A gal named Elsie and her little Tornado...

When I was little, one of my best friends was the lady that lived next door. Her name was Elsie. She was certainly a character. She had a bunch of little dogs that she constantly toiled over. Yorkshire Terriers. She also had another passion:

Porsches! She and her husband had a garage full of them. A 928, a 914-6.... and this little 1973 911S she called the "Tornado". It was her baby, her pride and joy. You see, she raced this little car. And she was good too. They bought the car new in 1973. She barely knew how to drive a stick-shift. But, by the time the 1974 Porsche Corvette Challenge came around, she was pretty good... she won 1st place. Over the next few years she kept winning, A LOT.

Just a few of her wins:
SCCA Regional Champion 1975
SCCA Regional Champion 1976
SCCA Regional Champion 1977
SCCA Regional Champion 1978
SCCA Regional Champion 1979
SCCA Regional Champion 1980
SCCA Regional Champion 1981
SOLO I winner (stock class) 1976
Central Division Champion 1978
Central Division Champion 1979
Central Division Champion 1980
Central Division Champion 1981

Finally, she was the FIRST woman to ever win a SCCA National Championship. And she did that TWICE - 1976 and 1981.

All of that was done in this little Tangerine Orange Porsche 911S... the Tornado.

I was obviously over at her house any chance I could get. I'd spend hours in her trophy room looking through all the old Porsche Panorama magazines and other artifacts she kept over the years. Of course, every time she would fire a car up for a drive, I was right there. She was a BLAST! And I always hoped she enjoyed my company as much as I enjoyed hers. She didn't have any children of her own (well, except for the dogs). When I was 12 years old, we moved away. It was one of the saddest days of my life. She cried, I cried... it was terrible.

Life went on over the years and I kept loose tabs on how she was doing. They moved to NC and then back to OH and I ultimately lost touch. Then one day I got a phone call from my Aunt that Elsie had passed away. She had lymphoma and went home in 2009. I never got to say goodbye or tell her how much she meant to me. ....... Over the years, I thought about her often and always wondered what came of her little Tornado. Then, earlier this year, as I was unpacking some old boxes my Mom sent to me I found something amazing. Elsie had given me three of her trophies when I moved away... and there they were! They brought back all the great memories! And gave me a deep and unshakable need to try to find her husband. Through friends and family in the old neighborhood I was able to get a phone number. I ended up connecting with him and even went to visit him this last July 4th. It was a great visit and I learned a lot about her life and love.

..... about a month later, I received an email from him. He still had the Tornado and has been agonizing on what to do with it since she passed all these years ago. He didn't want to sell it to just anyone, even though it's now worth a significant amount of money, because he didn't want someone to restore it back to "stock" and remove Elsie's soul from the car. He wondered if I wanted to buy the car.

It was like a surreal dream. The car that started it all for me and something I thought had been long lost! Of course, I was honored. He knew I don't have much money, he just wanted the car to go to someone that would love it as much as she did... her only "child". So, he made me an offer I couldn't refuse and we finalized the deal this last weekend. I am now the proud caretaker of a wonderful piece of history and a huge reminder of a great friendship with a wonderful woman that had the soul of a saint. This little gal named Elsie that could drive like the wind!
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What a lovely story!!

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Fantastic story.......... welcome to the board........... can't wait for more posts........ :)

Now that has to be one of the best stories on any car forum in a long time.....congratulations.

Thanks, everyone! It's great to be here. :)

The batteries gave up in the car about 4-5 years ago according to her Husband, Glenn. So the car hasn't been started since. I have 2 fresh U911 Interstate batts on order. The car had a recent tune-up before it was driven last. Everything is very sanitary and well cared for. I will drain oil, fuel, brake fluid and change all filters. I'll check the plugs and make sure there aren't any critters (or remnants thereof) hiding anywhere... then we'll fire her up and see what happens! Elsie put in Scheel seats and a Racemark steering wheel, which are all in great shape. The motor is stock, as far as I can tell and has a Rally muffler on it. She sent it to Stoddard in the mid-70's to have it lowered. There are Koni shocks on the car as well. Everything else is original to the car.

As I'm digging through all of the ancillary stuff that he gave me with the car, I came across this great picture of Elsie and Glenn from 1977. The local newspaper did a story on her incredible success racing.

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Wow. Great story! Thanks for sharing and congrats on a real treasure.

Are you in Ohio as well?

That is just so good. Wow, what a story. Welcome to the Registry. We look forward to seeing more of the car and more of the artifacts surrounding this fast Lady.

Nope, not in Ohio anymore.

Great story . . . and welcome to Our Little Corner

I hope that you enjoy the car . . . and share more of your adventures w/ us

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Originally Posted by ETexSpeedo

Now that has to be one of the best stories on any car forum in a long time.....congratulations.

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Agreed. Great story, and a great looking car.

Great Stuff!

Thanks, guys... here's a pic of the dash I just took for the steering wheel thread.

Attachment 268286

Wow. Such a great and touching story and so fitting that the car should find you after all these years. Thanks for sharing and enjoy what looks to be a fabulous car.

You are a VERY fortunate man, those kind of stories don't come along very often. As the PCA saying goes (started by a Maverick region member) "Its not the cars, its the people" Do you know if they autocrossed at Parades or was it just SCCA? That car will be your 'keeper'

Wonderful story...when you have a chance, post some video on youtube. Would love to see your car in action now.

awesome awesome story. it's karma.

First post appears to be missing.

andy

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Originally Posted by ajwans

First post appears to be missing.

andy

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But I hear it was a lovely story!

I had the chance to autocross with/against them when Chris and I had our first 911 in the late 70s. Fun days.

That is very strange.... Why is the first post gone??? Could a mod or Admin please help restore the post?? :(

There is no page 3 either. Loops back to page 2.

I'm looking at page 3 right now. Your post is on it. I have seen that looping problem before, however. The first post is still missing- but I did see it before.

All should be fine with the thread now............ not sure what's go'n on

Please let me know if there's any more trouble.......

Cheers,
cm

Thank you very much, sir.

Thanks for sharing such a heartfelt introduction!

My S has a similar sentimental value to me, as the original owner was a long time friend of mine. I am enjoying the car as my own, but I am its caretaker first and foremost.

