1976 Carrera 3 Rebuild, again!

[9torsion]

Chris within spitting distance!

[chris hak]

Can't wait to see the finished article!

[9torsion]

Had a brief visit to Canford Classics on Friday to look at the progress and deliver the remaining parts of my mouse eaten interior (I didn't need any excuse to visit my car). Was really hoping to run the car after such a long hibernation, we did get her turned over, making very healthy oil pressure and then a spluttering to life for a number of seconds. The old fuel has caused some poor running at the injectors and my damaged fan blade stopped any real running time.

I will just have to be patient and await for the fan to be repaired, chromat plaited and the centre refurbished, this will then allow Canfird to fully tune the engine. I suppose the good news is the engine runs and has not suffered being sat idle for a number of years. Keeping it in a dry warm garage with a covering of WD40 over the entire engine helped. I even pumped oil into the combustion chambers to shop any internal damage all those years ago.

The rear of the car is know built up and we have the remaining tasks of engine tune, detail, interior retrim and several hundred small jobs to complete. Regarding the interior I know have the task of finding a NLA two fleece twil fabric for the sport seats. Alan has kindly ordered the pig skin vinyl for the interior even in the knowledge that I have run out of money again!

Sport seat look like this, any help on the fabric would be appreciated.

Close up detail

Rear detail view

I'm hoping to get the car running properly before it goes away again but it know looking like next year before it see's the road unless some money falls into my lap.

Thanks

Ant

[Guy]

Do you have the original spec for the interior as the seats look like they have been retrimmed in later 'light beige berber' fabric.

[9torsion]

Guy thanks for the note.

Talking to Alan and then a brief conversation with Southbound we came to the opinion that the interior was possibly original. Specified with the option of a single fabric seat pad and bolsters (I could easily be proved wrong).

The part number and description is: Twill, colour 096, part no 999.551.035.40/500.

I will have a look at the later 'light beige berber' fabric thank you any one have a good close up image?

Thanks

Anthony

[9torsion]

Having looked at 100's of photo's I don't think Berber is correct weave, the repeat is not consistent with my seats. The pattern/weave on my seats looks to be on a 45 degree angle (diamond patern). I'm thinking the fabric could be Shetland weave, this was used on the early 2.7 Carrera cars. This makes me question the twill fabric.

[Oli]

Let me know what you come up with. My '76 came with Tweed/Twill seats, but no one does them. Everyone wants samples to reproduce the original look. Now I have the black leather interior, which is probably why the original owners realized how delicate tweed/twill can be.

You can see my posting from a couple of years ago.

Looking for pics of an original tweed & twill interior

[Oli]

bump

[9torsion]

Sorry all for the lack of movement and updates on this project, the cars been sat in storage due to the birth of my first Child diverting all funds! I have a bit of a quandary what to do in the near future with no realistic way to fund its completion, but why worry it's taken this long what another year.

 

Regards

 

Anthony

[9torsion]

Well we have news, an early start and three trains to pick up the 76 Carrera 3.0. This was my first proper drive in it for the first time in over ten years. Picking it up from Canford Classics in possibly the worst weather with over 140 miles of A roads to get home. This was going to be an interesting drive. I was so nervous so much had happened in my life over those ten years, wore my Dads watch as I nice little reminder. The first 50 miles was very stop and go, rain, new breaks and tyres this made for interesting dynamics. The interior was just a wondrous place to be really bright and comfortable and the newly covered Steering wheel felt lovely. 

For the first 80 miles I drove like miss Daisy. Everything needed bedding in, breaks, tyres, gear linkage etc. After 80 mile of torrential rail it was starting to bed in nicely and had a small window of clear sky’s for about ten miles travelling through Petworth. The road opened and tree’s had kept the road dry. This was a nice opportunity to sensibly stretch the revs.  

