Rear hatch blowback repair
01-30-2008, 09:47 PM
#1
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Rear hatch blowback repair
Well, blow forward really.
Andy G here, some of you may remember me from about 10 years ago when I was in NZ and had an '83 Euro.
I've managed to get my hands on an '88 S4 stick, but silly previous owner left it outside during Hurricane Wilma and as well have having a concrete block dislodge itself from Dog knows where and plant itself in the middle of the front windshield, they either left the rear hatch ajar, or it popped itself open and the ~90MPH gusts coming from the rear bent the hatch completely back so the hinge area folded, causing the rear hatch to buckle and also put a nice dent in the roof, as though someone had stood just south of the sunroof and jumped up and down on it.
The roof doesn't look TOO bad, I'm hping it'll pull out and the hinge mounts at the rear of the roof look like they're in the correct position, or can be twisted back into the correct position fairly easily using leverage of some sort.
The hatch, however, is a different story. What I'm wondering is whether it's repairable, or whether the attempts to unfold the metal (some of it is like 90 degrees out of whack) will cause it to shear, and is a waste of time trying. Cheaper to get a 2nd hand hatch muled down from the USA?
Once that's repaired there's still some work to do on it - it's been dead for a number of years and needs a lot of fuel system repairs, and complete belts hoses rubber replacement. It was left in the sun with fuel in the car (for a number of years I think), and due to the humidity here, a lot of water entered the tank. Parts inside the tank are rusting and the pump was seized up.
The good news is, the engine turns by hand and the plugs show no damage so at least it hasn't dropped it's belt and crapped all the valves.
I want to get the bodywork done first so I can put new glass in front and rear. THEN I'll fix the engine side.
It's black, which is the WORST colour to have here in the heat but the paints pretty crazed in places so a colour change might be in the works. Especially since the interior is light tan which looks HORRIBLE in a black car. Bleeerk.
Andy G here, some of you may remember me from about 10 years ago when I was in NZ and had an '83 Euro.
I've managed to get my hands on an '88 S4 stick, but silly previous owner left it outside during Hurricane Wilma and as well have having a concrete block dislodge itself from Dog knows where and plant itself in the middle of the front windshield, they either left the rear hatch ajar, or it popped itself open and the ~90MPH gusts coming from the rear bent the hatch completely back so the hinge area folded, causing the rear hatch to buckle and also put a nice dent in the roof, as though someone had stood just south of the sunroof and jumped up and down on it.
The roof doesn't look TOO bad, I'm hping it'll pull out and the hinge mounts at the rear of the roof look like they're in the correct position, or can be twisted back into the correct position fairly easily using leverage of some sort.
The hatch, however, is a different story. What I'm wondering is whether it's repairable, or whether the attempts to unfold the metal (some of it is like 90 degrees out of whack) will cause it to shear, and is a waste of time trying. Cheaper to get a 2nd hand hatch muled down from the USA?
Once that's repaired there's still some work to do on it - it's been dead for a number of years and needs a lot of fuel system repairs, and complete belts hoses rubber replacement. It was left in the sun with fuel in the car (for a number of years I think), and due to the humidity here, a lot of water entered the tank. Parts inside the tank are rusting and the pump was seized up.
The good news is, the engine turns by hand and the plugs show no damage so at least it hasn't dropped it's belt and crapped all the valves.
I want to get the bodywork done first so I can put new glass in front and rear. THEN I'll fix the engine side.
It's black, which is the WORST colour to have here in the heat but the paints pretty crazed in places so a colour change might be in the works. Especially since the interior is light tan which looks HORRIBLE in a black car. Bleeerk.
01-31-2008, 02:59 PM
#4
Under the Lift
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Welcome back, Andy!
for putting in all the effort that's going to be needed to restore this salvage case. Keep us posted on your progress - add some pics, although they might be a little disturbing to view with the car in its current state. Good luck!
for putting in all the effort that's going to be needed to restore this salvage case. Keep us posted on your progress - add some pics, although they might be a little disturbing to view with the car in its current state. Good luck!
01-31-2008, 04:43 PM
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I was under the impression that 1988 era 928s were NOT LEGAL could not be registered in Mexico ...only very early cars or NEW porsche cars assembled in Mexico. So before getting too involved in restoration you might want to be SURE that you can actually drive it. And I have had several customers in Mexico with 928s one who updated an early car to LOOK like an S-4 he spent thousands for parts but only paid $5 per day to have them fitted !
01-31-2008, 04:53 PM
#6
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There are some real magicians with hammers in places like Mexico. I would think first option would be to replace both the roof and hatch since your labor should be very low.
02-01-2008, 03:40 AM
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Thanks for the welcome back, Bill!
Jim, yes your impression is correct. Anything exotic and European must be at least 30 years old before it can be registered in Mexico - aside form the ridiculously expensive ones at the local Porsche dealer. BUT - and there are always but's here - we may have found a loophole big enough to drive a 928 through*. I'll know in a few days. I've been holding back actually putting any money into the car (aside from the money spent rescuing it from previous owner) until I knew the outcome. I couldn't bear to see an S4 slowly die, especially since it's a stick shift!
As for the work involved, I love a challenge and love fixing stuff, and when the reward at the end is getting to drive such a beautiful well-engineered car around - I couldn't resist.
