Thanks, George--learning as I go.

And more fun to do this as play.

 

I am declaring victory on this, since I need to get started on the rear. All the gaps are within 1/16 inch, all the measurements are also as close as I can get, and the angles are within a degree.

 

Of course, I might come back and tap on things just a bit more for cosmetics!

 

Starting on the rear. I cut out the rear panel, which had been replaced (poorly) in the past. The right inner fender looks pretty lumpy.

 

Here's my initial rough reshape. Left side did not need much. Right side needs more.

 

Call the right side done enough for now. Next is the rear panel.

 

Getting back to work. This does not look like much, but after welding up some holes and grinding flat, this is the first step of adding metal to the car.

 

Plus the first part of bracing for the body shell, in prep for eventually mounting the car on the rotisserie.

 

Too bad they left that stupid moisture holding pad on the bulkhead in the engine compartment! Ouch!!

 

Yeah. Even worse was putting the battery in a position exposed to weather and draining onto the main chassis components.

 

Yeah, that was not one of Porsche's great design ideas... (along with lead weights in the front bumper of early SWB 911's...)

 

Another "surprise". I knew about the spliced fender, and ignored it as long as possible. But the previous crappy lap joint was just too awful. Plus taking off the rear part of the outer fender gives me better access to the inner fender. Pretty easy to remove, since the fender section was attached only along the outer edge of the lap joint, some brazing around the tail light opening, and one spot of brazing along the upper seam where the outer and inner fenders meet.

 

Meanwhile, I put my son to work fabricating braces for the passenger compartment.

 

And the patch work is done on the splice for the front right inner fender.

 

I'm impressed- the "kid" can weld too!!!