Back in Black

[Bugs 77]

Yesterday morning the driveshafts where fitted, we did a check over the electrics and worked on getting the electric windows operating the best we could, looks like the drivers door regulator will need replacing not too far down the track.

Next it was time to take the car around the block a few times for a basic shakedown to check all was functioning before buttoning up a few areas, first Richard, then a slightly nervous me.

Well, I'd have to say it exceeds all expectations, even before final setup, looks and sounds fantastic and goes like stink. Easy to drive, very smooth in takeoff and pulls very hard and linear, razor sharp on the throttle making blipping on downshifts very crisp, just a pure joy.

So just a couple of things to sort/finish off, full wheel alignment etc. and she can come home, after that there'll be plenty to do but all while it's on the road.

While working on my car over the last few days this little gem came in.

This is an Australian delivered 79 SC, an absolute holy grail car here in the fact that it's a non-sunroof, wind up windows, minimum specked car and totally original. Never been repainted (sun bleached Apple Green) or the engine touched besides servicing (Richard worked on this car back in his apprentice years), that interior is all original too and not bad for 180,000km of use.

It's quite a contrast to my car also a 79, but unlike mine it poses a bit of a dilemma. It's in the workshop while the owners decide what to do with it, the paint is faded but there is no rust or need of repairs except that the original aerial has been removed and another fitted to the roof (an eighties thing) and the rear rubber tail was added, to put back to how this car was delivered would lead to a full repaint because you couldn't match the paint, wheels (original 15s) are equally time faded as is the anodized window trim. There has been much debate and it sounds like it will all be left as is, a "survivor" car. 

[Jonny Hart]

^ it’s only original once.  I would leave that bodywork well alone.

At a car show, in a line of restored cars, that would be the one I’d be looking at.

[Bugs 77]

Yes I think that's the sentiment round here too, destined to stay as is.

[Bugs 77]

Hopefully the car comes home tomorrow, or Wednesday, just has to have full alignment done then away we go.

While we wait I thought I'd show you Richard's own car that he has spent the last 6 yrs or so restoring (last car he had was Carrera 3.0), this time it's a 70s Holden Torana. Not only does Richard specialise in aircooled Porsches but looks after a bunch of Aussie muscle cars and the like. Anyway he found this straight base example and has turned it into the alltime sleeper.

Only thing missing externally is some anodised trim around the windows and she's done.

Trim work is fantastic, stock but somehow so much better than when new.

Would have had a straight six or even four in there but a rather large V8 has found its way in.

And something to haul it up with.

Anyway, should be back on subject in a couple of days.

[Jonny Hart]

Pretty cool thing.  Slot mags and a white stripe to complete the look?  🤣

[Bugs 77]

Rich is pretty firm on no stripes for this car, trying to draw minimal attention, if that's possible with a Torana in this state/country and the fact it's Tangerine!. The Simmons wheels are today's slotted mags apparently.

[Jonny Hart]

15 hours ago, Bugs 77 said:

Rich is pretty firm on no stripes for this car, trying to draw minimal attention, if that's possible with a Torana in this state/country and the fact it's Tangerine!. The Simmons wheels are today's slotted mags apparently.

You say Torana, I say Torino?   I was getting a Starsky vibe off it..  

[Bugs 77]

Ha, see where you're coming from now, this is a bit smaller than the Torino and now with probably more horsepower!

Normally these things get turned into SLR 5000 or AX9 replicas (Bathurst edition Toranas) so as a stock-ish looking Torana it's a rare thing these days, can't even remember when I last saw one on the road.

[Bugs 77]

Well has been a bit of a frustrating few weeks, car is still awaiting full wheel alignment. The problem is that where Richard takes classic 911s to set them up the hoist is broken and they have been waiting for parts to fix that before they can tackle the job. Freight for parts that come from "over east" is in disarray because of COVID and now flooding. Perth here in WA is the most isolated capital in the world and WA often stands for "wait awhile" at the best of times, But I have my fingers crossed for this week.

