80's Tangle

I thought the ignition cut would be more difficult to undo. My genius combined with a soldering iron made quick work of the alarm. The resulting wire tangle is pleasing to me. No more beeping "set" light. Woo!


Here's a preview of what's to come (after I fix the brakes and smoke).

Completed:
- De-alarmed
- Replaced exterior door handle seals
- Lubricated interior door handle mechanisms
- Installed aluminum interior door handles

Regarding the smoke

Oddly, it took longer to wash and wax the car than it did to install a strut brace. I'm surprised that the paint can still shine. It has its bad spots and is ultimately headed for a repaint (which I dread). Pulling it back into the garage, I noticed a cloud of smoke drifting down the alley in the rear view mirror. I'm really excited to find out what that's about...



Completed:
- Washed
- Dreaded repaint
- Strut brace

New mats

Yes. New mats. They are supposed to fade to match the existing carpet in about five years. These babies are custom mats. I got "PORSCHE" embroidered on in case I forget what I'm driving.

Completed:
- Custom "PORSCHE" mats

Final farewell

Hood struts replaced, the hood now lifts on its own. The passenger side strut was simple to replace. The driver side was an exercise in creative cursing. Do you see the pin holding the bottom of the strut? The clip on the pin had to be removed and the pin had to be slid out. My hand barely fits in that space. It took 30 minutes. I did experience a brief moment of disbelief when I finally got that $#(&^#( #$&!@% pin in.


At left, the venerable tent pole. This tent pole has served faultlessly for countless years. Now, finally it can retire. Congratulations tent pole!

Completed:
- Front hood lift struts replaced
- Tent pole retired

Brakes, Broken

I was almost beginning to believe the problem with the brakes had fixed itself. Nothing fixes itself. Last night on my nightly "gain confidence in the brakes" drive, they started making a hideous squeaking. The pads were dragging, a sign the caliper's pistons were not fully retracting. I remember noticing that the brakes started to squeal before the went out on the drive back from DAS. Why this would eventually lead to a complete loss in brake system pressure, I'm unsure.

The Porsche Performance Handbook pointed out several common problems with 911 brakes. The brake pads will drag when the rubber lines expand internally, blocking the flow of fluid. When braking, pushing the pedal moves fluid towards the calipers. The restriction prevents the fluid from adequately returning to its origin resulting in the calipers not returning all the way to their home position.

I was planning on replacing the brake lines eventually. Looks like I get to do it soon. Stainless steel lines, quick-bleed valves, a pressure bleeder, and some ATE brake fluid have been ordered. I love playing with brake fluid (sarcasm sarcasm). How do I even dispose of brake fluid properly??

On the upside, I plan on registering and insuring the 911 on Friday.

Shift Happy

One of my main gripes about the 911 over the years has been its transmission. Apparently, the Porsche 915 transmission is not known for it's precision. The shifter's action is vague and finicky. It doesn't need to be so.

Today, I installed the Wevo 915 short shifter and precision shift joint. The books said it would take four hours. It took me six. The entire center console had to be removed along with the carpet beneath it. I found nearly a dollar's worth of dimes neatly stacked beneath the change tray; artifacts from the toll road days. Much time was spent inserting the new shift bushing into its carrier. I cut the old one out, no problem. Wevo recommended boiling the new one for two minutes to soften it. That didn't work. After some cursing, I resorted to a heat gun on the high setting (low didn't work). Boom. That was it. That was the only major hiccup. Everything else was nice and easy. Well, actually, the shift knob was a bitch to remove. I had to use a wrench with a 3-lbs hammer to knock it off the end. It flew off and ricochetted through the garage. I'm going to have to replace that dingy plastic knob.

Grape-sized hail fell outside while I reassembled the car. The shifting is unbelievable now. Shortened throw combined with no slop and a mechanism that gives much better feedback will be a pleasure to drive.

Completed:
- Wevo short-shifter and precision shift joint

Horns, etc

Yesterday, I replaced the horns. They sound exactly like I remember now. The noisemaker for the alarm came out too. I am waiting until I have the hood lift struts replaced before completely uprooting the alarm. It appears simple: follow the electrical tape trail. The alarm's ignition disable will complicate matters though.

The passenger side marker light was replaced with an oil cooler air scoop. Increased flow to the oil cooler is a good thing. Also installed new engine lid lift struts. Now the engine lid stays open without the use of a tent pole. That engine compartment is tight. It is beneficial to be have the ability to work without seeing what is being worked on.



Here's the numerical oil temp gauge. They tell me numbers are easier to understand than vague colored bar ranges...

Completed:
- Horns replaced
- Removed alarm siren
- Installed oil cooler air scoop
- Engine lid lift struts replaced
- Numerical oil temperature gauge installed with matching sender

The Wipedown

The car looks much much better after a thorough wiping and vacuuming. I'm feeling better about it now.

A walk around reveals an extensive list of minor things like seals, lenses, and grills that need to be replaced. The list is about 60 items long. My plan is to focus on the function of the vehicle first. Cosmetics will be left to last, excluding minor things that are simple (and cheap) to fix.


The rear seats are no longer. "Sorry kids, you'll have to ride in the trunk."

Completed:
- Interior cleaned
- Rear seat removal
- Spare tire replaced with a can of fix-a-flat
- New emblem on the hood
- Cleaned wheels

Arrived

The 1984 Porsche 911 arrived in Colorado on Wednesday after 3 weeks in Purgatory. DAS has managed to add a few chips and scratches to the car's already pocked paint. Knowing the car will get repainted, these new additions don't trouble me. They washed the car off, though it is still filthy.

The car turns over perfectly (I love that sound). I drive it home. On the second to last corner the brake pedals goes straight to the floor and does not slow the car one bit. Yikes. Thankfully the engine did most of the braking. I overshoot the corner by 6 feet. Not bad for no brakes.

Between the dirtiness of the car and the brake issue, I'm feeling overwhelmed.