1974 Carrera Coupe - RHD, UK car

[Ferry Man]

the car retains it's current registration, RLJ520M.

This car has seen a few changes regarding registration numbers. It’s quite a varied history to follow.

It started life as ‘JCT2’. It lost that once sold by JCT. I bet they’ve still got that registration number.

It became ‘TWT971M’ from late 1974 up until 1979.

Then it was assigned a vanity plate ‘GG3227’ which stayed on the vehicle until 1983.
That was subsequently transferred to a Mercedes 450SLC when the owner changed out of a 911.

After that plate swop the DVLA altered the registration to ‘RLJ520M’ which is what the car has been known as for the last thirty years and that’s what it wears to this day.

I have some plates ready to go.
They have embossed black digits and edging.
I got them real cheap off eBay (can’t remember who).
They shouldn’t be black & silver - like the early cars – as in 1974 the rules changed to insist on white & yellow reflective backgrounds to the plates.
I didn’t want the more common acrylic versions, they look too modern to my eyes. These plates are compliant and look period correct.

[Ferry Man]

By now Chestertons were close to completion and the shell was finished enough to remove from the Celette jig.
It was put on a frame that allowed the car to be spun around for easy access to underneath and sides.
They could then fully finish all their welding.

[Ferry Man]

Not a view you normally get of a 911.

[Ferry Man]

[Ferry Man]

A jacking point you can use without fear of your sills crumbling.



Looking down on the underside of the front inner wing (top strut mounting).

[Ferry Man]

Underside of the roof showing the sunroof cassette.

[DustyM]

Stunning job Paul. Approximately how many hours were spent on the metal work?

Cheers
Jon

[Ferry Man]

Stunning job Paul.
Approximately how many hours were spent on the metal work?

Thanks for the compliment John.
It was the result of 570 hours.

[911hillclimber]

Excellent build story and great detail of an extensive build, but possibly one of the simplest too?
Whole fresh panels make for a great result!

What's next then?

[yoda]

And then a trail fit of more panels and the shell is once again looking like a 911.
Lovely.

Looks great in Silver!!

[Ferry Man]

an extensive build, but possibly one of the simplest too?
Whole fresh panels make for a great result!

570 hours.

No, not so simple. It looks easy but there was more to it than appears at first glance.
And 570 hours was good but, it could have been much less....

[Ferry Man]

it could have been much less....

Porsche made the air-cooled 911 for more than 30 years. My 993 of 1995 shares pretty much the same shell as the 1964 cars.
Yes, the wings changed, yes, the bumpers changed, yes, many styling differences evolved. But that cabin and inner body structure share the same dimensions.

So, when you order an inner wing for an early 911, Porsche can sell you one.
But what you’ll get is anyone’s guess.
It may fit a seventies car. It may be from an SC. It could even be a 964 part number. Or possibly as originally fitted to the 993.

All those models may well be very similar but they are not the same.
You cannot buy a 1974 Carrera inner wing.
So when you get it you will have to make do and mend.

Your inner wing may have a threaded hole for a part never dreamt of in 1974.
Yet it might not have cable clips because that wiring had long since been deleted.
The drain holes may be in the wrong place.
Or the holes through the wing for the wiring are strangely absent because the lights were moved in later years.

So, you need to drill holes, you need to fill holes, you may need to include oblong slots to replace the simple circular fixings, you could need to weld back in a part panel to accommodate the depression that is oddly flat on your wing. Etc, etc, etc.

Nick showed me one newly supplied panel that needed about ten revisions to accurately make it fit for use and to match the original. Just in one panel.
That is where so much money goes.

John at Chesterton’s explained that at least 160 hours of my total bill reflected the changes required on brand new panels in order to make them period correct.
So I spent well over £6k chasing after originality and making the parts spot on.
Money that simply evaporates away with very little to show.
I know I've done things right, but to look at the car parked up, you'd never guess the work undertaken to ensure correctness.

[Ferry Man]

Looks great in Silver!!

Yes, 911's look good in silver.
Which is why it's the only colour you've been able to buy a 911 in for the last 20 years (or so it seems)....

[DustyM]

I think you went about it the right way though Paul, it would have taken more hours to repair the original panels and you wouldn't have had such a nice shell no matter how expertly the repairs were done. At least you know there is no rust in the seams, it doesn't look like any were left untouched!

[911hillclimber]

^^^ Expressed far better than i did a few posts back!^^^
This is what i meant by whole fresh panels make a great result.
The detailing i can fully understand but the depth of this build and the resulting integrity is the almost hidden key element.
Under the gloss of paint the foundation is total.

What a value enhancer!