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Not much to report. It is a time consuming process to get this perfect. Any shop can chop and weld but to verify all dimensions are spot on takes time. I figure we will have 40 hours into the project before we actually remove the old roof. It is interesting how the lip will fit into the rain gutters and then we basically wrap the rail back around it and weld. I will have more detailed photos later but for now I don't have the stomach to post them it is like the scars after plastic surgery.
We opened the crate and this panel is huge. Considering it is about 50 % of the car it should be. If I had to guess it weighs maybe 20 pounds and is quite flexible. It is amazing how rigid everything becomes when it is all welded together. Modern cars are such crap in comaprison to these older 911's.
Yes we we’ll be doing pretty much the same thing but they omitted some critical steps And the bulk of the work removing the roof in the video. Also interesting support bar inside. Not sure how that will impact the headliner. There is a flat factory piece that does the same thing I prefer. No rust on my car at all so I won’t be painting the entire car. The paint was perfect before. I well also he adding sounds deadening to the underside.
So I am nearly ready to help remove the roof at the rails. We did some checking and found that out of 7 original 911's we had to measure off of no two were the same. The curvature of the roof line varies from car to car. So we decided to build some templates out of steel to match my car exactly. It is easy enough when doing this to change the roof rail line and that is something I don't want to have. Once the gages were made the cutting began and the sunroof is now gone. It makes it easier to do the job without the sunroof in place. Taking the time to make sure it is all perfect. Hammering on the rail to fold the metal back can change the shape considerably so we are making sure my cars rails will stay the same shape as it left the factory and not just look close.
It is amazing this part without the rest of the bits for the sunroof actually weighs more than the entire roof skin from front cowl to rear.
Hadn’t thought of this before, but does that mean you’ll lose more weight by replacing the entire root skin versus just welding in a sunroof plug panel? I wonder what the difference is.
Hadn’t thought of this before, but does that mean you’ll lose more weight by replacing the entire root skin versus just welding in a sunroof plug panel? I wonder what the difference is.
No the entire sunroof assembly can be removed and the panel replaced with a fenn lane style panel. If there is any weight difference it is negligible. I did it on my track car but there is always the worries the welds will crack over time. I decided to go this route since this car will not be beaten up the same way the track car will be and when done I hope not to need to do anything to it for a number of years but drive. My 928 needs some little things attacked after I am done with this. I like the thought of having a full skin vs a welded in panel and it will assure a perfect fit of the headliner. These tubs do flex when pushed hard. Just something else I Can put in my resume of jobs tackled over the years of 911 and 964 ownership. Pretty much nothing left that I haven't touched upon or rebuilt on these cars at one point or another. Being retired at an early age I need to keep myself busy and tinkering with these cars is both educational and entertaining. I still learn something new each day and to me that is important. Although I have a tendency to bite off more than I can chew. Working on two large projects at one time along with a number of house projects is a lot like work being pulled in multiple directions at once. It reminds me of work. LOL
Unfortunately the track car has stalled yet again. Sourcing some specific stainless tubing for the exhaust has become a problem so I am considering having Full Race build me the headers while I work on the intercooler and suspension of that project. I have my biannual surgery coming up next Monday which will lay me out for a while. I was supposed to have it in April but the centers were all shut down and I had no interest in going near a hospital if unnecessary. I hope it hasn't been too long of a wait last time i did this it messed me up pretty badly for a while.
So I will finish up a few things and hopefully have the roof off this week. Pino will finish the install and start the paint process. I am still having an issue getting in touch with the carpet people. They might be shut down still so carpeting may be on hold until the winter. Driving the boxster is fun but I miss my 911's.
Meanwhile I thought this was a cool picture. Thinking of changing my avatar to this.
I am trying to get small stuff done while I can. I opted for the Ti studs and lug nuts although unnecessary they look cool. I hear the age out but I'll keep my eyes on them. I will be retaining the 993 hubs which are beefier and swapping the old stock 993 parts over to the C2 when it is back.
Also started the evo upright install but find I need special hardware I am missing so more setbacks. But still pushing forward.
I better start a new thread for the track car this must get confusing and I will have to repeat it all. Might have some time next week.
Hi Anthony, I see you are just as obsessed with perfection as I am. Doomed souls are we. The rain gutter undoing and recrimping and roof replacement is a royal pain, but necessary for that look of OEM, but I think it will be better than OEM.