Ten miles from home on the Shoreham roundabout disaster, I lost all power just as the rain started to hit the car sideways. After an emergency stop to get out of the Friday night traffic (some drivers very kindly winding window’s down and swearing at me. This gave some #*\!’s real joy to see a ‘hipster prat’ in the classic red Porsche broken down in the rain by a very dangerous road)  “I love van drivers”.

Quick call to Canford and as I was walking around checking the engine bay and luggage compartment I popped the fuse cover and joy, found the problem a loose fuel pump fuse. Quick reinstall and tighten and we were off again. So needn’t of bothered Canford in my panicked tones. Quick blast down the A27 home to Lewes, knackered, tiered but really pleased to have the car back home.

The cars not completely finished but I had to get it home and drive it. It’s in a running state with just small details that I can complete over time. So the list to complete when funds recover: some Electrics, Carrera side Vinyl, wireless speak install in glove box, full detail, Fuchs detail, tool roll, sunroof air deflectors and small little details to totally complete. 

And finally a few photos:

Enjoy

Anthony

[Vincent]

Congratulations, with  not the ideal drive home. Must of felt amazing after all this time, now with two newish arrivals at home. The melting or loose fuse is a common problem,  a great feeling when a repair like that gets you home, without hanging about for a tow truck !

We have now two weeks of sunshine with no rain, enjoy your car, it looks great with that interior too

[9torsion]

Thanks Vincent

I will be driving this car this summer and even if it’s raining. I will alway wash and dry before it goes away. 

 

A

[SP72]

Car is looking great

Those first drives are always an event after so long between them.

Feedback on Canford?

[sopor]

Congratulations! I re-read the thread from start to finish this morning; I admire your perseverance and dedication that’s got you back behind the wheel of a fab looking car that will give you many smile-filled miles.

i’ve been to a couple of Canford’s open days and they seem to make a very good impression - they have well equipped premises and appear to know their onions.

[9torsion]

I suppose I need to give you all my initial driving impressions: 

Suspension wise the taller tyre wall really made a massive difference, I would not go back to 50’s. She know running 195/65 R15 front and 225/60 R15 rear with a more modern Falken  tread which was a massive benefit in the wet weather. Regards ride height initially had this set to low with some tyre rub. Lifted at the rear and front to be nice compromise from a general driving view. This meant I had no bump steer, or hitting the bump stops on large compression’s.

I was really surprised haw comfortable it was considering I’m running Bilstein Sport Shocks, full Polyurethane Suspension bushes, Turbo Tie Rods. Most of the shock was really absorbed by the newly recovered  seats. 

The steering was amazing what a difference the correct size steering wheel 195 tyres and a new steering rack make. Possibly the easiest part of the driving. 

The 915 gearbox really solid push needed, I think the rebuilt shifter, linkage & bushes need bedding in as this took sometime to get use to. The shifter action was lovely though absolutely no slack or movement but you have to take it slow, shifting with consideration. This mounted to new engine and gearbox mounts really added to the direct nature of the shift. I went a little away from original by getting a short shifter and a RS gear know which I prefer to the injection moulded C3 gear knob. It has more weight and feels somewhat more solid to touch. 

The brake’s, I really need to get these bed in, running some trick RSR type lightweight disc, bigger master cylinder, Stainless lines, std rebuild pads, callipers etc. With no servo in the early C3 these need a big push. I’m built like a pro cyclist so need build up that right leg.  You just need to plan ahead in the wet. 

Engine wise she just ran along at 2-3000 rpm with no heroics from me due the weather. So more driving required. 

Regards

 

Anthony

[9torsion]

Canford have been very patient with me, what started naively as a projected 18 month build turned into a stop start, no money,  start again no money stop etc, over 5 plus years with long periods in storage whilst I found and borrowed the money. 

I learnt so much and If I was to do again, I would be a lot wiser to the potential costs. Canford Classics have grown and changed so much in that time and the market demographic has altered. 

They know haw to rebuild old 911’s. 

