1971T Coupe LHD Sporto - Burgundy - US Import

[Joelipol]

Usage
This year I have put 6,000 miles on it. I have driven it to the Amalfi Coast in Italy (50hrs driving!) and use it most weekends. I drive it rain, hail or shine.

Service issues
I've had a couple (ahem) of service related issues:

- the voltage regulator went on my trip to Italy (probably before) and I cooked both batteries. We had been smelling rotten egg smell for most of the way (I blamed French/Italian fuel) and it wasn't until we boarded the Channel crossing train on the way back that the batteries died and everything suddenly became clear. Literally cooked the them dry. This meant a new regulator and two new batteries - check. Then I wasn't getting enough charge, a rebuilt alternator was in order. Which was annoying as I had previously had it rebuilt, I assumed I had cooked that as well but on the news that the bushes were worn it seems the previous rebuild wasn't as good as one could hope... so I paid again. A theme you'll see throughout my experience here..

- After 5,000 miles I noticed the timing change subtly so have just fitted Pertronix electronic points. Something I didn't want to do as I quite enjoy tinkering with mechanical stuff but I also want the car to run perfectly all the time. Happy to make this mod.

- The Speedo drive gear broke. First I thought it was speedo cable so replaced that (yes I could've checked it first but I remember the one that I had was moth eaten so it was on my list anyway) and then the elbow that fits onto the gearbox. Nothing is cheap at £120.

- Electrics where a bit dodgy but now mostly sorted now... Tacho wasn't working due to a failed ballast resistor - bypassed and sorted. Handbrake light wasn't working because... well it had never been attached... now sorted. Radio was flaky due to a crappy aerial being fitted - now replaced. The interior blower fan had completely failed and sent smoke through the cabin - that was interesting! Now replaced... Still have a rear left light that has a mind of its own - so re-wired that, work still to do on it.

- I had a mild oil leak for much of the life of the engine and I think I have tracked them all down (as of yesterdat). Speedo gear elbow on the gearbox is mounted into a housing that was loose (replaced), Oil pressure sender unit was old and dodgy (replaced), also replaced the thermostat oil ring and oil breather gasket for good measure. That's been pretty much it for oil leaks - pretty happy it hasn't been worse and they all look to have gone.

- Timing has been a bit of issue. I've replaced the distributor because it wasn't advancing properly. Then finally we got to it point where we were happy. Then the points starting closing up, advancing the timing and creating a bit of dead spot down low. Replacing the points fixed it but that combined with a shot of low octane fuel means I've been pinging a bit and I can't physically retard the timing any more. So.. I will re-check the placement of the dizzy and try again... very close though.

- gearbox has a whine in 4th at under 2000 and up to 3000. Over that and under load nothing. It is also very notchy. Hoping it frees up a bit as it has all been rebuilt but we'll see. Currently booked in next year to see what's going on with it.

- Carbs were a bit of pain initially. Had to take them off and clean them again. Found one butterfly was set at the wrong angle and not sealing. Fixed that. I still can't adjust one air/fuel mixture screw but it seems to be set ok so moving on to other things...

- Stuffing around with the sporto switch one day and I managed to get the air value to fail. Now I get a clunk whenever I select a gear and can't adjust it out. Other than that the sporto is truly a revelation. Don't knock it until you've left foot braked into a corner, blipped the throttle on (manual) down change with your right and then applied acceleration whilst slowly coming off the brake - not a manual, but also not exactly a lack of feeling or control. Try it!

Now you put all those things together and you wonder the car start at all (check the photo album for a video of that!).

Now done, am I happy?
Will I ever be happy with it? Is ever done? Probably not. It is an absolute pleasure in almost every way - even the annoying things - I need something to obsess about on the weekend and this is great.

Things that get to me most are where I have paid for work that hasn't been done properly and where I have to go back and fix them myself, where I have purchased things that have subsequently gone missing so I have buy them again and where bits just aren't right due to quality or fit issues...