When I did my sunroof removal and refabrication, there was weight loss achieved. We weighed the motor, entire housing and panel against the new sheet metal and there was greater than 14 lbs I believe. In any case, since this isn't a all out track car, it really won't matter. Now that I have the time to catch up, I am following this thread. You have to take pics of that crimping process, all by hand I take it?
I am not so concerned with the weight loss as I am the headroom and aesthetics. Although losing weight up top helps. I think Pino will have to take the pictures. yes it is all by hand and very laborious. I really wanted to be involved I try to do as much as I can myself but I will be laid up for a while having some past due surgery Monday. This is my 27th time so who knows. It is different every time despite going after the same thing. While I am locked in at home I will try to break out the track build thread from the slick top thread. Two projects going on at different locations. I am also trying to buy a cobalt blue AR. I am not a fan of the cabs but this is a unique car and it needs my help. A lot of history and some poorly done work needing to be corrected. Hopefully they will accept my offer and then it will be three projects going on at once. We truly are Doomed Souls. Looking forward to seeing yours on the road. Hopefully the C2 will be painted in a few weeks. I might wait on the carpet until winter. I really just want to get out and drive. The Boxster is fun but no 964.
To me there is only one way to do something and that is the best work I can. I have never been a corner cutter and the details are where all the time is. If it isn't perfect I do it over. Designing the headers and IC for the track car is work and will take several hundred hours so I will be busy with that as well.
I decided to use all new parts and picked up some interesting wastegates. Not tials but supposed to be equally as good for less $$. I have been adding up my receipts and it has been a big mistake. BTW I don't know if you got my response to your PM.
So here is the WG and the AR I am considering. This recently sold on BaT. I would love to give this car the TLC it deserves. It would look nice with my wife behind the wheel or next to the turbo. Talk soon and be safe.
You are correct, and I agree, there is only one way to do it. And I am so thrilled that mine is in the hands of the fellows at Coachwerks. They never cease to amaze me. I am busy back at work now and things are quickly returning to the hectic pace. I would say that up here we will be back to at least 85% by end of July which is truly remarkable and beyond what I would have predicted. There may be some pullback if a second wave emerges, but I am confident it will be brief. As always, while statistics give a better idea from a data driven perspective, individuals should still stay on alert and protect themselves based on their age, health and possible environment exposure. I am well so far, thank you.
I just went through my inbox and I did miss that pm. I will respond tonight on the email.
That AR looks very nice and from this distance that paint looks in good shape. It looks like blue carpet and dash which just makes the lighter colors "pop" out. The combo is beautiful. I did consider something like this for mine, but knew I couldn't live with white or linen seats.
One thing this pandemic has made me accelerate, is my desire to spend more time working on cars like these and learning how to do some of this myself. I have made a promise to give myself that time and am double checking that my financial health will allow it.
As always, a pleasure to see your progress.
Last edited by GentlemanRacer; 06-20-2020 at 02:30 PM.
Reason: spelling
I have been adding up my receipts and it has been a big mistake. BTW I don't know if you got my response to your PM.
So here is the WG and the AR I am considering.
Hope your procedure and recovery goes smoothly.
Yeah, adding up receipts is definitely NOT recommended!
Have you looked into electric WG? Basically, you don’t need high reference pressure (like a CO2 tank) or the compromised control of using differential pressure.
There are so many new products on the market or products used on other makes that can be adapted. The WG were relatively cheap and I will set the spring to .5 bar and then control pressures from the ECU at different power settings. I have a pair of older Tials I can use but I figured after this much work I might as well use all new. The SS exhaust flanges are coming from SOUL and we will be starting on welding up the exhaust soon.
Thanks for all the kind words. I usually don't put my personal stuff out there this much but this pandemic thing has really thrown my schedule off now 3 months past due so I worry a little. My son also pointed out what a bear I can be when I have to stop taking my pain meds. My osteoarthritis has really gotten bad so without the meds I have a tendency to lash out a bit and as he put it become an authoritative PITA. He doesn't hold any punches so he must love me. LOL I hope to see Pino make some progress while I am out of commision.
06-02-2020, 07:51 PM
BTW I don't know if you got my response to your PM.
Enjoying watching your progress.