944 Turbo S - Project Time

[eldavo69]

Everyone has a mate called Dave and a mate with a van - my mate Dave is both those people and we went off to pick this up today:

Popped down to George's house this afternoon to recruit some muscle and removed the original bonnet:

And after a fair bit of jiggery pokery we got the replacement lined up squarish:

It still needs some adjustment to sit quite right but it looks far less offensive than I envisaged - I'll find out how it works functionally at my next track day but I'm off out in it tomorrow morning and will get some idea then.

I'll get the original bonnet polished up and stored in the garage eaves but for now H8ters gonna H8 or whatever the kids say

[chasdrury]

It might be the light but it looks a lot more silver than the bumper / wings? The vents look fine to me and if they do the job then spot on.

[eldavo69]

The badge panel is Fibreglass and the bumper is PU so they're both slightly darker than the rest of the car anyway.

The bonnet is at a slight angle to the line of the wings as I need to lower the bonnet catch slightly and didn't have time tonight. It's also just been painted so will darken down a little in the next few weeks.

[NewNiceMrMe]

Is it the angle of the photo or do the front facing edges of the vents stick up a bit?  If so, I wonder if it'll impact the drag of air over the bonnet?

 

I think it is possibly just the light/angle making them look as though the front lip of the vent element sticks up more than it actually does.

[JonC]

The vents compliment the pop-ups. Old stool fun 'n' hoonery that looks great.

[eldavo69]

Yes - the vents stick up about 3-4mm above the bonnet, they're supposed to. By having a lip and then a raised edge before each vent (if you look closely) it disrupts airflow causing a lower pressure area immediately behind - I.e. Where the vent is. This disruption is what causes the vents to actively suck air from under the bonnet.

I can also confirm after this mornings shenanigans that when you're stopped at the lights you get one hell of a heat haze from them!!!

[patently]

Yes - the vents stick up about 3-4mm above the bonnet, they're supposed to. By having a lip and then a raised edge before each vent (if you look closely) it disrupts airflow causing a lower pressure area immediately behind - I.e. Where the vent is. This disruption is what causes the vents to actively suck air from under the bonnet.

Clever. If it's functional then I'll let you off for the looks.

[eldavo69]

Not much been going on with the Twbo - no news is good news I suppose. 

I had one issue with the fans not coming on when on a run out but I opened up the relay, sorted out a sticky relay and redlined a couple of the solder connections and it's been spot on since. 

I went to a classic car meet over summer, put the car away at night and the next day went into the garage to an overpowering smell of fuel and the discovery of a large puddle under the car - crumbs!

I pulled off the inspection cover and found that the hose from the tank to the pump was leaking:

Not good:

Spammed it up with jubilee clips and some spare oil hose kinked into place while I waited for the part to come into stock at my local Porsche dealers (48 hours for a part for a 28 year old car is impressive):

No pics of the replacement, it's a hose - use your imagination  

 

 

 

Edited November 30, 2016 by eldavo69

[eldavo69]

As I had loads of this oil hose spare I got to thinking about my power steering pump and lines . . .

The pump itself leaked (they all do that sir) and I'd tried with some success to reseal it before. The seal kit was the same as a BMW pump from the same era and a little t'internet research showed that the BMW pump was identical apart from the pulley being in a different position on the main shaft (giggle). £650 for a new pump from Porsche or £100 for a BMW one that I could return if not right and the BMW pump was here within a week. 

4 bolts to dismantle it (carefully, in case it had to go back) and the micrometer out to check the shaft erm . . . girth???

All good, put it back together:

Replaced the crappy crush washers with dowty seals and changed the fittings over to AN lines with the new hoses. Also found that the £26 ZF power steering reservoir is identical to a £13 ZF one from an X5/E39 so replaced that while I was in there. 

Power steering is now amazing, very direct and with much improved feel - no screechy noises or leaks either. In fact, it's the best power steering on any 944/968 I've driven (10+) and I've subsequently converted a couple of pumps for mates too!

 

The 944/968 folklore is that you should always carry a spare DME relay as it is THE number 1 failure on these cars. The relay sees a crank signal and switches on the fuel pump, when they get old they break contact when hot leaving you stranded until it's cooled down. While I was in the States I ordered a solid state relay that an enthusiast over there makes. It also runs the fuel pump for 3 seconds before firing up the engine - building fuel pressure and making starting easier:

 

[eldavo69]

I picked up some Cup 2 wheels that were in need of a refurb so went for a bi-colour finish and shod with Nankang NS2R tyres, don't laugh at the back - they're a great fast road/track tyre and are on the MSA list:

 

They all fit nicely into a Skoda too:

 

On the car:

 

Seemed alright when I started running them in out on the road with some friends, so far so good:

[eldavo69]

In other news - I went to see a bloke with a bodyshop that does restoration work and likes his modern classics about sorting my front driver's side wing. Where it had been repaired previously the filler had absorbed water and was bubbling up. 