[Bugs 77]

The day has arrived, alignment all done yesterday and now ready to roll.

Out in the sunshine and ready for a quick shakedown round the block, then it's out on the open road for the 70 km run home.

Will take some more shots after that and report back on the trials.

[Lesworth]

Sunshine... I remember that.

[Bugs 77]

One thing we don't lack here, should be the solar capital of the universe, but most effort is used digging up dirt.

The run home was largely trouble free, engine is amazing and very sharp on throttle inputs, Very different note on carbs with a lot more induction sound over exhaust on acceleration but not too noisy cruising, With the refreshed suspension plus a few tweaks the car is very planted on the road , doesn't wonder a millimeter, tracks dead straight and ride is firm. Was touching 40 degrees C today but the aircon was perfect, running on #2 on the fan and at this stage just using single condenser, very good work Jonny Hart.

Only thing negative found on the trip home was that we will need to replace the rear wheel bearings, in the few drives had before pulling the car apart the wear wasn't evident, perhaps the reset camber and toe is loading them differently and indicating the wear more. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, probably should have replaced them regardless when all was apart, it did cross my mind at one stage but there were many more things obvious to sort at that point. Not a biggie though, we will put 300-400 km on the motor then back to the workshop she goes for change of oil at which point will replace the bearings, then on the dyno for final tune.

Right now I must thank Richard for the fantastic job he has done, this guy really makes dreams come true and it has and always will be a very enjoyable process working with him, thanks mate.

After dinner slipped down the road for some sunset shots.

One very happy camper!

 

 

 

 

Edited February 4, 2022 by Bugs 77

[Bugs 77]

Running in process is going well, snuck out for a mini coffee and cars with some friends today.

With me today and in the centre is Steve's genuine 1969 Australian Ford Falcon GT 351, a rarely seen beast today as most survivors are secretly locked away.

To the left is Doug's 73 Corvette he brought with him from Canada.

I got in for most of the shade. Please excuse finger creeping in.

[Bugs 77]

Now the car is home I can finish a few more things off. I booked her in for a stereo fitting today, was going to buy the gear and fit it myself as I'd prepped the car already but happily let the local lads at the car stereo shop do it instead.

Plain black Kenwood, Bluetooth hands free phone type thing, not going to get too carried away. Stock aerial goes up and down with the radio, never had that before, very groovy and retro. Still have to make that center footrest.

Speakers are very nice and slot in there well, was very surprised at how well it sounded and the fact that you can hear it reasonably well over the motor at cruising, my darling wife will like that.

Started trimming the trunk, the new AC requires a bit of customizing its cover so I made this new combo blower cover/carpet piece, stiffened with light stiff foam sheeting and worked in the stripe detail to match what I did on the rear parcel shelf, that detail added a bit of forming support too.

This is that section in place with new black side carpet sections. Next I will make the cover section for the Brake assist gear.

[Bugs 77]

Made and fitted the booster cover, that's the trunk pretty much done. Last immediate thing to do is fit an intensive washer bottle as the new lighter washer bottle for the windscreen, it should fit to the stock holes in the rear left side of the trunk, they come with the pump too.

Down the track may fit a strut brace.

[Bugs 77]

Running in process is going well, car is fantastic, due now to drop the oil, replace the rear wheel bearings and do final tune somewhere in the next two weeks (there are some COVID hiccups brewing in this state so timing may get pushed around). There is a bit of a whine from the trans in 5th but that seams to be getting better with use, but it shifts and does everything else really well so no immediate work to do there. 

Had a night drive, lights needed adjusting so tried that with no success. Pulled them off to check what was going on and found two different era lights fitted, both a bit rough with broken adjusting bits, one bolted up in wrong setting. These would have been fitted when the car was converted from US spec lights and obviously on a budget! but I repaired the adjusters so they now work and set the levels. That got me thinking, I'm keen to buy two new matching units and fit with the best globe option for stock lights, combined with Jonny's new fuse panel I'm sure they will be good enough and will retain the stock look, but then I saw what Siy has fitted in his "Red" thread and think it might be worth a go, will be a different face to the car but the look of set up is quite dark and could suit the black car well, 

[Siy]

have to say I am very pleased with the new bi-led's from 911Haus... If you dont like my 'dark version', they do a chrome version - or also do one with the fluted lens like the original. He laso negotiated and gave a pretty good deal.
personally I think the dark ones that I have with clear lenses will look great on your car.

