Home built Hot Rod

Hey guys, As some of you may know, a few months ago I bought myself a very tired, neglected, '74 911. It had been sitting outside for 10 years so it has a few little rust issues etc, but being converted US delivered, factory non sunroof car, I thought it would be the perfect donor for my Hot Rod project car. My idea is to build the car I like, which is basically the look of a '73 RSR, but with an interior more like a Singer. I want the car to be something that is fun and reasonably comfortable to take on an SMT, but also something I can take on track days and hopefully Classic Adelaide in The near future. I'm not certain on what I am doing with the engine yet. Currently it has a 2.7 which has pulled head studs. My initial plan is to rebuild that engine and get the car on the road (as I have never driven it), but I will be looking at some form of upgrade in the future. I am not looking for all out speed, as I have always been a fan of driving a slower car to its limits, as opposed to just making the car faster and faster in a straight line. The plan with this car is that I will be doing every part of the build myself, and I thought instead of just taking a few pictures of the build as I go, it would be good to film the entire thing as I go, so for those who are interested they can watch my actual progress. So I have a disclaimer to start that I am not a professional presenter (or car builder for that matter), so you can't expect too much, but hopefully it should be interesting. Quick stop after meeting the seller half way in Albury. Getting ready to unload after getting home. Some of the rust patches i found under the very thick, flaky, bog. The very tired 2.7

Good luck. looks like a big project you have on your hands. Love your choice of tow vehicle

Love it, Love home builds too! good luck with it.

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Haha, thanks. The V8 in the Merc doesn't even notice the trailer on the back. I just set the cruise control and the speedo didn;t move the whole way home.

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The 3.5 V6 in mine has plenty of go, I can imagine what your V8 has

No need to sell the AMG wheel - put it on your ML! Looks like an interesting project and look forward to seeing your progress.

Good luck with the project. Looks to be a big one but also a lot of fun.

Good luck. I will follow this with interest.

LOVE that Cayman! And the project, though I wish to ask about the hand prints on the hood. Seems like it has some other 'uses'? Have fun..........with the project I mean

big project ....  good luck

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Unfortunately I have sold on the Cayman now. It just wasn't very comfortable or practical for a daily driver. At least that one, being lowered with the Remus exhaust. I 'down graded' it to an Audi S5, which is actually faster and 100x more comfortable. Maybe I just love the air cooled cars a little too much.....?

Ok, so I have finally finished editing the second video, so here it is. I have now stripped the car down, and discovered a little bit of rust but nothing serious.

impressive vid (and garage) mate. You look like you know what you are doing there. Really interesting to see the inner workings of a converted car - even more scary than I thought... good luck with the project

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I was interested in seeing how the conversion was done as well. The main thing I was always worried about was the safety aspect. I doesn't look as pretty but with the steering pick up being central, they just flip it to the other side. But maybe I just don't mind because I have done a lot more extreme mods on my track cars in the past.

Mate would love to have the skills to tackle something like this - look forward to see how it comes out!

Geoff crack on mate - great work. I reckon strip the harness out of the car - sure its a hassle to get out and in one piece. But given the monster you're wrangling and the build your doing gives you a Cpl of options. Full check of factory harness , cur out shit put in new as needed etc or go new custom harness and delete all the unnecessary cheers Michel

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I am also a lazy bastard. But you are right. I just need to bite the bullet and strip it all out.... Urrgh, not looking forward to that at all...

No shame in making a multi part loom With appropriate connectors Edited 11November, 2015 by michel

Great effort mate. Like many on here, I would love to tackle a resto project like this but after watching your movie and seeing really what is involved, I doubt I have the skills to put it all back together (stripping seems much easier and fun). Good luck and watching with interest and envy.

Lol. Watching the video back it looks easy too. But I did edit out heaps in the time lapse, otherwise it would be a lot longer and a lot more boring Oh and I haven't put it back together yet, so we will see how that goes when I get there

Huge respect for people who can do this. Great stuff. I look forward to following your journey.

