Re: 1971T Coupe LHD Sporto - Burgundy - US Import
Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2016 12:16 pm
Usage
This year I have put 6,000 miles on it. I have driven it to the Amalfi Coast in Italy (50hrs driving!) and use it most weekends. I drive it rain, hail or shine.
Service issues
I've had a couple (ahem) of service related issues:
- the voltage regulator went on my trip to Italy (probably before) and I cooked both batteries. We had been smelling rotten egg smell for most of the way (I blamed French/Italian fuel) and it wasn't until we boarded the Channel crossing train on the way back that the batteries died and everything suddenly became clear. Literally cooked the them dry. This meant a new regulator and two new batteries - check. Then I wasn't getting enough charge, a rebuilt alternator was in order. Which was annoying as I had previously had it rebuilt, I assumed I had cooked that as well but on the news that the bushes were worn it seems the previous rebuild wasn't as good as one could hope... so I paid again. A theme you'll see throughout my experience here..
- After 5,000 miles I noticed the timing change subtly so have just fitted Pertronix electronic points. Something I didn't want to do as I quite enjoy tinkering with mechanical stuff but I also want the car to run perfectly all the time. Happy to make this mod.
- The Speedo drive gear broke. First I thought it was speedo cable so replaced that (yes I could've checked it first but I remember the one that I had was moth eaten so it was on my list anyway) and then the elbow that fits onto the gearbox. Nothing is cheap at £120.
- Electrics where a bit dodgy but now mostly sorted now... Tacho wasn't working due to a failed ballast resistor - bypassed and sorted. Handbrake light wasn't working because... well it had never been attached... now sorted. Radio was flaky due to a crappy aerial being fitted - now replaced. The interior blower fan had completely failed and sent smoke through the cabin - that was interesting! Now replaced... Still have a rear left light that has a mind of its own - so re-wired that, work still to do on it.
- I had a mild oil leak for much of the life of the engine and I think I have tracked them all down (as of yesterdat). Speedo gear elbow on the gearbox is mounted into a housing that was loose (replaced), Oil pressure sender unit was old and dodgy (replaced), also replaced the thermostat oil ring and oil breather gasket for good measure. That's been pretty much it for oil leaks - pretty happy it hasn't been worse and they all look to have gone.
- Timing has been a bit of issue. I've replaced the distributor because it wasn't advancing properly. Then finally we got to it point where we were happy. Then the points starting closing up, advancing the timing and creating a bit of dead spot down low. Replacing the points fixed it but that combined with a shot of low octane fuel means I've been pinging a bit and I can't physically retard the timing any more. So.. I will re-check the placement of the dizzy and try again... very close though.
- gearbox has a whine in 4th at under 2000 and up to 3000. Over that and under load nothing. It is also very notchy. Hoping it frees up a bit as it has all been rebuilt but we'll see. Currently booked in next year to see what's going on with it.
- Carbs were a bit of pain initially. Had to take them off and clean them again. Found one butterfly was set at the wrong angle and not sealing. Fixed that. I still can't adjust one air/fuel mixture screw but it seems to be set ok so moving on to other things...
- Stuffing around with the sporto switch one day and I managed to get the air value to fail. Now I get a clunk whenever I select a gear and can't adjust it out. Other than that the sporto is truly a revelation. Don't knock it until you've left foot braked into a corner, blipped the throttle on (manual) down change with your right and then applied acceleration whilst slowly coming off the brake - not a manual, but also not exactly a lack of feeling or control. Try it!
Now you put all those things together and you wonder the car start at all (check the photo album for a video of that!).
Now done, am I happy?
Will I ever be happy with it? Is ever done? Probably not. It is an absolute pleasure in almost every way - even the annoying things - I need something to obsess about on the weekend and this is great.
Things that get to me most are where I have paid for work that hasn't been done properly and where I have to go back and fix them myself, where I have purchased things that have subsequently gone missing so I have buy them again and where bits just aren't right due to quality or fit issues...
