1968 T/R - "Out Of Africa"

There you go, beat me to it!

Sound like there could well be something in both accounts ie. 5 RHD, one of which was destroyed?

Tom - I will get photo later but I can tell you it was flat grained, as used on the door cards I think.....yes elephant hide would have been appropriate!

Tim

Tim:

I am still wondering about the rear fender enlargement on the "Out of Africa" TR and the FIA homologation papers as posted by Karim are very interesting.

Here is a detail of Foto 3 from the omologato papers for TR as posted by Karim. I suppose the TR flare is identical to the fender enlargements used for typ 911R.

Is there a weld seam on the inner fender that would indicate that the TR flare was installed (prior to the enlargement at the top of the wheel opening having been installed to accomodate use of the wider, later minilite)?

Tom

Tom, re the jan.68 Homolgation paper, I sent a copy to Member Bantam/Tim, as requested by him.

As for above foto, the FIA paper describes special sport equipment with 6Jx15" front (width 1379mm) and 7Jx15" rear (width 1365mm plus spacer 27mm) lightwheight wheels. "Radlaufblende" has item number 901.503.325/326.00

Karim:

Thank you for the clarification on the use of the Radlaufblende part nbr 901.503.325/326.00 in conjunction with the 911R wheel and 27mm spacer.

This makes perfect sense as use of the flare allows a wider rear track when employed with the 27mm spacer and 7R wheel. The increased track meant that the wheel opening needed to be flared to cover the tire in order to comply with FIA regulations.

As the Out of Africa TR had deep sixes and not the "special sport equipment" 7Rs with spacers for the rear, I suppose it did without the flares.

Tim: sorry to get off on a tangent.

Tom/Karim

I have checked the rear arches as well as I can in the garage and I can see no sign of a seam from any flare attachment; I will obviously undertake a more detailed examination in the future when we get it up on a ramp.

I think your summary is correct given that the deep 6's (and 5.5" fronts) are the original wheels, in other words the Minilites that were stolen were a post delivery addition in Africa with corresponding "non factory" arch modifications!

This touches on the whole issue of how to restore. My view is that I would prefer to go with the car's original wheels and the car as it left the factory (although this means work on the shell to correct the arches) rather than leaving the arches as they are now but therefore having to source and use non original wheels.

Tom - photos below show the front and rear of the dash vinyl plus one of it in situ before I (carefully!) removed it having taken the knee pad off.

Tim

Quote:

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Originally Posted by varunan123

Tom
This subject has intrigued me for awhile-if one looks at the 911R the fenders are rolled and the rear bumper has a flare-unlike the T/R's they seem to have standard bumpers
Raj

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Raj
studying the document again and if I understand the technical infos correctly, the Jan.68 FIA homolgation document does list rolled fenders are used in combination with "Blende am Radlauf/Radlaufblende" as on Foto 3 above.

"Radlaufborde li/re umgelegt"
(i.e shelf on wheel arch, left/right, apportioned)
"Blende am Radlauf, hinten"
(i.e trim on wheel arch, rear)

As for the availability of this item I have no idea only that an 901 item number is listed.
As its the case with other sport equipement items like gear transmission ratios, stone guard engine/transmission, stone guard front area, 100L (security)-sport gas reservoir, 6Jx15/7Jx15 1379mm/1365+27mm or 4 1/2 Jx15 steel or lightwheight wheels etc.-

"My view is that I would prefer to go with the car's original wheels and the car as it left the factory" Bantam

Tim:

I agree entirely. The car will be spectacular in "as delivered" trim.

Having the original-to-the-car, date coded wheels for a race car is just unheard of. So the OoA TR will have something very special, I think.

The dash vinyl looks really interesting. I would carefully clean it and give it a good conditioning and then re-install it for the restoration.

Raj, Karim:

Thanks for the insights on the question of TR spec flares/bumpers. I will look through the competition parts lists and revert if there is something to add. Twisted SWB at the Nordschleife - has it got a TR flare combined with a standard bumper?

Whilst looking through some photos of the Hamilton T/R yesterday that I recently received (thanks Jeff) it was interesting to note the cars "B" post.

Not only is it identical to the one on my car (unlike say the blank "B" post on the blue car posted earlier in the thread which has a more precise round shape) but they both share what can best be described as an "imperfection" in exactly the same place just above the striker plate (we initially thought it was a run of paint that needed sanding down!) which would suggest that these panels were stamped rather than individual modifications(?)....would welcome thoughts of any experienced body shell people.

Having said all that I have never studied other "B" posts with the normal opening to see if this is common to all.

Thanks to Chris ("gilbert911") who spotted it yesterday.

Tim

That imperfection is in the factory stamping.

Here is an SWB doorpost with the "cup" for the lid pull added, notice the bump?

I think they just didn't bother welding in the cup for the light cars.

I think that imperfection is a function of the door latch-- when they changed the stamping in 1967-- look at these photos of my red '65 production shell and Leon's 1966 masterpiece. . . no bumpy.

Contrast this with Gytis' 68 TR. . . white car with 67- door latch and 65-66 bolts and an apparently early stamping