Sounds like you are in the same boat -- benefiting from good fortune, the evidence of what you meant to someone else. These are uncommon circumstances in modern times and today's rabid collector car market. This car says as much about you as it does Elsie.

Please share more info, and perhaps do a writeup for ESSES, the registry quarterly magazine.

And welcome!

I thought the same thing - reminded me of the story of your car.

Great story....clearly Glenn made a great choice for the "caretaker" of that car....get the Tornado all woken up and ready for the road and then go out and put it through it's paces.....I bet more than I can afford that sometime during that outing, you will get a huge smile on your face and you will know you are doing exactly what Glenn and Elsie would want you to do.

BTW: This story beats the hell out of the posts asking what these things are worth and speculating on the impact in value if they change out the spark plug wires.

You can't put a value on a car like this and thank goodness it went to someone who appreciates it and will cherish it, not as a '73 911S, but as Elsie's Tornado and the car he grew up dreaming about.

4SFED, I hope you are able to keep this car for a very long time and when it comes time for you to pass it along to the next caretaker, you will tell them the stories you have told us and hopefully there will be car people then who appreciate those stories as much as we do

I know if I ever get my '73 finished, I have already promised the first drive to the gentleman who entrusted me with it...That seems only fitting.

Very cool. Let me know if there is any pictures of its time in Ohio or at Stoddards...would love to "connect" with customers from back in the day.

pschroeder@stoddard.com

Totally righteous! Makes my day!

Great story, great car, and GREAT lady !

I agree, what a great story about nice, solid people and a very pretty car...looks like a very early-73 with the small 915-shift boot as well...Elsie must have been "jumpin' the bits" for the first ones (-73's)....Best of luck with "Elsie" and go take Glenn for a spin.../ Lars...

Edit: Ooops...Freudian slip, I instantly named her "Elsie" instead of "Tornado"...she'd probably be OK with it....

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Originally Posted by larwik

I agree, what a great story about nice, solid people and a very pretty car...looks like a very early-73 with the small 915-shift boot as well...Elsie must have been "jumpin' the bits" for the first ones (-73's)....Best of luck with "Elsie" and take Glenn for a spin.../ Lars...

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I don't know how "odd" this is... but it's a 4-speed. Glenn said he opted for that over the 5-speed because it had a taller 1st and 2nd gear for autocrossing. Is this still a 915 trans? Is there a certain place I can look to find a build date on the car?

EDIT: Now that I got home, I looked at the tag on the drivers side door jamb.... build was 03/73.

Thanks for sharing what is a touching story!

Thanks Chuck for restoring the thread. Great car and terrific story. Thanks for posting and welcome.

andy

Oh man, what a great story! And so refreshing when enthusiasm wins out over $. Now go out and drive the wheels off it, and enjoy the ride.

Sounds like she was a very good person...

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/dis...2231&fhid=8708

Reading a story like that is a wonderful way to wind down the afternoon. That car has lead the charmed life since day 1!

I didn't really want to put her full name out there.... but, yes, she was a wonderful person. :)

Jake, thank you for sharing this story with us! As others have mentioned, it is nice to read something like this once in a while instead of value threads, etc..

Glad I finally was able to read your first post Jake.:)

Fantastic story and photos, thanks so much for sharing your treasure with us. This ranks right up there with the all-time best stories of Hester, Candyce's Sepia '73, and Bryce's '69S.

Amazing they ordered it with a 4 speed, I don't think I have ever heard of that before and even more amazing that she left those rubber boat anchors on the front of the car throughout her racing career.

That was as good as it gets.

Thanks!

I've been on this forum for nearly 10 years and that is one of the best stories I've read. Hopefully one day some kid will be in awe of your latest addition of the family and dream of Tornado just as you did as a boy. Fabulous story from beginning to end.

I echo all the sentiments above. When you are ready to fire her up you want to first replace all her fuel lines ( no sense risking her going up in flames ) and check the brake lines as well. Enjoy your prize.

A great story! Enjoy her as Elsie did.

What an extraordinary, spirited woman. I wish I could have known both Elsie, Tornado, and her stories. Along with the other members of the Registry, I am eager to hear of your journey with the 911. You have been entrusted with a great legacy. What an honor! A warm welcome to you, Elsie, and Tornado.

A truly wonderful story on so many levels. Perhaps you should consider at some point, sharing the reaction on this forum with Elsie's husband. I suspect he would be genuinely touched knowing that, because of his thoughtfulness, his wife and her passion will be appreciated by a whole community of like-minded folks. A community that, as magnificent as the car is, clearly seem to consider it more of a footnote to the story of the people involved.

Interesting shifter. I've been working on these cars for nearly 40 years and hadn't seen the small shifter that late 3/73? Were all 4 speeds that way. If this car is original, I encourage you to read all Sepia911S threads, many lessons to be learned. Gled

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Originally Posted by gled49

Interesting shifter. I've been working on these cars for nearly 40 years and hadn't seen the small shifter that late 3/73? Were all 4 speeds that way. If this car is original, I encourage you to read all Sepia911S threads, many lessons to be learned. Gled

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Hi Gled,

Not everything on the car is original... but I wasn't told the shifter was changed. It was raced SOLO II, and I think the rules were (are) fairly strict as to what can be raced in "Stock" class. I will check out Sepia911S' threads, thanks for the tip!

And THANK YOU to everyone for the warm welcome! :) The whole thing has been fairly overwhelming thus far. My Wife came out in the garage last night and asked if I was coming to bed. Apparently I'd been sitting in the car for 2 hours.... just sitting there. So many old memories running through my head. The feeling of the seats, the touch of everything, the smell... it's intoxicating.

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Interesting shifter. I've been working on these cars for nearly 40 years and hadn't seen the small shifter that late 3/73? Were all 4 speeds that way.

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Gorden,

I aked the same thing a while ago to a '73 4 speed owner.........

This page out of my '73 parts book....

4 speed on the left, 5 speed in the center, and Sporto on the right......... Tornado looks stock

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Originally Posted by 4SFED

I don't know how "odd" this is... but it's a 4-speed. Glenn said he opted for that over the 5-speed because it had a taller 1st and 2nd gear for autocrossing. Is this still a 915 trans? Is there a certain place I can look to find a build date on the car?

