1972 ST Clone

[BILLY BEAN]

Has Phil sold his early car ?

No James he still has his RHD 911E.

[BILLY BEAN]

ANOTHER UPDATE.
Been busy with DIY on my house so not had much time for Porsche related activities. However, I have taken a few steps forward and almost inevitably a couple back. One day the car will be "done". Hopefully before I am "done". Tempus fugit and all that.
A 100 litre fuel sender arrived from Specialty Cars in the USA. This was to replace a totally useless repro item from Marek which never functioned. The Specialty Cars item is supposed to be built as per the originals. It certainly looks the part with its correctly numbered top but I did replace this with an age dated one. The new fuel sender registered almost full as the tank currently has 95 litres in it. Hopefully the sender will fulfill its promise. We shall see.
The engine and gearbox came out again and the gear box stripped. This was to replace the 5th gear set from a rebuilt box. The new gear set cost £900 and added to the new fuel sender at £400 including shipping and the engine in / out at Autofarm my second kidney was on the line. The 5th gear removed from the box was not a matched set and showed signs of wear. To refresh: this 'gearset' was supplied and fitted as a " good second hand part" when the box was rebuilt. Obviously complete bollocks as it howled like the Hounds of the Baskervilles and had to be changed. The new Porsche gear set is nice and quiet. Thank goodness.
I have made a cover for the gear linkeage adjustment hatch and fitted it. This should cut out some of the gearbox/ engine/ road noise. Yet to be tested for effectiveness.
Although I have the very lightweight carpet supplied by Stretch I did opt for some edging to the carpet. I await the proper ST police's arrival at my door step any day soon. The last bit of carpet over the rear centre tunnel is having some holes punched in it to go around the seat harness eye bolts.....and a bit more edging.
I have taken the door cards off as they do not look very good. I used a very light composite material for the "card' and glued the vinyl to it. Obviously the combination of vinyl and composite is not a happy one as the glue has given way in places and the vinyl is " bubbling".
The drop glass, on the passenger side, has decided dropping is not on the agenda. At the moment I can not see the reason for this.
The door top anodized trims have been removed as they don't fit very well. Partly this is related to the aluminium door skins which are not totally accurately formed along their top edge. Note to self: never used aluminium door skins again as they have been a pain from day one. The trims will be refitted after a bit of fettling. ST Fettling? Probably a law against it.
Still no bias brake control and the jury is still out on the brake pad material. Decent stopping has improved and I am hoping the pads will eventually "bed in" and actually do a proper job.
My Heath Robinson choke on the MFI has had further ministrations of the swearing kind and a bit more modification to ensure it completely shut when actuated from the driver's seat. The return spring Richard commented on has been removed and one of the ball joints in the linkeage modified a little. All now seems rosy as the choke appears to work fine. For now.
The short shift gear shift, which required Arnold Schwartzeneger muscles to effect shifting, has benefitted from extensive lubrication. Better but no cigar.
By way of a diversion and to reflect a little the car's history as a club racer in South Africa, a few stickers now adorn the car. The roundals on the doors were fitted by a professional: Tom the sticker man but the smaller one's I managed to apply myself. Getting the balance right between "faux wannabe boy racer" and "a tasteful nod to the car's past" is a little tricky. Certainly the Porsche sticker on the rear got the thumbs down from Stretch. Not sure about it myself.
I will get my assistant Richard to post a couple of pretty poor pictures showing the result of the "surface enhancement". Better pictures will follow once I can get the car outside in a more photogenic environment.

[one-two]

Very interesting and commendably honest as always Kirk. I await further updates on your 100 litre sender experience - can it really cost £400 to get one that works? Best wishes, Robert

[BILLY BEAN]

Very interesting and commendably honest as always Kirk. I await further updates on your 100 litre sender experience - can it really cost £400 to get one that works? Best wishes, Robert

Robert,
Having spent €100 on one that did not function I looked at alternatives. Specialty Cars will convert a standard sender to 100 litre but when factoring in shipping cost back and forth to the USA the advantage is marginal. The new sender cost £360
plus tracked shipping. Not cheap of course but I am getting a little frustrated that the car is not finished so decided to bite the bullet. There may be alternatives around and I suspect the 100 L sender is made in Germany and not the USA.
I hope you and yours are safe and well.
Regards,
Kirk

[Darren65]

Probably the same sender that Marek sold you!

[BILLY BEAN]

Probably the same sender that Marek sold you!

I think not Darren. First off it actually functions. Second it had a small removable pin to prevent the float moving in transit and thirdly the top is correctly marked with part number, date and the VDO logo. Fourth, the hole spacing for the fixings were more accurately positioned than the one Marek produced. Finally and definitively, internally the float arrangement is different.

[inaglasshouse]

I will get my assistant Richard to post a couple of pretty poor pictures showing the result of the "surface enhancement".

Kirk, sorry for the delay, I have been slacking.
Here are a few pics, now with stickers. Looks good to me!

[Ralph]

Looking really good.

Just the right amount of stickers too.

[BILLY BEAN]

Looking really good.

Just the right amount of stickers too.

Thank you Ralph. Respect your judgement based on your tasteful 911.
Regards,
Kirk

[Bootsy]

Looks glorious

[BILLY BEAN]

Thank you Thomas. That is very kind of you.
Regards,
Kirk

[mrg3.6]

One 'very cool' car

Martin

[stretch]

Looking great Kirk.

[BILLY BEAN]

One 'very cool' car

Martin

Thanks very much Martin.

[BILLY BEAN]

Looking great Kirk.

Thank you Dave but it does not match up to the quality you have achieved with your ST.