Firstly an admission, being a bit of a perfectionist and also a bit useless practically I like to pay people who know what they are doing to do the job properly. Particularly on things that are valuable and that would be ruined by my lack of skill - i.e. most of this car. To combine my perfectionism with my lack of skill I also like a deal. So what that means is I don't mind trying a bit harder and going to a bit more effort to get a better deal. Whether that means researching things or travelling or finding people that are quality but that don't charge the earth. That has worked sometimes and other times not...
Examples of mistakes
- I purchased new repro door handles and had them fitted along with the rest of the interior. Of course, neither side worked with or without a key, the doors didn't open and shut properly and consistently. Fine, it was all a rush, I'll take them apart and do them myself. What do I find? Most of the hardware on the door is loose explaining why nothing was working (also fine), the door handle threads have been stripped and I have to buy them again. Annoying. I got around it with some extra washers but not cool. I've originals now to fit (today's job)... Should I blame the fitter? Sure, but those repro threads are horrible - I should've just bought originals from the start. Lesson learnt (for the second time).
- Front bonnet fit is poor and needs redoing. Despite the hassle with the rear wing (refer previous threads) it still isn't right, what can I do except to get it redone - back to a body shop that knows the marque.
- Pedal boards I was advised to buy are the wrong ones for the car, I found out subsequently. Another £120 wasted. Or more likely, buy the proper one, sell the one I fitted, chalk up the difference as experience. I've done that alot...
- Rear window is wrong for the car - I have a rear demister control yet my window doesn't have elements. I've now got the correct rear window but of course no wiring was put in for them - another job.
- I paid for brake lines to be put in but ended replacing half of them because someone had rounded the banjo nuts. Big deal? No. But incredibly annoying - another job done twice and paid for twice.
- Had the wheel alignment done and asked for the height to raised to standard. Only to be told when I came to pickup the car that it looked better low and it handles better low and that standard heights are just too high. OK mate no worries, I'll do it myself then (if you'd asked me I would've agreed that standard was too high and agreed a higher than it was setting but not too high). It is now raised (and its perfect to my eye) but what do I find when I take the rear spring plates off? The bushes which I thought were all new (as I was told) haven't been replaced - correction - one had been replaced. So I go buy another set, replace those, raise car - job done - properly.
- Whilst I was doing the rear suspension I had to partially remove the side trim... what do I find? Holes drilled twice in 30% of the fixings. I expected more. Do I see it? No. Do I think about it now? Yes. All the time.
- Overflow spray on the body work and wheels. Somehow one of the workshops managed to get overspray on my freshly powdercoated wheels. They seem to have been more careful with the bodywork (excepting the bonnet which now needs to be resprayed) but then on close inspection in other areas (and has taken many months to find them) I see the odd section of bodywork that has been brillo paded to remove marks. WTF? No biggy I can get it taken out but seriously annoying. Will I say anything? No - I just can't be bothered with the hassle - but never again.
- Porsche lettering that is fitted, after I had looked at it 1000 times is crooked (can you see it - the level between the S & C?) and hasn't been riveted top and bottom so they are loose. I understand you can move these letters about on the original but as these are freshly drilled holes no such luck. Will just have to try and widen the holes and rivet them again myself properly. Big deal? Nope. Just annoying and it can't be that bad because it has taken a while to notice it but I now I see it - I see nothing else.
Lessons
This is all partly my fault of course. I started out with a wreck that was in bits and pushed the car to be completed piecemeal by different suppliers - shifting from one place to another whilst I didn't have a great deal of time to spend with the car myself (or store it). When I've got it back and seen the details - no - lived with the details - I've been annoyed that I wasn't more involved. I've learn't my lesson.
I've learnt who to use and who to steer clear of. It's been painful and it has cost more than I could have imagined (and is still costing me).
I want to do another one properly but I think knowing what I know now - I need more time, more space and I am going to do the details myself - then I have no one else to blame! But mainly it is to buy a complete car (regardless of the condition) and take it apart myself. That way I know where everything goes and how it goes back together. Something I missed out on with mine.
Overall
Every time I see the car I get emotional - it's beautiful, understated, approachable, unique. I look forward to many years of driving it.
