sugarwood

Get it towed to a shop, and pay them to get it started.
That instantly doubles the value of the car.

theblindchicken

Appreciate all of your guys' insight on this. Definitely not deterred, but I'm not coming into this thinking that she'll be running and looking pretty by the end of summer without a good amount of change. My truck is my love, but this 911 is my dad's. I would love to be able to wrench on it with my dad for a project to work on with him. He can't physically help me out with a lot of things on my truck, but if I can get it on a workbench or pull up a stool for him, he's definitely fair game.

I mentioned gaskets being that after 10+ years, it should be easy to assume that it would all be leaking/deteriorated and would need to be replaced before the engine was to even be fired up again. Plus they're an important part that would give him some drive to work on a few things at a time.

Tires, so I could easily find a decent set that would allow her to at least roll under hand power since the old tires were cut up by a weedwacker when trimming tall grass growing around her. As far as I know, the wheels are the stock Porsche badged 15's.

Just assumed they utilized carburetors, then TBI, then EFI. From my understanding after a quick bit of research into CIS, it seems as though it isn't quite the direct port injection seen in modern vehicles, but actually a different take on mechanical fuel injection with a different set of quirks.

Advantages:
-Each cylinder fuel:air ratio can be finely tuned for optimum performance
-Fuel pressure is dependent on RPMs: Higher RPM - Higher Pressure, Lower RPM - Lower Pressure. Leads to increased economy as well as optimizing fuel:air ratio throughout powerband.
-makes a pretty fair amount of power

Disadvantages:
-Quite a bit more complicated than a carburetor or TBI
-More finicky with it's tuning.
-air boxes like to crack
-requires tuning of several parts, but will run smoothly once it's all dialed in.
-expensive


Feel free to correct me if I'm off on any of this. I was currently looking for what y'all would think is the best suited parts to kickstart my father's interest back into this old gal and get her rolling again. First couple of things that came into mind were the tires and gaskets. I feel like several quarts of oil and a couple gallons of gasoline wouldn't have the same effect, ya know?

What's your suggestions on the first parts to purchase?

Charles Freeborn

Having it towed to a shop for an evaluation is a good idea.
There are many factors in play that will determine if it's a good idea to even try to run it. If it has taken on condensation or other contaminants while it was sitting you may well destroy what could have been a re-buildable engine by trying to start it as is.
The rest of the car is going to be a huge project. ALL the rubber parts in the fuel, brake and suspension systems will need replacing. As already said, start by evaluating if there is structural rust. If so, you may want to sell as a parts car and look for a better first time project.

-C

Chris Puckett

Where are you located? Maybe you could get someone or a couple of guys to assist you. Looking over the car in person and help giving you some direction.

theblindchicken

Hey guys, tried posting the other day and didnt let me. Something about the post needing to be approved.

Anyway, appreciate all the input y'all have given me so far.

It's a California car, so been pretty dry out here for a while. Frame hasn't been allowed to rest in water or dirt, but i'd be willing to bet that theres still some surface rust.

About tires/gasket kits mentioned earlier, I was mainly looking for some parts that i could get my father to renew his interest in the project. Something that would be a good step in the right direction. Like a battery wouldn't be as exciting as a set of tires or a bundle of filters and fluids.

I have no qualms about dropping the tank to clean it out as well as disassembling and rebuilding suspension and all the rubber bits. Been there, done that on my 74 chevy pickup.

Researched the CIS a bit. My basic understanding is that it is mechanically between a TBI and a Direct Port Injection systems. Fuel pressure is increased or decreased based upon the RPMs to ensure optimum fuel:air ratios.

Plan is to drain and swap all fluids and fuel even before attempting to start it. How would you go about priming the oil for it? I know with GM engines, you just pop the distributor off and spin the oil pump.


Again, appreciate any and all help that y'all can give me.

sugarwood

Please take some photos and short videos as you get this project going. Since the car is in such rough shape, this is an exciting resurrection attempt, and we all are hoping you can document it for us. We are all rooting for you, and would love to see a video of the engine awaken from its slumber!

evilfij

When I was in college I bought a 1959 Land Rover in parts and built it. Still have it. At least your car is in one piece.