Ok, so I have now stripped the whole body down to bare metal, and spent a heap of time getting the glue from the interiors sound deadening off. Here is the latest vid. P.S. Sorry about the shaky video, I will endeavour to fix this for future updates. Edited 13November, 2015 by MFX

Gold is great! What bout shoot some clear over all that dimple and ripple?

Haha, go the real rat rod look. I like it

shit, that's a lot of dust....

That was a lot of bog!

pretty sure that plastic thing is the fuel expansion tank - 911 201 073 00 Edited 13November, 2015 by Russ

Ugh! Been there, done that with paint stripping in a shed half the size of yours. NEVER again!! Looking good fella

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Ok, I have never come across one before. So I assume that would be so on hot days it would collect excess vapour? I have a plan for the dust when I am done, to go around with a blower and a big extraction fan when I am finished. Hopefully that will agitate the dust and I can extract most of it.

i think it traps vapor from expansion as well as overflow I think it's plumbed into the filler neck among other places but i've never actually followed where the hoses go

Halfway through stripping my car, I ended up having the grinder in one hand, and an industrial vacuum cleaner in the other. Tricky, but it helped quite a bit until I hit the 10mm of bog in both doors, then it was like an explosion in a chalk factory!

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Haha. That is pretty much what I experienced, just that the whole car pretty much, seemed to be covered in 10mm of bog.

Great videos Jeff, keep them coming, inspiring stuff!

The clips are brilliant.  Keep them coming. I hope you wore a dust mask.  I don't what's worse, stripping a car with bog, or stripping a leaded body.

Hell yeah I was wearing a mask, eye and ear protection. I am tempted to still wear a mask when I walk back in the garage now

Fantastic mate. Youre a brave man!!

Wow, Alot of progress. Cant wait for part 4.

Well the next step looks like it will be removing all the wiring. I wasn't going to but Michel guilted me into it

Ok, I have just finished the next video. Stripping out the wiring, and removing the fuel tank the wrong way.... you'll see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmYxTkvINiY Jeff. Edited 28November, 2015 by MFX

Lovin' the Aussie wild life show. You got kooka's, a koala and a galah with a bucket of sawdust.

Here are some photo's of some of the rust and issues I need to fix.

That rust doesn't look too bad. (says he from the comfort of the lounge room ) Obviously the previous repairs will take some effort but at least you can just crop off the bodgy rear wheel arches to fit your nice new metal.  Rust around the lower windscreen channel and the front fender/A pillar join seems to be pretty common.  Hughesy's Unicorn has similar issues.   I'd love to get stuck into my car and clean it up but I'm terrified of the surprises I'd find. Keep it coming, Jeff.  Great stuff and thanks for sharing.

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I actually agree with you. When I first saw the car with the thick bog flaking off, and rust showing through from underneath. I was sure I was going to have a lot more rust than I ended up with. One of the benefits of having a converted car I have noticed, is that the dash pad and surrounding bits are in much better nick than most equally neglected Aussie cars I have seen. Probably because the dash is so much newer.

Great stuff Jeff thanks for taking the time to walk us through your project

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Hey Jeff, Can I ask what you used to remove the sound deadening glue from the interior, I'm at this stage on my own project.

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I wish I had an easier way, but I used some thinners on a rag. It was just a couple of hours of rubbing away. I wish there were an easier way. I know when I took the sound deadening out of a 180sx years ago, the cheat way was to hit it with a CO2 extinguisher and then hit is with a hammer and it would shatter off. But that was a different type of rubbery layer they used. Anyone else got a better way?

^^^ with the more bitumised styles dry ice was the go to harden it and it chipped off in big pieces. I found a wire wheel on a drill with its lower rpm as opposed to a grinder, can be a useful stripper. Cant comment on Porsche specific sound deadening as haven't had to deal with it yet.

