A restoration in pictures and words
- Thread starter 38F3E1
- Start date
jamescharnley
Active member
very nice looking shell. Nice to see some thought has gone into it
Alex Postan
New member
Very nice manifolds but, since you will not have the benefit of any heat exchangers, had you thought of fitting a heated windscreen to replace the demist facility that you will have lost? I believe that they are still available and all you need to do at this stage would be to include a power feed into the loom (it will be a new loom that you use won't it?)
Very good idea Alex. I have one sitting here with seperate left and right elements. Didn't bother with a picture as it's not very exciting as it looks just like a normal screen. And it's lighter than the standard screen BTW 
Yes I will be using a new loom looking at the mess that came out!
Ian.
Yes I will be using a new loom looking at the mess that came out!
Ian.
Also been sourcing the glassfibre parts I need. All have been made thinner than usual. They are more flimsy than standard glassfibre parts so may not last as long but are very light.
Nice S replica front bumper plus RS rear bumper and ducktail
Front bonnet plus standard style engine lid
Finally managed to aquire a very nice original engine grill. Not easy to find. This will be fitted to the standard style engine lid which will be used most of the time.
Nice S replica front bumper plus RS rear bumper and ducktail
Front bonnet plus standard style engine lid
Finally managed to aquire a very nice original engine grill. Not easy to find. This will be fitted to the standard style engine lid which will be used most of the time.
IanHighfield
New member
Ian,
Where did you source your fibreglass parts from ?
Ian
Where did you source your fibreglass parts from ?
Ian
Thanks Maurice. It has been a lot of fun so far but a lot of stress too trying to organise everything. I didn't want it to be one of these projects that take years. I had hoped it would be finished by now and have occasionally thought about just mothballing it part way through and starting it back up next year during some of the most stressful periods. As usual on projects like these some people have delivered what they said, some have been really helpful and gone the extra yard, some have given me time and good advice for nothing in return and as always some have let me down.
Target is currently mid to end of June.
One extra bonus is that I have learnt an immense amount about early cars by doing this project.
Ian.
oliverjamesthomas
New member
Top effort, Ian. Don't even think about mothballing it, because it'll be more than worth all the effort in the end. I speak from a perspective of being a couple of months, (hopefully! [8|]), behind you time-wise on my project.
The point when destruction becomes construction [] :
I'm now having a three way affair with a grinder, a plasma and a welder! Having read your posts so far, what are the reference sources you are using for the competition aspect of the build and are you any nearer to deciding what you're going to do competition wise?
The point when destruction becomes construction [
] :
I'm now having a three way affair with a grinder, a plasma and a welder! Having read your posts so far, what are the reference sources you are using for the competition aspect of the build and are you any nearer to deciding what you're going to do competition wise?
Nice to see someone else at it Oliver. What is the condition of your shell? What model is it and what are you plans for it?
Regarding reference material - starting point is a copy of the original factory suppliment for the first RSR. Then there are all the old FIA homologation papers from the late 60s/early 70s. Not trying to build a correct historic race car but there is a lot of useful stuff in them.
Plus talked to people who have prepared 911 shells before, either for track or for rally work. The rally shells are interesting because although the modifications would be way over the top for track cars they are a good reference point. Used the internet to research and contact experts over in the US as there is a lot of knowledge over there plus found a couple of very knowledgable people over here too. Finally of course the forums that deal with early 911s. I am getting a lot of help along the way and everyone contacted has been very friendly and very helpful.
Ian.
Regarding reference material - starting point is a copy of the original factory suppliment for the first RSR. Then there are all the old FIA homologation papers from the late 60s/early 70s. Not trying to build a correct historic race car but there is a lot of useful stuff in them.
Plus talked to people who have prepared 911 shells before, either for track or for rally work. The rally shells are interesting because although the modifications would be way over the top for track cars they are a good reference point. Used the internet to research and contact experts over in the US as there is a lot of knowledge over there plus found a couple of very knowledgable people over here too. Finally of course the forums that deal with early 911s. I am getting a lot of help along the way and everyone contacted has been very friendly and very helpful.
Ian.
Quite a while since last update. Car is still progressing but at a much more relaxed pace now. Have decided not to paint and finally assemble the car until the winter. Too many other things take priority now we are into summer. Shell will go into storage shortly once the final tidying is complete.
Some more pics though ...
Rear section of the roll cage. Design of rear is a main hoop with rear brace each side plus diagonal brace (all in 50mm for modern regulations). Attached to that, but in effect seperate to the main crash structure, is 40mm arms coming back from the main hoop to go through to the rear of the shell with the harness bar attached.
Close up of arrangement for the harness bar
Some more pics though ...