EDIT: Now that I got home, I looked at the tag on the drivers side door jamb.... build was 03/73.

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That got me curious so I looked up the ratios today, 1st is the same 4 and 5 speed, 2nd is one ratio higher, makes good sense for autocross since you're mostly in 2nd. 4th is one ratio shorter, so not as much top end. That's good planning with the order sheet!!

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Originally Posted by fryardds

Glad I finally was able to read your first post Jake.:)

Fantastic story and photos, thanks so much for sharing your treasure with us. This ranks right up there with the all-time best stories of Hester, Candyce's Sepia '73, and Bryce's '69S.

Amazing they ordered it with a 4 speed, I don't think I have ever heard of that before and even more amazing that she left those rubber boat anchors on the front of the car throughout her racing career.

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Bryan, SCCA autocrossing (solo as they call it) can get pretty intense, removing those might have instigated a protest from someone they beat!! The fact that it would make no difference is irrelevant!

Thanks for sharing such a wonderful story, I am glad you got the car.

As you already know, the members of the Registry are wonderful. Not only will they read your story; but, provide advice, support, and encouragement. Tornado, along with Elsie, will change your life. It will be a great ride. The experience with the cars and the people is a joy.

Great story - I have to admit I got a little lump in my throat. May you preserve and live Elsie's legacy well!

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Originally Posted by edmayo

Bryan, SCCA autocrossing (solo as they call it) can get pretty intense, removing those might have instigated a protest from someone they beat!! The fact that it would make no difference is irrelevant!

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Interesting Ed, thanks. So Tornado would have been in a stock class? She changed out the seats and steering wheel though.

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Originally Posted by fryardds

Interesting Ed, thanks. So Tornado would have been in a stock class? She changed out the seats and steering wheel though.

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According to the rule book I've found from 1977.... seats may be changed as long as they "do not materially reduce the weight of the car". Shock absorbers may also be changed (the car has Koni's on it) and any steering wheel may be used "provided the outside diameter is not changed by more than +/- one inch from standard size".

Is Elsie sporting a pony tail in this action shot?

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Originally Posted by Jens

Is Elsie sporting a pony tail in this action shot?

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I don't think so. That is the headrest on the Scheel seat, I think. :)

As old memories run through your head sitting inside the car, the smell.. the feel of the seats & steering wheel..the view of
those fenders, is now all yours to cherish & enjoy. And when you get Tornado up and running, find that isolated open road
and blip it like nobody's business..just as Elsie would of done :D
Congratulations :)

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Originally Posted by 4SFED

According to the rule book I've found from 1977.... seats may be changed as long as they "do not materially reduce the weight of the car". Shock absorbers may also be changed (the car has Koni's on it) and any steering wheel may be used "provided the outside diameter is not changed by more than +/- one inch from standard size".

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Thanks for the explanation Jake. Makes sense now.:)

Has Tornado been repainted or is it original?

Great story! I think I remember a small tv piece on her a while back. I mean how many women from that era raced a Porsche well and had those dogs?

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Originally Posted by Billswim

Great story! I think I remember a small tv piece on her a while back. I mean how many women from that era raced a Porsche well and had those dogs?

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Boy, I would like to see that! I wasn't aware she did any tv interviews or there was any footage of her.

Stellar condition: what a fabulous story and such a great car... Welcome and I look forward to hearing and seeing a lot more of the Tornado!

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Originally Posted by 4SFED

Thanks, guys... here's a pic of the dash I just took for the steering wheel thread.

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Attachment 268656

Found this while taking some other pics of the car today.

Fantastic. Nice to hear about someone who enjoyed driving their car so much. Awesome story.

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Originally Posted by QWKENF-911

As old memories run through your head sitting inside the car, the smell.. the feel of the seats & steering wheel..the view of
those fenders, is now all yours to cherish & enjoy. And when you get Tornado up and running, find that isolated open road
and blip it like nobody's business..just as Elsie would of done :D
Congratulations :)

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Agreed - and look to the heavens and think of your friend Elsie ... from what you describe I think she's appreciate that.

UPDATE:

I received the new batteries from Interstate today! After some final checks and inspections, I should be able to fire up the Tornado.... it's been 25+ years since I've heard it run... VERY excited. :)

Tips/Tricks are welcome from anyone here on what to do before a first start after a long (5year) storage. Any help is good help.

I think there is a thread here on decommissioning.
Change oil and all filters. Drain fuel and replace. Clean filter at tank exit.
Pull plugs and squirt some Marvel Mystery oil in, let sit overnight, then crank without plugs till oil pressure is up,(pull fuse to fuel pumps).
I'd also remove the belt on the MFI and see that the pump spins freely. Retime pump with FE mark on flywheel before restarting.
After restart or before, change out all rubber fuel lines and brake lines.
This is all a bit of work but worth not messing up the engine.

One last but very important item you might want to consider are the chain tensioners. They don't take kindly to sitting that long. It would be tragic if they failed. You don't need to go to the pressure fed ones, just do 930 tensioners with 90wt oil and the new updated rails.

Great story! All that success with a very slightly modified Porsche. She was a great driver indeed.

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Originally Posted by RSTarga

I think there is a thread here on decommissioning.
Change oil and all filters. Drain fuel and replace. Clean filter at tank exit.
Pull plugs and squirt some Marvel Mystery oil in, let sit overnight, then crank without plugs till oil pressure is up,(pull fuse to fuel pumps).
I'd also remove the belt on the MFI and see that the pump spins freely. Retime pump with FE mark on flywheel before restarting.
After restart or before, change out all rubber fuel lines and brake lines.
This is all a bit of work but worth not messing up the engine.

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Thanks very much for the tips, David! I've pulled all the plugs and checked them (Bosch Germany Platinum W3's), cleaned them, and they look good. Fuel has been drained from the tank and fresh put in with a 1/2 bottle of Seafoam. The Mystery Oil is an interesting idea and I might try that.

THE ENGINE TURNED OVER!!!!!!!!!!! :eek: :D :D :D

Still no start yet... I just got the batteries in and couldn't help myself. I HAD TO KNOW the lump in the back wasn't just a paperweight. ;) SOOOOOOOO happy right now. Whew. :o

(Yes, I had the coil wire disconnected and the fuel pump fuse pulled)

Ditch the Bosch plugs go with NGk. It's not a good idea to run the starter with the coil wire disconnected, you could fry the cd box.