[9torsion]

Pre Rain pickup shots, if only I picked another day. Need to apply the Carrera side graphics, feels naked without. Yep wrong tail but been on the car over 20 years so happy to keep until I ever find a replacement.

 

 

[GrahamTompkins]

Great looking stance on that last pic 👍🏻

[9torsion]

Graham a little low but looked good, had to raise a little to stop tyres rubbing on the LHS rear wing. 

[9torsion]

Second Drive impressions

Saturday was a lovely sunny day in Sussex the wind had dried the roads and as my little one slept, I had an hour spare. So it was time to drive on clear dry roads. 

Initial start up was good with the cold start kicking in and the rasp of the SSI manifolds waking most of Lewes ‘Sorry’. The engine warming relatively quickly and temps hitting 180. It was time to stretch the revs a little as I left Lewes on the Plumpton Road.

She seemed to run beautifully at 2500-3000 Rpm with a few satisfying pops from overruns. The steering is sublime with a very direct front end with no kick back from the steering wheel. I’m quite surprised that the chassis feels relatively neutral most of the time. To be honest I’m being sensible until everything is run in.

The gearbox is getting a little looser but still required a little shove, but the shifting is so nice and direct. The only bit that needs a little more miles are the breaks, they are lacking the initial bite to easily scrub of speed. To be honest they feel a little disconcerting at the moment but I think I need to give them time. New Discs, Pads, Master Cylinder, lines, hoses and calipers all require miles to settle. I’ve seen a little improvement but they just need a little more initial bite. 

Lovely little sprint around Lewes trying not to be a knob in a red Porsche. Alway concerns me the perception given so try to be considerate when driving. Well unless you being a £&?!  

Thanks

A 

[9torsion]

Looking at my old posts, I didn’t mention haw I found the correct interior fabric for the front seat inlays. On the 21st of February I went down to Canford to talk about the interior. I was determined to try and find the correct fabric for the front seats. I had already sourced a roll of the original Porsche pig skin vinyl but the ‘blasted’ front seat fabric did not exist anywhere. 

I had spent years looking for a fabric match with no luck. Then success, I had a closers look at the seats and started to unpick the centre inlay (out of curiosity) a small amount of fabric could be seen underneath. With a little more picking I had found what looked like the original fabric, which rather helpfully had been covered by what I thought was the original. 

With further web searches and some samples from Belgium I had a match. I’m so pleased with the plaid inlay as i’ve always loved the 70’s look of the car, and the interior had to reflect that era. So many 911’s have rather somber interior’s which absorb all the light, this interior feels very much like it had been designed/specified by a female Designer within the 70’s. 

[9torsion]

A beautiful bank holiday weekend and between childcare duties I managed a couple of quick runs out in the car. I find that my driving confidence is coming back with this car as I push the 911 handling envelope gently. 

Thankfully the brakes are improving greatly with each run, with some of the initial bite returning thankfully. I’m really happy with the ride height as it strikes a sensible compromise, still allowing the tyres to fill the arches nicely. 

Still need to find the time to give the car a full detail and I’ll finish of with some location photos. 

Update shortly I hope. 

[9torsion]

Help!

So after so many years and so much saving, loans, hardwork, waiting and more waiting I need to come to a final conclusion with this C3. With a young family and growing responsibilities i'm tentatively thinking about the sale of the C3. I'm just not using it as much as I should, I know those days will come back but at the moment family takes priority. Really pains me to say that, as i've had the car over eighteen years and a lot has changed in that time. I've changed so much and really need to think seriously about my Porsche future.

I suppose i'm asking for a little advice what is it worth in today's volatile market? I don't want to catch a cold but i'm also a pragmatic. Do I hold on till spring or a little longer until things pick up or should I start to consider sensible offers know?

Your thoughts appreciated

Regards

 

Anthony

 

[Busybee]

Few details might help. Coupe/targa? Condition? Engine condition..... 

[9torsion]

Hi Busybee 

Maybe look at the thread it tells you all you need to know.  
 

Thanks

A