Next
Now to refit the handles, reroute the fuel vapour system, email someone about a quote for the bodywork and.....
This year I have put 6,000 miles on it. I have driven it to the Amalfi Coast in Italy (50hrs driving!) and use it most weekends. I drive it rain, hail or shine.
Service issues
I've had a couple (ahem) of service related issues:
- the voltage regulator went on my trip to Italy (probably before) and I cooked both batteries. We had been smelling rotten egg smell for most of the way (I blamed French/Italian fuel) and it wasn't until we boarded the Channel crossing train on the way back that the batteries died and everything suddenly became clear. Literally cooked the them dry. This meant a new regulator and two new batteries - check. Then I wasn't getting enough charge, a rebuilt alternator was in order. Which was annoying as I had previously had it rebuilt, I assumed I had cooked that as well but on the news that the bushes were worn it seems the previous rebuild wasn't as good as one could hope... so I paid again. A theme you'll see throughout my experience here..
- After 5,000 miles I noticed the timing change subtly so have just fitted Pertronix electronic points. Something I didn't want to do as I quite enjoy tinkering with mechanical stuff but I also want the car to run perfectly all the time. Happy to make this mod.
- The Speedo drive gear broke. First I thought it was speedo cable so replaced that (yes I could've checked it first but I remember the one that I had was moth eaten so it was on my list anyway) and then the elbow that fits onto the gearbox. Nothing is cheap at £120.
- Electrics where a bit dodgy but now mostly sorted now... Tacho wasn't working due to a failed ballast resistor - bypassed and sorted. Handbrake light wasn't working because... well it had never been attached... now sorted. Radio was flaky due to a crappy aerial being fitted - now replaced. The interior blower fan had completely failed and sent smoke through the cabin - that was interesting! Now replaced... Still have a rear left light that has a mind of its own - so re-wired that, work still to do on it.
- I had a mild oil leak for much of the life of the engine and I think I have tracked them all down (as of yesterdat). Speedo gear elbow on the gearbox is mounted into a housing that was loose (replaced), Oil pressure sender unit was old and dodgy (replaced), also replaced the thermostat oil ring and oil breather gasket for good measure. That's been pretty much it for oil leaks - pretty happy it hasn't been worse and they all look to have gone.
- Timing has been a bit of issue. I've replaced the distributor because it wasn't advancing properly. Then finally we got to it point where we were happy. Then the points starting closing up, advancing the timing and creating a bit of dead spot down low. Replacing the points fixed it but that combined with a shot of low octane fuel means I've been pinging a bit and I can't physically retard the timing any more. So.. I will re-check the placement of the dizzy and try again... very close though.
- gearbox has a whine in 4th at under 2000 and up to 3000. Over that and under load nothing. It is also very notchy. Hoping it frees up a bit as it has all been rebuilt but we'll see. Currently booked in next year to see what's going on with it.
- Carbs were a bit of pain initially. Had to take them off and clean them again. Found one butterfly was set at the wrong angle and not sealing. Fixed that. I still can't adjust one air/fuel mixture screw but it seems to be set ok so moving on to other things...
- Stuffing around with the sporto switch one day and I managed to get the air value to fail. Now I get a clunk whenever I select a gear and can't adjust it out. Other than that the sporto is truly a revelation. Don't knock it until you've left foot braked into a corner, blipped the throttle on (manual) down change with your right and then applied acceleration whilst slowly coming off the brake - not a manual, but also not exactly a lack of feeling or control. Try it!
Now you put all those things together and you wonder the car start at all (check the photo album for a video of that!).
Now done, am I happy?
Will I ever be happy with it? Is ever done? Probably not. It is an absolute pleasure in almost every way - even the annoying things - I need something to obsess about on the weekend and this is great.
Things that get to me most are where I have paid for work that hasn't been done properly and where I have to go back and fix them myself, where I have purchased things that have subsequently gone missing so I have buy them again and where bits just aren't right due to quality or fit issues...