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Originally Posted by RSTarga

Ditch the Bosch plugs go with NGk. It's not a good idea to run the starter with the coil wire disconnected, you could fry the cd box.

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Thanks for the tip on the coil wire, David....

Curious as to why ditch the Bosch plugs? I mean, I hear ya.... I do run NGK in all of my other stuff.... But ??? just would like you to expand on your suggestion, please.

You can disconnect the coil wire,,,BUT you must ground it. Remove the coil wire from the center of the distributor cap and then ground it by wedging it in next to the coil mounting bracket. By grounding it you allow the spark to easily go to ground without making it try to arc someplace and overloading the CD unit.

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Originally Posted by 4SFED

Thanks for the tip on the coil wire, David....

Curious as to why ditch the Bosch plugs? I mean, I hear ya.... I do run NGK in all of my other stuff.... But ??? just would like you to expand on your suggestion, please.

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The original Bosch Platinum plugs they used W265P21, were way different than what they sell as a platinum plug now. I think NGK has better quality and reliability than the Bosch plugs.
I use just the normal copper NGK, if you want, you can use their Iridium but the classic copper plug is cheap and very reliable.

What a great story. Read it to my wife in bed just now. I too benefitted from the largesse of someone who wanted a caretaker rather than a flipper and who sold it to me well under market. But nothing like the childhood link you have. Karma.

VIN ? My S, 0854 came off the line on my birthday in late Feb. 1973. Karma as well. Tornado couldn't have been far behind.

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Originally Posted by NorthernThrux

What a great story. Read it to my wife in bed just now. I too benefitted from the largesse of someone who wanted a caretaker rather than a flipper and who sold it to me well under market. But nothing like the childhood link you have. Karma.

VIN ? My S, 0854 came off the line on my birthday in late Feb. 1973. Karma as well. Tornado couldn't have been far behind.

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Thanks. :) This is 0960.

Have to go out of town this weekend and that's going to cut into my fun-time with the car. :( Probably won't get it running until next weekend.... grrrr

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Originally Posted by Chuck Miller

Gorden,

I aked the same thing a while ago to a '73 4 speed owner.........

This page out of my '73 parts book....

4 speed on the left, 5 speed in the center, and Sporto on the right......... Tornado looks stock

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Thanks, Chuck! ..... Couple of issues.... The shifter is pretty "sloppy". I don't mean this in a derogatory way, it just is compared to what I'm used to... I would like to tighten this up a bit and have been thinking of some "Short Shift" options. Would this trans still be a 915, even with a 4-speed? I was looking at the Hargett shifter (because it looks AWESOME and it attaches to the stock bolts for the parking brake.) But if there are other options you have found to repair (upgrade?) the stock shifter and make it better, I would like suggestions. :) Thanks in advance.

I'd replace all of your shift bushings first.

4SFED, just read your thread. Good for you!

Re: short shift on a 915, don't bother IMO. I've done it both ways, and the stock shifter is better, to me. You really don't want to rush the synchros anyway.

Thanks, Jason and Bill!

I've received my new fuel filter and oil filter today.... should be able to start the car this weekend. One other question:

I'm new to the whole Dry Sump thing. Should I drain the oil and change it BEFORE I start up for the first time (in 5+ years)??? Just not sure about how long it takes the sump to get oil to the crankcase on startup and thought it might be better to have "some" oil in there in stead of none for the first couple seconds.... Thoughts? :)


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Absolutely, Dry sump or not after 5 years the oil is trash. Just do a complete oil and filter change and start it . Sorry I haven't followed the thread, did you ever pull the plugs and shoot some oil in to make sure you have free rings and some lube in the cylinders?

Before you start changing stuff, drive the car. What you describe as a sloppy gearshift might be normal. These cars are a bit different. In comparison to most cars , the throw is pretty long between gears on 901 and 915 boxes.

My favorite description of how my 915 gearbox would feel was "vague"...it's definitely a learned behavior when it comes to using it (but it's second nature now)...

Thanks, David... Yes, I have pulled the plugs and spayed a small amount of Motorkote in the cylinders. I like Motorkote because it comes in a spray can now (and I'm lazy like that).

Drain the oil, Jake. All of it. The tank and the case.

And don't overfill it afterwards. Put about 8.5-9 quarts in for starters.

BTW, that pic of your car is very sweet. Great story!

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Originally Posted by 4SFED

Thanks, David... Yes, I have pulled the plugs and spayed a small amount of Motorkote in the cylinders. I like Motorkote because it comes in a spray can now (and I'm lazy like that).

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How do you know how much oil or in your case Motorkote to spray into the cylinders?

I dont'... lol I just gave it a little 'squirt'. :o

Well... I pulled the plug on the sump, waiting for the "WOOOSH" of oil to come out. :rolleyes: I got about 3/4 quart. :confused: Then I pulled the plug on the case and got about 8qts (est). Is it just because of years of leak-down? I'm glad I drained it though.... it's NASTY!!!! :eek:

Yes, the oil tank is higher than the sump and the oil pump doesn't have a perfect seal so it drains back. Years of sitting mean most ends up in the case.

I was hoping that was the case... The plugs were both magnetic... nice pieces, actually. They both looked good (besides the sludge of age). No real metal particles or anything that I could see. However, I think the last oil change was a LOT longer ago than I thought. :o Nothing a few doses of Valvoline VR1 20-50 can't handle though. :)

I'd do another oil and filter change in about 1000M.
Your car is stunning,, like a time capsule. Make sure and range your fuel and brake rubber lines, the tires are probably past due too.

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Originally Posted by RSTarga

I'd do another oil and filter change in about 1000M.
Your car is stunning,, like a time capsule. Make sure and range your fuel and brake rubber lines, the tires are probably past due too.