Out of interest, Is there any value in the old lights that I have removed? Decided its not worth keeping them as its just clutter!

[Bugs 77]

Thanks for the info Siy, will check them out.

There is value in all good classic 911 parts, never throw anything away. If the parts aren't going back on in your ownership then either sell them or simply put them to one side as the next owner/custodian may want absolute originality so if all original parts are with the car it will add value or at least make the sale easier. Same thing with mods, I wouldn't do anything that isn't reversible.

[Bugs 77]

Swapped out the Dino wheel which was pretty small for a black 350 mm Prototipo, think it slots in there pretty well with the rest of the interior. Bought the 350 mm one as I thought it was the only size available, or at least the only one I could find, then saw someone down here post on another site that 370 mm ones were available which would be nice but this will be fine.

[Jonny Hart]

Just catching up with this thread.     Would love some more details of the blower cover in the trunk.  Is that leather?

[Bugs 77]

4 hours ago, Jonny Hart said:

Just catching up with this thread.     Would love some more details of the blower cover in the trunk.  Is that leather?

Hi Jonny, no that's not leather, just black vinyl that matches the interior black vinyl. It's over the top of 5 mm reasonably stiff (high density) foam sheeting with the addition of the raised feature section which is an additional 5 mm soft foam, so makes a nice flexible panel but with a bit of form control. I then cut out the unbacked carpet section and glued it onto the same stiff foam sheeting so you get a light but stiffer floor section that can sit flat and sewed it to the cover section to form the nice clean fold line. In the top of the cover section there is a flap part (made like a slim pocket) that houses a 25 x 2 mm alloy strip which bridges between the two upper stock cover fixing points, holes are drilled in the ends of this for the attachment screws. The cover for the booster is made from the softer unbacked carpet and kept separate, you slip that on first then fit the blower cover/carpet over the top, the top edge of the cover section slips under the scuttle panel, the flap with the alloy strip flips up 90 degrees and you put in the two fixing screws. That controls the top of the cover nicely as it gets bent down over all the blower gear, when the carpet section is pushed into place its own stiffness holds that lower edge of the cover back and down in place, the side edges of the floor section control the side carpet covers well too.

The smooth form of the new blower system made this way work well and is simple to fit and secure in place, very happy with the result.

[PeterK]

Very smart 👏

[Bugs 77]

OK, time to fit a water bottle for the windscreen washers. With the Retrofit AC you replace the rather large water bottle from the front with a condenser for the AC. Jonny has a good solution for this fitting a Boxter/996 bottle and pump in the rear of the front wheel arch, or you can source a late G bodied model intensive washer bottle and pump that fits behind the left front strut tower (couldn't find one down here) or thirdly fit a 964 intensive washer bottle and pump (because I could get one of these), on the 964 it goes on the right hand side in the trunk to suit that bodywork. This bottle gets used in 90s era RSs too so is a Church Of The Lightweight thing

Here's the bottle and pump plus bracket I made to mount the bottle.

The bracket in place, worked around the trunk looking for a nice place for it to go to suit its size and shape and ended up close to the spot it goes in a 964, but it's the other way round so the flat part of the bottle is up against the flat-ish tinware in that spot. The forward screw is short and self taped into the inner skin, rear attachment is S/S bolt through outer skin, small S/S nut and washer visible inside wheel arch.

Bottle in place, almost looks like it's supposed to be there.

Altered carpet to cover bottle. All that's left to do is connect power and sort the hoses.

Edited March 16, 2022 by Bugs 77
Spelling, as usual.

[fat fuchs]

Super neat, job well done

[Bugs 77]

Thanks Mate.