Super 90 Restoration / Assembly - cross post

[bleucamaro]

This thread was originally posted in Off Topic, but there have been people in the 356 forum who are unable to see OT who have asked about the project, so I thought I'd cross post it here.

The original post when we got the car a year ago:

Originally Posted by bleucamaro

Our family has a new 356. Its a 1960 Aetna Blue Super 90 with dark red leather interior.

Here's some pics.








This should be a good spring/summer project and will hopefully be together this fall.

And more recently, our work on the car had been postponed many months in order to construct the new shop building you see in the pictures below. When we started working on it (mostly him as I signed on to do the EFI conversion on the engine, electrical, fuel, and interior install) most everything was in boxes, milk crates, etc. This car was a basket case in every sense of the word, with the exception that the paint and body work had been completed.

Originally Posted by bleucamaro

This project was bought last winter by my dad (http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforum...d.php?t=323868), and its taken till the end of summer for this tag-team project to begin (garage construction needed to be mostly done first). We hope to have it together by this coming spring for the North/South meet in San Luis Obispo. Its a 1960 Super 90 Etna Blue with Red interior. The car was bought with the body and paint done. The interior is also complete, with new seatcovers, but I think the headliner still needs to be done. The seats will also have some modifications done to suit our tastes.

Currently, the work done on it has been done includes overhaul of the front suspension, removal of grease/grime from a leaky steering box, and beginning of undercoating & painting of the bottom of the car. Right now, all the glass is out and the trim is being removed and prepped to take to the chrome shop.

Anyway, here's some pictures of the current status. I'll try to post update pics as we go.

Here it is on the lift in the new shop.



The interior, completely stripped.


Parts spread out on folding tables & workbenches.


And the engine on a stand.

[bleucamaro]

A little history on the car:

Originally Posted by bleucamaro

My dad bought this car a week or so before Christmas [2006], and he doesn't really post here so I'll try to explain as best as I can. Anyway, he heard about the car from a couple friends with 356's, and the story is that the previous owner passed away and he bought the car from the widow of the PO. The previous owner, I don't recall his name, was supposedly the guru of 356 interiors and has done lots of concours quality interiors. This car was his own project car, and from the licence plate was last registered in 1993. It has been taken down to bare body, with bodywork, rust repair, and paint done by another 356 guru (who's name escapes me) in Ohio. The interior is all done, but needs to be installed. The seat covers look amazing, and it looks like everything is there. The bodywork looks pretty good, but its hard to get a feel for body gaps/fit with no hardware installed, but sofar looks pretty good. It needs a new windshield and some of the brightwork needs to be replaced. As far as the mechanicals go, the engine is bone-dry, as is the tranny. I don't think the transaxle has been rebuilt, and we have no idea about the engine. So in short, it looks like all the 'unobtainium' parts are included, and its mostly complete, so just a matter of assembly.

[bleucamaro]

an update I posted in the other thread.

Originally Posted by bleucamaro

A little update:

We pulled the trans axle, loaded it up and took it to our local 356 hero to be looked over (was bone dry in the car and we dunno if it had been rebuilt and not filled, just emptied, or what). He'll also replace the throwout bearing with one from a 911, replace the boots, covers, clean it up, etc. In the pic below, note the fancy-pants axle holder upper my dad made (If the axles droop, they can damage the unobtanium plates that hold them in. Much more ancient technology than CV joints.




And here is some progress on the front suspension. We still have to incorporate a little hot-rodder trick to get the front lower. We got some of the rubber bits in, and its almost ready to go back together.

[FlatSix911]

Beautiful work - please keep us posted....

[bleucamaro]

OK, and the last bit of an update, although I don't have any pics yet. The front suspension is mostly back together, with all new rubber, new Koni shocks, etc. The transaxle is back from Ted Blake's shop and has a new carrier ( the old one was cracked ), all new bushings, synchros, bearings, and boots. It also has a new starter bushing, and has been modified to use a 911 throwout bearing.

[Q]

bleucamaro,
Nice project and I LOVE the colour !

At the risk of going off topic..... can you tell me about the garage doors you have.
Glass ? Acrylic ?
Timber frame ? Alumin frame ?

Originally Posted by bleucamaro

...Here it is on the lift in the new shop....

[bleucamaro]

The doors are Aluminum frames and are available with frosted or clear glass. I'm out of town right now, but when I get back I'll get the company name. I think a google search for "glass garage doors" might find something.

[bleucamaro]

OK, here's a bit of an update. Visually not much has changed, and sadly I haven't been helping much (moral support counts, right?).

We got the front suspension done, and the brakes in:


He's gotten the new fuel lines and fittings (yes I said fuel lines):



And we got the rubber window trim and seals:


And the pedal assy got restored (dissasembled, powder coated, reassembled, new pedal covers):



And almost everything has been run through the tunnel:

[RJT]

Wow... You guys are just moving along quite nicely

[bleucamaro]

Here's an itty bitty update:

Master cylinder is installed, and brake lines are routed. This is a 911 dual circuit master cyl. I still have to make a mounting plate for the reservoir.


Here's the lines and cables at the engine compartment.



And the fuel lines in the car. We're planning on mounting the fuel pump in the smugglers box under the pasenger side floor board. This is NOT where I want it mounted, but somebody wants to use the fuel pepcock / switch in its stock location.


Also, the transaxle and rear brakes are put back together.

[bleucamaro]

Another update:

So far, I think the most time spent has been on the window mechanisms. They are now completely rebuilt. We even had to re-make a hollow bolt that is NLA. The passenger side works great, but I think the drivers side door had been tweaked at one time or another as the cross bar will require some bending, or we will have to shim the entire mechanism away from it and hope the windows line up when installed.


Also, the door latches are almost there.


The brake drum "snouts" where the wheel bearing cover presses in were rather beat up, so we welded them and turned them on a lathe, then gave a scotchbrite finish. they look WAY better now, and look great with our new aluminum West Coast Haus wheels. The wheels are pretty light, 15"x6" and 11lbs.

[RJT]

It's rolling right along quickly isn't it?

[bleucamaro]

Originally Posted by RJT

It's rolling right along quickly isn't it?

Thanks! although technically it hasn't rolled anywhere in about 8 months

I just got word tonight that the pasenger side door has been buffed out and the outside door handle was installed.

[96 993]

What a great thread. It's priceless to see your car come together in such a linear fashion. What could be more thrilling than all that clean aluminum, fresh black paint, and so many virgin bolts? I feel like I'm almost there with you. Please keep us updated. Great job!

[SA Mike]

Originally Posted by 96 993

What a great thread. Please keep us updated. Great job!

+1