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Thanks... it's a great car. :) The fuel lines that I can see looked to be changed once already, but I will keep an eye on them. The cloth braided lines that are going to each individual throttle body look a little questionable... are they vacuum lines? The brake lines from chassis to caliper are stainless braided so they should be ok. I wouldn't trust the tires to drive on them, myself. There may be some interest from someone that has a trailer queen though. I have a matching set of five (Michelin XWX). Trying to decide what to do with them. I was thinking about getting 16" Fuchs replicas and keeping the original 15" wheels on the shelf. But if I do go with getting new tires for the 15's, what is an acceptable size for the narrow bodied early cars? 185/70/15 is a hard size to find. :o

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Originally Posted by 4SFED

But if I do go with getting new tires for the 15's, what is an acceptable size for the narrow bodied early cars? 185/70/15 is a hard size to find. :o

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195/65-15. Use the 15" Fuchs...

Stick with the 15's and get a set of Vredestein Sprint Classics in 185/70/15 the best value in a period looking European tire.

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Originally Posted by 4SFED

Thanks... it's a great car. :) The fuel lines that I can see looked to be changed once already, but I will keep an eye on them. The cloth braided lines that are going to each individual throttle body look a little questionable... are they vacuum lines? :o

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Those lines are fuel lines providing cold start fuel. If they leak they will squirt fuel onto the engine. Get them replaced by someone who has the special pliers to replace the special clamps. I think they are called Oettinger clamps.
Make sure and check the fuel lines under the tank that connect to the steel fuel lines going into the tunnel. Those tend to be the ones that leak first.
Some of those stainless braided brake lines can come apart at the fittings. There are newer DOT rated braided lines that use better clamping methods than the older types.
You only have one vacuum line going from the distributor to the right hand throttle body.

Very cool story. You are very lucky, not only to have known such a cool lady, but to "inherent" such a prize!

I go along with everyone else in replacing the rubber lines, both brake and fuel if they have not been. I just changed mine from the tank to hard lines in the tunnel. It is a pain as there's not much room to work. Mine weren't leaking but I was scared of a fire. I replaced all the others as well. I'm going to carry a fire extinguisher anyway just in case. I'd hate to see such treasures as our old cars are go out like that.

BTW if you don't have a shop manual, that would be a step in the right direction if you want to maintain the car yourself.

Congrats!

Paul

The Tornado LIVES!!!!! :)

Pretty good amount of smoke until we got to operating temp.

Attachment 271786

But after a drive around the block and some time running, all was well!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVK-Fu44n50

Jake, a great story. I wouldnt touch anything, just keep it up to par. Congrats !

Glad to see "tornado" is running,,,,now you're happy,,,,, and so is "tornado'

..and it sounds good, too. Congratulations, another milestone.

I am so with you on the progress ......

Sympatico ! ! !

Ordered new plug wires, cap, rotor and a Pertronix Ignitor for the Tornado last weekend. The cap and rotor were pretty bad, and I hate screwing with points... so the Pertronix seems like the obvious solution. Will give it a try and see what happens.

Going to order a set of 195/65-15 Bridgestone Pole Position tires pretty soon. Then, I will just have to wait for frozen tundra to melt. :(

Installed the new cap, rotor, and wires this weekend.... also changed out the brake fluid and diff fluid. The diff fluid looked decent and there was very minimal metal on the magnetic drain plug. But, I was having difficulty shifting on the way to the shop. It didn't help changing the fluid and was the same going home so I guess this weekend's project will be looking at the linkage/coupling to see if that's worn. Anyone have any other suggestions?

On the up side, it's running GREAT! And there isn't one bit of rust under the car... not even a little bit. I have one cylinder that seems to be weeping a little oil... not sure what that could be about, should it concern me? :confused:

What do mean when you say "difficulty in shifting" ? The linkage is vague, or the synchros don't work well? One could mean bushings and adjustment, the other could mean the wrong gear oil. Where is the cylinder leaking oil from? near the head, near the case? No it shouldn't be cause for concern anyway.

The shifting issue is this: When I push the clutch in and pull the lever to change gear, the lever is resisting... kind-of "pops" out of gear... then it is a little hard to get into the next gear. Seems to be in all gears (except 4th which tends to go smoothly most of the time). Tends to be a little difficult to get into first gear in certain situations (after reversing, for example). I used 80-90w GL-5 for gear lube. Did I use the wrong oil? Are my syncros weak? :confused:

The cylinder seems to be leaking from the base (close to the case). Oil is not dripping, but the case had oil on it under the cylinder... TIA for the help, Ed.

Sounds to me like perhaps the clutch is not totally dis-engaging. The reason it is not as bad in 4th is because you are closer to a 1:1 ratio. Try adjusting the clutch and verify that your cable is not stretching or failing.

Sure sounds like clutch adjustment as Cornpanzer says. What brand oil? There are basically 2 favorite brands here Swepco, which is what has been around for a while and the other which Pete Zimmerman recommends, I can't recall the brand. Chevron??? Both are non synthetic, does the car have LSD? If so you need an oil with the LSD additive.
You should have about 1" free play on the clutch pedal.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RSTarga

Sure sounds like clutch adjustment as Cornpanzer says. What brand oil? There are basically 2 favorite brands here Swepco, which is what has been around for a while and the other which Pete Zimmerman recommends, I can't recall the brand. Chevron??? Both are non synthetic, does the car have LSD? If so you need an oil with the LSD additive.
You should have about 1" free play on the clutch pedal.

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I used O'Reilly MasterPro gear oil... it's a Mobil base (I believe) and is my shop's "house" brand. It's 100% pure dinosaur juice. :D

Thanks, everyone, for the thoughts on the clutch. Seems like an adjustment is an easy enough place to start. :o

So, I searched the forum for "clutch" (Title Only) and got 5 pages..... read through all of the threads that looked like they pertained to adjusting the clutch.... only got one thread that made any sense. :o

http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...ghlight=Clutch

Anyone want to point me in the right direction on the RIGHT way to adjust the clutch in a '73S 4-SPEED? Is the trans still a "915" unit with one less gear? I suppose I can crawl my fat-a** under there and see if there is an adjustment on the end of the cable at the trans, eh??... :rolleyes::D

EDIT: I found a little write-up on the Bird.... seems legit. ;) http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarti...Adjustment.htm

I went out and checked the "free-play" in the pedal (just pull the pedal from it's resting point back towards you, right???) and it seems to have about an inch of play.

Just got around to reading this...very touching story. Thanks for sharing it.

