"Light Restoration"

[jonnyporsche]

Anyone fancy a challenge? [8|]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Porsche-944-S2-Cabriolet-Barn-find-with-only-63k-miles-light-restoration/111448384194?_trksid=p2055119.c100022.m2048&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140122153843%26meid%3D6d64bf3f1807431ba70f6aecf4facd11%26pid%3D100022%26prg%3D20140122153843%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D201158000858

 

[GlennS]

I don't care how many MOT checks he has done to confirm the mileage, a 944's driver seat doesn't get into that state at 63k miles.

 

[colin944]

Never mind the driver seat That thing is rotten. Sills, floors, front wings and rear quarters . Loads of body work to be done. No thanks , it's a breaker at best.

 

[DavidL]

ORIGINAL: GlennS

I don't care how many MOT checks he has done to confirm the mileage, a 944's driver seat doesn't get into that state at 63k miles.

Isn't that the passenger seat? Which is even more odd.
But yes its a money pit and worth a grand if you're generous.

 

[pauljmcnulty]

I love how off the road since 2009, with a window open to let the elements in, becomes a "barn find". []

 

[Chris_in_the_UK]

Optimistic indeed!

 

[GlennS]

ORIGINAL: DavidL

ORIGINAL: GlennS

I don't care how many MOT checks he has done to confirm the mileage, a 944's driver seat doesn't get into that state at 63k miles.

Isn't that the passenger seat? Which is even more odd.

No, he posted a "reason" for the damage to the passenger seat. I was commenting on the wear shown in the picture of the driver's seat.

 

[pauljmcnulty]

I was commenting on the wear shown in the picture of the driver's seat.

Mine looks absolutely nothing like that; it's still almost like new after 140K miles....[8|]

 

[robdimond]

Pattern of rot looks familiar! It's very far gone under the battery and looks like it goes beyond just the rear quarter panel, which is a pig of a job to fix.
On a positive note... it does at least look like it might be a rotted out original car, as opposed to on that has been badly repaired.

 

[os951]

I am just about to finish S2 cab to 951 Cab. That cab for sale looks like a promising restoration object. Should i pick it up and convert it LHD Turbo cab []

 

[George Elliott]

You make us sound so negative Olli....[]

On one hand I see a straight original car as Rob said, in a nice colour I think and with low miles, on the other hand it has had an unfortunate life if the windows open for 5 years, don't like Rep rims but not the end of the world,, and the rot in a Cabrio seems to be a major problem. My old 1985 951 has 200k miles recorded, and having lived in SE England all its life is actually excellent compared to that.

Do Cabrio's rust worse than Coupe's?

George
944t

 

[pauljmcnulty]

Do Cabrio's rust worse than Coupe's?

Interesting question. Anecdotally, no, in my experience.

Later cars do tend to rust worse, and cabs are all later cars. By definition that scews the perception, I guess? If a cab's leaked a lot of water inside the car then perhaps there's rust from the inside, but that would be a very wet car, and the floors seem to go from the sills, not from wet carpets.

The rot on that car isn't worse in the pictures than on many 944s if you strip the paint back. It might well be no more to repair than a car with a little superficial rust: once you're in to metalwork and paint the costs are going to be high however bad it is! It could just be new sills, and repairs to the four wings, plus probably a full respray while they're at it.

If it's a genuine low-miles car then perhaps that cost is worth it. The trouble is, this car could well not be a low-miles car! Even if it is, you also have the interior, and probably a long list of mechanical work as well. That bodywork, plus probably a clutch, head gasket, brake and fuel lines, caliper overhaul, loads of small niggles to fix, it's a big project.

 

[os951]

Interesting question George.
We have to remember all cabs started their lives as coupes. Coupe bodies were made at Neckarsulm and after that they transported bodies to Weinsberg where ASC (old NSU factory) made cabriolets. When you look cab body more closely you can easily seen how they cut roof off, modified doors etc. Don't have looked so closely how well floor rust protection was made. There is a big additional floor pan which covers original floor completely. There's around 10cm space between these pans. Only few small inspection (?) holes there. Also rear fender structure was changed and covered wit plastic add on's. Don't know if modified bodies were zinc bathed like coupe ones were after manufacturing. If not, then most vulnerable places are floor pan, upper rear wings & window frame. On the other hand i suppose cabs just rust like coupes in UK. It's "funny" to look pictures you guys have posted of all these project cars with massive rust problems. Here in north it's hard to find a 944 with rust. I suppose in UK you use a lot of salt during winter time. We use proper winter tires and only small amount of salt when conditions are very slippery.

