1972 ST Clone

[BILLY BEAN]

Great colour choice.

Enjoying the read. Keep it coming.

Regards
Mike

Thank you Mike.

[keith fellowes]

Great read Kirk
You are giving me inspiration and glad my car is where it is now

[Bootsy]

Wonderful thread

[Gary71]

It is, I particularly like the undertone of frustration and anger.
Car should be/is awesome though

[BILLY BEAN]

Thank you Bootsy, Keith and Gary very much indeed for the words of encouragement.
Regards
Kirk

[yoda]

Great story and nice to hear a warts and all account! Tell it like it is and the rest of us will learn, in my case never to undertake a project!

[BILLY BEAN]

Great story and nice to hear a warts and all account! Tell it like it is and the rest of us will learn, in my case never to undertake a project!

Thanks for the comment. I will come back to that theme later.

[inaglasshouse]

Great story and nice to hear a warts and all account! Tell it like it is and the rest of us will learn, in my case never to undertake a project!

Wise man, Feroz.
There is the argument that, having built it yourself, you appreciate it more. In my case I expected to enjoy the journey. But nowadays having actually done it, I'm pretty sure I prefer the old Porsche I didn't build... That one (light blue car, you know the one) was created to a different standard in different times for a different purpose, and objectively is much less nice than the orange car (my build). But it carries far less baggage of wallet pain and frustration....

[one-two]

objectively is much less nice than the orange car

I see you glasshouse

[yoda]

I guess you pays your money (and time) and takes your choice! Or are you suggesting I buy an orange car?

I really admire the research and effort that goes into a project like this, I just think it would drive me up the wall. Well done to those of you who persevere, I doff my cap to you all.

[inaglasshouse]

objectively is much less nice than the orange car

I see you glasshouse

Ha ha! Sorry Robert, not meant to be an insult.

Bad choice of words - I don't mean less nice. Nice in a different way. Much less expensive, though, certainly. Different project - race cars shouldn't have 400-hour paint jobs? Good decisions were made, I'm sure.
Anyway you know I love that car. I think Feroz likes it too... it's great fun, and will probably stay if / when the orange one is finally finished.

The Alfa has gone, BTW, so perhaps I am learning some sense in my twilight years. No way that one was ever going to be restored by me...

Hope all is well with you.

Kirk - sorry - thread hijack. Will shut up now and let you tell your own tales of resto woe.

[23e Heure]

objectively is much less nice than the orange car

I see you glasshouse

No need to look so annoyed about it, Robert

[inaglasshouse]

No need to look so annoyed about it, Robert

Could be Race Face? So far ahead that the competition are out of camera shot.
Anyway, looks like fun!

Quite a pretty car, that

[inaglasshouse]

Or are you suggesting I buy an orange car?

Open to extravagant offers if you need one, Feroz!

[BILLY BEAN]

Thank you to Richard, Feroz and Robert for their interlude. The first two unburdening themselves and Robert worried about his reputation and trying to intimidate Richard. Richard is now receiving counselling and Robert is now of interest to the police.
I had been thinking about what to do with the engine. The guy who rebuilt the 915 gearbox was given the engine to finish stripping down, report on its condition and then to agree a way forward. After months nothing had been done so I recovered the engine in boxes. Another false start: you bet. Am I "accident prone? Maybe.Too trusting? Definately. Another "specialist" who could not deliver.
The case halves were cleaned and given to Rodwell Engineering for machining work. Stewart who runs the company was a great guy, who it turned out, not only promises but delivers. He will tell you when he can start the work and when it will be finished. So a bright spot on the horizon or a false dawn for more frustration ahead on the engine?

The engine specification was got to very slowly. I spoke to lots of people " in the know" about Porsche aircooled engines and from the five I consulted got 9 different answers. Confused? Of course I was. I set about reading as much as I could about the engines. Eventually I decided on my own specification which is as follows:
2.7 litres
Flowed and balanced heads.
Mahle Cylinders & CP high comp pistons.
Carrillo rods. GE 40 cams.
GT headers no heat.
Twin Plug including period looking distributor.
High Butterfly Injection
MFI pump modified with RS space cam.
Small fan.
GRP Engine "tin".
Lightweight fly wheel & sach sports clutch.
Case: later oil pump, oil by pass, shuffle pinned. No boat tailing.
Standard crank ie no knife edging.
And a very big bill at the end.

Some may find the selection of the camshaft specification a little "mild". That was intentional to aid drivebility on the road.
So 2.7 litre is not strictly period "correct" but that is where the cases were so I just went with that. In any event the shell had some later than 1972, in period modifications: strengthening to various key suspension points and in particular the rear strut tower tops as the car once had coil overs. So I satisfied my self that the car could be considered as a later "modified" ST. Modified to keep it competition competitive. Pure fiction of course. Or just b*ll*cks.