993 restoration

[210bhp]

But the above demonstrates one of the many things which is still great about Porsche. Love it.

I saw a great sign in a workshop in Aberdeen today. On it was,

"of course it looks like I am doing nothing, I did it right the first time".


Great thread Paul. As always your detailed photos and excellent explanations will provide a reference thread for any future 993 restoration. Looking forward to the rest.

Regards
Mike

[Bootsy]

As always your detailed photos and excellent explanations will provide a reference thread for any future 993 restoration. Looking forward to the rest.

Agree, finding it invaluable already

[DustyM]

Thomas, You'll be able to send all your parts over to Paul for cleaning, he obviously enjoys it!

[Bootsy]

What a wonderful idea Jon and I know where he lives - I can just leave them in his garage and pick them up clean - like the elves and the shoemaker

[Ferry Man]

Thomas, You'll be able to send all your parts over to Paul for cleaning, he obviously enjoys it!

I can just leave them in his garage and pick them up clean.

This is great, I've found something I enjoy and - best of all - I can help others, less fortunate. I finally have direction in my empty life.
It's my birthday soon, I'm going to ask Lyn if I can have a parts washer for my present.

[964RS]

I think the tread needs pics of the products and tools used to clean the various items.....as you know doubt have got to the point of knowing which ones work best for you

[Ferry Man]

I think the thread needs pics of tools used to clean the various items....

I was at the workshop of Early911 when the Snap-On tool van came by. A BIG van.
Now, despite my old age, I will admit that I've never been inside a Snap-On van. But, nervously I entered...
I'm sure I heard heavenly choirs of angels and there was a fragrance in the air, it smelt of desire.
I can't recall much, as my head was spinning, but it was like a Tardis in there, the space opened up and was filled with wonderful tools on every wall, all the benches and shelves. There was even a ceiling covered in hand tools. I staggered out, unfulfilled, remembering the commandment 'thou shalt not covet'....

[Ferry Man]

OK, going back a few pages I said I wanted a black interior.
My car was fitted with a Marble Grey interior (very light grey, like a Carrera Marble).
But the good thing was that the dash top was black. As was the knee pads. And the door capping and top half of the rear shelf. So, there was a few bits I wouldn't need to find.

[Ferry Man]

The front seats, rear seats, rear seat backs, centre console, b pillars, carpets, door cards, door pockets, etc, etc, were all grey though.

[Ferry Man]

I'd also need a black handbrake and a black gear lever knob & gaiter.

[Ferry Man]

Great thread Paul. As always your detailed photos and excellent explanations will provide a reference thread for any future 993 restoration. Looking forward to the rest.

Thank you Mike, I appreciate the compliments. I had intended to do a rather more abbreviated restoration thread but maybe I'll add a few extra pics as we go. I thought a 993 might be seen too be a bit too 'modern' for around here...

[Ferry Man]

When it comes to seats for a 993 the hot ticket is ‘hardbacks’.
They were an expensive option on the cars when new and now desired by everyone. They even came as standard on the RS - called ‘Comfort’ seats (the ultimate option on the RS being the Recaro racing buckets).
The hardbacks were also manufactured by Recaro and have a design utilising a plastic shell for the rear. They are comfy although certainly not as supportive as the racing buckets. But - with the backs painted body colour - they look fantastic…
And that was the look I desired, an all black interior just enlivened with two splashes of colour for the seat backs.
So, what seats did I have? And could I find some hardbacks?

[Ferry Man]

These are the seats I had in the car as found. They were - rather oddly - one of the few options selected when new. They are sports seats and are very similar to an earlier 964 design (no surprise there). However, the stitching pattern is different to the 964 seats, you’ll notice the curved design on the bases and backs. These seats are fabulous seats and very comfortable. Also really supportive because of the deep bolsters on each side.
But, the remarkable thing about these seats is their rarity. They were superseded by the ‘hardbacks’ in early ’95 and that style ran through the rest of 993 production. So these ‘soft backs’ (as they have become known) are pretty much a one year only design. If you have a ’94 car then you want these seats. Yet, probably only 1 in 10 cars were originally specified in that configuration.

[Ferry Man]

[Ferry Man]

Saying all that, I decided rather contrarily that I wanted the ‘hardbacks’ because they looked better. So, I will sit on these (metaphorically) and consider them my pension. Currently I’d see these at about £2k+ a pair. The hardbacks are trading at more than that. But one day someone will want my 'soft backs' and I’ll be able to take the wife on holiday….