Tim

There is an adjustment at the end of the cable, might be an 11mm nylock, if so I suggest removing it and replacing with two standard nuts tightened against each other, the nylock sometimes loosened with age. You should have 1/2 to 3/4" inch of free play when pulling the pedal back, then (by hand) push the pedal down to the clutch pedal stop, which is adjustable. Just before hitting the stop you should feel the effort ease up as the diaphragm goes over center which is maximum disengagement. If you don't feel the over center adjust the stop until you do, if no over center can be felt it usually means the disc is getting thin and replacement will be necessary.

Thanks, Tim. :)

Thanks, Ed.... I think you nailed the problem. I don't feel the "over-center" before the pedal hits the stop. I'm looking forward to adjusting this weekend and we'll see what happens.

That oil will not work properly especially if it has a synthetic base. First adjust the clutch like Ed says then get Swepco or the other Zimmerman recommended oil in there.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RSTarga

That oil will not work properly especially if it has a synthetic base. First adjust the clutch like Ed says then get Swepco or the other Zimmerman recommended oil in there.

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The gear lube wasn't synthetic.... :confused:

What Dave is getting at is that gear oil designed for standard type hypoid gear differentials may be too slick! Hypoid gear lube has a lot of extreme pressure additive in for the differential gears, the Porsche diff is spiral bevel, not hypoid (hypoid means the pinion gear is below the centerline of the ring gear) that additive doesn't allow for enough 'friction' to allow servo type synchronizers to do their job. Servo type synchronizers are totally different in requirements the usual cone type synchro. Look in your owners manual, in there it will state what type of oil to use.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by edmayo

What Dave is getting at is that gear oil designed for standard type hypoid gear differentials may be too slick! Hypoid gear lube has a lot of extreme pressure additive in for the differential gears, the Porsche diff is spiral bevel, not hypoid (hypoid means the pinion gear is below the centerline of the ring gear) that additive doesn't allow for enough 'friction' to allow servo type synchronizers to do their job. Servo type synchronizers are totally different in requirements the usual cone type synchro. Look in your owners manual, in there it will state what type of oil to use.

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I see... and I know Swepco is highly regarded in these circles, can't argue with that! The other stuff is what I had there at the time and I figured I would change it while I had the car in the air. I looked in the owner's manual at the time. Here's the passage (1973 Owner's Manual "911 T/E/S", page 53)

Both transmission and final drive are combined in one housing. The lubricant used is hypoid oil that is changed by your dealer at 1000 miles and then every 10,000 miles as part of the lubrication service. See Maintenance Record.
The transmission is checked for leaks during the maintenance service. Should the need arise to replenish the oil filling, it should only be done with the necessary workshop equipment. Generally hypoid oil is not marketed in small quantities. .......

(too lazy to type all of this part) ......... Changing Transmission Oil: ........... (blah, blah)

5. Fill transmission with approx. 3.17 US qts. (2.63 Imp. qts.) SAE 90 transmission oil, Mil-L-2105 B (or Mil-L-2105). .....

Now, I'm not saying the manual is right. Hell, the manual for my 2005 SRT-10 Ram says the truck takes 13.5qts of oil when it only has a 9qt oil pan. :o (They copy and pasted that part from the Viper manual, and the Viper has a bigger pan.)

The important part is the mil-spec, and I thought it also mentioned a GL # such as GL-4. I'm not for sure saying what you put in is wrong, just want to make you aware that if you use a 'slippery' oil the synchros won't work as well. And yes, the newer transaxles (as opposed to the VW/356types) do have a pinion slightly below center.

Thanks again to Ed (Edmayo) for the advice on the clutch cable! With some fiddling, I was able to get the clutch adjusted and it's much better now. I adjusted in the garage until I could get it into Reverse easily with no grind. Then drove it around the block.... repeated several times until it "felt" right... then took it on a longer drive. Everything seems to be shifting well now. I could adjust a "little" more but I'll just leave it be. ;)

While I had the front wheels off the car this afternoon, I noticed the passenger side strut was leaking (blown seal). They are black.... I was under the understanding that Koni's were on the car. But, I don't remember Koni's ever being black. I can't tell if someone painted them or not. What other struts were black on these? Boge? Is there a way I can find out for sure?

If it has S brakes then they are Konis. Otherwise they are probably Boges.

Scrape off the crud and grease, and somewhere you'll find the name (probably Boge) stamped in the strut body and on the protective sleeve. And I think one of my 'S''s does have Boge struts with the 'S' caliper spacing. I'd have to go look again to be sure.

I re-read this thread from the beginning and totally love it!! Thanks for sharing!
I also think this is the kind of story that should be printed in one of the big magazines. Stories with real people and their cars are always the best and your story combined with the history, makes this pretty special!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by edmayo

Scrape off the crud and grease, and somewhere you'll find the name (probably Boge) stamped in the strut body and on the protective sleeve. And I think one of my 'S''s does have Boge struts with the 'S' caliper spacing. I'd have to go look again to be sure.

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FWIW - I've got an original 69 sporto T, with S spaced and braked Boge struts - but Koni inners.

I had not seen this thread. What an amazing and touching story. Thank you for sharing it and sharing the progress of bringing the car back to life. What a way of keeping her memory alive. Maybe it was mentioned before, but at least you need to take it to a DE event in her honor.

Thanks for the tips, everyone. When I have the car up in the air next, I'll see if I can track down a number. I was a little rushed last night with the tires and didn't have a chance to look closely. More to come!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Schiefer

I re-read this thread from the beginning and totally love it!! Thanks for sharing!
I also think this is the kind of story that should be printed in one of the big magazines. Stories with real people and their cars are always the best and your story combined with the history, makes this pretty special!!

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Thank you very much, Sir! :)

Hello All!

I have put about 100 miles on "Tornado" in the last few weeks. She runs fantastic! :) I still plan to change plugs and switch over to a Petronix ignition in the near future. The points seem to be doing ok so far, and would like to take them out to use as a roadside spare if needed. I also want to remove the heat exchangers and clean them. It seems there is some oil in there and I'm pretty tired of smelling the burnt oil smell... makes me nervous. lol..... Also, while I do that, I will change the oil again - then replace the valve cover gaskets while I'm up there. I may coat the heat exchangers in a ceramic coating while I'm at it (along with the muffler).... anyone have suggestions on a good aerosol version?

