CRBennington

Well Rennlist, you've got another new 951 owner who I'm quite sure will have plenty of questions, comments, and complaints over the next however many years the torrid Porsche love affair will last. I expect it to be a lifetime thing as within several hours of having the bought the 951 the fiance made it known that she wanted "one of the pretty, older Porsches." After playing around on Google images, we figured out that she wants a 930.

Before I get into listing the information and known history of my new to me Turbo I'll just go ahead and throw this out there: I know that this thing is going to **** me off from time to time. I know that this thing will cost me more money than any sane person could justify. I know that it's 24 years old and much of it is running on borrowed time. However, I know that driving home and getting into the boost in 3rd on an on-ramp, right as Beethoven's 9th Symphony started, was spiritual. I knew at that moment that I was in love and that I'd have this car for many years to come.

So here we go, I plan on this thing being a life-long project. As far as the often blurred line between project car and driving car goes, this one is much closer to the driving car side of the continuum (I hope!) Carfax was clean and I'm pretty sure that I'll be the 5th owner. 1st and 2nd owners did a bit of documented maintenance work at Porsche dealerships judging from both the Carfax and some stamps in the maintenance manual. 3rd owner was a doucher and ended up leaving some stuff a little bit sub-par and did some shoddy work. 4th owner, guy I got it from, was a stellar dude who documented everything and created some real paperwork from when he got it.

Shortly after Steve, the 4th owner, bought it, the timing belt failed resulting in 2 bent valves. From what Steve told me, he originally intended for this to be a long-term project. He spent a ton of time and money putting the top end back together the right way. Here's the list that's copy and pasted from the Excel sheet that he tracked the build on:

Oil Filter
Vacuum Line Kit (Red) from Lindsey Racing
944Online - Exhaust Gasket Kit (Includes 4 gaskets, 8 studs, 8 nuts)
944Online - Exhaust Seal Ring
MAF Plate
Cone Filter - Spectre
Lindsey Racing Silicone Intercooler Hose Set
Fuel Filter
Reference Sensor
Fuel Pressure Gauge - Rail Mounted
Timing Tool Set (Flywheel lock, Tension Tool, Sprocket Tool)
Standard Head Gasket Set
MagWire Spark Plug Wire Set
Disributor Cap
Dust Cap
Disributor Cap Gasket
Idle Stabilizer Hoses - Venturi Delete
Boost Enhancer
Rennbay - Timing Belt Kit w/Rollers (Not Kevlar)
Fuel injector seal kit (all four)
Rotor
Timing Belt Wrench
ZDDPlus Oil Additive
New Valve Guides
Exhaust Header Washer
Head Work performed by John Day (Day Custom Engines)
Header Wrap
928Motorsports - Shift **** Adapter
Lindsey - Heater Hose (water pump to water rail)
Radiator Hose - (water neck to crossover pipe)
Heater Hose Clamp Kit (6 clamps)
MSD Blaster Coil
Wpier Delete Plug
Dowel Pins
Cam Tower Bolt
Cam Tower Gasket
1/4" ID Black Vacuum Line
Red Line MT-90 Tranny Fluid

He had the supplier, quantity, and price on the sheet, but I figured you guys didn't need that. Here's my real question, what's next? What should I plan on making my priorities to replace and rebuild before there are issues? Motor mounts, tranny mount, bushings, wiring harnesess (which ones?? Lindsey Racing has several,) brake lines, and axles are on my list of to-do. There are probably other larger priorities that I'm overlooking though.

Here's my final question and then I'll leave y'all alone for the evening. I'm in an apartment right now, but I know that I'm going to have to do some wrenching on this thing, both as a labor of love and also to be able to not spend tens of thousands over the next several years in labor. What is my (base!) shopping list for tools to buy?

hp18racer

Cheese head bits for the axle bolts.

The alan head for the transaxle is REALLY big.

I cut a couple of 13 mm wrenches in half (one of them curved) to get at bolts from the header to the crossover.

All sorts of extensions, swivel head ratchets, ratcheting end wrenches, seems like you can never have enough options when trying to get turbo and exhaust bolts out.