Firstly an admission, being a bit of a perfectionist and also a bit useless practically I like to pay people who know what they are doing to do the job properly. Particularly on things that are valuable and that would be ruined by my lack of skill - i.e. most of this car. To combine my perfectionism with my lack of skill I also like a deal. So what that means is I don't mind trying a bit harder and going to a bit more effort to get a better deal. Whether that means researching things or travelling or finding people that are quality but that don't charge the earth. That has worked sometimes and other times not...

Examples of mistakes

- I purchased new repro door handles and had them fitted along with the rest of the interior. Of course, neither side worked with or without a key, the doors didn't open and shut properly and consistently. Fine, it was all a rush, I'll take them apart and do them myself. What do I find? Most of the hardware on the door is loose explaining why nothing was working (also fine), the door handle threads have been stripped and I have to buy them again. Annoying. I got around it with some extra washers but not cool. I've originals now to fit (today's job)... Should I blame the fitter? Sure, but those repro threads are horrible - I should've just bought originals from the start. Lesson learnt (for the second time).

- Front bonnet fit is poor and needs redoing. Despite the hassle with the rear wing (refer previous threads) it still isn't right, what can I do except to get it redone - back to a body shop that knows the marque.

- Pedal boards I was advised to buy are the wrong ones for the car, I found out subsequently. Another £120 wasted. Or more likely, buy the proper one, sell the one I fitted, chalk up the difference as experience. I've done that alot...

- Rear window is wrong for the car - I have a rear demister control yet my window doesn't have elements. I've now got the correct rear window but of course no wiring was put in for them - another job.

- I paid for brake lines to be put in but ended replacing half of them because someone had rounded the banjo nuts. Big deal? No. But incredibly annoying - another job done twice and paid for twice.

- Had the wheel alignment done and asked for the height to raised to standard. Only to be told when I came to pickup the car that it looked better low and it handles better low and that standard heights are just too high. OK mate no worries, I'll do it myself then (if you'd asked me I would've agreed that standard was too high and agreed a higher than it was setting but not too high). It is now raised (and its perfect to my eye) but what do I find when I take the rear spring plates off? The bushes which I thought were all new (as I was told) haven't been replaced - correction - one had been replaced. So I go buy another set, replace those, raise car - job done - properly.

- Whilst I was doing the rear suspension I had to partially remove the side trim... what do I find? Holes drilled twice in 30% of the fixings. I expected more. Do I see it? No. Do I think about it now? Yes. All the time.

- Overflow spray on the body work and wheels. Somehow one of the workshops managed to get overspray on my freshly powdercoated wheels. They seem to have been more careful with the bodywork (excepting the bonnet which now needs to be resprayed) but then on close inspection in other areas (and has taken many months to find them) I see the odd section of bodywork that has been brillo paded to remove marks. WTF? No biggy I can get it taken out but seriously annoying. Will I say anything? No - I just can't be bothered with the hassle - but never again.

- Porsche lettering that is fitted, after I had looked at it 1000 times is crooked (can you see it - the level between the S & C?) and hasn't been riveted top and bottom so they are loose. I understand you can move these letters about on the original but as these are freshly drilled holes no such luck. Will just have to try and widen the holes and rivet them again myself properly. Big deal? Nope. Just annoying and it can't be that bad because it has taken a while to notice it but I now I see it - I see nothing else.

Lessons
This is all partly my fault of course. I started out with a wreck that was in bits and pushed the car to be completed piecemeal by different suppliers - shifting from one place to another whilst I didn't have a great deal of time to spend with the car myself (or store it). When I've got it back and seen the details - no - lived with the details - I've been annoyed that I wasn't more involved. I've learn't my lesson.

I've learnt who to use and who to steer clear of. It's been painful and it has cost more than I could have imagined (and is still costing me).