Ok, I had a couple of hours spare so I thought I would brighten up my garage a bit. So here is and interim update before I get into pulling out the engine. https://youtu.be/I6A6vZbdDIA

'Just a quick free hand with paint I had laying around' Ugh! You artists give me the shits with that kinda talent! Very nice work

Damn Jeff! Some skills, very impressive. Now get back to the car!

Thats fantastic. Never seen anything like that before.

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I'm am champing at the bit to get back into it. I am just waiting on the delivery of a lift table so I can take the engine out. Hopefully coming in today. Jeff.

Love your work Jeff, as a fellow (amateur) airbrusher I gotta say that's a great job!!!

Thanks. PM me some of your work. I would love to see it. As I said in the video that was my full time gig for 13 years, and although before I did it for a job I used to do heaps of artwork for myself, since I have retired from it that is the first time I have done anything. Now I am funneling my creative juices into my car . Edited 4December, 2015 by MFX

Ok, after a wait for the lift table and then having issues downloading from the Gopro, I have the engine out. https://youtu.be/Q_S9YdCO0_g

Great engine out Vid, thanks for posting (you look a bit surprised when it actually rolls free )  please keep them coming..

Thanks, I did some searching on youtube, etc and couldn't find any complete engine removal tutorials, so I thought some might find this useful, even if they are just considering attempting it for the first time.

Another great job Jeff. You're like my new favourite TV show, waiting anxiously for the next episode. Hope there isn't a big break between seasons without any progress, I like a series where the story line starts and finishes in the one season like True Detective or Fargo. Keep them coming.

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Haha, I love that. Well I have no plans on slowing down the progress (or videos ). I received a couple of big boxes from Mike Tankard yesterday, so I will be starting to film the next "episode" soon Edited 17December, 2015 by MFX

That's what we like to hear (and see).

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Nice work, Jeff.   It looks so much easier using the table instead of a jack.   One thing, as you start to lift he car off the engine, once the weight is off the mounts pull the engine rearward to bring the shift linkage shaft clear of the opening in the body. It looks like you got hung up there and it dropped suddenly when gravity took over.  Hopefully the shaft didn't get bent. btw nice TD.  It looks the goods in black.

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Actually I edited out a bit, as I went up and down a few times. The drop is just an editing quirk ;). I hope I haven't bent the shaft (I don't think so).

Ok, it has been a few weeks since my last video update, but now that the Christmas and New Years craziness is out of the way it is full steam ahead. I have had a few days up my sleeve this week with all the rain that we have had, so I spent it productively https://youtu.be/5BE-VJ0S2HU Jeff.

Very cool. Fearless, love it.

Great video.

Loving your updates Jeff, taking shape, keep them coming!

Thanks guys. I haven't built a car for at least 10 years now. It's therapeutic ?

Well done Jeff, impressive as always.

Great videos Jeff, love your work!

Well I have been busy learning some more new skills. I was forced into it when I started stripping down the doors, which I thought were not too bad, and found a heap of rust. I have subsequently learnt how to cut out and treat rusted areas, and make weld in rust repair patches. I think it went pretty well. I am definitely not at the file finish level, but the finished product I think is not too bad and should only need a minimal amount of body filler to finish it off nicely for paint. Here is the latest video of my journey. Edited 28January, 2016 by MFX

Blue steel face in the video preview.  Gold.

That is Magnum. I still haven't been able to perfect Blue Steel yet

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They're easily confused.  Maybe you need a big soup strainer.

Brings back memories of Project Binky - a masterclass in fabrication! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hCPODjJO7s Well done Jeff!

Inspired indeed.

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I love Project Binky. I wish I had that level of skill. Maybe one day (but probably not). I am at least happy with my first attempts.

Makes you feel like getting out the MIG and angle grinder...  but you've already done that...

This is just awesome Jeff. I love watching your videos. Very inspiring.

Yep for sure great stuff

Jeff, another impressive job complete and video. You are a far more patient, skilled and enthusiastic man than I. That second (and probably first) door would have been in the scrap heap if it was my project. Well done.

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Hopefully now those doors will live a few more years yet.