Rear section of the roll cage. Design of rear is a main hoop with rear brace each side plus diagonal brace (all in 50mm for modern regulations). Attached to that, but in effect seperate to the main crash structure, is 40mm arms coming back from the main hoop to go through to the rear of the shell with the harness bar attached.
Close up of arrangement for the harness bar
Here's where the cage comes through the rear with some extra plating to strengthen in this area. The braces can be removed as it's a bolt in arrangement.
It was decided to provide this extra bracing as the car will be fitted with a 935 style rear suspension setup with upside down coilovers instead of torsion bars so needs to be strengthend in this area.
It was decided to provide this extra bracing as the car will be fitted with a 935 style rear suspension setup with upside down coilovers instead of torsion bars so needs to be strengthend in this area.
Finally got round to putting fillets around the rear torsion bar mounts
Also had a set of jacking points made to replicate those fitted to late 3.2 Carrera and 3.2 Clubsport. Will allow use of a trolly jack on the car.
Front welded in
Rear tacked ready for final welding
Also had a set of jacking points made to replicate those fitted to late 3.2 Carrera and 3.2 Clubsport. Will allow use of a trolly jack on the car.
Front welded in
Rear tacked ready for final welding
Here's some pictures of the front bracing that has been decided on
Triangulated strut brace
Front brace under construction
The front brace is a complete bolt in structure so it can be removed if required. In addition it has been designed so the spare wheel will mount on top of it and still clear the bonnet.
Triangulated strut brace
Front brace under construction
The front brace is a complete bolt in structure so it can be removed if required. In addition it has been designed so the spare wheel will mount on top of it and still clear the bonnet.
Which then brings us to the petrol tank that of course will now no longer fit.
Original plan was for an aluminium tank plus aluminium underguard. However after some careful thought a decision has been reached to go for a modified steel tank and not fit an underguard as the steel tank is strong enough underneath. The weight ends up about the same as the ali tank and underguard (mainly due to the weight of the underguard). You also get to retain the existing pick up points and fittings which makes piping up easier.
The top will be chopped off and a custom triangle shaped top made in steel and welded to the existing bottom. As the top will be off the tank the opportunity will be taken to fill the tank with foam (and I believe foam filled steel tanks are MSA/FIA compliant BTW).
Here's the tank with the some of the top chopped off if anybody has ever wondered what a standard tank looks like inside
Note the nice factory baffle fitted at the bottom center to prevent surge starvation as the tank nears empty plus the pressed ribbing of the bottom of the tank for impact resistance
Once the front brace is fully welded up this will be one of the final tasks to complete for now.
Original plan was for an aluminium tank plus aluminium underguard. However after some careful thought a decision has been reached to go for a modified steel tank and not fit an underguard as the steel tank is strong enough underneath. The weight ends up about the same as the ali tank and underguard (mainly due to the weight of the underguard). You also get to retain the existing pick up points and fittings which makes piping up easier.
The top will be chopped off and a custom triangle shaped top made in steel and welded to the existing bottom. As the top will be off the tank the opportunity will be taken to fill the tank with foam (and I believe foam filled steel tanks are MSA/FIA compliant BTW).
Here's the tank with the some of the top chopped off if anybody has ever wondered what a standard tank looks like inside
Note the nice factory baffle fitted at the bottom center to prevent surge starvation as the tank nears empty plus the pressed ribbing of the bottom of the tank for impact resistance
Once the front brace is fully welded up this will be one of the final tasks to complete for now.
The final task before the shell is stored will be the fitting of wider 9 inch ST arches on the rear and flares on the front. This was due to be done some time ago and has been part of the delay to date as ST arches in steel turn out to be mythical things. A thing that many dream of but few have ever seen. In the end a decision was taken to aquire a set of nice arches in glassfibre (which has now been done) and get a company with skilled craftsman to hand roll some in steel. Companys like this do still exist in England. Now in progress and the first results are fabulous.
Also now have some matching flared out bumper ends in glassfibre to modify my RS rear bumper to fit the wider arches.
That's all for now
Ian.
Also now have some matching flared out bumper ends in glassfibre to modify my RS rear bumper to fit the wider arches.
That's all for now
Ian.
The front bracing is now fully welded and complete
Here are the ST arches. The white one on the right is one of the glassfibre templates we have used and black one on the left is one of the hand wheeled steel copies
Here's the first rear quarter being prepared for fitting. Note a temporary jig for the new arch has been made by tack welding some braces to the body.
Here are the ST arches. The white one on the right is one of the glassfibre templates we have used and black one on the left is one of the hand wheeled steel copies
Here's the first rear quarter being prepared for fitting. Note a temporary jig for the new arch has been made by tack welding some braces to the body.
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