I want to do another one properly but I think knowing what I know now - I need more time, more space and I am going to do the details myself - then I have no one else to blame! But mainly it is to buy a complete car (regardless of the condition) and take it apart myself. That way I know where everything goes and how it goes back together. Something I missed out on with mine.

Overall
Every time I see the car I get emotional - it's beautiful, understated, approachable, unique. I look forward to many years of driving it.

Next
Now to refit the handles, reroute the fuel vapour system, email someone about a quote for the bodywork and.....

[mitman]

Hi Joel

I had the pleasure of meeting you and seeing your wonderful car on Friday morning at Chris Turners, I feel your pain as I have just spent a year doing up my flat when it should only have taken 6 months. I trusted a tradesman who I has done work for me before on a new bathroom but his main skill is painting and decorating so he got people he knew to do the other bits like tiling, plumbing etc.

For this job I need everything else refurbished including new kitchen and flooring and paint, he said no problem. It was going well at the beginning but when the kitchen arrived it slowly started unravelling. I would come back home and it looked like nothing was happening but as I worked with him before and had done work in other flats in the building so I trusted everything would be OK.

Big mistake

The only room I cared about in the whole build was the kitchen and I could see him slowly messing it up so I would go and ask him to correct the mistakes.

But it soon dawned on me too late that might be good painter and decorator but he knew f**k all about fitting a kitchen
I think he was desperate for money so didn't get the right people, instead doing it all himself
1 Laminate worktop join was 0.5 cm
2 random holes drilled in the upper cabinets then covered up with white stickers hoping I wouldn't notice
3 he cut the whole for the sink too large so you see light coming in from underneath and no sealant
4 chipped the edge of the laminate
5 I had to become and expert in fitting integrated dishwasher doors and freezer, I showed him YouTube videos from the manufacturer but he dismissed like he knows best

In end I had the fire his ass as he was getting abusive (actually I let my wife do that bit)

I had to buy half the kitchen again but luckily the next guy knew what he was doing.

He even had the cheek to ask for the rest of the money

Now I have to watch these guys like a hawk even if they are good but it's pretty much finished but it caused me a lot of stress

Once you see the light at the end of the tunnel the pain and cost will fade into the distance, and you will have the car you dreamed of at the end of it


All the best
Farrukh

[sladey]

Usage
This year I have put 6,000 miles on it. I have driven it to the Amalfi Coast in Italy (50hrs driving!) and use it most weekends. I drive it rain, hail or shine.

I missed this when you posted it - absolutely brilliant post. It epitomizes everything I get out of my own car. There's always something to do on it and sorting that stuff out is massively rewarding - but just looking at in and driving it is also great.

I share your pain on 'specialists' and that does also encourage me to do everything myself. There is one local that I will still use (but haven't for about 6 years!), and another local one that I wouldn't p155 on if he was on fire. I've used the AA for diagnostic purposes - which is handy. And I've got nothing but praise for Mike Bainbridge

Thanks again for your post. For me (and it appears, you) these cars are about 'the journey' in so many different ways

[911hillclimber]

So interesting to read.
Real world comment.
If I may, I will add I've found only one specialist I would trust, Mike Bainbridge.

I've relented and used a few others thinking they know better, but they failed, one telling me to fu..off literally.

[Joelipol]

@mitman great to meet you too. You also have a very cool car, let me know the next you take it to the Ace and I'll endeavour to do the same.
I've been through an almost identical refurb with builders so I can feel your pain. Again, more lessons learnt from that experience.

@sladey totally about the journey. I am close but want it perfect and the more I drive it the more I understand what that means to me. The response off the line, its turn in, the sounds of the chains, how quickly it warms up, noises in the cabin - all things I am enjoying working through and understanding how to rectify.

