1971 Targa 911T Found on a Driveway in Maryland

[Bavaria911]

Gents,
As I mentioned in previous posts, I was helping an old friend try to start his 1971 Targa 911T after 7+ years. After he reviewed all possibilities, he decided to sell the car. He knows I had a 1970 911T and enjoyed helping him for the past three months with his car. He decided to sell the 911, so he offered me first shot to buy the car. I thought hard and asked the better half if she was good with another early 911 in the garage – and decided to buy her. Now I must come up with a plan to review the items required fixing and the fluids changed before attempting to start the motor.
Below are a few photos. The car is all stock except the radio (did not come with one), original paint (sun faded and damaged only across the top surfaces), the targa top must be repaired (just the material, the frame and locking hooks are perfect). It is a non-Fuchs car with a spare having the original tire and spare wheel in factory new appearance. The car is numbers matching with 54,000 miles (the PO kept gas receipts with mileage written and the repair/maintenance bills listing miles). As you can see, the paint needs cleaning and treatment. There is nearly no rust, please review the photos.
Questions:
1. What is the best soap and water to clean the 7+ years of grime and dirt off the paint?
2. What is the best cleaning solvent and oil to help the rubber seals around the door, trunk, boot, and targa top / windows? You would think they would be dry rotten, buy are very soft and movable – there was no water leakage from rain in all the years.
3. The original wheels have surface rust, but the chrome hubcaps are in VG condition. Is it okay to repaint the wheels or do I keep original paint on them. Does this de-value the car?
4. Can someone send me the link to properly starting a car after 7+ years outside in the Maryland weather?

Vr,
Scott

[Bavaria911]

More photos:

[Bavaria911]

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[Bavaria911]

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[Bavaria911]

Last of the photos:

[edmayo]

Looks like you got a good car out of this. Personally I'd just use a car wash soap, then clay bar it and follow up with polish and wax, but that's me! I'd paint the wheels, why look at rusty wheels just to save original paint? VW arctic silver is a close match. There should be plenty of threads on waking up an engine. I know, because I've written some of them.

[Bavaria911]

Ed,
Thanks for your advice. I plan to keep the original paint on the car, clay bar ...now I didnt think of that step.
I research the engine threads and discuss the proper steps.

What are the proper batteries for the car? And where might one find for a good price.

Scott

[edmayo]

The best battery (batteries) are made by Sonnenschein and are gel type that won't corrode your battery boxes. The less expensive are batteries from Interstate made specifically for the 911 (the part # is 911), they are lead acid and do require periodic cleaning of the area to prevent corrosion. There are other less desireable alternatives that require some degree of modification to the hold-downs and/or the electrical leads.

[blucille]

I occasionally visit some detailing forums, one of the products that intrigues me is a foam-sprayer.....think of it this way, when you apply a car washing soap with a sponge or micro-fiber, you are pushing the dirt into the paint....spraying a cleaning-soap solution onto the car will lift the debris off the paint and then you hose it off....then you follow with a sponge with car-soap, then you clay-bar.

check out griots and I use a place called detailers domain in NJ.

[Scotty B]

Plan on several washes. As stated, get it good and foamy. Griots sells a sprayer that you an put wash soap in, attach to your hose, and shoots foam out. Let that sit and soak for a bit, rinse it WITHOUT scrubbing initially, then re-apply and use a wash cloth to brush with the second time. That way you will get a lot of the harsh stuff off prior to using any rubbing with cloth. I would start with that and just regular old dish wash detergent. It will clean dirt, help cut through any grease or tree sap etc that has accumulated. Once done that way, then move to a clay bar and better quality auto soap, followed by a good buffing and polishing by someone with the know how.