Johan Botha

Good day

I need to replace the front pan on my 71 911. I'm not keen on getting a so-called professional to do the job, as I want to get the suspension pickups square, as opposed to welding the pan more or less in place and trying to fix the alignment through adjustment.

To do this, I need to build a body rotisserie. If any of you have done this before, I would really appreciate advice, such as, which points on the car make the best attachment points, how high is the CG of a bare body above floor, or even plans.

TIA

Johan Botha
71T mutating to RS

mo_gearhead

John,
I built one when doing my project. I can mail you a C.D. with lots of pics. if you can use that format?
E mail me your address and I will mail it to you. My email is: moozarks99@centurytel.net.

David Boutelle

i have done well over a 100 of pans on 911 . never do it on a rotisserie ! and i am a SO-CALLED professional doing more porsche restorations in the past 30 years than i remember . what do you think happens when you cut the metal out of a unabody car when its only supported by its front and rear body panels ?

mo_gearhead

Well, David certainly has MUCH more experience than I do in P-car restorations, but I'm just an old geezerthat likes to fabricate. I did indeed (successfully) replace ALL of the following on my car (while mounted on a rotisseri): rear longitunidals (the rear torsion bar tube was on one point laying on my garage floor!), all floors, front suspension pan, gas tank support, inner and outer rocker panels, both battery boxes, front fender supports, and misc. corners and pieces that I had to fabricate on an English Wheel (which I also made!).

Prior to mounting it however, I DID weld in several pieces of "cross bracing" inside the cab, and front trunk area to stiffen the car. When done they were simply cut out and and the welds ground off. I have taken several mesaurements and my car is not "tweeked" any more than it was when I started.

Beginners luck perhaps?

mo_gearhead

Johan,
I guess I should add, if you are only replacing the front pan, I would NOT go to the extent of building a rotisserie. No need. That piece could much more easily/safely (IE: structurely) be replaced with the car up on stands ...and not suspended. As stated above, my restoration was MUCH more involved than just the front pan.

hoffman912

im not a professional just an amature hack.. but i would agree with David. A rotissory would attach to thr front at most likely the front bumper attachments. when you cut out the front pan, that will seriously weaken this area and take out a lot of support, and should cause the area to warp, buckle, bend, etc. I would say when that happens you have a much bigger problem -a unibody that is not straight. Also, be realistic, you have a car thats 35-40 years old -its most likely not gonna be straight or perfect to begin with due to accidents or the rusted pan weakening the integrety of the car.

what i would do is get a scissors. thus allowing you to have pleanty of support and lots of free access to the front end to do pan replacement,

mo_gearhead

Well, you can tell from the car and Harry's garage ...he is being very modest and is certainly no "hack".

I won't belabor this point after this (my last post on the subject); but I will point out that probably many uni-body cars are spinning on rotisseries as we speak, Camaros, Chryslers, Mustangs, sports imports and yes ...Porsches.

Its all in how you prepare the body (bracing) BEFORE mounting it. But I think we all agree that just for a pan replacement, having the car lifted on a lift, jack stands, etc. for good access above and below is all you need. A rotisserie is overkill!

Graufuchs

Hoffman that picture is PURE SEX. My one car garage isnt doin it for me...at ALLLLLLL. I hope to be in the new house with the two car garage by this coming december.

Johan Botha

Guys, thanks for the good advice. Unfortunately, I am also one of those guys who like to fabricate things, so I'll probably build one anyway. However, I'll probably replace the pan without it, as that seems the way to go. Does anyone have an article or a link to an article that explains the process? I've never done this type of thing before and I assumed that it requires some overhead welding. I usually try to weld "down" only:-), which is why I thought of the rotisserie.

Again, Thanks you

hoffman912

thanks guys but its not my garage or my car. just a pic i found on a forum showing what i was trying to explane as far as a scissors lift goes.

here is my one car bread box garage with enough room to open one door if you park far enough on one side



btw, i feel your pain fty, im looking for a new house right now too.. unfortunitly i cant find any houses or condos in the area of town i want to be in that have 2 car garages in my price range.. only 1 car.. I'm thinking about moving to the Dayton area since i have freinds in kettering, which is a nice area full of p-car fanatics, and is more affordable to me. luckily i work from home so i can move anywhere as long as i can afford it (virtually -i telecommute with memphis and dallas. thank god for the internet!).

rotissories have been done for 911s many times; i would suggest searching the 911 forums on pelican parts forum

btw, here is my car

David Boutelle

i do use rotisseries when i sand blast and remove the rocker schutz (under coating) i made it out of 2 truck engine stands. i added in some 2 by 4 box tubing to make it taller and to tie the feet to each other . hoffman i like your car !

Graufuchs

hoffman..yeah thats what my garge looks like...I painted the floor and walls but its too small...should be in my 2car garage soon enough, they break ground in sept.