Firstly an admission, being a bit of a perfectionist and also a bit useless practically I like to pay people who know what they are doing to do the job properly. Particularly on things that are valuable and that would be ruined by my lack of skill - i.e. most of this car. To combine my perfectionism with my lack of skill I also like a deal. So what that means is I don't mind trying a bit harder and going to a bit more effort to get a better deal. Whether that means researching things or travelling or finding people that are quality but that don't charge the earth. That has worked sometimes and other times not...
Examples of mistakes
- I purchased new repro door handles and had them fitted along with the rest of the interior. Of course, neither side worked with or without a key, the doors didn't open and shut properly and consistently. Fine, it was all a rush, I'll take them apart and do them myself. What do I find? Most of the hardware on the door is loose explaining why nothing was working (also fine), the door handle threads have been stripped and I have to buy them again. Annoying. I got around it with some extra washers but not cool. I've originals now to fit (today's job)... Should I blame the fitter? Sure, but those repro threads are horrible - I should've just bought originals from the start. Lesson learnt (for the second time).
- Front bonnet fit is poor and needs redoing. Despite the hassle with the rear wing (refer previous threads) it still isn't right, what can I do except to get it redone - back to a body shop that knows the marque.
- Pedal boards I was advised to buy are the wrong ones for the car, I found out subsequently. Another £120 wasted. Or more likely, buy the proper one, sell the one I fitted, chalk up the difference as experience. I've done that alot...
- Rear window is wrong for the car - I have a rear demister control yet my window doesn't have elements. I've now got the correct rear window but of course no wiring was put in for them - another job.
- I paid for brake lines to be put in but ended replacing half of them because someone had rounded the banjo nuts. Big deal? No. But incredibly annoying - another job done twice and paid for twice.
- Had the wheel alignment done and asked for the height to raised to standard. Only to be told when I came to pickup the car that it looked better low and it handles better low and that standard heights are just too high. OK mate no worries, I'll do it myself then (if you'd asked me I would've agreed that standard was too high and agreed a higher than it was setting but not too high). It is now raised (and its perfect to my eye) but what do I find when I take the rear spring plates off? The bushes which I thought were all new (as I was told) haven't been replaced - correction - one had been replaced. So I go buy another set, replace those, raise car - job done - properly.
- Whilst I was doing the rear suspension I had to partially remove the side trim... what do I find? Holes drilled twice in 30% of the fixings. I expected more. Do I see it? No. Do I think about it now? Yes. All the time.
- Overflow spray on the body work and wheels. Somehow one of the workshops managed to get overspray on my freshly powdercoated wheels. They seem to have been more careful with the bodywork (excepting the bonnet which now needs to be resprayed) but then on close inspection in other areas (and has taken many months to find them) I see the odd section of bodywork that has been brillo paded to remove marks. WTF? No biggy I can get it taken out but seriously annoying. Will I say anything? No - I just can't be bothered with the hassle - but never again.
- Porsche lettering that is fitted, after I had looked at it 1000 times is crooked (can you see it - the level between the S & C?) and hasn't been riveted top and bottom so they are loose. I understand you can move these letters about on the original but as these are freshly drilled holes no such luck. Will just have to try and widen the holes and rivet them again myself properly. Big deal? Nope. Just annoying and it can't be that bad because it has taken a while to notice it but I now I see it - I see nothing else.
Lessons
This is all partly my fault of course. I started out with a wreck that was in bits and pushed the car to be completed piecemeal by different suppliers - shifting from one place to another whilst I didn't have a great deal of time to spend with the car myself (or store it). When I've got it back and seen the details - no - lived with the details - I've been annoyed that I wasn't more involved. I've learn't my lesson.
I've learnt who to use and who to steer clear of. It's been painful and it has cost more than I could have imagined (and is still costing me).
I want to do another one properly but I think knowing what I know now - I need more time, more space and I am going to do the details myself - then I have no one else to blame! But mainly it is to buy a complete car (regardless of the condition) and take it apart myself. That way I know where everything goes and how it goes back together. Something I missed out on with mine.
Overall
Every time I see the car I get emotional - it's beautiful, understated, approachable, unique. I look forward to many years of driving it.
Next
Now to refit the handles, reroute the fuel vapour system, email someone about a quote for the bodywork and.....
