Wow, I got bumped - usually that's for older threads than my own ;-) I think I finished the story in a couple other threads, but why not put it here...
When the engine/suspension/exhaust work was completed, the mechanic took it out for a drive and was promptly rear-ended (lightly) at a red light by a taller car. The rear engine lid was bent and a corner above a tail light lightly creased... Nothing horrible but at the time, I started wondering if I had run over a nun in a past life or something... Also, the engine still wasn't 100% right in my book.
The shop separeted from the mechanic that worked on my car subsequently - not because of the accident, different guy - and in the process I also lost the long tube that comes out of the airbox and connects to a flapper valve - we suspect he either decided to throw it away (he had mentioned it wasn't necessary but I wanted to retain it) or just took it, or it dissapeared while the shop relocated :
There car runs great without it, but if anyone's got a spare, I wouldn't mind for originality's sake as my car is otherwise very stock... Unless those cost a fortune...
So the engine lid was replaced and Hagerty covered the initial fix (cheap). Sadly I did not stay on top of this an inherited an incorrect "new" engine lid. After looking at the paint situation (80% original but cracked, chipped, dinged), we could not match the tail of the car to the rest, condition wise... Hagerty was consulted and came through with flying colors and approved a full respray. And they have not cancelled me since, either. So that this an an endorsement of good insurance !
At that point, the original shop decided they were out of their league and farmed out a tear down and reassembly of my engine to another shop, a well known pro in the area (Chilly's in Tampa bay), which was nice of them! I forget the details but Chilly's (great guys) confirmed all was done well by the original mechanic, except that when you rebuilt an engine, apparently there is a spot where it is advisable to add an o-ring that wasn't present from the factory but helps with leaks on a rebuilt motor(?).. anyhow they did that, and rechecked the previous rebuild and tightened everything back up. Then tuned it up 100% better.
Combined with the new restored TBs and some fuel distributor loosening up (several trip to readjust), the car finally responded to treatment and honestly it now pulls like a freight train and sounds glorious. Seat of my pants, it feels like my old SC. I also lowered it a little bit and installed the fuchs with Harvey Weidman's frosted treatment
Here it is just before we left FL and relocated to the SF bay area...
I've also added a Jwest shifter since, a factory extended hub steering wheel, removed and replaced the interior AC vent and put new knee pads instead, added rear seat belts (dated 72!) from jim@EASY, and observed as the value of the restored car doubled since that time ;-) Not for sale though. But my 912 might be, as I lost a ton of garage space in my move.....
Here it is now in california, at EASY
and next to the wife's 912