New body panels currently from Porsche

IanM · Post by **IanM** » Thu Oct 07, 2021 9:29 pm

What are the new body panels currently from Porsche like these days? (Rear quarters, wings, doors, bumpers, etc.)

What worries is that some guys on the ESR/Pelican boards have said the new ones from Porsche are made by JP/Dansk. But what I don't understand is that the company JP/Dansk are located in Denmark, whereas the Porsche panels are made in Germany.

Here is a Porsche article about the body panels:
https://www.porsche.com/uk/accessoriesa ... ghtweight/

I will need to buy some in the not too distant future.. so trying to get myself sorted.

Thanks.

Gary71 · Post by **Gary71** » Thu Oct 07, 2021 9:43 pm

I’ve recently been through this debate and ended up with Porsche 1/4 panels (both sides), engine lid, rear slam, outer sills and kidney bowls, one front wing, and bonnet…

They all fit near as perfect as you’d hope. The profile of the rear quarter to sill required a bit of work as did the fit of the light housing in the front wing, nothing fundamental though.

With a discount the cost of the OE was comparable so I went for it. The sills I bought Restoration Design first and then the Porsche ones on Barry’s advice and the pressing was far crisper and the overall shape better.

This was the 1/4 to sill issue. Barry unpicked the spotwelds on the quarter and moved it to fit

911hillclimber · Post by **911hillclimber** » Fri Oct 08, 2021 9:22 am

Maybe irrelevant, sorry if so.

I did my shell in 1988. Bought real Porsche rear 1/4's which simply dropped in place.
Bought Dansk inner sills and bowls, they were much the same.
Bought Dansk door skins which were awful to try to get right, took ages, still a compromise, still noticeable.
Bought Dansk outer sills which at first I doubted were for a Porsche, shockingly poor.

Made my own floor repair pans as nothing else available at the time.

To 2018, bought Dansk front wings which were quite good, better than I expected, headlamp location on the bowls really poor, but got around them after 1/2 day.

IMHO the Dansk parts are now probably off new tools so better, but I would follow Gary's real world advice (with Barry C's backing).

Good luck with your re-build, please start a project restoration thread.

IanM · Post by **IanM** » Sat Oct 09, 2021 10:35 am

Gary71 wrote:I’ve recently been through this debate and ended up with Porsche 1/4 panels (both sides), engine lid, rear slam, outer sills and kidney bowls, one front wing, and bonnet…

They all fit near as perfect as you’d hope. The profile of the rear quarter to sill required a bit of work as did the fit of the light housing in the front wing, nothing fundamental though.

With a discount the cost of the OE was comparable so I went for it. The sills I bought Restoration Design first and then the Porsche ones on Barry’s advice and the pressing was far crisper and the overall shape better.

This was the 1/4 to sill issue. Barry unpicked the spotwelds on the quarter and moved it to fit

Morning Gary. Thanks for the reply.
The body gaps look very good. Did the OE rear 1/4 panels have any Porsche stickers when you purchased them if you can remember? Is your left side rear quarter type '69-73 or '74 ?

Which light housing in the wing? Indicators or headlight? What was wrong with it?

IanM · Post by **IanM** » Sat Oct 09, 2021 10:50 am

Morning Hillclimber.

Not irrelevant at all!

I did my shell in 1988. Bought real Porsche rear 1/4's which simply dropped in place.

Even in the rear 1/4 to sill joint?

To 2018, bought Dansk front wings which were quite good, better than I expected, headlamp location on the bowls really poor, but got around them after 1/2 day.

As recent as 2018? Terrible.

IMHO the Dansk parts are now probably off new tools so better, but I would follow Gary's real world advice (with Barry C's backing).

Let's hope so.

Good luck with your re-build, please start a project restoration thread.

Thanks pal.

Barry · Post by **Barry** » Sat Oct 09, 2021 1:26 pm

They're all pretty good.

Given they are going onto cars with a range of histories and issues even a 'perfect' panel might not fit anyway. More to the point, your car might not fit the panel

I can't think of any Porsche panel I wouldn't use. There was an issue with headlight bowls being set right back in the front wings which was a right regal PITA to rectify on Jamie's 912 post paint, although we did manage it. I'd missed it as fitted so many before (and after) that had been fine, I simply wasn't looking there.

