"Joe6pack" (joe6pack)
08/21/2016 at 09:35 • Filed to: None
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"Joe6pack" (joe6pack)
08/21/2016 at 09:35 • Filed to: None | 7
| 8 |
Ok, I’ve been pretty slack in providing updates on the Porsche 944 project purchased for $600.
!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!
The good news is that I haven’t been slack in actually working on the car. So far I have resealed the front of the engine, replaced the water pump, timing belt and balance shaft belt, replaced the starter, replaced the slave cylinder, replaced the speed and reference sensors, replaced the cap, rotor and plugs, replaced the collapsed motor mounts, rebuilt the A/C compressor, replaced every single o-ring in the A/C system, swapped in a used cruise control module, rebuilt the wiper motor, rebuilt the wiper relay (yes, I even rebuilt a $35 relay), changed all of the fluids, recovered the dash and replaced the tires..
In addition to all that, I pretty much stripped every piece of trim off of the car, removed all the lights, and all of the glass.
I spent hours stripping the old stone guards off and stripping the wheels as well. All told, at this point, I was sitting at about $2,500 not including my labor.
Yes, I have gone waaaaaayyyyyyy further than I ever intended. This was supposed to be a wtf car. A car you just don’t care about. But, as usual, that’s just not in my DNA. I can’t not care (double negative, I know). I have to make things as good as I can. At the same time, I refuse to go over budget.
I planned to paint the car myself. I researched, read articles, watched YouTube videos - even put together a spreadsheet detailing everything I would need including a new air compressor powerful enough run a paint gun.
But, in the end, as luck would have it, I ran into a fellow 944 enthusiast and PCA member at last year’s Petit LeMans at Road Atlanta. I told him of my project and he took pitty on me. It seems that he had a paint booth and gave me a price I couldn’t refuse. He even replaced the cracked windshield ($200) and the right front quarter ($50) that had some bondo in it.
He did an excellent job as evidenced by the photos. The finished product is below:
All told, I am at about $3,500. I feel like the car is pretty reliable and looks good. I am more amazed by the things that do work on the car than by the things that don’t. The chassis is tight, the suspension feels great and the power steering works. The A/C is ice cold after the rebuild. I just drove the car over 500+ miles from Braselton to Myrtle Beach, SC and back in air conditioned, cruise controlled comfort.
The interior needs more work and I estimate I have about $1,500 more to go. The majority of that will go to a new proper ‘87 windshield. I cracked the new one, which was for an earlier model anyway, trying to align the hood (oof!).
Well, there you have it.
E92M3
> Joe6pack
08/21/2016 at 09:44 |
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Nice! Does this guy paint cars for a living or on the side? I’m in Atlanta too, and have been looking for someone who does a good job, and doesn’t charge $8000.
Noah - Now with more boost.
> Joe6pack
08/21/2016 at 09:46 |
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Paint looks great!! What an awesome story haha
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Joe6pack
> E92M3
08/21/2016 at 09:46 |
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I think the booth is actually used to refurbish electrical cabinets. I am not sure whether he would take on a non-944 as I think his personal focus is 944's. I get the impression that I got the deal of the century.
BringBackTheCommodore
> Joe6pack
08/21/2016 at 09:57 |
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“ I can’t not care”
Appropriate use of a double negative.
That paint work looks beautiful! Car looks as nice as the day it was driven off the lot. You may have $5,000 invested in the car after the interior work is completed, but it’s going to be in much nicer shape than what you would have if you had acquired a 944 for $5,000.
As it sits now, it’s in fantastic shape for a 944 you’ve spent $3,500 on.
SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
> Joe6pack
08/21/2016 at 10:01 |
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For $3500, that’s pretty stunning.
Dru
> Joe6pack
08/21/2016 at 10:44 |
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That's a great looking 944. Well done mate.
shop-teacher
> Joe6pack
08/21/2016 at 12:59 |
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Looking good!
Elumerere
> Joe6pack
08/21/2016 at 17:35 |
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Very cool!
I wish to have the space/knowledge/patience/skills to undertake such a project. Cool stuff.