I have another QUESTION! :p -----

Does anyone know of a place I could send the clock to get referbished? I've noticed it loses about 1.5hrs per week.... is that normal? If not, I would like to send it off for service. (I've also fallen in LOVE with the "Heuer Faceplates" posted on here and would like to get one installed at this time). If anyone has any info, it's appreciated.

Great thread. I had Palo Alto Speedometer Service clean and fix my gauges and they replaced my clock face as well. Suggestion: Have them repair your original clock (period correct) find a used one on eBay, have them replace the face.

Palo Alto Speedometer Service

Ask for Hartmut. Very knowledgeable and good guy.

The clock does have a 'fast slow' adjustment on the back. If you take it out, hook it to a battery, then you can make adjustments and see if you can get it to keep correct time. If none of that works then follow above suggestion.

[QUOTE=4SFED;728578]Hello All!

Does anyone know of a place I could send the clock to get referbished? I've noticed it loses about 1.5hrs per week.... is that normal?

/QUOTE]

Maybe this is just Elsie's way of letting you know how slow she felt her competition was........

Again, GREAT story. GREAT connect with the passions of your youth. And, I am so very glad you had a seller who was all about the charisma and stature of making a deal in tune with you and your emotions... dollar bills not standing in the way of a good home for Elsie's best sports car; her love.

A Deal done in honor..... a real rarity in today's ways of the world.

Thank you, ALL!

"Jeans" - I like the idea you suggested about the clock. It made me smile. :) I might just keep it the way it is. It seems like time stops in there anyway. I go back to the time when life was simpler.... just me and her and the road; and the beautiful song of a flat-six in the wind.

Ed - Thanks for the info on the "Fast-Slow" adjustment. If it niggles me enough, I'll calibrate it that way. Sounds like good winter project while the car is out of service.

On another note: I've been perusing through the threads on fire extinguishers and mounts. I find the most popular mount is the Brey-Krause Early 911 mount. Am I missing something or is there another option for a seat bracket mount? Also, what is the best option for an extinguisher? I've noticed H3R and SafeCraft are available from most outlets.... do they come with a mount that would attach to the Brey-Krause bracket?

I use the Brey-Krause one and a matching stainless H3R can. Bought them from Sierra-Madre as I was buying a whole lot of other stuff from them. You can get the bracket a few bucks cheaper elsewhere.

Ravi

Great story beautiful car!.. One thing remains important-- The chain tensioners-- if they are original, the idler arm probably is not the wider one with the copper bushings, so the arm in there now could be galling or scratching the post it sits on and cause a failure. What I did was updated to the 930 turbo tensioner with the wider idler arm and all new ramps and for good measure got the little anti failure clamps on the tensioner as well. That was 16 years ago without a problem. Chris

Thanks for the tip, Chris.... tensioners are on the list for sure. They were replaced with oil-fed ones in the very early 80's, then switched back to original style in the late 80's. Not sure why but I have receipts for it.

I took the car out for a spin on Sunday and as soon as I got out of the subdivision, it started backfiring on deceleration. I turned around and came home... it seemed to run ok, but just didn't want to take any chances. The car has pretty cold plugs (w3DPO) and I did some stop and go city driving last time. They were pretty fouled when I removed them. I'm guessing I need to put in a hotter plug, so I ordered some NGK 2912's (BP8ES). We'll see if that alleviates the issue. I think I will pull the cover off the chain housing just to check things out, though. ;)

I put the BP8ES plugs in a few weeks ago and things seemed to run a little better. But the low-speed backfiring was still there. I did some searching on here (and the Bird) and decided to pull my distributor and install the Pertronix Ignitor. I ordered a new set of points just in case as well. The dizzy came out like butter and was good after inspection (no play at all) but the points were burnt. I have a receipt for the last time the points were changed and that was 1990. The Pertronix went in without issue and the distributor went back in with no problem.

The timing was quite a bit off when we restarted the car (after lining up all the marks on reinstall). Luckily, a friend of mine has a Snap-On timing light with all the bells and whistles and we were able to set the timing dead-nuts on 5deg advanced of TDC (mark to the left of "Z1"). The car runs flawlessly now! Idles a little over 900rpm and pulls nicely through all the gears. I would recommend this "upgrade" to anyone who drives their early MFI 911 and wants an easy, maintenance free option to points! Really can't be happier!

Actually, the timing should be 5 degrees retarded at idle with the vacuum line on, it will go to five advanced when the vacuum is removed.

I set it to the mark to the left of Z1.... isn't that where it's supposed to be? I think I mis-spoke and meant "retarded". :o

If you set it left of TDC then you're good,,,,,that is 5 retarded. Then next test is with engine running pull vacuum line off, timing should jump to 5 degrees advanced. Final check is with vacuum line off, blip engine to 6ooo RPM, timing should top out at 30 degrees advanced. Since you describe it as running very good I'm sure all that will be correct.

Getting some serious cabin fever here, Gents.....

Attachment 324390

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 4SFED

When I was little, one of my best friends was the lady that lived next door. Her name was Elsie. She was certainly a character. She had a bunch of little dogs that she constantly toiled over. Yorkshire Terriers. She also had another passion:

Porsches! She and her husband had a garage full of them. A 928, a 914-6.... and this little 1973 911S she called the "Tornado". It was her baby, her pride and joy. You see, she raced this little car. And she was good too. They bought the car new in 1973. She barely knew how to drive a stick-shift. But, by the time the 1974 Porsche Corvette Challenge came around, she was pretty good... she won 1st place. Over the next few years she kept winning, A LOT.

Just a few of her wins:
SCCA Regional Champion 1975
SCCA Regional Champion 1976
SCCA Regional Champion 1977
SCCA Regional Champion 1978
SCCA Regional Champion 1979
SCCA Regional Champion 1980
SCCA Regional Champion 1981
SOLO I winner (stock class) 1976
Central Division Champion 1978
Central Division Champion 1979
Central Division Champion 1980
Central Division Champion 1981

Finally, she was the FIRST woman to ever win a SCCA National Championship. And she did that TWICE - 1976 and 1981.