I then pointed out a bit of surface rust on the front of the rear wing, and then there was some gravel rash on the stone chip paint. We then found a little dent on a rear arch and a paint chip on the rear panel, hmmm what about this bit of lacquer peel in this corner if we're being picky - hang on, if you peel this rubber seal back there's an edge underneath that not quite right . . .

It's getting resprayed in January - there I've said it. A combination of budget creep and man maths. 

Ideally I'd have the car in Riviera Blue but if I was having a colour change I'd want the engine and interior out, then you may as well get the shell dipped, then you may as well get a full cage welded in, then you may as well rebuild the engine while it's out, and overhaul the gearbox, and chuck a clutch in while it's easy to get to. Oh, where did my £10k and marriage go?

So after it's all painted and looking pretty it's getting wrapped in Riviera Blue because a 4-figure wrap job is cheaper than the 5-figure option. (Unless it looks so damn good after paint that I can't bring myself to do it). 

Edited November 30, 2016 by eldavo69

[Mook]

Love reading this stuff David.  Makes me actually need to get the green toy out of the garage and sort it out - although it'll need to come out in March anyway in time for the Scumball thing* next year 

* No, it doesn't fit the rules.  No, I don't care either...

[Rachel]

That is great stuff.  Loved the bit about the steering pump and reservoir being pretty much the same as for a BMW.

Labour of love!  Must drive beautifully now.

[eldavo69]

Yup, here's some joker asking £25 for a used one (which is pretty much the cost of a new one from Porsche in a ZF box with a Porsche inventory sticker on it): 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/262668229973 

 

Or £12 for the same part here:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/152206307697 

[E-bmw]

They do that though, don't they!

Once had a scrappy try to charge me £5 + vat for a £5 delivered new part of a car MANY years ago.

Needless to say I bought 2 from him.......

[Arch]

Those tyres grip and grip and grip some more. Youll lose consciousness from cornering g's before they let go. 

So ive been told. 

[eldavo69]

 

On 07/12/2016 at 5:00 PM, Arch said:

Those tyres grip and grip and grip some more. Youll lose consciousness from cornering g's before they let go. 

So ive been told. 

You'd better warn Garcon then - last time he occupied the passenger seat he mumbled something about lateral grip before clearly stating "my stomach's feeling a bit spongy".

Theyre not replacing standard road tyres though, I've got 3 sets of wheels and these are the most road biased tyres I have so I'm well used to sticky rubber (oo-er). 

Edited December 9, 2016 by eldavo69

[Arch]

The only fault, on my daily driver, is the road noise. Yoko AD08s were much quieter and almost as sticky, but the Nankangs were nearly 1/2 the price. I probably should chuck my winter's on, i dont think they'll be too clever when its proper cold. 

[garcon magnifique]

On 09/12/2016 at 9:37 PM, eldavo69 said:

 

You'd better warn Garcon then - last time he occupied the passenger seat he mumbled something about lateral grip before clearly stating "my stomach's feeling a bit spongy".

Theyre not replacing standard road tyres though, I've got 3 sets of wheels and these are the most road biased tyres I have so I'm well used to sticky rubber (oo-er). 

This is true. That car's already far better at lateral g than I am...

[eldavo69]

Not a great deal to report as STILL waiting for the bodyshop to be able to fit me in. 

Bodyshops are like cars: Cheap, Fast, Good - choose 2. 

Had a gearbox issue where it was very difficult to engage 5th or reverse when the box was warm. 4th to 5th at speed requires a lot of care to not get 3rd by accident. I thought it might be a clutch issue (uh-oh £500 part and 24 hours labour to change) and I found a slight weep on a clutch flexi in the engine bay but no loss of fluid. 

£70 for a replacement hose from Porsche or £30 for a new one to order from Goodridge. 2 weeks later the Goodridge one arrived with a snazzy red plastic coating over the braid (couldn't resist) and a sticker on the invoice showing it was made the week before to order. My local Indys fitted it and bled the clutch for me for free as a favour - but the problem still persisted and the gearstick was still flapping about like a BBQ cover on a windy night. 

