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Tim, love your approach here. Restoring the original parts is way better than getting repro stuff, even if the original stuff has some "patina". An old car should be like an old baseball glove or an old pair of Levis, the character should show through and it should not be perfect.
That's not to say I don't appreciate perfect restorations....they are very nice but not my cup of tea.
Can't wait to see more of this restoration process :D
I was delighted to receive an email a couple of weeks ago from someone who has asked a contact in Kenya to try and do some research on the car, however, even their initial feedback was great in that it confirmed knowledge of the first owner Peter Sargentson and confirmed that the car competed at the Nairobi (Embakasi) circuit....
http://www.etracksonline.co.uk/Afric.../embakasi.html
...and also believed to have raced at the Nakuru circuit...
http://www.etracksonline.co.uk/Africa/Kenya/nakuru.html
...I will post a request for information in the general section but obviously if anyone has any information/pictures of events at these circuits, particularly between mid '68 and the early '70's then I would be delighted to hear.
They also think that the East African Porsche agent Gordon C. R. Crow who ordered the car from the factory operated from the petrol station in Langata which is now run by rally driver Ian Duncan.
Thought I should update this thread as we approach the year end.
Business and family commitments have limited time on the project over the last few months however I have continued to clean up a few parts myself, currently have some of the larger parts with Alan Drayson at Canford Classics whilst research continues slowly!
Having established that the car was involved in circuit racing in Kenya in the late '60's/early '70's I am planning a visit to the British Library in the New Year to look through their collection of Kenyan newspaper titles for the period; whilst it would be great to turn up something specific to the car I am realistic that this may not be possible, it will still be interesting to just gain a better understanding of life in Kenya around this period and the environment the car was operating in.
The wheels and the passenger Recaro Sports seat are currently with Alan Drayson who also arranged for North Hollywood to refurbish the gauges. Given that the aim is to retain as much patina as possible NH did a great job in retaining the original face cards that had yellowed nicely in 40 years of African sun whilst undertaking the refurbishment
One area that I think demonstrates the approach I am trying to take with the car is on small details such as the front compartment catch, whilst some items will need total striping and replating etc, I am trying to just invest time in cleaning to retain the orignial factory finish wherever possible
Similar approach here, just careful clean and lubrication
(If anyone needs any more detail photos of some of these parts just ask, I have plenty more!)
Love what your doing...keep the patina.
John
Well, you know how I feel about patina. Great stuff Tim.
your car is very special... I love all the details and the way you are restoring it
congratulations
:)
Giovanni
Looks good. You already know this probably, but be very careful with what you clean with, you don't want to remove either the original paint or the original plating on the parts.