73T Resto - Back to Tangerine

Ongoing and archived Porsche (and other marques) restoration threads from DDK members

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911GP
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Re: 73T Resto - Back to Tangerine

Post by 911GP »

Hi Mike,

Your car looks to be in much better condition than mine was. Good luck. If your engine bay decals are original and in good condition, you may wish to carefully remove them and refit them after painting.

Kind regards
Gitesh
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Re: 73T Resto - Back to Tangerine

Post by 911hillclimber »

Nice shell to sort out, several small patches and you are ready to panel up.
My German car came to the uk in the early 80s and was similar then so you are doing well imho. :)

I think that rear inside wing is factory though my Xmas 72 built T has a solid panel and is original.

Low volume factories did make n mend to avoid waste.
73T 911 Coupe, road/hillclimber 3.2L
Lola t 492 / 3.2 hillclimb racer
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Re: 73T Resto - Back to Tangerine

Post by DarthMJH »

911GP wrote: Sun Jan 04, 2026 12:26 pm Hi Mike,

Your car looks to be in much better condition than mine was. Good luck. If your engine bay decals are original and in good condition, you may wish to carefully remove them and refit them after painting.

Kind regards
Gitesh
Hi Gitesh,

How can I tell if they are original. They are a bit tatty, but do these look original?

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Cheers
Mike
1973 RHD 911T
1995 993 C4 (Sold - ULEZ :cry:)
911GP
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Re: 73T Resto - Back to Tangerine

Post by 911GP »

Hi,
Originals were printed on foil and I would say your ones are original but I cannot be sure from that pic. They often had some variance in colour between them so don’t be concerned by this. Mine were in worse condition so couldn’t really use them (see the first page of my restoration thread).

I am not an expert and others here will know better but from what I have seen, repros have a different finish (some are brushed), some have different thickness (too thick or too thin), some are not printed on foil, can be a different colour, may have a different font and or font weight, or may have differences in the details printed. One caveat: it was quite common for Porsche to use different suppliers for parts so there may have been different types. I am not saying the repros are wrong but just different to what I had. After all, why would somebody go to all the effort of making something different to the originals they are working off?

If you choose to keep yours, be careful removing them since they are thin aluminium foil. Try to keep them as flat as you can when removing. Use a solvent to assist. Alternatively, if you are keeping the same panel, maybe you could keep them as is and cover them up before painting?

Gitesh
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Re: 73T Resto - Back to Tangerine

Post by DarthMJH »

As the car was stripped Paul continued to strip the wings, doors, engine lid and bumpers

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These were then sand blasted. The wings must have been replaced in the 80's when it was first restored as the condition is excellent, just a few minor dents.
Mike
1973 RHD 911T
1995 993 C4 (Sold - ULEZ :cry:)
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Re: 73T Resto - Back to Tangerine

Post by DarthMJH »

I didn't take any pictures after sandblasting apart from the doors, as I wanted to get peoples opinions on what year they are from.

I believe this near side door might be original as it had some orange paint in there.

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I am not sure what the hole on the top left does, (this is the top of the door). When I stripped it, it was covered by black gaffer tape, so don't know why it is there.

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This is the offside door and it has a slightly different pattern inside. I believe this is from a later car. Is that correct?

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Mike
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Re: 73T Resto - Back to Tangerine

Post by DarthMJH »

The shell has now been blasted and we can really see what we are up against

Offside footwell from both sides

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Nearside front quarter

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Offside front quarter

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Rear seat (other side fine)

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The back of the front arches

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Footwell area needs a bit of panel beating

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Floor pans are good apart from the edges

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A coat of primer to stop the body shell from rusting.

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Now the fun starts, the welding.
Mike
1973 RHD 911T
1995 993 C4 (Sold - ULEZ :cry:)
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Re: 73T Resto - Back to Tangerine

Post by 911hillclimber »

Still looks good to me.
Lots of easy to repair areas, rear torsion bar tube areas are fabulous!

Hope you can keep the pictures coming.
73T 911 Coupe, road/hillclimber 3.2L
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Re: 73T Resto - Back to Tangerine

Post by Darren65 »

DarthMJH wrote: Wed Dec 31, 2025 5:27 pm Paul seems to think this might be factory, as the primer was the same and it is spot welded exceptionally well. He says maybe the factory used a rear quarter from a 72 and then welded the panel for the oil tank.

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I think Paul could well be right Mike, lots of strange things happened at the factory. Looks to be much that's original on your car and think the inner sills might be too!

All the best and good luck with the rest of your build :)
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Re: 73T Resto - Back to Tangerine

Post by misteralz »

The hole on the door is where the electric mirror adjuster is on my 964.
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Re: 73T Resto - Back to Tangerine

Post by DarthMJH »

misteralz wrote: Sun Jan 25, 2026 7:42 am The hole on the door is where the electric mirror adjuster is on my 964.
Thank you
Mike
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Re: 73T Resto - Back to Tangerine

Post by DarthMJH »

Paul has been busy over the past month.

Floor work

Offside

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Nearside

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Last edited by DarthMJH on Sat Feb 28, 2026 1:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Mike
1973 RHD 911T
1995 993 C4 (Sold - ULEZ :cry:)
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Re: 73T Resto - Back to Tangerine

Post by DarthMJH »

Rear apron

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73 lump added

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Rear parcel shelf

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Last edited by DarthMJH on Sat Feb 28, 2026 1:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Mike
1973 RHD 911T
1995 993 C4 (Sold - ULEZ :cry:)
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Re: 73T Resto - Back to Tangerine

Post by DarthMJH »

Stud replacement

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Mike
1973 RHD 911T
1995 993 C4 (Sold - ULEZ :cry:)
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Re: 73T Resto - Back to Tangerine

Post by DarthMJH »

Front and rear inner 1/4 panel work

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Mike
1973 RHD 911T
1995 993 C4 (Sold - ULEZ :cry:)
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