*If this turns out to be true, there are rumours of a dead Bentley Turbo-R stored nearby - and I'll be looking at driving (well, pushing) that puppy through the same loophole. Bound to be water in the fuel and who can resist stripping down and rebuilding a K-Jet system. :^)
There will be photos - just not yet.
As for the hatch, I'll take it around a few of the local shops and see if anyone wants to have a go at fixing it on a pay-for-success basis. What the approximate cost of a 2nd hand '88 hatch anyway?
Cheers.
Jim, yes your impression is correct. Anything exotic and European must be at least 30 years old before it can be registered in Mexico - aside form the ridiculously expensive ones at the local Porsche dealer. BUT - and there are always but's here - we may have found a loophole big enough to drive a 928 through*. I'll know in a few days. I've been holding back actually putting any money into the car (aside from the money spent rescuing it from previous owner) until I knew the outcome. I couldn't bear to see an S4 slowly die, especially since it's a stick shift!
As for the work involved, I love a challenge and love fixing stuff, and when the reward at the end is getting to drive such a beautiful well-engineered car around - I couldn't resist.
*If this turns out to be true, there are rumours of a dead Bentley Turbo-R stored nearby - and I'll be looking at driving (well, pushing) that puppy through the same loophole. Bound to be water in the fuel and who can resist stripping down and rebuilding a K-Jet system. :^)
There will be photos - just not yet.
As for the hatch, I'll take it around a few of the local shops and see if anyone wants to have a go at fixing it on a pay-for-success basis. What the approximate cost of a 2nd hand '88 hatch anyway?
Cheers.
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02-01-2008, 04:37 PM
#11
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Don't even bother to try to get the hatch straight. If it was folded over the metal should be badly creased and stretched. I'm not saying you can't get it fixed, but the cost to do it even in Mexico will be very high and it will probably never be perfect.
Someone suggested replacing the roof but that is not something I'd recommend.
Someone suggested replacing the roof but that is not something I'd recommend.
02-01-2008, 05:58 PM
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Of course NOT !! 
that is a BARE hatch ...glass , black trim , spoiler , upholstery , visors etc are all seperate parts . Good luck with your "loophole" , I have heard about numerous Porsche cars which were abandoned /impounded in Mexico over the years. Once drove into Mexico T. J. to pick up all the parts to a 911 engine which needed a complete rebuild but trying to ship it out of Mexico into the US was a big problem so I smuggled it into the U S in a VW bus load of ceramic pots....had it rebuilt and shipped it back to Mexico long time 928 customer. Someone along the way stole ONE of the pistons and cylinders before I got to Mexico , minor set back. Now that new Porsche cars are legal I get a lot fewer requests from Mexico for parts.
that is a BARE hatch ...glass , black trim , spoiler , upholstery , visors etc are all seperate parts . Good luck with your "loophole" , I have heard about numerous Porsche cars which were abandoned /impounded in Mexico over the years. Once drove into Mexico T. J. to pick up all the parts to a 911 engine which needed a complete rebuild but trying to ship it out of Mexico into the US was a big problem so I smuggled it into the U S in a VW bus load of ceramic pots....had it rebuilt and shipped it back to Mexico long time 928 customer. Someone along the way stole ONE of the pistons and cylinders before I got to Mexico , minor set back. Now that new Porsche cars are legal I get a lot fewer requests from Mexico for parts.
02-01-2008, 11:53 PM
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Ah well, it was worth a punt Good price for the bare hatch anyway.
Unfortunately when I took the spoiler off the old one the bolts on one side sheared. Someone will now tell me I should have sprayed WD40 prior, I guess.
My father-in-law here owns a windshield repair shop. Is there a kit available with the goo required to stick down the front and rear windshields, or can you just use standard stuff?
Still waiting to hear if I can source replacement front and rear windshields here, or need to mule them down.
Good price for the bare hatch anyway.Unfortunately when I took the spoiler off the old one the bolts on one side sheared. Someone will now tell me I should have sprayed WD40 prior, I guess.
My father-in-law here owns a windshield repair shop. Is there a kit available with the goo required to stick down the front and rear windshields, or can you just use standard stuff?
Still waiting to hear if I can source replacement front and rear windshields here, or need to mule them down.
02-02-2008, 12:02 AM
#14
Most likely you are going to need the mules to haul down the glass I doubt that there are ten 928s in Mexico. You can fix the broken bolt if you dremel out the wing and epoxy in a replacement bolt or two.
02-03-2008, 02:04 AM
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>Most likely you are going to need the mules to haul down the glass I doubt that there are ten 928s in
>Mexico.
I've seen another one here - a Canadian ~85 S. No others in these parts, that's for sure.
There WAS a guy advertising in the paper a few years back bringing in 928's and other used exotics from Germany, working out of Merida Yucatan. Don't know how many he manged to bring in, if any.
I did see one old one advertised in Mexico's version of eBay once, the guy wanted crazy money.
>You can fix the broken bolt if you dremel out the wing and epoxy in a replacement bolt or two.
Right. Thanks for the tip. That'll work.
>Mexico.
I've seen another one here - a Canadian ~85 S. No others in these parts, that's for sure.
There WAS a guy advertising in the paper a few years back bringing in 928's and other used exotics from Germany, working out of Merida Yucatan. Don't know how many he manged to bring in, if any.
I did see one old one advertised in Mexico's version of eBay once, the guy wanted crazy money.
>You can fix the broken bolt if you dremel out the wing and epoxy in a replacement bolt or two.
Right. Thanks for the tip. That'll work.