My '72 911T

[911hillclimber]

Had a good day on my 911, and feel I've actually moved forward, doing those tubes must feel the same for you!
Good progress.

[Gary71]

It’s nice to put some metal back in!

The tubes only took 1/2 hour and once welded in (tomorrow) it’s going to be really nice not to look at that mess anymore.

[sladey]

The tubes look great

[Gary71]

Do like a good tube

Now cleaned up and welded in

This panel is like a ship in a bottle:


It’s (about) the right size, I can see where it needs to go.
Can I get in there for a trial fit?
Nope.

I was trying to leave the top of the bulkhead in place as reference until I’ve a new piece made, but it look like that’s going to have to come out to get the parcel shelf in.

All good fun!

[Gary71]

So top of the bulkhead is out with a little strip left for reference.

Panel now goes in. Pretty good!

Shape is close, but the curvature at the lower edge is too tight as can be witnessed by the old spot weld positions not lining up.

I’ll bend it a little, but don’t want to go to far as it then won’t line up at the back.

I’ve left the end of the old hinge brackets in place (a Barry tip) so I can see where the new ones are supposed to go.

[Gary71]

A few seconds with Stephen’s stretcher on the flange and a quick bend over a block of wood and I have the right section.

For a repair panel this is good though, it matches to the rear window flange perfectly. Just a shame they couldn’t have made the panel a little bigger at the back corners. I’ll make this little triangle and add it on.

[Gary71]

Last update today as doing panel alignment when tired is never going to go well!

Self tapped in position with the new little upstand section at the back lightly fettled into place. Nothing more than a tweek to match the screen flange.



Hinge mountings and hinges on to check alignment with the lid. It fits as bad as it did before so that’s a start I guess!

Fore/aft & side/side is good but it’s low to the screen rail. The lid has always had 8mm of washers between the hinge and lid. It still needs them now so I’ll look at bending the hinge to eliminate them.

[jtparr]

Way to go Gary

[911hillclimber]

Good going Gary, these things take ages!
Big panel to go in, must feel good.

[markm]

You have a hidden talent gary, looking good

[defianty]

Looking good Gary. Nice bit of progress there.

[911hillclimber]

For info, my rear lid needs 3 mm of washers to align to the rear window panel, and it is a compromise fit down each side to the rear wings.
Always been like that since my rebuild way back.

[Gary71]

I’ve now got the lid to only 2mm low with a bend of the hinge. It worked, but I can’t see what’s wrong in the first place! I’ll finesse it once welded up, at least the lid opens and closes now without spacers.

The rear window corners are worrying me. Huge chance of screwing the shape of the car, but they (particularly the RH one) need more than just a flange.

Needs some more thought as this might be a job for the pro rather than me!

[911hillclimber]

Imho there is almost never a flat external panel on a modern car unless it's a 2CV.
All the external 911 panels have been tooled to be stretched to a curve for strength.
Follow your eye and you won't be far wrong.

Ps, you were right about the hole in my sill looking dangerous..

[Gary71]

Agree, everything is curved.
The ‘flat’ note on the metal is because this bit is flat compared to the curve of the rest of it. Should be curved no doubt, don’t know why it’s flat