Ten Fifty-nine

[LongRanger]

The inner rockers, the pan, the spurs, all of this sheet metal (including the lower rear fenders) is original --- except for the outer rockers . . . which were spoiled by what looked like packing foam, squirted in behind them, that turned-up at the PPI.

Rick Kreiskott

[LongRanger]

1) Here's a shot of the numbers stamped in the bottom of the transmission case. It looks to me like 911/01 and the |10, on the upper line, have a different font. In fact, the size and font of the |10 and the 7107346 on the lower line look very similar. 1059 has a limited-slip differential, but no trans number is recorded on my CoA. I've seen this same absence of a recorded trans # on other LSD-equipped cars. Why is that?

Can anyone with a factory LSD trans describe (or take pictures of) what's stamped on theirs?

2) . . . and here's a shot of some numbers painted on the inside of the right-hand swing arm --- has anybody seen this before?

Rick Kreiskott

[LongRanger]

I posted questions about transmission numbers in the Technical Info section:

http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...ission-Numbers

The consensus is that the |10 stamping means that the trans is fitted with an LSD --- which coincides with the CoA for this car.

Rick Kreiskott

[LongRanger]

I don’t like radios in cars. Other than weather, or maybe road conditions or traffic reports . . . I have no use for ‘em. Expensive --- for what they are. Never sound as good as my home stuff. Gives Low-life’s another excuse to mess with my car. And I’ve never seen an install that didn’t look like it was done by a four-year-old.

Plus --- in old Porsche’s ---- radios can cause rust.

1059 didn’t come from the factory with a radio. Probably had it installed sometime shortly after. Says 'Porsche' on it . . . but it's crap. (Honestly? I don’t know why anyone would want a radio in this car --- too much noise and waaaay too much to do.)

Anyway, I don’t know which side fender is correct, but I’m told that radio antennas have two possible positions that they can be installed in. And 1059’s is the wrong one.

Take a look at the 1st picture below, specifically the wheel well area behind the front tire. See that loop of cable peeking out? That's the radio antenna cable. The reason you can see it is because the antenna's been installed in front of that fender’s bulkhead. Now, the radio (and everything else connected with it) is behind that bulkhead. So ---- in order to connect the radio to the antenna --- ya gotta drill a hole through that bulkhead for that cable. See the 2nd picture.

Now, 1059 had some previously-repaired rust damage down at the very bottom of her right-side front quarter. As far as anybody could tell, that panel appears to be the original --- been there since Day One. The left-side quarter is a factory replacement (going by its baked-on olive-colored primer) but it's been on a long, long time. Not a lick of corrosion anywhere on this left-side piece --- even down low. Yet the right-side panel had rusted clean through --- at least once before --- and had already starting rusting again when the car was taken apart for re-finishing. Made me wonder.

I bet the radio caused it.

That hole in the bulkhead? The one that the antenna cable passes through? Take a look at that little grommet --- the one that’s supposed to seal-up the hole. See how it's not exactly where its supposed to be? And also how it's kinda dried-out and miserable-looking? How much you wanna bet that d@mn hole --- the one that grommet has not been sealing --- has been shipping water in there, that then collects in the dead-space at the bottom ---- and slowly rots out that panel ---- for frickin’ years?

The correct install point ---- the factory’s one ---- puts the antenna and its cable , closer to the windshield, behind that bulk-head in the fender, leaving no holes or gaps for any water thrown up by the front tire to find its way inside the car’s structure.

Did I mention I don’t like radios?

Rick Kreiskott

[edmayo]

Rick, typically the power antenna would be installed in the right fender since there wasn't room for the motor in the left fender with the fuel filler in the way. Maybe it had one at some time in the past.

[LongRanger]

. . . the power antenna would be installed in the right fender since there wasn't room for the motor in the left fender with the fuel filler in the way. Maybe it had one at some time in the past . . .

Hey, Ed . . . .

Interesting. This car had a goofed-up manual antenna fitted when I bought it -- so a replacement was installed.

But there's a lot of extra wiring under the dash, including some abandoned/homeless connectors.

But that sure is a small hole in the bulkhead. Could a power line to an antenna motor also fit? And any pictures of such an install?

Rick Kreiskott

[edmayo]

Hmmmmn, the plot thickens, yes, the power leads to the power antenna would definitely fit through that hole. I'll see if I can find a picture in the shop manual.

[johntyboy]

2) . . . and here's a shot of some numbers painted on the inside of the right-hand swing arm --- has anybody seen this before?

Rick Kreiskott

I would say that the painted number refers to the angle that the spring plate was set to.

[LongRanger]

The glove box lock on 1059 has always been kinda problematic. Lock feels 'gummy' when I put the key in, sticky to turn --- not exactly trustworthy. I remember looking into the box when I first drove the car . . . registration, manuals, some paperwork --- no treasure. Put the whole thing out of my mind.

At some point, I'd remembered having trouble opening up the glovebox, made a mental note to take care of the lock, forgot about it for another while (like, a year, maybe?), then? . . . one day . . .

Could NOT get in. Not that I really had to, or anything, but now that I couldn't, well . . . . Tried the usual --- switching keys, turning this way then that, twingling the lock, invoking The Deity (several, actually) . . . nothing doing.

So? Did the usual searches. Found all kinds of stuff on stuck glove boxes. Seems like, along with rusting, barfing gas and catching fire, Early 911s have a regular habit of goofing up their box locks. Oh, and the 'fixes'? . . . remove this, cut that, drill here, pull that --- wonderful.

So I steeled myself for a fight --- collected tools, read about tricks, got my camera. 'Ultimate Glovebox Door Repair.'

Tonight, jumped in . . . took my keys, turned and twingled. At one point, even took an old plastic gas card, cut a slot in it (like this one thread on Pelican had shown), then goofed around with that for, like, 10 minutes.

Then?

I pulled the door open. Just pulled on it. Opened. Like it's supposed to.

Turns out, everything's held shut by this little magnet, which has pretty decent grip . . . especially if all you're yanking on is a key stuck in a gummy old lock and you don't pull on the ledge at the top of the door . . . you know, just like every other door in creation?. Stupid. Guess I just wanted something to be wrong, so . . . found what I was looking for. But the lock's fine. Turns smooth enough. Nothing loose or wiggly or marginal anywhere. Except in my head.

Anyway, even though I'd been in the glove box a coupla times already, thought I'd go through it again, this time to tidy up.

1) US Owner's manual, some plastic bits --- securing strips of some kind? --- used rotor, two electric window switches (c/o Tony @TLG), Jazz tape --- prolly goes with whatever was once hooked-up to that placental wiring harness, festering under the dash

2) Grungy, well-used '78 AAA map of LA --- bing! 2nd Owner supposedly found 1059 in SoCal , '99 (1st Annual) B-J Rally brochure, insurance card, Hilton Head Guest Pass, and some service receipts going back to '99

3) The perfectly functioning locking latch and securing magnet on the inside of the glovebox door

4) The glovebox interior! Pretty wild . . . and a big surprise when I saw the photo. Never seen this or heard it described. Green and black --- same as the car. I wonder . . . are all glove box interiors coordinated with their car's exterior?

5) Detail

Groovy.

Rick Kreiskott

[edmayo]

I gotta stop looking.......I'm getting dizzy!!!!

I think the previous owner had a nice wife who wanted to make her contribution.