G-Body

I searched quite a bit, but was unable to find an area where the various 911 body modifications (factory and aftermarket), as well as available body-kits from the 70s and 80s are discussed.

In particular, I'd like to identify what was done to a steel wide-body car that I have here (and potentially, by whom), including what appears to be the rear quarters and side skirts of a slant-nose, but without the flachbau front...

This thread could potentially also serve as a library / reference point for others with similar questions in the future? Would this be the appropriate section to host this thread?

theiceman

You are in the right section but still not clear what you are looking for. Hundreds of companies offered all kinds of modifications to bodies including everything from fiberglass to steel with all kinds of different modifications to suit what the customer wanted.

budge96

If you were to post a photo of the car in question the forum might better be able to determine the origin ...Bert

G-Body

budge96 - right you are...!
I was going to shoot some quick pictures when I got back to the shop later today and post them - I just wanted to make sure that this was a) the right place to start a thread like this and b) make sure that the topic was not already covered in detail somewhere else...

theiceman - not sure that I would agree with that statement (all of the way back to Day-1.) While today - looking back with the benefit of hindsight, we might identify hundreds of different kit options and "people who did this" over 40+ years, the further back you go in time, the less options there were... Back in the early-to-mid '70s (and since we're taking about a 1974 chassis here), the options were not that varied.

A year after this car was produced in 1974, the first Turbo cars hit the market in different parts of the world as 1975 M-Y production (and with the first PRODUCTION wide-body rear quarters.) This is not an original 930 body. Ekkehard Zimmermann didn't start cranking out Design und Plastic cars for Kremer until '76 or so (and while this is clearly not one of those cars either, it does appear to have the same sides-kirts.)

Setting aside design "tuners" such as Gemballa who only started in the early '80s (which this is obviously not) and Strosek (who didn't start doing Porsche mods until later in the '80s - and again, this is not), it really starts to narrow the field. It's not a factory 930 Turbo body - it has the black fins on the side though - a la Flagbau and the same side-skirts as mentioned. The front is different though.

Now the field has narrowed. The fenders are steel though. Pictures to come.

theiceman

i thought you were talking in general terms as you want to use this as a reference. , but not your specific car.. the market obviously exploded as the years went on ..

for your specific car i would look for any type of added serial number plate or designation. body modifiers would often leave their signature somewhere on the car. like Ruff, Gambella and the sort. Pics are always a great way to start.

SHooks

There is a really nice wide body slant nose targa for sale in San Antonio Tx, It was converted by TRE in California,check there website for your car.I know it's a long shot

Spyerx

Pictures! Let's see what ya got! The 80s were a hell of a drug!

G-Body

budge96

Hello if you are asking who made the flares , tail, box rockers,and front bumper valance that's very hard to tell ..
The design however is basically M491 or Turbo S style with a Ruf front valance and S side quarter vents and strakes a common conversion on
911's in the eighties and nineties although often the full montey included flachbau or slant nose front fenders as well .
Many manufacturers and conversion houses were active at the time and either used original sheetmetal or fabricated their own .
Golden Coachworks comes to mind Einmalig in Huntington Beach did conversions I even had a white 77 done exactly like this albeit without the side vents.
American International Racing had fiberglass body parts an even cheaper option but not that great on the street ,.
Not bad looking really ,I think those skates are meant to be used with tires though ...Bert

G-Body

Thanks Bert (and, well-aware of the appropriate use for the wheel-skate applications...) We have small blocks under the knuckles. Wheels are out for refinishing.

I wonder if there were instances of cars getting sent BACK to Porsche for modifications under the Special Wish program (post delivery...?)

Speedster911

if there is any question as to if this is a factory conversion - I feel with evidence of rivets holding the skirt end plates - one can comfortably conclude it was not a factory conversion. The fit of the bumpers / aprons is also reflective of nonfactory components..

If this is a 74 MY- the bumperettes are not correct. The bumperettes installed would be 75 and later. What's the manufacture date on the door jam sticker? .

Have lived a few years and remembering what folks did with these cars when they were worth 10K or less, very typical of late 70s -80s, to take a car that had been hit and making it look a bit more " modern" .Take a look at most car magazines of the 70s - 80s , everyone was selling some type of wide body / slant nose kit.

onboost

There were numerous instances of cars going back to Porsche for modifications under the Special Wish program. However, they tended to be later model cars, and typically 930s, unless they were something special. As, an example of "something special," a friend of mine had a beautiful 73 911 that had been converted to a Turbo bodied car, with vents and box rockers. However, upon closer inspection, the car turned out to be a 73 RS. It was sold for hefty sum, and the new owner sent it back to Porsche to be covered back to RS spec.

I think Bert pretty much covered all the "usual suspects" with regard to the supply of conversion parts for widebody and or slantnose parts. This would not be a factory conversion as evidenced at a minimum by;
- The use of "steel" vanes in the vent (those probably supplied by Golden Coachworks) who actually made a nice product.
- The mod to the air channel shown in the left wheel well to clear the oil lines

If you were to run your hand around the upper area of the wheel well, you are likely to find a seam where the flares were welded on, unless the quarters were replaced. You will probably find a seam running length wise under the front fenders if they are steel. Also, the tail is aftermarket as is the Ruf valance if it is fiberglass.

Looks like a neat car. I like 74s as being a cross-over year, the tub is light, and they still carry a number of elements from the 73 cars. What engine does it have in it?

G-Body

It's a 5-speed and 3.0 litre now from something around 1980. We have it out right now resealing it and changing some of the CDi unit's electronics and ****ty wiring performed by a PO. We found a conjoined cluster of capacitors (which can only be described as cartoon dynamite...!)

G-Body

Also, I'm going to first try a stock CDI rebuild kit by the these guys in NY (with a little replacement harness that they sell.) Any experiences (positive or otherwise), that anybody else can share?

The engine eventually gets a larger bore rebuild, with ITBs and a fully-programmable, stand-alone engine management system, but for now i just want it to run well as-is!

SkyPilot

Hey G-Body,
Just a thought!! I believe I would be thinking about a set of wheels with the correct E/T-Offset!! I have a white 1978 SC widebody conversion myself which currently has Euromeisters on it - 8x17” with an E/T of 11 on the front and 9X17” with an E/T of 15 on the rear. There are 27mm of spacers on the front and 57mm on the rear. That said, my engineering background tells me that is a tremendous amount of stress on the suspension components both front and rear. I was hoping to have Mike Lindsay (at Lindsay Racing) build me a set of their 3-piece fuchs center wheels with the correct offset. That is out of the question now! They are no longer making wheels of any sort.

Is this an issue for you as well? Any idea what you are thinking on the spacer issue! Maybe I am over thinking this?!?!
Thanks,
Mike