For those of you who can't watch videos, here are some pics of the repairs. http:// http:// http:// http://

Just some minor repairs/ mods then Looking good, lots done and looks like lots more to do

Ok, here is the latest instalment. I think I have now tidied up the mess of the RHD conversion to my car, and in the process also manufactured a place to put a brake booster if I choose to add one in the future. It is much easier to do now, rather than after it is painted. I have also gone through and fixed up the difficult rust areas in the corners of the front windscreen. Only time will tell how good the seal is when I first get to drive it in the rain

Sure you're not Russel Ingall or Jeff Fenech? 'en dem eeeeeh, love yiz all'!

Jeff Glad to see you're using CAD (Cardboard Aided Design) ala Project Binky.  I'm sure your welding is improving! Must go down to the shed now and look at my MIG...  It's quite dusty!

YouTube is my friend. I watch heaps of videos to try and learn the skills I need. I am really enjoying the whole process (and thankfully the video editing is getting easier too ).

I wonder if the 'idiots', as you call them are seeing your videos?

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I hope they see them and they are ashamed. I know old 911's weren't always as valuable as they are today, but they were always worth enough to not just cover over rust... If they do watch they should give themselves a slap!

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Yep, sometimes the truth hurts, but it needs to be told! I am loving the process you are doing with this car, and the videos.

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So I have finally gotten the fibreglass body parts fitted to the car. There was a bit of custom fabrication needed. The front bar for the car was not matched to the front guards, so I had to narrow the bar to fit. I also had to make up some brackets so that I could open the bonnet catch and I had to make the brackets fro the front bar. I really hate working with fibreglass, it is awful itchy, messy stuff, but it is great for its purpose. I am just glad I have finished it now and I can move on to the next phase. Here is the latest vid. Here are a couple of pics.

Making progress!  It's great watching your car being reborn.

Trouble with fibreglass - you can't weld it... Smells better than welding fumes though.  Great job Jeff! Edited 7March, 2016 by Rob

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Give me welding fumes over stinky, itchy, messy fibreglass any day Jeff.

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+1! Looking good

Another impressive instalment Jeff. Your bravery never ceases to amaze me. In this week's shenanigans, he takes a knife to his brand new body kit. Tell me though, why was this necessary? I realise it did not fit but why did it not fit? In a world of backdate, backdate, backdate, why could you not buy a kit that simply fits without the need for so many adjustments and modifications?

I rang Mike Tankard, as I was thinking the same thing, particularly with the front bar shenanigans. From what I gather, he has made up those front guards by adding on to the bottom of some 930 guards or similar. The bar doesn't match up with those guards, so I had to modify them to fit. I am not sure what Mike is planning but he was really apologetic and helpful, and actually sent me through a package of repair stuff to help me out. On another note. I have been discussing fuel filler options with OZ930. I did look at taking the original fuel flap parts out of the original guard, but I quickly dismissed it as I would have to either cut the whole housing out of the original guard (ruining it) or making the whole thing again. Now I have actually gone back and had a look at the internals and I think I can probably take out the flap itself and the latch mechanism, and make up some new mounting tabs to fit to the fibreglass guard. Even if it is open under the flap, it is still probably a better solution than having to open the bonnet to fill up. That may have to be another video in itself. Jeff.

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It may be worth a trip to the local car wreckers to see if there's anything you can poach in the way of filler pockets.  Many newer designs have a bucket which attaches to the underside of the panel, the filler pipe then going through it with a flexible seal.  I'm sure you could McGuyver something in there.

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That is a great idea Harvs. Although most cars might be hard to get to, as they are in the rear quarter panel. Actually now that I think about it, we have a couple of old cars at work for us to cut up, which I could have a look at and see if I can pilfer what I need from them. Thanks for the suggestion, my minds racing Jeff.