Check out clarks-garage.com, it enumerates the specific tools needed for many of the things you might end up working on.

onspeed

I'd get a nice socket set.. preferably with both short and deep ones, and in the 2 smaller sizes. 1/4'' and 3/8'' I think? Make sure it includes sockets of 10mm, 13mm, 15mm, 17mm, and 19mm - although only use I can think of that is for the lug nuts. There a couple odd bolts that are 11mm (caliper bleed screw) and I think maybe a 12mm somewhere too. Extensions of various sizes, and there are some nice ones that are notched at the top, allowing the socket to flex maybe 5-10 degrees.

That + some screwdrivers... I have one average sized flat head, one really long one, and an average sized phillips and can usually get everything done with those. Short stubby one might be helpful in a couple places... distributor cap for sure. Then, a set of wrenches, in the same sizes as the sockets, would be helpful.

Those ratcheting one are pricey, but very useful sometimes. Intake is held on with a 6mm (maybe 8? someone correct me) hex. You could either buy a 6mm hex socket, or just take a regular 6mm hex key, cut it, and use a 6mm socket on top of it. Everything I'd say buy as you go.

Gator_86_951

Best tool: post your location and find a rennlister and what he likes to drink

Actually, I would say get yourself one of those medium sized craftsman sets. Then some of the above. My "most favorite useful 951 tool" is a crazy long small socket drive extension. Makes taking all that intake stuff apart much easier.

If you car is well sorted, you won't be messing with it that much to be honest.

bonus12

wow nice 951!

and the 930 is one if my other faves (along with the 964)!!!

Keithr726

Welcome aboard! Nice looking '51 with some nice goodies as well. Since clarks-garage has already been mentions I'll list part suppliers. Also, be sure to find your way to the 951 discussion board for more in depth posts.

pelicanparts.com

paragon-products.com

944online.com

rennbay.com

lindseyracing.com

speedforceracing.com

vitesseracing.com

Tedro951

Welcome! It sounds like you have a good grasp of what it takes to own/drive/wrench our old cars. Ditto on most of the above tool advice. If you're not a pro, sears bundles alot of stuff at great prices. I'm also a fan of the Gearwrench stuff for DIY'ers. It'll hurt, but Amazon or ebay will turn up deals on decent swivel-sockets. Sears calls them flex-sockets, but there are times when that is about the only tool that can get on a bolt.

Floor jack from a Napa sale can get a nice low profile jack for around 225. Get tall, beefy stands. A strap-on (this ought to start some comments!) LED headlight is something I like. I also have 2 rechargeable LED lamps, from sears, that have held up for the last couple of years.

In an apartment you probably dont have much storage, but a nice chest/cab is something that I wish I'd spent the $$ on 25 years ago.

JohnKoaWood

What he said... find someone local to you to help you learn everythign you ever wanted to know about your car!

Beautiful 951!

choinga

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.

That's what so much fun about these cars, there's plenty to do...even if you have a well sorted one.

I bought a 87 with 83k on it (a middle aged woman was the original owner...took it to the dealer for everything for the first 60k...I have all the paperwork + the window sticker...). It was pretty stock minus a 3" SFR exhaust and a new clutch...and I've done nothing but 'mess' with it for the past 3 years. For me, that was part of the reason I bought the car - but as big of a PITA as these cars can be...when they run right you can't get more fun for the $$.

Welcome!

bonus12

The great truth! Well stated.

Gator_86_951

Fair enough. Mine ran just fine until I got the idea to do a rebuild. No it doesn't run. LOL. That was 5 years ago, before I even starting working for my law firm.

odurandina

you've done a beautiful job with your car.

running_cold924

buy some ratchet-wrenches! always, always, always need then atleast once every time you work under the hood.

congrats on the beautiful p-car! always glad to see another join the fold!

CRBennington

Thanks for the warm welcome guys. Looks like I'll start slowly accumulating some tools. With Valentine's day and my birthday coming up, hopefully the woman will get me some nice shiny things. The only issue that I seem to have so far is a bit of white smoke on the passenger side by the headers. I'm going to try and look today and see if there's any evidence of a leak anywhere. I know it's wishful thinking, but I'm really hoping for an uneventful 6 months or so until we're out of the apartment and I can have a garage.

Based on the advice of everyone above, does anybody know and Rennlisters that are into 951s and near Fort Worth, TX?

dillon410021

I would suggest getting some new fuel lines for the engine bay so it doesn't go up in flames.

I see that one has been replaced with a SS wrapped line. the important ones are the ones above the headers