Don't let the OCD Porsche people scare you off. Start with the basics. Does it have oil? Does the engine turn? If not, pull the plugs and soak the cylinders in your choice of fluids until it does. Once you get past that, check for spark, check the air cleaner, drain the tank of the old gas and give it a few gallons of new stuff (add stabil so it can sit for a while) and change the oil and filters. While you are doing all that, take a day and clean it thoroughly inside and out. After you have it clean, and it looks like it may start, kill a chicken and borrow a battery and give it a whirl and see what happens. Maybe it starts. Make a list of what it needs and start to compile a budget. Start with what is absolutely necessary to make it stop, run and drive. Then worry about everything else. Of all the vehicles I bought, only one I could not get to run and that one had water in the cylinders for what was probably decades.

550bryan

In all due respect this car is a lot more complex than a 50's Land Rover. If he does decide to follow your advice he'll also have to address the blown airbox, the original reason the car was parked. It won't run otherwise.

Amber Gramps

Why does a chicken have to die? Are we practicing santeria?

evilfij

The story is an analogy. I have gotten or have helped get dozens of vehicles running after sitting in my life including a couple 911s (a carb and an MFI, not a CIS I, admit). The vehicles were from 1950s to 1990s in origin and while some complications are added by electronics, the principles are all the same and pretty basic. My first largely solo project just happened to be a 1959 Land Rover. No reason he can't do a 1977 911 especially if he has already been working on a 1970s truck. The internet has made this sort of thing so much easier than in the past as the resources are right at your finger tips as to how to do pretty much anything.

While the root cause of the blowing of the airbox maybe more of a challenge, the issues and fix for a broken CIS airbox are well documented. This falls under assess and see what it needs to run category. If I was local, I would come by and spend a day working on it with him just to see if it could be done.

evilfij

Ha. Ya, it is a Defender Source saying. With porsches, we have it easy compared to my Land Rover friends. My true expertise is North American spec Land Rover Defenders (and Range Rover classics and discovery 1), I only dabble in porsches (and ferraris, and jags, and lotus, and ...) now and again, but am on a Porsche kick now that I recently found and bought a perfect for me 993 and put my deposit down on a GT3 MT.

Amber Gramps

Ya, I have to laugh at most enthusiast that still believe there is some great mythical God that must be romanced before we can even change a tire on our dear nine elevens. Truth be told they are so simple, so basic, that my dog could do as good a job as most indies. Unless you are pulling gears from the tranny, no special tools are required. If you can read, have two hands, and basic tools, you too can be a Porsche mechanic.

For example.....I did the oil lines and S tube, O rings on the cooler, adjusted the valves, installed the 930 rotors, milled and threaded the supply ports on the 930 calipers as well as replacing the seals on the dogs, installed new soft and hard brake lines, sourced, spec'd and set up the coilover shocks, plated and rebushed the spring plates with all now hardware, installed longer lug bolts, repacked and replaced boots on the axle halves, set the ride height, camber and toe, and more all just right there in this one picture...

evilfij

brain, time, internet, tools

You can do anything.

Valkuri

Point? Meet Counterpoint. Discuss.

Both are true, subject to innumerable variables. 77's were simpler than...well, most of what came later.
An enterprising soul can doubtless find one piece at a time at swap meets, Ebay, whatever, that will result in a very respectable, safe automobile that can be enjoyed without a kazillion dollar budget.
Others prefer a pristine recreation of the showroom floor automobile. And, for a mere $150,000, one can have it.

Working on the car with your Dad would be a great experience. Do what you can sensibly and capably do; identify what you cannot, and have it done by a competent mechanic that's not going to charge a year's tuition to do it. It's all in what your goals are.

Good luck, and keep us all posted.

Amber Gramps

Funny story from many years ago here on Rennlist. I still remember the user name, but won't post it. The kid was handed a green '87 911 to take to UC Santa Barbara where he was doing post-grad research. He was trying to pull the front tires off and posted here for help. You see he had jacked the front wheels off the ground and tried to remove the lug nuts but the wheels just kept spinning. He was so frustrated because this sequence always worked on his old Honda.