 

[944Turbo]

The cab sills are a lot more involved than the coupe ones too, lots of extra fillets inside,
Tony

 

[Hallsy]

I think a little optimism is needed here chaps!! It's £2.5k - most S2's seem to be up for more than double that at the moment, well, coupes at least.

Sure, it does need a fair amount of body repair, but let's be honest, as has been said many a time on here - so do plenty of other 944's, with rust hiding under thick stonechip, or poor temporary repairs.
Giving the car to a bodyshop, having them spend hours cutting, fabricating & welding - then passing it on to a spray booth - yes this will proably outweigh the car's current value - but who knows what is around the corner with respect values? It's still a low mileage cab, and repaired properly will last another 20 years or more.

Even better if you can do the body repairs yourself. Look at the work Colin & Rob have done, just to name a couple on here.

The reality is, there are a multitude of classic cars suffering the same rust problems - but that's where the enthusiast aspect comes into it. If a little bit of rust meant scrapping an otherwise good car, then we'd have very few classic cars left!! Land Rovers, MG's, old Ford's..........911's - they all suffer the same problems!

Maybe I'll change my tune once I have been through this with my Turbo, lol!!

 

[Monkeythree]

ORIGINAL: Hallsy

I think a little optimism is needed here chaps!! It's £2.5k - most S2's seem to be up for more than double that at the moment, well, coupes at least.

Sure, it does need a fair amount of body repair, but let's be honest, as has been said many a time on here - so do plenty of other 944's, with rust hiding under thick stonechip, or poor temporary repairs.
Giving the car to a bodyshop, having them spend hours cutting, fabricating & welding - then passing it on to a spray booth - yes this will proably outweigh the car's current value - but who knows what is around the corner with respect values? It's still a low mileage cab, and repaired properly will last another 20 years or more.

Even better if you can do the body repairs yourself. Look at the work Colin & Rob have done, just to name a couple on here.

The reality is, there are a multitude of classic cars suffering the same rust problems - but that's where the enthusiast aspect comes into it. If a little bit of rust meant scrapping an otherwise good car, then we'd have very few classic cars left!! Land Rovers, MG's, old Ford's..........911's - they all suffer the same problems!

Maybe I'll change my tune once I have been through this with my Turbo, lol!!

Spot on.

 

[George Elliott]

Olli, that "conversion process" is interesting - I was unaware the shell was modified like that, I thought it was a cabrio version shell from the first weld station on the line.

Yes, some optimism is required, good summary Hallsy. 5 Offers now so hope its not the trade for breaking

George
944t

 

[jonnyporsche]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Porsche-944-S2-Cabriolet-Barn-find-with-only-63k-miles-light-restoration/111448384194?_trksid=p2055119.c100022.m2048&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140122153843%26meid%3D6d64bf3f1807431ba70f6aecf4facd11%26pid%3D100022%26prg%3D20140122153843%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D201158000858

Now sold but started an interesting discussion on rust comparisons between coupes and cabs. Nice to know if the shells were re galvanised after modding [8|]

 

[George Elliott]

Easy one John

Nope

In fact no car body shell is truly galvanised. That is: acid dipped to clean, followed immediately by hot dipping in Zinc.

It would distort the shell into scrap, unlike a farm gate which is 3mm thick and some distortion is not an issue.

The galvanise definition is a thin zinc coat on the sheet steel prior to pressing and welding.

The reason our so called galvanised shells rot is because the edges of the blanked sheet parts are not coated and the welding breaks the zinc film.

The cab's are higher risk due to the secondary conversion work described in the reply's above

George
944t

 

[jonnyporsche]

Thanks George.