My '72 911T

[Gary71]

A month passes with little progress... Another back failure took me out for over a week, and the new job isn’t getting any easier!

But I have moved it on a little, albeit in the same area, quite bored of this bit now

I ended up cutting out load of the old repair, I wasn’t happy with the shape of the bulge where I’d joined it previously, so that had to go.



That left an annoying gap between old floor and new floor. So today I replaced that along with a large section of the tunnel side and the bulkhead behind the smugglers box.



I think this side is nearly done except for the pedal brace, but that might wait until the floor is in.

Onwards!

[911hillclimber]

You are having to work hard for this!
A whole floor from rear bulkhead to front suspension mounts might have been 'smoother' progress?
All those patch panels would drive me mad, far more patience than me.

I was chatting to Matt the other day at Silverstone, he is having 'work-pains' too, and planning an assault on his 2.2T this winter now the TR is all done and looks great.

In my experience, back pains are related to work more than picking up gearboxes.
Keep at it!

[Gary71]

You might have been right about the whole floor, still have to cut in somewhere so wouldn’t have gone much further forward as the suspension mounts are all good.

It’s really hard to plan these things when you don’t really know what you are going to find.

Next time maybe

As for the back you are 100% right. Keeping moving (carefully) on the car is much better than sitting or standing still. I’ve got a stand up desk, but even then it can seize up as you aren’t moving much.

[911hillclimber]

Stresses and strains play an evil game.
Phrases like
A real pain in the neck
A pain in the arse
Doin' my head in
Don't know if I'm comin' or goin'

are all generated by situations and a build up of grief at work rather than at home.

I bought my 911 in '88 to have a real distraction away from a mad mad job in the car industry that lasted 6 years.
My doctor told me to leave the job asap, I decided in Tokyo airport after a typical sh!t day.

Having a 'good weld' on the 911 was really therapeutic at the time and I've never regretted it.

I left to work in the caravan industry in the Leisure sector, 1/2 the hours and 2 x the salary no less!
And took up hill climbing in the finished 911.

[Gary71]

Grabbed a few hours this afternoon to try and really get the floor accurately positioned and screwed in place:

Step one was to make sure the sides were bang on straight so it doesn’t mess up the sills, so out with some box:



Then establish a centre line with much measuring:



And screw the assembled floor in place to a reference bracket I’ve added across the tunnel to nail the centre line:



Profiled to the floor:


Then remade from scratch the pedal box reinforcement bracket I’d bought from Restoration Design as the studs didn’t line up, it was made of thin metal and was the wrong shape. Other than that it was fine...



Tomorrow I’m going to finish a small repair to the flange on the inner sill then finally move on the something else!

[Gary71]

No more metal work since the last post, but I’ve now booked a slot with Barry around Xmas +/- a bit depending on how his current projects go.

Short list of what he’s doing for me:

- Jig as required (!)
- Backdate new OE rear x-mbr
- Fit inner/outer sills, jacking points, floor, rear crossmember, rear quarters, doors, wings (already dry fitted and self tapped together to best fit)
- Full repair around LH torsion tube, heater tube, surrounding metal work.
- Set outer panels and gap, engine lid, bumpers etc
- Lead as required

Best I get on with my work then!

[Gary71]

Back home today after a short break on the coast and straight into the garage.

Lower A-Pillar/inner wing is now coming together. Had a issue with where I was planning to cut it in the repair as I noticed the metal was getting thin so extended the repair further around the inner wing first before cleaning up and priming the insides:



Then double check the fit, weld it in and mock up tomorrow’s job of the A post lower itself:



I need to sort the alignment of the bottom flange before I weld the full corner, but that will have to wait until the floor comes off next time for access.

[sladey]

Good stuff Gary

[Gary71]

Cheers Mark, I’ve welded the A-Pillar in now, but the cleaning back of the welds didn’t go so well

[PeterK]

Ouch !

[rhd racer]

I can vouch for the ouch, welcome to the club Gary! I hope it’s not too bad and your wife was more sympathetic than mine


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[Gary71]

I’ve been in the clumsy muppet club for some time... wife has zero sympathy anymore!

[Gary71]

A-Pillar now finished, time for a dry build!


Then time to take a brave pill before attacking this corner. I’ve already done it once, but don’t like what I did so it’s coming out!

[911hillclimber]

That would take my breath away a touch too.
I patched mine in several places which was a pain. Are both sides as bad as each other?

Are any wives sympathetic when the injury is self inflicted (ie you will do these stupid hobbies)

Good progress as ever Gary, the slot at Barry's is getting close. After Darren's car?

[Gary71]

There’s another 911 after Darren’s, but his car is so good it won’t take long!

Had some luck today with the RH screen corner in that everything under the rusty surface is solid! Still had wax over it. Result.



The repair panel is very close, little tweaks, but no more than that. I’ll weld that in tomorrow after a bit more delicate sanding for a perfect fit. Looking forward to that A surface welding...