 

Had a couple of days off over half term and popped into my mate's garage to get the car on his 4-post lift and take a look at the rear shift mechanism. Within 30secs I'd found the pin bolt that holds the short shifter to the gear selector shaft was loose so a liberal application of threadlock, nipped it up and problem solved. 

Went home - took me about an hour to get there and the fuel light came on - funny that!

 

The harnesses are a bit restrictive on the road when it comes to visibility so I'm going GT3RS style and having harnesses and seatbelts. Options were 30 year old genuine parts or aftermarket brand new parts - I went for the latter. In red. The rear interior quarter panels need to come off to fit them though. And that means loosening/removing the cage. And that means taking the seats out. And if the quarter panels are out I may as well skin them in black leather with red stitching to match the rest of the interior. 

That can wait though - cheeky little trackday planned next week first as I had a day's holiday to use or lose

[dazdot]

Really enjoy reading this, wish I had the inclination to do something similar. 

[eldavo69]

Remember November's post about the bodyshop? Well, still waiting and waiting and waiting - got told August maybe September, so 10 months waiting and I didn't feel reassured that I'd even get the car back this year. The waiting list isn't because the guy is so busy but because he's lazy  

I went to a classic car restoration place's open day (B Modern Classics) at the early May Bank Holiday - had a good look at all the stuff they've been working on, E-types, Bentleys, Rolls, MGs, etc. Really impressed with the quality of their work so asked them to give my car a quick look over. I nearly left in tears after they pointed out loads of stuff that I'd never even considered. Gave me a rough estimate of "a couple of grand" I mulled it over for a few days and then booked it in for the beginning of August. 

 

Agreed to drop the car in a couple of Saturdays ago for them to give it a full appraisal, a detailed work sheet and a firm quote. I'll dispense with the foreplay - glass-out respray, spare bonnet and badge panel being painted too, lots of welding and metal fabrication, 5-6 weeks work, £4k. Having had time to speak to people and consider it, I'm getting a rather good deal. 

Before that though . . . I sent a bank transfer for £1100 to a bloke in Estonia in March. I now have a very fancy, modern, standalone engine management system in my garage that is pretty much plug and play with the existing loom. I'll update that as and when I fit it.

[eldavo69]

Thanks to Photobucket there are no pics but a quick “up to speed”. 

Aftermarket ECU turned up and was fabulous - car ran better than ever but factory sensors didn’t like the modern sampling rate and kept throwing errors. Errors resulted in Spark Cut, resulted in pops and bangs, resulted in smiles, right up until detonation occurred in the Turbo. 

Resulted in a good 15 hours Eldavo-Labour and the best part of a grand on a turbo rebuild and several “while you’re in there” jobs. Turbo is now a billet hybrid job - good for circa 350bhp+ depending upon what boost I run, still chucking errors over 5k rpm so I’ve got a proper trigger wheel to fit to the crank - but first . . .

Car has gone in for bodywork. Far far worse than imagined - repairs 5 years ago have turned out to be fibreglass bodges and the previous owner’s repairs were of a similar nature. Currently £3k plus £1k in parts into a “£4K repair” - will be happy if it doesn’t go over £6k. Lots of car cut off and being made good for the next 20 years+

Obviously when it’s finished it’ll be a total show queen. Scratch that - ‘Ring trip planned for next year. 

[eldavo69]

Oh - decided that the modern ECU was so good I should take advantage of the Bluetooth output. Now have a double DIN Android headunit that displays all sorts of ECU stuff, had to fit some speakers in the car too - no point having a radio and no speakers. I now seem to have a 4.1 surround sound system, leather clad interior panels, Google Maps, Spotify, TPMS and another missing £1k. 

Birthday the other week and “Felipe” (F796 LPE) has become E944 CUP too. 

Edited October 7, 2017 by eldavo69

[eldavo69]

Fast forward to now . . .

Still not got the car back, it’s havibg the last few things sorted out but was really bad, now has two new front wings and a load of new seals. Total bill has been settled, £6.5k to the Bodyshop and about £1k on new parts. Going to be Gtechniq-ed when it’s back too!

Trimmed the rear quarters in matching leather while they were out, added some rear speakers, fitted the red seatbelts and got two new Sabelt Titan seats on their way. 

Also sorted the ECU issue, turns out that there was a mistake in an original Porsche wiring diagram from the 80’s and the trigger polarity was reversed. Fixed that and all sorted, but now a running issue (probably from 6 months lack of use) but I’ll deal with that when I get the car back home. Will have to kick the Boxster out to make room!

Booked 3 days at the Ring at the end of May and hoping that the 944 is ready and sorted, if not then I have a backup plan forming over the next few weeks and that one has 4 seats (ish)!