[968Syncro]

Hello folks,



You may recall the 968 I bought back from insurance a few months ago: http://www.968forums.com/index.php?showtopic=5173



I drove it around the local streets today -- Yes! Feels real nice. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/rolleyes.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />



So far:

- general cleanup and inspection below: yes, I actually used a toothbrush.

- replaced the tiptronic fluid storage tank, filled with new fluid.

- removed mouse nest from engine, right below the intake manifold. Inspected as best I could, but seems no injector wires were touched or anything else. Yeah, it was sitting next to the house for a month, under a car cover, but they didn't obey the car cover.

- charged battery.

- broke the drivers side mirror glass (ok, not progress, but one step back once in a while is OK. With me I expect a step back once in a while <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/blink.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> )



It started right up, I was fairly surprised, I think the ECU is just so good at managing things. Go the trans fluid level correct. All runs fine, trans shifts fine.



Next steps:

- see what damage their is on the left front suspension, might be something hidden. I'll take it apart and check it out (brakes, bearings, etc.). If anybody has any hints here on how to thoroughly check it out please let me know.

- new rear tires.

- wheel alignment.

- misc.

- then the body work.



Overall real pleased so far, it is still a great foundation, we'll get her back. I'll probably add any progress to this thread as we can accomplish it, but now it is time. I need to post some WTBs on the forum.



Roland

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[flash]

and this is exactly why i am not automatically afraid of a salvage title - sounds like it was just numbers and not real damage to the structure

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[PorscheDude]

Wish you would have sold it to me. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/wink.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />



Glad to hear you are able to handle the repairs.

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[968Syncro]

[quote name='smokiemon968' post='55363' date='Jun 25 2008, 08:32 AM']Wish you would have sold it to me. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/wink.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />



Glad to hear you are able to handle the repairs.[/quote]



Sorry Smokie, I was seriously considering just flipping it from the insurance co. to somebody who wanted it for parts or rebuilding. And when I sent out the feeler to see if this was possible, I know you expressed strong interest in it. But then I took a closer look at the numbers, and calculated what I could do vs. what I'd have to farm out to repair shops, and it started making sense. It won't turn into one of the $15-$20K instances that y'all have, heck it had some rough spots when I bought it, but it will turn into a fine, very nice DD. There is something about these 968s, I just couldn't let it go, and dreaded the search / expense of trying to find another one.



Roland

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[flash]

good for you - i hope it works out like you plan - projects like this can spin out of control if you let them - the key is to try to take your time so as to economize - rushing generally costs more - but, you could end up with your baby all better, for a lot less than buying a new one



let me know if there is anything i can do to help

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[968Syncro]

Ok, today:

- Did a front suspension inspection to the best I could everything seemed solid and aligned. The only thing odd is the front stabilizer bar appears shifted, sticking out of the right side bushing farther than the left side. It must have gotten pushed over somehow, or maybe it was that way. I think I need to loosen it and slide it back over.



- New rear tires.



- DMV to get all the salvage paperwork going: steps are 1. get a light & brake certification from a shop, 2. get inspection from the DMV, 3. smog test, 4. fill out paperwork (I think they are going to impose sales tax in the buy-back value), 5. get a "peace officer" to verify the VIN, 6. surrender the old plates, they'll issue new ones. Go back to DMV to close it all. In the meantime they issued a temporary operating permit for 90 days (the little red square thing in the windshield).



- Took it out for a longer drive (tire shop), and put it through slightly more challenging driving. Did a few freeway runs up to 80. Man I can't believe it, it tracks straight, no shaking vibrating, no nothing. I little bit of noise from the left front I need to hunt down. Suspension seems solid, feels like it did before. Power is great like before. No leaks. No warning lights, gauges all good. So I think we are going to drive it although looks odd with the missing left side plastic.



- Wash and some misc small fixes.



So far so good, I can't believe this car became drivable so quickly from being a throw away. Even my wife is excited (about a car? this must really be something <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/laugh.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> )



Growing the parts list, also the fix list since I now I see some other restoration and detailing that wasn't on the map before.



Roland

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[968Syncro]

[quote name='flash' post='55366' date='Jun 25 2008, 09:09 AM']good for you - i hope it works out like you plan - projects like this can spin out of control if you let them - the key is to try to take your time so as to economize - rushing generally costs more - but, you could end up with your baby all better, for a lot less than buying a new one



let me know if there is anything i can do to help[/quote]



Flash, wanted to mention thanks for the suggestion to take my time to economize, thought about that all day. I think that is very sound advice 'cause I can get wrapped up in the need to hurry and get it all done. Hey I just wrote "get it all done", kinda sounds like "get it done", hey even better how about "get her done", or "get 'er done", or "git 'er dun" hey think I'll copyright that saying <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/huh.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> . git 'er dun - git 'er dun - git 'er dun - git 'er dun - git 'er dun - git 'er dun - git 'er dun - git 'er dun - git 'er dun -



Roland

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[SILVY968]

Roland,

Glad to hear that you are putting her back together! Post pics of your progress.

