Wot, not another '79 Targa resto thread

[rhd racer]

Yes, that’s a properly funny update Peter. Top hole, as no-one really used to say!

[PMNorris]

Good update, looks like you're having a lot of fun!

[jtparr]

All good stuff Peter....keep up the momentum....

[PeterK]

Well, it’s been a few days since I posted. I get between 2 and 4 hours most days to play in the garage, although as seems usual recently, I don’t have a lot to show for it. As you may have seen on a separate thread, I started to fit the oil tank to t/stat pipes, to fit the final pipe clamp behind the offside rear wheel and to tighten the pipes to the t/stat from the front. Well I did start, but then I had to stop.
One of the oil pipes from the front is not tightening on to the thermostat. I could fasten another pipe onto the t/stat stub in question and also tighten the pipe nut in question onto another t/stat stub. I concluded that both the t/stat stub & poor nut were half good and unfortunately 2 half goods make a fail. On a more positive note, I did realise that if you attach the oil pipe from the t/stat to the oil tank onto the t/stat, then you can thread the ring spanner along the pipe.


OK, so having almost given away my pair of stat savers when I sold some oil pipes c/w t/stat, I now found myself in need of some. Options included sourcing a replacement nut and/or a t/stat saver or maybe doing a JonnyH and going rear cooler setup. I may well do the latter at some point, but first, with thanks to Paul (Coomo), I have a spare nut en-route, so we’ll try that first (start cheap and work your way down from there).
Still waiting for parts from Porsche Guildford, my new engine compartment seals (found the shorter seal that I didn’t think I had, but new one on the way – also found a new seal from above the bumper and below the engine lid, so now have 2 used ones that are surplus to requirements), and my fuel pump banjo. Maybe it’s time to focus on the interior once more.



I had tried to remake the trim that covers the leading edge of the targa hoop and both lower B-post trims. I was not successful. Plan b involved fitting layers one at a time, rather than trying to duplicate a complete assembly and then fit.

For the B-posts, I glued the reused rubbery foam (a bit like reconstituted carpet), then wrapped them with scrim


Trimmed the scrim


then wrapped that with vinyl



For the leading edge of the targa bar, I added the hard rubber bits


then got distracted and added the seals over the silentblocs (these bits)


Time then to drape with scrim, trimmed and drape the vinyl (the paper reduced the areas that I managed to get spray glue)



I roughly trimmed, and my bulldog clips came in handy once more



Today I trimmed the rear, especially where the vinyl needs to clear the main targa padding section, and added glue


Then the main targa ‘headlining’ went back in


Followed by quarter panel trims, the top copings (my blog, I can make up words if I want), and seat belts


And finally, the rear seats



The interior needs a really good clean now, and the pictures show more dimples and unevenness than it looks in real life. Will Garry at VisualGX be beating a way to my door with offers of work – not in a million years, but is it all my own work, yes it is.

VHT paint finally arrived, but not quite got around to repainting the heat exchangers, so that may happen soon, but likely I’ll add the rear seal above the targa bar, fit the seats properly and attack the front screen trim next so that the dash can be fixed properly. But that’s for another day.

[The Garage Bitch]

Bloody hell mate

Can't believe the difference since I last saw the car

In the words of Andy Gray about Steven Gerrard.......

"Take a bow son"

[rhd racer]

Good work Peter - I share your pain! That glue goes everywhere, and then sticks to your fingers so you then get it over the next bit and repeat....

[PeterK]

Thinners would damage the colouring on carpets, vinyls & leather but is white spirit safe? What else could I use ?

[rhd racer]

Yes, I used white spirit Peter last week on my rear shelf with no ill effects. But try on a sample first before taking my word for it in case your fabric reacts differently!!!

[Phill]

White spirit will be fine on the vinyl. You may want to try a discreet spot on the carpet first though. The spray should rub off the vinyl with your fingers really. Of course putting a sheet down first would help

[PeterK]

I put a sheet down



Unfortunately I missed the sheet

[rhd racer]

I had a nozzle block and it fired adhesive out at a 90 degree angle at a vital time, all over my dash panels which were ‘safely’ stored out of harms way

[PeterK]

Started with a couple of quick distractions. First the little rubber pads on top of the screen

These are NLA, but I found my originals nicely labelled in bag, without even knowing that I had them (I was looking for something else a while back when I stumbled on them). Result.

Then the coat hooks. The hooks themselves are original, but the black plastic covers were missing, so new ones added.



Then the challenge of fitting the front and rear targa roof seals. I put contact adhesive in the channels, on the weatherseals and my goodness, what a challenge to get them in. The front seal needs to be fitted in one top corner, then stretched and the second corner fitted. Then you secure the sides and work your way across the top. Unfortunately, having a seal with glue on it swinging around is not fun, but it went in eventually.

