Robos911 Posted May 2, 2018 Share Posted May 2, 2018 I thought I would start a new thread as I'm starting some bodywork and thought it would keep everything together. I bought my Targa about 3 years ago, it came with 1 weeks MOT so I was expecting the worst! After putting it in for an MOT it failed on headlight alignment! I was a bit amazed to say the least! After making some mechanical repairs I've had a couple of years fun but this year there were a couple of obvious holes in the sill and floorpan so didn't bother with the MOT and decided to have a poke round! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robos911 Posted May 2, 2018 Author Share Posted May 2, 2018 I've made a few minor mods, taken the spoiler off and put some Fuchs on and the shrubbery has grown a bit 😳 How time flys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robos911 Posted May 2, 2018 Author Share Posted May 2, 2018 The one bodywork repair I have made was around the oil filter which I welded up while I had the engine and box out, this was my first ever weld on a car and I was pretty happy with the result! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robos911 Posted May 2, 2018 Author Share Posted May 2, 2018 Since then ive not spent much time on the Targa, but I've had some welding practice getting the family bus sorted. It's given me the confidence to have a proper go at the Porsche now although I was a bit worried about what I would find.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robos911 Posted May 2, 2018 Author Share Posted May 2, 2018 Anyway to bring it up to date, these are the holes I found, both on passenger side, then I started digging.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robos911 Posted May 2, 2018 Author Share Posted May 2, 2018 So this week I took the side skirt off on that side and then the wing.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robos911 Posted May 2, 2018 Author Share Posted May 2, 2018 No going back now so the other side came off! Starting to get a bit worried 🙁 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swift911 Posted May 2, 2018 Share Posted May 2, 2018 Now that's a project. But having seen your fabrication and welding etc at the beginning of the thread, i'm sure you have the skills to sort it out. Keep us posted, it all looks really interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robos911 Posted May 3, 2018 Author Share Posted May 3, 2018 Thanks👍 This is on a different scale to anything I've done before though, which has just been patches, biggest worry is trying not to lose Datums and how to brace it! I need to decide whether to fix the inner wings before I start investigating the sills or go for it and strip to a bare shell??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mean in green Posted May 3, 2018 Share Posted May 3, 2018 Seems like pretty typical inner front wing rot. Doubtful that the sills are ok...! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robos911 Posted May 3, 2018 Author Share Posted May 3, 2018 (edited) That's my worry, it looks like the sills and kidney bowls have been "fixed" before! I'm a bit dubious about the quality of the job, (everything else that was done in it was a bodge!) current thinking is to paint stripper the sills and see what's underneath! Edited May 3, 2018 by Robos911 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Rock Posted May 3, 2018 Share Posted May 3, 2018 Do the paint stripper and see what is what. Be aware the car is a targa, so less structural bracing in the shell compared to a coupe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swift911 Posted May 3, 2018 Share Posted May 3, 2018 There are some very good detailed restoration threads on DDK. I've seen better cars in skips before they start 😃, but the end results are brilliant. There really are some very skilled people on there... well worth a look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy352 Posted May 3, 2018 Share Posted May 3, 2018 Have a look at my thread in the 3.2 section (Scottish restoration). I've not done a lot of welding before and finding it a real challenge some days but I'm getting there slowly. Between this forum and DDK you should be able to find plenty of information. Don't be frightened to ask anything, very friendly bunch on here. All the best with your restoration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robos911 Posted May 3, 2018 Author Share Posted May 3, 2018 1 hour ago, Andy352 said: Have a look at my thread in the 3.2 section (Scottish restoration). I've not done a lot of welding before and finding it a real challenge some days but I'm getting there slowly. Between this forum and DDK you should be able to find plenty of information. Don't be frightened to ask anything, very friendly bunch on here. All the best with your restoration. Andy, had a read of your thread, looks like I've got a bit of that ahead of me!! Where did you get the repair panels and bumper brackets for the front end from? cheers Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterK Posted May 3, 2018 Share Posted May 3, 2018 I'm finally getting to the end of the (currently known about) welding on my '79 Targa (see link in my signature). I started with the inner front wings as they are not seen and am finishing with the sills and kidney bowls, as the joint on the rear wing would be very obvious if I mess it up. I made sure the car was settled and square before removing the NS sill (still got the OS to do). As I will be getting the shell heat stripped and dipped, I cut the inside sill out to remove the heater tube - man, that is thick metal there ! It was really useful to be able to look at the inside of the inner sill without having to unpick a shed load of spot welds - I was fortunate that mine was good overall, just needed a few local repairs where welds originally held the lower edge of the outer sill in place. Crack on that man, and remember - plenty of photos please. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy352 Posted May 3, 2018 Share Posted May 3, 2018 1 hour ago, Robos911 said: Andy, had a read of your thread, looks like I've got a bit of that ahead of me!! Where did you get the repair panels and bumper brackets for the front end from? cheers Steve I got some panels from Porsche, they're actually not that expensive, other parts from Matt at Type911 who seems to be able to get almost anything. My repair panel at the front I made up myself just using the area that I cut out as a template but I'm sure Type911 stocks a panel for this area now. There's quite a few posts on here about Dansk panels not being as good as Porsche ones so I bought Porsche parts for bits that can be seen. Although I bought Dansk inner sills and would say that they seemed pretty good to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beaky Posted May 3, 2018 Share Posted May 3, 2018 18 hours ago, swift911 said: Now that's a project. But having seen your fabrication and welding etc at the beginning of the thread, i'm sure you have the skills to sort it out. Keep us posted, it all looks really interesting. Absolutely, be fearless and crack on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mondrian Posted May 3, 2018 Share Posted May 3, 2018 I have heard & read abit about of these guys, canadian firm who seem to distribute or sell in Europe too - sound like a good outfit but no idea about quality worth researching. http://www.restoration-design.eu/store/category/911-EXT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robos911 Posted May 3, 2018 Author Share Posted May 3, 2018 (edited) Loving the positive waves, what could possibly go wrong👍 Ive just put a load of paint stripper on the sills, let's see what's revealed tomorrow! Edited May 3, 2018 by Robos911 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robos911 Posted May 4, 2018 Author Share Posted May 4, 2018 Got a few free hrs today so carried on stripping the front end. The paint stripper didn't touch the black sh1t that covers everything so got the angle grinder out on the sills and... well photos speak for themselves.... don't think Porsche used quite so much filler in the sills and that weld looks a bit dodgy😳 Best guess at the moment is that there's half a new outer sill welded over a load of rot and covered with filler! Oh joy!! The plan now is 2 new bumper mounts, the panel behind I will fab myself and a new inner wing top repair section for the passenger side, not sure on drivers side yet, might just make panel. Once I've got that all in I can brace the shell and start cutting the sills off. My worry at the moment is that when it was bodged I dont think it was braced and the gap from front window frame to rear is about 10mm too much?? Can't be sure as the Targa top has shrunk so will need to take some measurements to check? I've only got prices from Design911 so far basically £180 each mount and no repair panel? on my list to try is Type911, Tech9, Restoration Design and Porsche... any thoughts? im not worrying about sills etc yet! 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Comerford Posted May 4, 2018 Share Posted May 4, 2018 (edited) Have you braced the body yet? Reason for asking is that if the skills are in a poor state the shell could flex. Ian Edited May 4, 2018 by Ian Comerford Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swift911 Posted May 4, 2018 Share Posted May 4, 2018 It's frightening what a bit of body filler can hide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robos911 Posted May 4, 2018 Author Share Posted May 4, 2018 47 minutes ago, Ian Comerford said: Have you braced the body yet? Reason for asking is that if the skills are in a poor state the shell could flex. Ian No but to be fair I've been driving around in it like that for the last 3 years 😂 As bodge's go it's actually fairly solid, no flex when you use the jacking points or have it on stands front and rear, jacked it up on the engine and again no movement, only problem is im not convinced it's not sagged previously i.e. when the previous sills were done, I'm thinking support the rear on the torsion bar, jack up on rear of engine and use that to get the gaps right before bracing it??? I need to confirm what the gaps should be so will be asking for some help with measurements!! cheers Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterK Posted May 4, 2018 Share Posted May 4, 2018 Your local OPC and RosePassion are worth price checking alongside the others for panels & parts. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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