After sitting under a car cover and up on jack stands for nearly three years it’s time to stop making excuses and resurrect Pearl.
Before the fun begins a little history;
’71 911T 2.2l light ivory/hellelfenbein 115k miles purchased in 2008 from Route 30 Classics in Mosier, OR. My wife took an immediate interest in this car, declared it as her own and named it Pearl. It’s good to have a spouse with interests like this. We drove the car for a couple of years, while making various repairs and upgrades. In the fall of 2010 I decided it was time to replace the oil burning, tired and non numbers matching 2.2l with a low mile hot rod 2.7l that had been found locally. I began the replacement of the engine, then tripped, fell and began the tumble down the slippery slope of Porsche 911 “restomodration”.
The logic was as follows;
Since the engine is out for replacement, might as well refresh and upgrade the rear suspension. All of the bits were secured to install ERP poly bronze bushings, adjustable spring plates, hollow torsion bars, new dampers, alloy trailing arms and mono ball pivot bearings.
Since the engine and rear suspension are out this would be a good time to get rid of those later model rocker panel covers the previous owner had installed. Lets take them off blend the paint and be done with it.
Since the engine, rear suspension and rocker panels are off we might as well replace the replica fiberglass S front bumper and ducktail with parts that are less attention grabbing and more minimalistic looking.
Since the engine, rear suspension, rocker panels, bumpers and engine cover are off the car, we might as well do a bare metal repaint of the car, since it’s looking rather tatty and had been re-sprayed two times over the factory coat.
That’s where my attention, time and money became diverted on various family activities, household projects and business related work.
Fast forward three years and one day while in the workshop, for no apparent reason, I pulled back Pearl's car cover and started to work on the old girl. My wife noticed this unusual activity in the workshop and said “I’m glad to see you working on Pearl again”. Wow, what a great wife!
The plan for resurrection is as follows:
This will not be a factory to the numbers restoration. It’s just not my style or nature to leave things alone and since I’m building this car for me, err I mean for my wife, then that’s the way it’s going to be done.
Bare metal to the tub repaint in the original light ivory/hellelfenbein. The car weighed 2180 prior to beginning this project and my goal is to be at 1999 or less at the completion of the restomodration. Removal of all unnecessary brackets and bits with the goal of lightness in mind. TRG fiberglass trunk and engine lids.
All new interior. Rear seat delete, RS carpet, light weight seats, etc.
All new front and rear suspension. Polybronze busings, Bilstein strut housings, Vonn dampers, hollow T bars, adjustable front and rear anti-roll bars. Replace the front pan due to a shoddy patch job by one of the previous owners.
Every nut, bolt, cable and hose replaced as well as custom touches as the project progresses.
Below are a few photos of where this project started, some of the upgrades achieved thus far and where things currently stand. The attached link is a photo gallery of where many more detailed photos will be posted.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/wddlv37ukhzi9l4/4Lbb9mPLIP
I’ll provide updates as progress is made, with hopefully no large gaps in time between those updates.
Reply With Quote
