restoration thoughts

[red67]

hi
i regularly probe the registry for the ultimate info on "what's right" and its the ultimate resource for early 911 owners. so thank you to all members.

i've had 3 x 911's (a 67 coupe SOLD, and a 69 coupe and 73 targa are still in the current stable) non of them are esses i'm sorry. but i really love the original early cars a lot. i'm not to into heavy mods. all cars have been very good on purchase day and needed only semi-minor maintenance and all have matching numbers and history. i love correctness and originality. i love what's right. currently the minor maintenacne involves a carb rebuild on the 69 coupe. thats probably the limit of my skills right now.

but recently my mind (although my wallet doesnt agree) has turned to romantic thoughts of doing a full restoration inspired by a friends resto. (http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...ad.php?t=25742)

my skills or knowledge aren't what one would call exceptional (or actually good!) in anyway but nevertheless the thought of saving an old rusty swb really excites me and i think it would continue to enthrall me for the years involved. i've read a lot of resto threads now but the ones that excite me most are the guys taking their cars back to factory delivery date rather than an ST / RS / RSR etc clones. actually i find the "taking it back to original" restos harder to search out. (if you know of more than this below please post..
http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...ighlight=resto

the more i read of the resto posts and follow the progress the more i think breaking it down into manageable chunks and attacking it with research, questions, and contacts and a lot of late nights, the more possible it seems for an amateur to do.

a tour around a mechanics scrap yard last summer had me excited - a few pictures are attached here of hybrid junk not good candidates but S chassis nr's and a real 73RS engine out there too (no photo here of it - sorry - it was used in a track car and is hammered but available and rusty and expensive) make the mouth water and its a shame to see them die.

but my questions are numerous and are as follows:
- is it seriously expensively stupid to undertake a big resto project?

- has anyone here undertook one they regretted?

- any amateurs undertook one and loved it and learnt and made a gem from it?

- best candidates for a resto? - my feel is for a swb S if a tub is available. i also am excited by the mechanics RS motor put into an S the same year 73 but that also seems semi-bastardizing to me but allowable and cool!

- worst experiences doing a resto anyone??

- things you wish you'd known when you started...

- thoughts afterwards.

someone tell me to put these thoughts out of my head...

thanks for reading.
an amateur.

heres the junk pics. no candidates really. i appreciate that the shots dont show what you need to see - but they were shot before i had read a lot of things here.

[JT912]

Here is my experience as an amateur restorer.
First I'd figure out what my end goal is. Driver, show, race, resell, whatever.
Figure out your budget. Double it. Depending on the car you start with and your end goal will determine the level of cash you will needing to spend.
Be realistic about what you can and cannot do. I left the paint and rust repair to a professional.
Then I'd look for the most complete car possible.
Start sourcing parts.
A rough time line is also good. The longer a project goes on, the more likelihood it will get put on the back burner, parts come up missing, or parts become NLA.
Come up with a method to catalog parts. Make sure you make detailed notes regarding electrical connections and where wires go.
Get a digital camera, rechargeable batteries, and loads of memory. Pictures become very valuable over time!
My wife and I worked as a team dismantling the car. I removed parts, she tagged, bagged, and wrote down my description. It was fun to have her involved.
So far I've regretted no part of this process. I've taken almost 2 years with this and can see the end. I was actually able to completely clean the garage this weekend.
My biggest problem was living in a town that has very limitted Porsche-related businesses. Basically only one repair shop that will look at an early car so almost all my sourcing of parts has been via the internet.
I'm not sure if a second car ever going to happen, but it would be nice to not be an "amateur".
Good luck.

[robmog]

i don't have much advice except if you do it make a rotissarie .
it makes the body work a lot easier.

AND i must say your photographic skills are incredible!
i especially like the car on the van, i can't stop looking at it.

[John912]

I did a 3-year suspension off, nut-bolt resto of an aga blue 67 N and found it to be one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life. However, while not an ace mechanic, I did work as one many years ago. Body, paint, plating and engine long block rebuild were sent out. I painted all other non body parts. If your skills are limited, I would find not a "rusty tub," but a car that is as solid as possible (body work is very expensive). Keep it as simple as possible, there were many projects bought for pennies on the dollar because people took on more than they can handle. Estimate your cost and add 100% more.

[csbush]

Restoration is a great project, but the previous comments are spot on. You really have to know what you want out of it, and be prepared to spend a lot more than you expected. If you want a concours car, you are better off buying one- it would be alot cheaper. If you want a hobby car, then this is the way to go. Avoid accident damaged cars, very rusty cars, and Targa's. I only advise avoiding Targa's because if you are doing rust repair, it is much more difficult to keep the body straight than on a coupe. I really enjoy doing metal work, but you need to be able to or learn to weld or you will be to reliant on other folks for help. I am still working on a car I started in 1984, as it is a never ending project (and joy). My article on the restoration should be in the Esses magazine in a few months. Good luck!