Brian

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[968Syncro]

Ok, so previously I reported I inspected things from underneath, well not quite, I guess I skipped over one thing.



The left trans fluid cooler got bent back a bit, but I didn't see any damage to the cooler itself of the hoses nearby, and certainly there were no leaks.



However one of them was touching the alternator belt, I missed this, is didn't wear though the hose until a couple of days later! What a mess, strawberry syrup on more places that I can to mention, the fan did a nice job assuming I wanted to use ATF as a preservative on various places around the front and underneath the engine. See pics of the hose worn through.



   



   



Well at least the repair is clear, I gotta get this hose out and then all will be well. Also gotta straighten or replace the cooler mount brackets to ensure the hose lies correctly -- learning! That's what I decided this would be about.



Roland

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[968Syncro]

Ok, not to bore everyone too much, somebody asked for pictures, so I am just collecting stuff here and there to document the progress (until somebody sceams and tells me to stop).



- see attached photo "Parts to replace" to see them. This is a print from the PET with my annotation which I think is clearer than pic I could take. But here are a couple pics of the bent brackets below anyway.



I believe:

- using a vice and some careful metalwork (read: dumb idiot with some pliers and stuff) I will be able to renew the brackets and bend them straight.

- if I order the trans fluid hose from Sunset it will take 6 weeks unless I expedite, and get it in 2 weeks, heck I don't know, it might be $200 or more just for this fairly complex part.

- the local hydraulic hose shop in Escondido who does custom hoses should be able to repair the worn through rubber portion of this part,

- the same guy can straighten the all metal pipe (See drawing).



Please chime in folks, I need advice here and there. This is going to take time. Looks like I have to remove the starter to get to the rear end of the worn through hose/pipe to unscrew it. Looks like I have to drain the coolant, remove the lower radiator hose, to get at the nut holding the other end of the pipe. Also, it is odd, looks like the trans fluid is going into the radiator? What for, for warmup, I know the fluid is supposed to be at 80 degrees C, is that what they engineered? First the fluid is warmed in the radiator, and then it is cooled with its own cooler?



Roland



   



   



   

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[xrad]

968synchro: GLAD to see you fixing this one!



might want to check the right rear inner CV joint boot...tear vs. tranny fluid?



ALSO: check the distance from the metal U channel(that is on either side of the radiator) and the radiator end caps. One of my PO's got hit in the front right and ever so gently bent a metal tab into the radiator (which ended up rubbing the rad for probably years) Then I got it and the leak started. It was only bent in about 1 cm.

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[rxter]

Looks like great progress Roland. Let me know if you need some help. Although I am most definitely not a wrench, I would be happy to crawl under the beast, hold a flashlight, or whatever.



Joe

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[968Syncro]

Joe,



thanks for the offer, see PM I sent, I could use an opportunity to see a "whole" 968" to make sure I remember the goal <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />



Roland

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[Seadweller23]

Syncro,



Kudo's to you for putting your 968 back together. I think I would have a hard time walking away from mine if it was damaged in an accident.



Since reading your posts (and a few others) it makes me a little nervous to take the 968 out. Hopefully I will get over it.



BTW-My son (recently got his license) ran up a curb and did about $500 damage to his first car. Glad it wasn't the 968.



Best of Luck,



Joe

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[968Syncro]

[quote name='Seadweller23' post='55626' date='Jun 30 2008, 02:39 PM']Syncro,



Kudo's to you for putting your 968 back together. I think I would have a hard time walking away from mine if it was damaged in an accident.



Since reading your posts (and a few others) it makes me a little nervous to take the 968 out. Hopefully I will get over it.



BTW-My son (recently got his license) ran up a curb and did about $500 damage to his first car. Glad it wasn't the 968.



Best of Luck,



Joe[/quote]

Thanks Joe,



yeah, it is getting to be a "meaningful" project. "Meaningful" = (promising + sometimes don't know how to handle the next problem + fun + frustrating + incredibly rewarding if I get something done + there are plenty of places left on the wall where I haven't yet punched a hole <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/mad.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> ). As youngsters many moons ago our gang of guys played with old spitfires, triumphs, Austins, MGs, etc. and though nothing about pulling engines, rebuilding them, and all kinds of repairs and mods. The problem is trying to recover some of that enthusiasm and making this work fun and emotionally rewarding, and the only path I know is what Flash coached, take my time, think clearly, don't hurry through it. I am finding much more fixable or workable on the 968 than I originally thought.



Good luck to your son and his driving, sometimes I think my son figured driving a car was like playing a video game, and the video games typically keep you in bounds, but cars don't.



I bought my 968 to drive, and have done so, I am rebuilding it to drive. So make sure to drive yours all you want, they aren't ready to be garage queens yet. Make sure you have collision insurance, and keep all records on repairs, and if something bad happens you'll just have to take the insurance money, I've seen several nice examples on the market in the last few days for good a price. Clearly my rebuild is going to be a fraction of the cost of buying one of these, but I am sure I would have been happy with one of these on the market as well.



Roland

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[Seadweller23]

My first car was a 1973 MG Midget Mark III in perfect condition. I loved that car!. Of course I rolled it after three weeks. I had read a stupid book called "The Red Car" and took a curve too fast. I would be curious if anyone else has read that book. It started my love of sports cars. Below is a link to some reviews of "The Red Car".



http://www.amazon.com/review/product/15684...howViewpoints=1.



It is hard to blame my son when I did worse.



Joe

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[968Syncro]

Ok, so where we left off is the broken hose for the transmission fluid going to the cooler. I worked hours to try to extract the hose, it is one piece (see above graphic) that goes from the front, apparently around or near the motor mount, circles above the bell housing, and screws onto the next length above the starter (had to remove it). And then I couldn't get it out of this long and windy road, not sure what has to be done, if it was this much trouble to get it out, I figured that threading a new one in would be worse. By the way the new part was only $141.65 at Sunset (944 307 011 05 – oil pipe) which I found low, figured it might be more like $300.



Plan B: patch the hose (see picture). Went to the local hydraulics shop to consult with them, cut the hose in half and took the short half with me, figured they'd have the best parts. They were very concerned it would hold the pressure, but it has held nicely.



   



In addition to the hose patch, I removed the ATF cooler and all the brackets, either used the vise to clamp them straight or a bit of bending, had to pound one into submission with a hammer, but all came out well and they fit correctly.



Today, lots of detailing, checking around, plan a bulks parts purchase on Monday at Sunset. When I examine or inspect things, I sure don't see as much as when I am repairing something or doing an R&R. Shampooed the carpet mats. This all led to a horrible experience, it went something like this:



- there... finished that area....let me take a step back and see if I missed anything....oh there is a corner I could get.....

- there... finished that area....let me take a step back and see if I missed anything....oh there is a corner I could get.....

- there... finished that area....let me take a step back and see if I missed anything....oh there is a corner I could get.....

(repeat for hours.... sound like engine bay cleaning / detailing anyone!!!) yuk, there is more I could do. After seeing rxter's engine bay, and my 944, this one was in embarrassing condition. [like flash warned: these projects have a habit of growing!!!!]



Bottom line is that through all this process and now work, my love has grown, as well as my list, and now I have to do all the things that really needed doing before the accident as well!



Started planning bodywork, my side plastic body panels need work, found this interesting thread on repairing the broken holes like this: http://www.968forums.com/index.php?showtopic=5277

   

I had already explored the pop rivet gun at home depot, and they have stainless steel pop rivets in the 1/8" size. This thread suggested some sheet brass, perfect, I may add some JB Weld here and there as well.



That's it for now.

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[968rz]

Congrats on the progress.

That trans line fix while not perfect should work fine just check it now and then as it will tend to seep a bit. Let us know how you get on fixing the mounting holes I have one that needs fixing as well.

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[968Syncro]

Ok, so haven't added to this one in a while. Here are the next steps completed:



- Cleaned the K&N (man was it time!).



- Repaired the side skirt mounting holes as in here: http://www.968forums.com/index.php?showtopic=6075



- Got the call from Sunset that my major part order is on the way. This took some time a couple of weeks ago, I spent probably 2-3 hours going through the PET and filling in an Excel sheet with all the part numbers and descriptions. I emailed that to Jeff at Sunset. Of course it made the process very efficient and hopefully without error from there. It included lots of little bolts, retainers, clips, etc. so it would have been almost impossible without the PET drawings and part numbers and a documented list. We reviewed it on the phone before the final order was placed.



- Prepped the 944 for sale, this took some work in the last week or so, and stole from 968 progress. http://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/car/761263797.html



I keep driving it every day. Nice!



Roland

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[flash]

looks like you'll have her done in time for the ortega highway run in late august

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