All of that was done in this little Tangerine Orange Porsche 911S... the Tornado.

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I don't want to diminish Elsie's very considerable achievements, but the first woman to win an SCCA National Championship was Donna Mae Mims in 1963 driving an Austin Healey Sprite.

Very good read.. Keep up the good work, I can't wait until I get my 71t on the road...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NeunElf

I don't want to diminish Elsie's very considerable achievements, but the first woman to win an SCCA National Championship was Donna Mae Mims in 1963 driving an Austin Healey Sprite.

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Hmm... thank you for pointing that out. Just going by what she told me. I didn't know Donna Mae raced in SOLO II as well. ???

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 4SFED

Hmm... thank you for pointing that out. Just going by what she told me. I didn't know Donna Mae raced in SOLO II as well. ???

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Donna Mae passed away a couple years back so I can't ask her. She did a lot of car stuff and worked at Yenko Chevrolet for many years. I would imagine she entered SCCA SOLO but I never heard of her winning championships there.

Found this in the driver side door pocket today... going in the scrapbook! :)

Attachment 335683

Hi everyone! Just a little update, since I haven't been on in a while...

I've put about 850 miles on the Tornado so far. It's been wonderful! Haven't had any issues since my last posts, either. I've taken her on a couple moderate length trips (about 90mi round trip) up the coast with no problems. I would have liked to drive more this season, but several things have got in the way of that (birth of our first child in January being the most significant!). But I have been able to work the original paint over pretty well and it's amazingly glossy for the age. The paint was in good shape, but very very dry. It's taken several sessions (all by hand) to re-hydrate the finish, but I'm pretty satisfied with it so far.

Enough of my blathering.... here's some PICS! :)

Couple shots of the paint:
Attachment 349246Attachment 349247Attachment 349248

Nice day for a cruise up the Lake Michigan coast!
Attachment 349251Attachment 349252Attachment 349253Attachment 349254Attachment 349255Attachment 349256

Car looks great, and congratulations on the birth of your child.
Happy motoring,
Mike

Congrats on the birth of your first child!

As Mike said, the car looks great! Maybe you could post up a video for us :D

Thanks, guys! Oh I've got video!!!!

https://youtu.be/_XME9lLeKGM

She's a big ham. :o

Attachment 349299

........ or did you want video of the car? lol ;)

"It's taken several sessions (all by hand) to re-hydrate the finish...."


Paint doesn't appear to be more than a few months from when it left the factory..

One thing, you sure as hek don't need a word of advice on patina and paint. Professionals would do well to hear your methods.

Photos above are as top shelf as can be... This is the kind of car that Bring-the trailer would be standing on it's collective head over..huge bids.

Jake,

What an adorable little girl, I'd show my wife but I don't want her getting baby fever! ;)

Now for a video of the car!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 62S-R-S

"It's taken several sessions (all by hand) to re-hydrate the finish...."


Paint doesn't appear to be more than a few months from when it left the factory..

One thing, you sure as hek don't need a word of advice on patina and paint. Professionals would do well to hear your methods.

Photos above are as top shelf as can be... This is the kind of car that Bring-the trailer would be standing on it's collective head over..huge bids.

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Thank you, Sir! I've been detailing professionally for over 15 years. I don't even know what I would have charged someone for this level of work. I probably have over 80 hours in it all said. Just been working one panel at a time over the course of a year or so. It's a labor of absolute love for me.... my stress relief.

Thank you, Sebastian. :o

Attachment 349371

One of the other issues on getting her out of the garage is the fact I blew out my right knee 3 weeks ago (ACL and PCL tear, bruised tibia). But I couldn't take it anymore today and took it for a spin. ;) If you look closely, you'll see my "Dr. House" cane on the passenger side. It took me a few minutes to figure out the logistics of egress after the drive. lol :p

[QUOTE=4SFED;830381]Attachment 349371

Looking GREAT!

P.S. Are those seats comfortable for long drives?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sebastianroher

P.S. Are those seats comfortable for long drives?

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Haha.... NO. :o The foam has completely dried out and needs to be replaced (to the point it has gone to a powder residue that poofs out of the seams when you sit in them). Basically sitting on the shells. :D Luckily, the bolsters are not leather, but a vinyl material and is still supple and quite durable. But, boy, they do "hug" you. Great design and contour to the whole unit! Once I send them off for refurbishment, they should be very comfortable for long trips!

The only other small wear item in the interior is the door pockets (as seen in picture). It looks like someone closed the door with it open and tweaked the chrome. I'm not sure if the parts are available to rebuild these? :confused:

Attachment 349381

Still goofing around with the paint... nice cool night tonight to be out in the garage! :cool:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 4SFED

Haha.... NO. :o The foam has completely dried out and needs to be replaced (to the point it has gone to a powder residue that poofs out of the seams when you sit in them). Basically sitting on the shells. :D Luckily, the bolsters are not leather, but a vinyl material and is still supple and quite durable. But, boy, they do "hug" you. Great design and contour to the whole unit! Once I send them off for refurbishment, they should be very comfortable for long trips!

The only other small wear item in the interior is the door pockets (as seen in picture). It looks like someone closed the door with it open and tweaked the chrome. I'm not sure if the parts are available to rebuild these? :confused:

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Here's the route I'm going when I get the extra cash: http://www.sierramadrecollection.com...73-p20296.html

However, I ordered some German vinyl from Tony at Autobahn Interiors ( you could contact him about your seats) I'm going to recover my old ones for the time being (you could probably check on here, I'm sure someone has the piece you need.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sebastianroher

Here's the route I'm going when I get the extra cash: http://www.sierramadrecollection.com...73-p20296.html

However, I ordered some German vinyl from Tony at Autobahn Interiors ( you could contact him about your seats) I'm going to recover my old ones for the time being (you could probably check on here, I'm sure someone has the piece you need.

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Yeah I about fell over when I saw what they were asking for the set. Everything about the door pockets are fine except the chrome trim on the hinged parts. They close nicely and the cardboard (?) doors are in good shape and not ripped or deformed. The trim is just boogered-up a little. I was thinking of making a jig with the same contour thickness as the pockets and trying to heat and reshape the trim. I figure if it works, GREAT! If not, eh, no harm no foul. :confused: