Ten Fifty-nine

[lowflyrE]

Hey Rick, may I suggest you ditch the "PERMA-TUNE" and replace it with a proper Bosch 3pin CDI? You know, to keep it more original...

1) and 2) Engine number 6301439 . . . with a clean(er) face

3) and 4) ‘. . . lotta body shop still back there . . .’

5) Original sound blanket

[LongRanger]

. . . may I suggest you ditch the "PERMA-TUNE" and replace it with a proper Bosch 3pin CDI? You know, to keep it more original... . . .

'On the list'

Car has a history of intermittent tach/ignition issues, along w/ some other instrumentation stuff --- going back to the original PPI . . . a Future Kluster

Meanwhile? . . . I just wanna cut down on some of the piddling

[Reza]

The car thanks you Rick.

[LongRanger]

Stopped by TLG again, last Friday . . . to visit, see how things were going

Marco filled me in . . .

HE’s had arrived, already been installed, looked/worked/sounded great --- so good that Marco didn’t re-finish them . . . so they look like they fit right in with the rest of the Nasty Car

Engine compartment got all cleaned-up, and the motor's already back in, car’s running

The Vintage Scheel’s seat bracket had broken, so that’d been welded-up, then powder-coated. (I’d mentioned/suggested Krylon --- but Marco doesn’t quite roll that way)

New shocks fitted

1059's basically done. Except for running on 5 cylinders --- something in the replacement injector/circuit . . . so Marco needed some more time. Fine w/ me

I’d asked if they’d driven the car --- and about the vibration . . . apparently still there. Tony asked about the Vreds, but that conversation got off-track . . . may have a tire issue?

Marco showed me the old HEs . . . alien autopsy . . . one, rusted/starting to burn thru at coupla the collector pipes, the other was rusted-thru at the sheet metal for the heater box’ shrouding . . . still, not bad for 170k kms-, 41-years-, 5 owners-, and two continents-worth of use. Then again, all this stuff had started to sound more like a party favor, than a Porsche, so . . .

Went over, visited w/ John. Lots o’ cars in the shop --- he’s busy --- Tony + Marco, too . . . enough that John’s taking-over his old shop . . . the space that he’d just left, across the way. Watched him as tickled the pass-side door to Mr Bosworth’s Light Yellow S/T . . . love those gaps

Then, wandered back over to Marco’s, walked/talked/toured the shop . . . Tony, too. Really enjoy this part --- looking at stuff, asking questions, telling stories --- like, there was this car there that Tony had known/worked-on for 20-plus years. Now Marco was working on it.

1059’s family

1) thru 3) Left-side HE w/ pin-holes in the exh collector tubes + heater box. This looks minor --- but all the un-perforated metal is less-than paper thin . . . done

4) Right-side heat box shrouding . . . more rust than not

5) Moment of Truth for Light Yellow S/T's pass door

[LongRanger]

. . . came back from SONY service. Total cost of the repair = $154

Model number = DSC-T9. Zeiss optics, 3X zoom. Not the gonzo-megapixel counts of newer units, but easy-to-handle + use, super-(like, fits in my shirt pocket) small, great pics, and I've gotten really used to it. Paid-for, too

Virtually every shot I've taken for the last 6-7 years has been taken w/ this Little Marvel. Truth is . . . it was acting-up for about a year before it finally crapped-out --- auto-focus failed, along w/ some sort of internal mechanical fault

All fixed now

[orange911]

The camera behind the pictures finally gets its spotlight. Question is, Is the Sony worried with being overtaken with the one that shot these?

[LongRanger]

. . . Is the Sony worried with being overtaken with the one that shot these? . . .

Hey, Olin . . .

No

The SONY is super-small + -handy . . . one hand is all I need to shoot, + any adjustments take one finger. (I take pictures when I'm driving ferrcryinoutloud --- no time to d!ck w/ 'special features')

Slick to work, too --- slide down the cover = action!

Durable + expensive-feeling --- I basically use + destroy stuff, so, for this Little Marvel to've survived in any condition, after 7-years . . . w/ all the stupid stuff I've done w/ it? . . . tells me something. One Good Tool

For comparison, the camera that shot the SONY is bigger (anything/everything is, really --- just look at it!) + bulky, plasticky + cheap-feeling, and has a harder time shooting really close

Plus? When I found out that I can get a 7-year-old obsolete camera repaired in 10-days for $150? . . . that's WAY cheaper than any $250 latest/greatest camera that I can't

. . . or the $800 'space-shot' --- also SONY . . . that I was considering


Besides . . . I really feel better repairing/re-using/re-cycling something old . . . .



. . . like the HEs . . .




. . . like 1059 . . .

[LongRanger]

Picked-up 1059 on Saturday, 15-Sep. Marco’d finished the work already a few days before, but it was just easier for us to swing by on the week-end, take care o’ business . . .

Total cost for this service = $5190.55

I wouldn’t exactly call the vehicle a ‘rolling restoration’ . . . but there was some pretty comprehensive work that needed getting done

Oil leaks were what got all this started. And the biggest part of the total. Just the time/labor to remove + install the engine, w/ all the gaskets + seals + belts + senders + lines + injection pump + while-we're-in-there stuff made up ~$1400

Then came shocks --- time/labor = ~$300

Then there was . . . well --- fixing everything else . . . the speedo cable, engine mounts, the busted seat frame, oil lines, throttle linkage, the stripped injector, replacing the whole exhaust system, fixing one o’ the horns --- even taking care of a saggy rear-view! And did I mention the powder-coating?

Oh yeah --- and don’t forget . . . . making sure that everything actually fits + works + stays that way

Now throw in some bits. (I counted 22 --- not including the oil + filter) Biggest items were the Leistritz + used HEs = $1k, followed by the KONIs = ~$1k --- $2900-worth, all in

But what doesn’t show-up --- what never does . . . is all the attention and patience and care that were lavished on this old well-used Nasty Car . . .

I mean --- with all the Other Stuff that Tony and Marco have going on in their store . . . . when I came by, to pick ‘er up . . . 1059 was just as neat as a little pin, beautiful

And Boy --- does she run!

It seems every time 1059 comes in for stuff . . . she always leaves a little smoother, a bit tighter, zoomier

We tip-toed down the street, got on the freeway to head home. I haven’t been in the Nasty Car for a month-and-a-half, and I was missing the whole experience of piloting the little monster. I remember the way things worked, how they felt, the smells and the sounds. It‘s all still there, all familiar . . .

. . . and all different

There’s an extra set of vibrations now, a steady + light timpani out of the motor, tingles my butt. And the howling/growling/back-lash from the diff-cum-LSD’s gone quiet. Which is weird ‘cause I would think, what with new motor mounts . . . . all that pandemonium would pick-up, if anything . . . not disappear. Whatever

Motor pulls smoother than ever. I remember the buck this thing used to give – especially at low rpm . . . . through the floor, through the seat, the shifter, even the pedals. Being anything-less-than-measured with the throttle --- and the whole car would flinch --- then kick. Now? A turbine, less vibration, even from <3000 . . . more ‘spool’ that 'spit.' Sounds nice, too. Looking at the old pipes, I was expecting something to sound different . . . but the same voice is there, just as mellow, tuneful --- still big + woofy

Getting on the freeway felt like gliding. 1059’s not very big . . . so moving down the ramp, a quick glance left, bring up some revs/speed --- then merging-into-etc . . . are not high-energy/-tension activities. Light traffic, moving along well enough . . . . and the speedo works, again --- 120 kph = 75 mph

4th gear's all it takes, seems

Even keeping in mind that the tach is considered suspect (still) . . . car is loafing

My Ride gets a little tied-up in some traffic, up ahead . . . no problem. Move right, a little more throttle --- and we're clear. Way

‘At’s more like it! ‘Nother little clot o’ cars stumbles up? Gotcha covered . . .

WoooooooAAAAHHRRRRrrrrrrrrr --- and we’re around

Little Car. Big Noise

Nothing neck-snapping about this --- any of it. No jolt of power. Nothing physical, really. The pace is rheostatic --- electric . . . power climbing, energy building, exciting --- but mostly from inside. Except for the pace, the way we pass --- and the sound, maybe . . . . no one would suspect that anything unusual was going on . . . just gliding by . . .

. . . faster

Wanding the ‘box into 5th, the urgency drops . . . and energy in the cab settles to a purr

I’m always surprised by just how really fast these cars are. Coming back Sunday, I wanted to use the car harder. In traffic. Even as compact as she is, 1059 makes a great GT . . . . and just destroys distance. I’m used to the seat, now --- fits me perfect. And I’ve decided that the wheel needs to come up closer --- another inch or so? . . . so I’m sitting up/forward, riding right on my butt, in the pocket of the seat, hanging on to the wheel. Kinda physical, and could be tiring . . . but it’s not

At 3000 in 5th . . . engine’s snoring along, comfortably. Car still feels alert, nibbling over the road with the wonderful/supple ride 911s are so famous for --- fresh/restored, now. That Shake's gone, too --- so Marco was right . . . new shocks did the trick. Only a liiiiittle tickle left . . . and Marco says that the next time the motor's out, we could re-balance the clutch + flywheel --- take car o' that

But what I really like? . . . is the funky/nervous/trembly way 1059 knuckle-balls down the highway. Pass any car or truck --- and I ‘feel’ the wake as we course by . . . the car wafting/deflecting/fluttering in the airstream. Bigger Rigs can seem to shove the car a foot sideways. All cars do this, I’m sure . . . but in this small car --- no spoilers or wings or wide tires . . . being in traffic is a different experience . . . moving + maneuvering + jostling in/through a crowd . . . a dragonfly among the rhinoceri

And a good reason to go fast. Most cars just loom over us. It’s still unsettling, watching people pull up behind me, when we’re stopped at a light. Close-quarters stuff in heavy + stop-and-go traffic is nuts. So, driving for open road, without distraction --- or opponent . . . is reason enough to pick out the gaps between cars, wand up a gear, go someplace --- away . . . .

. . . faster


Thank you Tom Butler (tom1394racing) at Rennshop . . . your exchangers look/fit/work wonderfully. I’ll take + post some pics, when I can get the lift back

Also --- thanks to Tim (frevywilson), over on Pelican, for the Leistritz . . . perfect timing, Sir

And a Very Big Thanks to Marco @TLG

Marvelous work, My Friend . . .

[LongRanger]

Some pics of the Finished Job . . .

1) thru 3) 1059's eng# 6301439, after Jul 2012 Service

4) OG sound blanket, mentioned earlier. Bryce (beh911) made some observations that, apparently, textures on these changed since '69 --- at least, when compared w/ US-spec vehicles

[LongRanger]

Not going to Pebble, maybe --- OK, never . . . but, at least everybody's all dusted-off, hooked-up and working . . .



1) replacement pass-side exh, new oil lines, shiny KONI

2) Leistritz all strapped-in . . . motor dry and tidy

I suppose I could've painted/re-finished some o' this stuff --- spiffed it up a little bit. But this is where I live. Any extra cosmetics might look nice for a few months, but then ---- pfft! I'd trash it, using it . . . and I'm no muffler washer

I'm just happy to've knocked-down some of the piddles!