I would say, whilst the quality of the panels is, I think, very good, there is still a certain level of skill required to manipulate and cajole the panels into place. The rear quarter to sill area has been a right old mess on all of them I've fitted (20-25 sets? Something like that).

Even if Dansk have made them, I wouldn't worry, the only change to quality I've noticed is improvements in general.

911hillclimber · Post by **911hillclimber** » Sat Oct 09, 2021 1:31 pm

Ian..
Yes the fit to the Dansk out sills were superb, skim of lead over the welds did it, still solid and flat after 32 years.
Gary's body thread is a real lesson on dealing with panels and fit in current conditions esp being done by a very keen and talented DIY guy- in- a- garage.

Before I did my 911 I had only done 2 MGB's and 2 hot rods, so class myself as a keen diy guy, but missing the patience and persuit of perfection Gary has!

Imho, it is so much easier if you car is a hot rod, some are more forgiving.

Gary71 · Post by **Gary71** » Sat Oct 09, 2021 2:21 pm

Morning Gary. Thanks for the reply.

IanM wrote: The body gaps look very good.

Thanks to Barry for those

IanM wrote:Did the OE rear 1/4 panels have any Porsche stickers when you purchased them if you can remember?

Yes, and they arrived in a massive Porsche genuine parts box, and they have the little stamp in the rear light area.

IanM wrote:Is your left side rear quarter type '69-73 or '74 ?

‘69-73.

IanM wrote:Which light housing in the wing? Indicators or headlight?

Front indicator.

IanM wrote:What was wrong with it?

The tabs needed adjustment, but my light housings are also 50 years old so who knows which bit was wrong!

coomo · Post by **coomo** » Sat Oct 09, 2021 4:44 pm

i had issues with last lot genuine front wing/horn grilles.Both needed a load of manipulation, and leadwork to make the (genuine very old) horn grilles fit.However, wonky horn grilles appear to be an acceptable nuance of the 911.Plenty are out of line with bonnet edge.Its a bugbear of mine,which Im not fond off.There was a guy on Pelican.Who accurately measured his genuine front wings,which were out 1/4inch edge to tip.
Plus wing door gaps needed edges rebuilt.Usual Danks sillls etc, always require a fair amount of hammer work.Having said that.Buy a ferrari 550,and try an fit a front fibreglass bumper (4kish at time) Its hilarious! (wasnt at time though!)

Gary71 · Post by **Gary71** » Sat Oct 09, 2021 5:26 pm

This is where I ended up (same both sides) bonnet profile to grilles is close enough for me.

Just need to get it back there after paint…

IanM · Post by **IanM** » Sat Oct 09, 2021 7:48 pm

Thanks. Keep 'em coming.

I have a question - Can Targa rear 1/4 panels be used on a coupe? You know, many restorers leave the existing roof gutters alone..

coomo · Post by **coomo** » Sat Oct 09, 2021 7:49 pm

Looks Good Gary.Some seem to fit fine.Some dont.Even the apparent unrestored cars that frequent BAT,arent always free from wobbly grill syndrome!

911hillclimber · Post by **911hillclimber** » Sun Oct 10, 2021 7:41 am

I do think the cars today are made to fit far better than they did in the factory.
The time lavished on today's restorations just would not be affordable then.

coomo · Post by **coomo** » Sun Oct 10, 2021 1:00 pm

911hillclimber wrote:I do think the cars today are made to fit far better than they did in the factory.
The time lavished on today's restorations just would not be affordable then.

This.There was a guy on Pelican,who had a manual or some Porsche factory offering, listing the acceptable range of body panel gaps.Most varied.Scuttle to bonnet edge,wasnt the same as bonnet to wing etc.Most had an acceptable "range" of 2mm IIRC.

RobFrost · Post by **RobFrost** » Tue Oct 12, 2021 3:47 pm

Barry wrote:The rear quarter to sill area has been a right old mess on all of them I've fitted (20-25 sets? Something like that).

FWIW on my "remarkably original" 1970T I've sanded back the paint on the left sill and on a prima facie basis there's about a one inch gap between the quarter panel and sill, filled with some metal apparently different to steel (hypothesis: lead). Maybe they were always gappy from the factory.

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