worthy of parking next to it! Wow again Mike! Kudos and plaudits to you for your determination, respect innit!

Cheers,

Steve.

964RS · Post by **964RS** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 11:38 am

Thanks for the info mike. Great story and will be wonderful car....you should write a book on the rebuild with photo's...it would certainly have quite an audience!

Highfield · Post by **Highfield** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 12:21 pm

Mike

Have you had access to an actual car for doing what amounts to fastidious research, or have you simply read lots of books ?

Have to agree, that even the small amount of work that I do on my car, I enjoy the research and in my case hobbyist angle as much as driving the car - sad perhaps, but seems I am not the only one

Any target date or event for it to be completed for ?

Ian

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 5:51 pm

Highfield wrote:Mike

Have you had access to an actual car for doing what amounts to fastidious research, or have you simply read lots of books ?

Have to agree, that even the small amount of work that I do on my car, I enjoy the research and in my case hobbyist angle as much as driving the car - sad perhaps, but seems I am not the only one

Any target date or event for it to be completed for ?

Ian

Hi Ian, I've been lucky enough to study closely a real car in Neil Bainbridge's workshop, thanks Philip, and that together with Neil's expertise in the RSR is invaluable.

What makes it even more interesting doing a 'recreation' of this particular car is that it doesn't seem to exist any more, if you have a spare week or two have a look at this thread on Early 911 registry in the States, be warned though it's currently 37 pages long!:

http://www.early911sregistry.org/forum/ ... php?t=9074

As for a date for completion, run in ready for Classic Le Mans is the target, hopefully this years

Gary71 · Post by **Gary71** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 12:45 pm

Is it coming to Wales Mike

Highfield · Post by **Highfield** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 2:12 pm

Mike

Will we see the Mary Stewart rear extensions on your car.

I saw the RSR at Goodwood a couple of years back, and loved it then - my all time favourite Porsche race car.

Ian

paulyb · Post by **paulyb** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 7:39 pm

Well done Mike - fantastic attention to detail.
As an aside I'm led to believe the Kitchak original (73 Targa winner) is for sale at the moment