Always enjoy your exploits and glad to see it was nothing major.  I'm sure you're all over it but from my modest experience with similar tech old bike engines It's much more normal for clearances to gradually decrease as the engine beds in due to valve-to-seat settling (normal) or sometimes valve stretch (not normal!).  Clearances opening up are usually some valve tip depression if they're point-load adjusters, or perhaps lobe/rocker wear (hope not!). I'm not familiar with AC911s but If they're M7 thread adjusters the 'elephants foot' adjusters from Rotax aircraft engines give the valve tips a nice easy life but can be a tight fit on some engines as they require a bit of room between rocker and valve.  First port of call just keep an eye on it and see if it recurs.

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Well the jury is out. I didn't think to much about it at the time, but I think there is more too it. It happened reasonably suddenly that it was out of adjustment. Others have also mentioned that it should not be out that much and I think there may be more serious issues afoot. I have just gotten back from thrashing the guts out of it for 3 days, so I need to look more deeply into it.

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Mmmm, possible overrev resulting in a valve gently kissing a piston? Maybe pressurise that cylinder with air to see if that particular valve is still seating properly.

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That look of relief on your face at start up was priceless, well done mate

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Doubting it is an overrev as it is build to rev to 8k and I have the redline set at 7.5, but who knows at this stage. I definitely need to investigate further.

Some of the cool kids go on the Alpine Range Rally through the Victorian alps every year, so we are the Rejects who decided to do it ourselves.

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What you mean there is a cool boys club???? I did the VIC alps last month in a Clio RS. You did miss the best road in that region though. Omeo to Mitta Mitta is 112kms of the best roads you will possibly find in VIC. Also at Danny's lookout

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Haha. The cool kids I am referring to is 'The Alpine Range Rally', which is a group of Victorian Porsche guys who go every year. Like a lot of these groups (I am part of a similar Tassie group), once people see how cool it is they want to join, but you need to keep the numbers down a bit or else it would get too big. As for that road, we were planning on doing the loop through Falls Creek, but the road between there and Mt Beauty was closed at the time. I have already been working on a different loop for next year

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Yeah I totally understand, once you get more than 4 cars in the group it can get pretty difficult to arrange things. If you go to Mitta Mitta via Omeo, you can loop back via Mt beauty via some back roads for about 1.5 hours heading north, then back south, or head back towards Omeo and then over falls creek back to Mt beauty. The Mitta Mitta brewery and the pub on the river have the main food options in that area. Both ways have twisty roads, but be aware of the lack of 98 octane fuel outside of Bright. Omeo and Mitta Mitta have 95. So bring some octane booster as you are in pretty remote areas. As always I enjoy watching your road trip videos. Keep them up they have actually been a really big inspiration for me to get out and do more driving trips in the last 12 months.

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Appreciate you saying so Jeff. It's never been about exclusivity for us, but just managing numbers. I'd love to have more people along but we worked out that 20 was the max we could work with, keeping our eye on everything from ensuring the group largely stays together, accommodation and food for everyone. We feel a real responsibility to the people who attend and there's a huge amount of planning involved - 20 is definitely as big as I can manage.

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I totally get it. I saw how cool it looked which I thought I would have fun calling ourselves the rejects . Even 20 cars gets too much most of the time. 10 I think is a nice, manageable number, otherwise accomodation and just keeping a group together turns into a logistical nightmare.

Harry 911 has seen a lot of kilometres over the last couple of years, but I have discovered I have damaged the tank and it has sprung a leak. Time to replace it and do some other maintenance while I am in there.

This week I had enough of freezing in winter when I drove Harry 911, so I have finally done something about it.

Realising proof of concept, if the rubber tubing is not heat proof, replace them asap. Classic Retrofit are developing a heater mod for the AC unit, much like the refrigeration engineer suggested in the comments  on YouTube.

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You can obviosly turn of the heating?? 🙂

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Yes. Early 911's have a level between the seats I have seen Jonny's prototype, but it is not done yet, and it is cold now

I know where you are coming from.  I have been researching parking heaters.

The steering on Harry 911 has been getting a little bit sloppier than I would like lately and it is time to do the tried and tested Turbo tie rod upgrade.