1965 RHD 911 restoration started

[DEEMAN]

Now I have a second engine cover which came off the Yellow Canary. I also have a period engine cover luggage rack that was fitted to the first replacement engine cover. I like the idea of this so it will be fitted to the 'spare' lid. However, the Yellow Canary was full of bondo which covered a host of horrific imperfections and the engine cover was no exception.

Like....







But after a lot of rework it looks just a little more presentable!!!



Onto the roof. I had been warned that it would need quite a lot of work as there were various 'ripples'. Didn't look that bad to me



However it showed up many irregularities on dressing - needing a lot of panel-beating to even it out. All the dark areas are low. Some pitting too.





A light skim of stopper and more panel-beating and body file- looking better.



Top stopper goes on and it looks so much better.



Rear panel sorted.



A bit more top stop on the rear quarter and Blue Belle is getting closer to the etch prime stage.

[sladey]

Great stuff- keep the updates coming

[DEEMAN]

More pictures through today. It's good to reflect at times.
From this



To this



And this




To this



Roof sorted.



and rear lids





I am getting somewhat concerned as John now refers to working on 'his mistress'. Could it be Blue Belle has recovered more than I know!!?? Must admit I have seen his hands gliding over her sublime shape more than a few times................

[Robind]

Looking very nice indeed

[DEEMAN]

I haven't been idle at home. I am always amazed just how many bits there are to clean!! I have spent three days just sorting, cleaning and preparing bolts for plating. I am having a go at it myself having bought the kit more than a year ago but not got on with it. In the earlier years Porsche (pre 67) couldn't used cadmium so the recent ban doesn't bother me. In fact most 'bright' bolts were zinc plated and only sometimes clear finished. Some were black (phosphated) so I have that kit on order now.
I am being a bit anorak in wanting to keep the original bolts. So I have been sorting out the best, wire brushing with a rotary wheel, ultra-sonic cleaning and washing before they go into the plating bath. Nuts and washers will be new.
I was pleased to find a pair of new Koni inserts for my Boge units. Blue Bell came to me with this set-up but one leg was very slightly bent - oh so slightly but I wasn't keen to use it (remember the car had been in an accident).
One day checking Evilbay I saw some NOS Konis that suited my Boges. Guess where. Naples!! But the seller (RS Road) couldn't have been more helpful. Offer, counter offer, re-offer and bingo. They came through very quickly and at half the price of one unit in this country!



So, with freshly painted Boge units, A arms and cross-member I'm ready to assemble the front suspension. The A arm bushes are rubber type fitted by Chris at FLN. He utilises the original outer rear bush shells, leaving the inner steelies on the A arm and presses new bushes into place.





Some time ago I reworked the rear Konis too. Their action seemed good so all I did was repaint them. One funny thing happened during renovation. I had two canisters of paint made up to match the Koni colour. Part way through the job the first canister nozzle blocked so I eased it out, cleaned it and carried on. It happened again so I took the nozzle out again and whoa, the jet continued spouting like a firework!! What the! I got in the helluva mess and wore Koni coloured nail varnish for the next week or so. It's incredible paint refusing to come off using safe methods. It just wore off eventually.

Before.



After.

[DEEMAN]

The rear bumper quarters were needing some work. The right one had to have a support bracket replaced (thanks to Yellow Canary) and some work to the front edge. All went according to plan.





The left one needed more metal replacing.









The centre panel cleaned up well too.



And Wow!

]

Game, set and match. For the back end at least.
Great work Mr 'No problem - we can sort it' man. I believe you.

[DEEMAN]

Over-riders mounted and lightbox positon verified. That's the back end done for the moment



Onto the front end to complete the jobs there. The scuttle drain had been torn out by vandals back in the 80's when they pinched the clock!! So that needed re-instating.



The front bumper needed a little time on the operating table but looks much better now.

[/img]

[URL=http://s1244.photobucket.com/user/DEEMAN705/media/Rework%20of%20Front%20End/IMG_1461.jpg.html]

And then onto Blue Belle's bonnet. Now the original one had seriously rotted away and was past redemption. I had grave concerns about the Yellow Canary's bonnet but it did seem sound even if a little heavy. Stripping the underseal from the inside did not show that much damage but how deceiving. The weight was our old USA bondo friend par excellence. Up to 10mm thick in places.
But... John says he can reclaim her orginal beauty. Pictures say it all.

[/img]

[URL=http://s1244.photobucket.com/user/DEEMAN705/media/Rework%20of%20Front%20End/IMG_1440.jpg.html][/img]

[URL=http://s1244.photobucket.com/user/DEEMAN705/media/Rework%20of%20Front%20End/IMG_1441.jpg.html]





There was skim over the whole bonnet!

More bondo-reducing surgery to follow........


Ian

_______________________

1965 RHD 911 Golfblau
2001 3.2 Boxster (rudely awakened from her slumbers today in readiness for the road)

[SeanP]

Oh I remember stripping the bonnet half an inch of filler all over it, and I wondered why the struts had an issue keeping it open.

I went to Porsche in the end and haggled the best discount I could.

Looking good keep up the good work

Sean

[beny happy camper]

WELL, very nice update
straight line for paint job .
happy to see that

[DEEMAN]

Finally, I got this the other day and now know who the first owner of 'Blue Belle' was (unfortunately he passed away in 2009).
Now, it shows the car went back to AFN for warranty repairs six months after delivery was made. Does anyone know what the repair was? The code in column 2 is 92777. Is this just a reference number or does it tell me what the repair was?
The one major difference between the Kardex and the car as it came to me is the transmission. It has a 902/1 (period correct and matching number) and has Lobro CVs not Nadella as one may have have expected.



Any gurus out there?

Ian

[Mike911scrs]

HI Ian
the Service Bulletin's in 1965 all started with a M 1/65 through to M 28/65, so 28 Service Bulletins where issued to "all Porsche Service Shops ( abroad) ", there is no No' 92777 type No' on any of the Bulletins I have hear, so do not know what the No' represents, Poss' a call to AFN Reading

regards mike

[DEEMAN]

Thanks Mike, I'll give them a try.

[DEEMAN]

So here are three pictures of the car back in 1967. Mr and Mrs Usher on honeymoon with BSC 3B in St Moritz. kindly sent by their daughter following my request for early pics.







Now there's a challenge - complete the car and return to the same spot in 2017!! 50 years on.

[210bhp]

Superb period pics!

Yellow fogs.......


Regards
Mike

[misteralz]

Brilliant pictures. You'll also want to drop the 'plate I made for you back to me so that I can re-make it with that style of digits.
I'll send you a link to somebody who can do the sticky-on front as well.