DDK - Die Deutschen Klassiker

Thanks Mike.
Meanwhile, a word about the transmission. Given our focus on a 70's upgrade, we feel it legitimate to go for a period five speed gearbox. We acquired a 1974 915 box with mechanical speedo drive. This was completely stripped and rebuilt with new synchros, selector hubs and bearings. The driveshafts were also stripped and rebuilt. The floorpan was suitably modified to accommodate the 915 box.

That's this evening taken care of....more more more please

We've got hundreds of picture of most of the stages of the build...but I'm conscious of boring everyone to death - so am only posting a few. Equally, I'm glossing over the detail of some very useful donor cars, parts suppliers, eBay horror stories, and so on in the interests of brevity. However, if anyone is interested in any more detail, I'm more than happy to provide if we can.

So, on to the suspension: We stripped everything we had and rebuilt and uprated everything to RS spec throughout, with adjustable Koni shocks, polyurethane suspension bushes and uprated front anti-roll bar. Brakes have vented ‘turbogroove’ discs and the callipers were rebuilt with a new master cylinder.

Over time we amassed quite a selection of wheels, including some rear Minilites and various repro Fuchs. In the end, we sourced snd restored period Fuchs alloys - 7J x15 front and 8J x15 rear - fitted with Pirelli P6000s. As yet, they have black centres which we intended to anodise in RS style...but we're beginning to think we quite like this lower-key look. Any thoughts?

Gustosomerset wrote:.....but I'm conscious of boring everyone to death.......

It's never worried me!

Gustosomerset wrote:As yet, they have black centres which we intended to anodise in RS style...but we're beginning to think we quite like this lower-key look. Any thoughts?

Do them properly, much nicer imo.

Are your dampers Koni or Bilstein?

Nice build btw

I thought this was familiar! I was the first person to contact the vendor, and he agreed to first refusal etc etc, while he arranged to send me more photos later that day. They didn't arrive so I contacted him the next morning...silence. Tried again. 'Oh I sold it'. Hmmm. Thanks.

Glad it's gone to a good home, though.

Darren: Thanks for your interest. The dampers are Konis.
KS: So sorry to hear that we bought it out from under you. Had no idea there was another buyer. If you're local, do pop over and have a drive, by way of inadequate consolation.

Darren65 wrote:

Gustosomerset wrote:As yet, they have black centres which we intended to anodise in RS style...but we're beginning to think we quite like this lower-key look. Any thoughts?

Do them properly, much nicer imo.
Nice build btw

I think the correct wheel finish and, perhaps, front & rear bumper trims would be nice finishing touches.

Gustosomerset wrote:We've got hundreds of picture of most of the stages of the build...but I'm conscious of boring everyone to death - so am only posting a few. Equally, I'm glossing over the detail of some very useful donor cars, parts suppliers, eBay horror stories, and so on in the interests of brevity. However, if anyone is interested in any more detail, I'm more than happy to provide if we can.

The best bits of DDK are the resto stories, with highs & lows and plenty of photos. Like reading a really good book.

However, I appreciate the time it takes to upload the photos & type up the posts and not everyone has the time spare to do that.

^^^ +1 ^^^


Keeping a thread alive is a hard job, esp a popular one I agree (and have the experience on-going elsewhere), but great if you can.

So on to the interior. There was nothing with the car, except for some lightweight grey RS style carpet. So we installed a new dashboard top (although we acquired two with donor cars, both turned out to be cracked), refurbished instruments (again, we ended up with a selection), new headlining and RS style door cards, handles and pull straps - thanks to Mike and Nigel for letting us measure and copy the real things .

Seats are Cobra Classic RS replicas with houndstooth inserts from Southbound and thanks to Dave for valuable advice on a sensible compromise with the sound-proofing (a bit more than an RS, but still not very much at all). Rear seats are not fitted.

The front seats are mounted on bespoke machined aluminium seat brackets and the pedal box was rebuilt with all new bronze bushes. In both cases, Jason wasn't happy with the parts that were supplied...so he machined new, better ones - an approach and a level of skill that, I think, sets his work apart.

Once the interior was complete, we fitted a new rule tank, all new door seals, window rubbers, untinted front and rear glass, refurbished the wiper mechanism, added new wipers and washers, H4 European headlamps and Durant mirrors. We deleted the 2.4 designation on the bootlid and added the gold Porsche lettering that came with the car.

That's pretty much it as a brief round-up of the key work - leaving out the months of waiting for obscure parts, waiting months for a new dashboard top that then arrived damaged, having to remove the newly fitted engine to replace a bent suspension arm, dealing with obscure electrical faults and receiving generous and much-needed advice from many specialists.

We haven't driven it much yet - the weather has been too awful - but early indications are that it exceeds are expectations by a long margin. It's very driveable, very quick and, we think, looks fabulous. Mike (FLY7) is due to test drive it next week and it'll be interesting to get his impressions.

Work still to be done includes finishing the wheels properly (by popular consent) - possibly adding the period radio (any thoughts?) and fixing a broken speedo cable.
Happy to give any more information if we can and if we can help anyone else involved in a similar project. Otherwise a very Happy Christmas to all.

That looks gorgeous!

Looks bloody amazing, but then I'm biased to a touch of Aubergine... Merry Christmas
Mark
72 Marmite Panzer.

[quote="Gustosomerset"]



Watch the guy in the top of the picture, looks like he might steal it.

Lovely car.