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Thread: Finally...

  1. #1
    Senior Member raspritz's Avatar
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    Finally...

    Five and a half years ago I posted here about a numbers matching 1969 911T (119121618) I'd purchased locally via ebay that needed full restoration. It has been a long, expensive road, with a lot of setbacks, but today I finally brought her home. I have learned a great deal along the way, and of course being much wiser I'd do many things differently. But is a great car, with some fantastic unique features, and I look forward to a lot of fun now that the hard part is done.

    Rich
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    Rich Spritz

    1959 BMC Huffaker Mk1 Formula Junior racecar
    1967 Porsche 911 racecar
    1969 Porsche 911T
    1970 Winkelmann WDF2 Formula Ford racecar
    1973 Merlyn Mk24 Formula Ford racecar
    2007 Porsche 997C4 cab (totaled by an idiot running a stop sign)
    2014 Porsche 991 TurboS cab
    2019 Cayman GTS (wife's)

  2. #2
    Looks good. As a '69 owner, I would like more details.

  3. #3
    Moderator Chuck Miller's Avatar
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    Look'n good Rich..... the real fun has just begun !!!

    Cheers,
    cm
    Chuck Miller
    Creative Advisor/Message Board Moderator - Early 911S Registry #109
    R Gruppe #88

    TYP901 #62
    '73S cpe #1099 - Matched # 2.7/9.5 RS spec rebuild
    '67 Malibu 327 spt cpe - Period 350 Rebuild

    ’98 Chevy S-10 – Utility
    ’15 GTI – Commuter

  4. #4
    Early S Reg #1395 LongRanger's Avatar
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    The Part In-between

    Quote Originally Posted by raspritz View Post
    . . . Just found this thread (I hadn't been looking). The thread missed the yellow/black '69T numbers matching coupe I purchased on ebay (from a local seller) back in June. It needs considerable work (it's is off getting the front suspension pan and right side pan replaced right now), but I paid very little for it and so its value will easily bear the cost of a full restoration . . .

    Quote Originally Posted by raspritz View Post
    . . . Five and a half years ago I posted here about a numbers matching 1969 911T (119121618) I'd purchased locally via ebay that needed full restoration. It has been a long, expensive road, with a lot of setbacks, but today I finally brought her home . . .



    .................

    .........

    We Can Be Heroes

  5. #5
    Senior Member beh911's Avatar
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    Congratulations!
    Let's hear more about the story between your bookend posts above highlighted by Rick
    1969 S Coupe #761
    Early S Registry #1624

  6. #6
    Senior Member StephenAcworth's Avatar
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    Yay! That must be quite the feeling...
    1966 911 Coupe - Slate Grey - 304598 - still in restoration!

    Member #1616

  7. #7
    How fast is the dog? Dont wear his little pads out trying to keep up

  8. #8
    Senior Member raspritz's Avatar
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    Well, though this was not my first Porsche rodeo, this one has been quite a learning experience. I am much the wiser, poorer, but in proud possession of a now-nearly-new, gorgeous, numbers-matching 1969 911T. I purchased the car on a whim on Ebay, sitting at dinner with my (adult) kids messing around on my iPhone. The price was very low, and I planned to just refresh it as a driver. But when I went to pick it up from a somewhat local seller, the surprises began. For example, the front seats from a Hyundai. Or something. Another important clue was that the seller, a home garage Porsche restoration artiste, had decided this car was too much for him. But it was running, so I figured it had potential.

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    The car spent Year 1 up on the lift in my garage, while I sorted and replaced suspension items, fixed lots of things, sourced missing pieces, and removed and sold all the ‘upgrades’ somebody had done in 1973. I never could get that black coating off the chrome. I still don’t know what that stuff was! Along the way, I was discovering a lot of major items that needed doing. Like rust, the engine, tranny, little things like that. By the end of year 1, it was becoming clear I was standing at the top of the slippery slope and needed to make a go-no go decision. I took the plunge.

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    The car spent year 2 at the body shop. I knew the left front fender was mostly Bondo. A very unpleasant discovery was the car had long ago taken a major hit in the right front as well and had a lot of hidden damage. The frame was bent but could be straightened. $$ The metalwork was like archeology; the car had been about 8 different colors over time (not kidding). The COA said the original color was Irish Green, but I decided to go with 1969 Tangerine.

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    Year 3 was spent at the interior shop. Meanwhile, I was becoming expert at sourcing one-year-only 1969 parts, all over the world. At that point, I was still a purist, so most were NOS. Some parts I wound up sourcing multiple times, either forgetting I already had them or simply finding better versions of the same. For example, I got three steering wheels (one of the 1973 'upgrades' was a 'formuling' racing wheel, which actually is very nice), each better than the one before. The last and best was a prototype wood-and-steel wheel, probably originally for a 904, with provenance straight from the Zuffenhausen design shop. That’s the wheel I decided was the right one for me. Other departures from originality were a black headliner and black/black 1969 sun visors, which looks much better than the original cream and black/cream, respectively, and chrome steelies.

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    Years 4 and 5 were spent at the mechanic’s shop. Engine rebuild to S spec, gearbox rebuild, everything rebuild. Chasing oil leaks and electrical gremlins. Dealing with very unpleasant and expensive consequences of that long-ago accident. Blah, blah. Lots more parts, still mostly NOS, because I was still a purist. Meanwhile, it’s a small shop, and the demands of my '67 911 vintage racecar kept taking priority. Finally, about six months ago, purism hit the wall. If I ever wanted the T finished, I’d have to accept a little pragmatism.

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    And finally, here we are. Yesterday I installed the final touch, that prototype steering wheel I’d had restored several years ago. I have a gorgeous, superb, numbers-matching 1969 Porsche 911T. A real beauty.

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    So, what have I learned? Well, I’m a lot more sophisticated than I was 5 years ago. I learned to never restore a car. Buy one that somebody else has already restored. That way, they spend their money (I am far underwater financially) and time, while you get to enjoy the car right away. Would I do it all again? That's hard to say. It's been a real education, and I really do have talent scrounging rare parts. I haven't had much upside yet; today winter hit Denver with a vengeance (8" of snow so far!). So, after driving it home, it's facing a few months as eye candy in my garage, sitting alongside my TurboS cab. I'll check in about the fun factor next spring!

    Rich

    P.S. Sorry about the extra upside-down photo. It is a quirk of this Board, I'm afraid.
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    Last edited by raspritz; 11-26-2019 at 07:53 AM.
    Rich Spritz

    1959 BMC Huffaker Mk1 Formula Junior racecar
    1967 Porsche 911 racecar
    1969 Porsche 911T
    1970 Winkelmann WDF2 Formula Ford racecar
    1973 Merlyn Mk24 Formula Ford racecar
    2007 Porsche 997C4 cab (totaled by an idiot running a stop sign)
    2014 Porsche 991 TurboS cab
    2019 Cayman GTS (wife's)

  9. #9
    Great work, and good words of wisdom,
    I hope pragmatism hits me sooner than it hit you in the journey with my '69.

  10. #10
    Senior Member rmakosaito's Avatar
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    Congratulations Rich! Will we be seeing it out at any PCA events next year? Colorado Concours?
    Registry #1917
    1971 Condagrun 911T targa
    1974 Indisrot Carrera coupe (US)
    1972 BMW Polaris 3.0 CS

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