DDK - Die Deutschen Klassiker

Having fitted the seats, I have now obtained a set of original carpets (in very reasonable condition), so I need to remove the aftermarket ones. That means removing a lot of the interior again. Hey ho, 1 step forward then 1 back again, but the original carpets are softer than the aftermarket ones. They're from a 3.2, but I believe that they're basically the same, other than mine's a targa, so the foot area is slightly different.

While waiting for ‘bits’ to arrive, I cracked on with my Classic Retrofit electric aircon, specifically assembling the heart of the system, the compressor. It is shipped as a compressor, along with the (RHD, LHD or 964/933) mounting bracket pieces and the ‘smarts’, the ECU. Happy to share more details if anyone is thinking about installing a system, but it is quite easy. Even messing about videoing the process, it only took 30 minutes.



And then bolted in place
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2kuFFge]




My aluminium tube and round bar arrived, so time for a play. Now, where did I leave that lathe…..

First, cut a chunk off the bar


Drill down the middle (notice the expensive depth gauge)


Didn’t have a holder big enough for my new tap, so had to bodge a bit.


The centering tool held the tap in the right place, and as it worked its way into the hole, I kept tightening the tailstock. I did turn the chuck by hand, ‘onest guv’nor.


I cleaned the remaining threads on the thermostat



Turning the piece around, I then faced the other end and turned the diameter down.



Surprise, surprise, I don’t have a die holder big enough (65mm diameter), so another bodge needed. I will make a die holder in due course, but for now …… a short length of large diameter aluminium bar applied pressure and held the die square to the workpiece.




Et voila, a screw (and glue) on thermostat fixer / saver. I need to find a way to fabricate a tool-piece to make the 60’conical face for the pipe end, but as a test piece, it didn’t turn out too bad.




And joining the pipe to the thermostat



The male thread length can clearly be reduced on the next version. My plan is to epoxy glue a fixer/saver piece onto both of the engine side stubs of the thermostat.


Aluminium candyfloss anyone ..

Nice, a lathe is so very good to have in the garage.
Yours is very posh.

Not posh and not very new Graham (I had to partially strip and clean before I could use the tailstock today), but when you need one, it is very useful. Just wish that I had held out for the CL500M (same lathe but) with milling attachment.

Having made my test piece, I have now made a couple more of the glue and screw on t/stat savers. Just waiting for a length of 90mm round aluminium bar to arrive so that I can make a holder for my M30 die and cut the male threads. I ground a tool to cut the conical 60’ in the mouth of the male end – not brilliant but does the job OK.



With my ‘79SC being pre-82, having fitted an alternator with an internal regulator, it is probable that my charging light would not fully extinguish. Porsche’s Tech bulletin for moving to internal regulators indicates a resistor across the charging bulb (2W in pre-’82 and 4W, but not interchangeable holders 82-). So I fitted one. I actually stuck a piggyback terminal on each end of the resistor, added that to the charging light and re-attached the cabling. Simple to undo if needed.



I then spent a slightly wet afternoon cleaning the gearbox and inlet ‘stuff’. They’ve only had an initial degreasing, but I did notice that one of the rubber sleeves that join the inlet tracts to the main body had a slit. The slit was small and not puncturing the sleeve, but to be safe, a replacement set is on order.

I then fitted my pop-off valve. I’ll wait for the new sleeves to arrive before I strip the inlet manifold bits (more of a chance that I’ll remember how they go back then). When it’s all apart, I can have another go at cleaning the general oily cr4p from underneath them. My car leaked like the Torrey canyon before I took it apart – due at least in part to a failed (and mostly missing) gasket on the breather cover.


Had a bit of pontification, and then decided to tidy up the garage a bit. Amazing how much space you can reclaim when you put things away tidily. Took ages to clean up all the aluminium swarf from playing with the lathe.


Quite a lot of words there, but a distinct absence of photos, so let’s address that.

Having created some more (cleaner) space, I attacked the rear bumper. First came attaching the rear winglets.




Then I attached the valance to the bumper, followed by the over-riders. The rear valance may need to come off and be modified - my exhaust is a 2-in, 2-out, so I assume I'll need clearance on t'other side as well.


You may have noticed my purple wire - that’s there to act as a pull-through for the number plate lights later.

Next on the list was supposed to be my rear reflector. I fixed the clips into the rear panel

But realised that one of the post panels on the rear of the reflector was cracked at one end. In the absence of anything else, I reattached with JB Weld and left it clamped overnight to dry.

So, attach bumper and add black corrugated gaiter thingies, plus decorative strips.


And then today, add reflector




In preparation for the rear lights, the wiring connectors need to be fitted, as they will be a nightmare to fit later. It was a mare trying to fit the female plug / connectors in the rear corner of the inner wings, even with the small extra access through the light holes. On the driver’s side, I had an aftermarket connector that I had rewired for the rear lights (aftermarket lights as well, as my originals were in a squillion pieces, not all with the car). Unfortunately, I struggled to fit it. I moved to the NS, where I still had the original Porsche connector. This was a challenge, but ultimately, I won. Moving back to the OS, I struggled a while longer, then gave up. I managed to buy a used but genuine Porsche connector from on here a while back, so fitted that. Just need to splice the wires to my new loom now.

So, my finishing photo for today is the NS rear light cluster fitted – the rear of the car looks almost proper now. Not fitted my whale yet, as there’s not that much room to walk around the car, and I want to have another go at colour sanding the lid.

Starting to look VERY real Peter, all that prep is coming together.

Nothing better than a Garage Clean when you are in the mood. I always find things I thought I had run out of and had bought more, consumable things, but you are ahead of me in organisational skills!
Looking forward to some 'wide-angle' shots of the car as a whole.

Great stage to be at and looking grand!

Something not right about that rear left bellows. Should be straight along the botttom and not so kinked at the top.

Have you got the metal wire in the middle?

Al.

Flat 6 wrote:Great stage to be at and looking grand!

Something not right about that rear left bellows. Should be straight along the botttom and not so kinked at the top.

Have you got the metal wire in the middle?

Al.

No, what am I missing Al ?

Number 43 on the diagram below. It's a steel wire that fits vertically into the bellows and stops the centre gradually 'shrinking'. They don't often get fitted.

Thanks, missed that. I assume that it is placed in the middle of the bellows

Looking very good Mr. Pete.
I have a couple of observations.............

[quote="PeterK"]
With my ‘79SC being pre-82 really?

I then fitted my pop-off valve. have you told Jonny this, he will have something to say.......

please would clean away what appears to be rust here!


I managed to buy a used but genuine Porsche connector from on here a while back ahem

Phill wrote:Looking very good Mr. Pete.
I have a couple of observations.............

PeterK wrote: With my ‘79SC being pre-82 really?

I then fitted my pop-off valve. have you told Jonny this, he will have something to say.......

please would clean away what appears to be rust here!


I managed to buy a used but genuine Porsche connector from on here a while back ahem

OK, in order ....
I was trying too make the point that 82> cars had the 4W lamp
I did check all of my airbox screws first
If Sir looks more closely, it is Corrolan - cavity was stuff that I have liberally sprayed around the nasty places
OK, I remember now - I got it from Phil - what a hero

911hillclimber wrote:Nothing better than a Garage Clean when you are in the mood. I always find things I thought I had run out of and had bought more, consumable things, but you are ahead of me in organisational skills!
Looking forward to some 'wide-angle' shots of the car as a whole.

I’ve got quite a few ‘left-overs’ to sell at some point. I bought a new lid seal, then realised that my original was good and I also acquired another good one with some body panels! Similarly, I bought new runner seals for the front & rear of the door windows. Unfortunately, the door window only has a front runner seal, so I’ve 2 of those sitting in the loft

…. and completing this part – rear (including number plate) lights fitted and working.




Back onto the thermostat and oil lines. The plan was to turn a holder for my M30 die, that would fit into my tailstock die holder assembly. I bought a chunk of 90mm diameter aluminium bar and then discovered that my chuck (that only has one set of jaws) is too small to hold a 90mm diameter round bar. Plan B was to use the tailstock die holder just to hold my M30 die flat against the workpiece, as per making my test piece previously.

Male threads cut, and test fitted to the thermostat, where they seemed to tighten sufficiently. Anyway, as per plan, I actually glued (JB Weld) and screwed them on



Having left them overnight to go off / harden, time to fit. Initial problems were that the nut on the oil pipe from the front that I hadn’t replaced had galling in the threads, making it very stiff to screw on. About 30 minutes with a small screwdriver and a bradawl saw the threads suitably cleaned up and thermostat fitted.


Time to repair the pipe that I had cut, and a 22mm copper coupling was used. I cleaned the pipe ends and coupler with abrasive, then acetone, then heated and smeared with flux then wiped again. I know that solder creeps up the joint by capillary action, but none the less, it took a few heating attempts until I was satisfied that I had solder everywhere, even though it looks quite messy.



Next came the brackets holding the pipes up. I had made new supports under the sill, and used M6 captive nuts. However, the stud for the one in the rear wheel arch has sheared off, so I fitted a rivnut, and following a dosing of seam sealer, all is well now.



Unfortunately, the only way to test this is to fit the engine, get it up to temperature (probably needing to drive it) and hope that there are no leaks (or at least any leaks are minor and the car doesn’t drop its oil on the highway). Not overly comfortable with the fit and ‘hope’ approach to critical components.

Hope it works out Peter. Ingenious solutions and love the approach taken. Keep it up, getting close now..