StanUK951

Thanks guys!

I use the car as a weekend toy / second car. I don't use it for supermarket trips unless I know I can park across two bays and sparingly with the missus as she moans like hell that she can't see out the passenger seat (quite why she needs to I don't know...). It's my hobby really...

I've done a few track days but not in this yet. My dad has had a 993 turbo since about 1997 and I've done a few track days in that including silverstone and castle coombe. I've done a Porsche Experience Centre driving day in my car which was great fun. The skid plate, low friction surface and ice hill were really good learning tools. The instructor drove my car and was really interested driving something other than the usual 997's... Would like to do some track days this year I think...

StanUK951

Progress Update: the engine is coming back together nicely. Bottom end wasn't split in the end but big ends replaced and ARP con rod bolts fitted along with ARP head studs. Heads have been rebuilt and valve guides changed, new timing chain and tensioner. Jaz are waiting for the powder coated bits to come back and for my engine fan to come back from 911 Bodyshop who are painting it red whilst doing the rest of the car. The fan housing has been painted and my RS pulley is waiting to go on.











Bodywork is getting there. Not as much progress as I'd hoped this week. Should be in paint by early next week. Then fan goes back on the engine and hopefully by end of next week we'll be there!









More next time!

964russ

Are you planning any power upgrades in the rebuild?

My old porkchop is in need of a rebuild, iam after a litle more go.
Sum cams and good exhaust are to b included in my revamp.
Have you givin this any thought?

My leaky engine (80k) is good for 279hp, on the dyno.
I reckon a good rebuilt lump is worth 310+?

StanUK951

Hi Russ, I have given it some thought, and I decided I could not really justify the expense right now! With all the bodywork I'm doing it would be a step too far... Shame as I would like some cams and heads done, like you suggest. Too late now as they are back on!

But then you probably need Motec to make the most of it, which is another £5k! I can still do Motec in a year or so and get over 300bhp which I think I'll be happy enough with.......

I struggled to find much advice on getting my heads done apart from that offered by 9M. I think 9M sound great but I like to have comparisons, so if you do it I'd love to see what you do...

StanUK951

Not far to go now. Engine is all back together and just waiting for the bodywork to be finished.

Final spec is now:

Complete top end rebuild including doing the big ends and con rod bolts. ARP head studs and ARP rod bolts, heads rebuilt with new valve guides, new piston rings, powder coated tinware and cam covers and various other bits, and lots of new oil pipes! I had the fan painted to match while it was in spray booth and Jaz painted the fan housing and fitted an RS single type pulley. I hope you'll agree it looks hot to trot now! Oh, and I've just found out I needed a new clutch so gave the nod for a new RS flywheel and clutch.... In for a penny and all that.





Bodywork is nearly done. I've had the following work done:

Complete roof re-sprayed, front and rear screens removed and surrounds and scuttle taken back to bare metal. Front wing rust repaired next to scuttle, dent and rust hole to lower sill section on n/s/r quarter repaired with new panel and resprayed, shark fins resprayed and headlamp rings resprayed, rear decklid and spoiler resprayed.

Hopefully all of this amounts to a nice re-fresh with no rust!

Porsche964FP

Wow Stan - looks awesome.

g60pops

Very nice Stan, love the red fan.

RSAErick

Great progress - look good. Good choice on the upgraded rod bolts and head studs. It should be a strong engine for years to come. Also, I like the RS clutch/flywheel while you're in there. Very nice.

StanUK951

Thanks guys. I've sprung for RS engine mounts too... Glad the missus doesn't read these forums......

Frank: what is happening with your engine?

berni29

Hi Stan

May I ask why you had the heads done again if they had been rebuilt previously, or was your previous information bad?

All the best

Berni

StanUK951

Hi Berni, although my invoice does say valve guides were replaced for the previous rebuild, Jaz thought the inlet or exhaust (can't remember which) guides needed doing so I had them all done again and fully rebuilt. Basically the previous rebuild was nothing more than replacing gaskets (although it was sold to me as having had a 'top end rebuild'). Rings might have been done before as well but they have been done again (it does say on invoice they were replaced) but it's difficult to tell if they really were, but I assume not impossible.... Basically, not all top end rebuilds are built the same. I wish I had bought a car with loads of oil leaks for £10k rather than a £14k car with a 'rebuilt engine' and got it done properly myself.

Anyone buying a 911 from a dealer who has carried out a rebuild themselves should ask very searching questions about the work carried out (or ask someone who knows what to ask and get them to ask them) and get it in writing is my advice. I could have made a bigger deal about it I feel because they are a well know specialist but life is too short and I just don't have time. Jaz know them and persuaded them to throw in a genuine gasket set, which is a few hundred quid by itself so I got something and Jaz went above and beyond, as it's nothing to do with them.

g60pops

Stan, who was the dealer you bought from?
You can pm me if you do not want to name them on the forum.

Blown Away

Stan,
Nice job being done by Dave and Cris. You shouldn't be disappointed. They did mine too. Engine runs great and bodywork is now like new.

Rob.

993James993

It's looking great!

Did you go with single stage paint? Did you consider painting the entire car? How difficult to color match? I would like to paint my guards red car but right not it's not in the budget.

StanUK951

G60: I was going to pm you then I thought, screw it, they've bought my bits and I'm several thousand quid worse off! The dealer was Portiacraft in Mill Hill in 2009 (10,000 miles, never tracked or thrashed, meticulously maintained).

I had a few problems with the car when I first bought it which they fixed under warranty. Was eventually traced to either a cylinder head temp sensor or co2 sensor (they replaced both simultaneously after several failed attempts). They only really took it seriously though when the car played up whilst at Jaz having some work done as it was always an intermittent fault. Had it towed to them once or twice. They did the repairs but there was always an atmosphere of 'stop wasting my time with your 964, we want to sell 997 tiptronics'. If it hadn't been for this attitude I would have pm'd you...

In some ways I understand, they're a business after all. £500 on new head studs would not have been recouped in the sale price as the market (i.e. your average Joe Punter like me) does not appreciate the difference. We have to make similar decisions in my business, but there is a difference between being economic and cutting corners and most people I speak to say head studs are 'de rigueur'. My business gets repeat work for doing a good job. We have to be competitive and very often compete on price to a specification, but doing a good quality job is what gets us the next job and builds our reputation. If a house we built had lots of cracks or doors that fell because we used cheap hinges or whatever, people would notice, so ultimately it's a false economy... That said, they have no idea how I have used the car in the 2 year period since purchase and it is a second hand car after all... Would I buy another car from them? Yes, if it was the right car for the right money - which only proves my Joe Punter point from earlier. And if they hadn't rebuilt the engine, but then I would never buy from a dealer who does rebuilds in house again. Sorry for the rant!

Rob: glad you are happy with yours. Dave did my engine and he does a lot of them and as I know them quite well in there he went the extra mile. So I did buy them all a couple of boxes of mixed beers and ale last week!

993James: I have no idea what the paint is, sorry. But I will ask. I entrusted it to Chris at 911 Bodyshop. Colour match looks good from what I have seen. I did consider a full repaint but like you, it's not in the budget! The 'top' is done now and Chris thinks there is no reason why I couldn't get the rest of the car painted in a year or twos time and it be a perfect match still.