@911hillclimber yep Mike has been good, he seems so busy now a days! He rebuilt my gearbox (you can see what he did further up in this thread) and whilst it 'worked' it wasn't trouble free. The speedo drive was loose and leaked and eventually rattled itself to bits and worked it way loose. A drive shaft seal failed we think because there was a kink in the metal spring when it was installed. I have a very notchy first gear - I can't put it into first without first putting it in second. I developed a whine in 4th on my trip to Italy. It disappears under load and above 3500rpm. Mike has been good enough to book me in to see what its all about (albeit this year sometime). I am not upset, he was great to deal and I'm sure we'll get to the bottom of any issues.

My vote in recent car history goes to Chris Turner (has there ever been a DDK trader of the year?). He not only has been an enthusiastic participant in my restoration but he has been humble and generous enough to spend time with me explaining why things are the way they are.

To be fair all the trades people I've used, Nick @Redtek, Garry @ClassicFX, Rob + Conrod @OSC, Mike B., and suppliers, Martjin @parts-wise, Mike @Chromeclassic, Ron Vincent, Hollywood speedos, etc... have all been great to deal with - I think it's just a difficult thing to get perfect when you have perfecting standards.

[MT]

Joel, I think anyone looking for perfection from a 45 year old car (even a Porsche) is likely to disappointed. Bit like the search for the perfect woman - especially a 45 year old one!
Glad you're enjoying the journey though - it might be the best bit in the end.

Mick

[hot66]

Joel, Bit like the search for the perfect woman - especially a 45 year old one!

Mick

[MT]

Bit on the short side for me, but a good start I agree. Doesn't like cars or birding (or me as far as I know) so not perfect, making my point above ......

[Joelipol]

Yep I agree (about the car bit). Meeting the people, researching it, gaining knowledge on them, all great fun


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Joelipol]

Thought this would make some smile...

I had taken the frames out to get that perfect fit, refit the interior with plastic backing and apply Dum Dum as per the factory spec.
The car was on a lift. Absentmindedly I was dropping the lift with my door frame sitting under it... it got a bit squashed...

I thought I had gotten away with it but I just couldn't a get a good fit front to back.. clearly I had done something...

Here was my answer...




Well that just didn't work. Needless to say it just sprung back. I thought if I repeated it enough times it would work but I also thought I might just weaken the whole lot... so...

I'd heard of man at 911RRR called Crispen that with a well timed 'whack' with a big mallet he could perform magic.
True to his reputation and in about 5mins he had both sides fitting perfectly with very little effort. Amazing what you can do with skills and knowledge (or in my case the lack of them). Very happy now. Another job off the list

[Joelipol]

After much ado, I finally bit the bullet and replaced the rear quarter with a genuine Porsche panel. The fit is perfect, the rear light fits, the gaps haven't been built using filler and what can I say, I'm finally happy the rear both sides are the same to within 0.5cms.

Big shout out to Conrad, he has done most of the bodywork on this car but missed doing these panels due to him working abroad when I needed him - basically anything he didn't do I've had to get redone. He has since struck out on his own under the name: Classic Surrey Porsche and well his work is quite good



He picked up within a nano second that my hinges where bent and replacing those has meant a bonnet that fits - compared to before there is no comparison.

[Lightweight_911]

Great news - your car's looking lovely Joel ...

[Jonny Hart]

Car looks great!

Picking up in your comment about the timing. I have found the Pertronix pickup 'collar' to be very poorly made, resulting in the magnets not being equally spaced inside the plastic. This results in a discrepancy in the individual cylinder igntion timing.

The obvious symptoms of this are an uneven idle and in extreme cases you can see the tacho oscillate up and down. I used to recommend Powerspark as an alternative but it seems they have the same problem. We have at least one customer who has since gone back to points because of this.

I'm all for upgrading as you probably know but unfortunately there are a lot of poorly made parts about.

[bjmullan]

Car looking great and of course in a fab colour

[jjeffries]

Johny, I agree with your point about the quality of these kits. Do you think those that use an optical trigger ("Crane XP" or whatever) are any better? Best, John