The rear weatherseal is not so awkward, but doesn’t really want to go into the channel, so it was encouraged with a flat blade. I then added the targa top. It is in very poor condition, but it will do for now and hopefully press the seals down overnight.



Still got to fit the door weatherseals, but that’s pretty simple, except needing to trim about 100-150mm of each length.



I then removed the temporarily fitted driver’s seat. I had removed the Boxster runners and then modified and fitted my SC ones. I now had to do the same to the passenger seat and both sets of runners needed a freshen up.

Easily distracted, I started by cutting off the Porsche electrical connectors


The seats are manual, but do have an electrical seat back (need to run a power lead now). The Porsche connector was quite big and I do not have the mating pieces, so I simply cut them off and added a pair of 2-pole connectors instead. Forgot to take a photo of those, but I guess you can imagine what an electrical connector looks like for now.


When I originally prepared the SC runners for the Boxster seats, I carefully measured and drilled my new holes. Then I realised that I had drilled them on the wrong side. Now I needed, well wanted really, to weld them up, even though it won’t impact their strength that much having extra holes.
I marked the holes that I needed with a paint pen and removed the runners.



The driver’s seat is height-adjustable, whereas the passenger seat isn’t. This meant that getting to the bolts that secure the runners to the seat brackets was a bit of a nightmare. Had to take a fair bit more apart on this seat compared with the driver’s, but I won in the end, by taking the brackets off the seat and then the runners off the brackets.



A bit of weldy weldy blocked off the holes (although I will confess that I managed to weld up one of my new holes by mistake), grindy grindy and splashy splashy. They’re now tarted up and drying.


I will need to dribble some paint down the middle of the runners, as they don’t slide completely apart. Then I can reassemble and fit, although I think the dash refitting might be easier if the seats wait until I’ve finished it.

[PeterK]

So seat brackets all painted up. Fitted first pair to passenger’s seat, then realised that I had the seats upside down and had fitted the wrong pair so that the seat fore/aft lever was on the outside of the seat, not the inside. Swapped over. Bit of a faff getting the runners attached, as the passenger seat is not height adjustable and I couldn’t get the bolts in place due to lack of room. Had to remove all of the bracketry securing the runners to fit them, but that was just as well, as I found some very worn bushings on the seat. All done, along with the driver’s seat. Runners greased and ready to refit.



I then cleaned, painted and fitted my pre-74 heat exchangers (but forgot to take a photo). Not easy to get to the barrel nuts is it. Full kudos to anyone who has done this lying on their backs.


Bits started arriving then. Firstly the oil pipe nut from Paul. I cut the offending oil pipe about the middle of the car. I used my MAPP torch to destroy the paint, cleaned with rough paper and then with acetone. 22mm copper solder-on couplings ordered. I fitted up the new nut and it initially nipped nicely, but when I gave it a bit more for luck, it slipped, so the threads on the t/stat are not up to the job.


Paul had kindly sent me a thread fixer, but I think that I’ll need a pair. Looking at the one Paul sent me, they should not be too difficult to make on the lathe, so a quick ponder and pipe ordered to make some weld on versions and some round bar to make some thread (and glue) on versions as well. I already have an M30x1.5 die, so a tap has been ordered to keep it company. Wish me luck.


My OPC order arrived (almost 2 weeks late from Germany). In the package were my nrew bushes for the bell cranks. First off the one on the engine, which I then fitted.


Followed by the one on the gearbox.


You may notice two other things in the photo. In good news, I also fitted a new earth strap. In less good news, I still need to clean the gearbox – it is filthy. It was also still full of oil - I thought that I had emptied it. It is less full now and I have two patches of kitty litter on the floor.


I needed to get a wriggle on with the interior, so in went the dash top, closely followed by fixing the ultrasonic sensors for the alarm and the microphone for the radio / phone.



Yes, it does need a clean in there.



I then cracked on with some wiring chores. I sorted the froot alarm sensor (switch), ran a feed for the seat backrests and fitted the on/off switch for the ECOcooler (Jonny’s electric aircon)


I had to twist the oil gauge to get the dash past the phone holder – it is sorted now. Honest guv’. Gauges look pants too in this photo. Don’t think that the camera is lying either, so might need to find out how to get the bezels off them.


And finally for this little update, the interior was cleaned, the front seats fitted and backrests wired in and Phil’s cup holders fitted. The driver’s seat runners had end stops that needed to be removed from the front of the inside runner. The cup holder does limit how far forward the seat can travel, but I have the seat set right back, so no issue.

[PeterK]

In too much of a rush (food was on the table) - forgot to add photo of seats with cup holder

[Phill]

In too much of a rush (food was on the table) - forgot to add photo of seats with cup holder

Nice