Porsche 911 GT3 RS Replica Build - Paul79's Car SOS Part 10

Summary

In this final part of the car restoration series, Paul79 reflects on the journey of restoring a car over 235 hours and 132 days. Despite challenges with weather, balancing a full-time job, and technical issues, he's proud to have completed the project. Paul details the final touches, including wheel adjustments, bodywork, and interior upgrades. He plans to store the car until the owner collects it. Looking ahead, Paul shares his excitement for an upcoming car show and hints that another project may happen after retirement.

Takeaways

• 🚗 The car restoration project, which took 235 hours over 132 days, is now complete.
• 😊 The speaker is relieved and happy to have finished, despite the challenges faced, including balancing the project with a full-time job and dealing with poor weather conditions.
• 🔧 Most of the car has been rebuilt, with attention given to fitting parts correctly and addressing mechanical issues.
• 🚙 A significant problem with tire rubbing was resolved by changing the front tires to the correct size and using spacers to adjust wheel alignment.
• ⚙️ The speaker modified the vehicle’s arches and repositioned the fuel filter to eliminate rubbing when turning the car.
• 🔩 Extensive adjustments were made to the headlights, body panels, and trim to ensure everything fits securely and aesthetically.
• 🖌️ The car still needs a thorough clean and some touch-up paint, but the major construction work is done.
• 🧰 The speaker shared details on creating custom grilles, adjusting the body kit, and repainting various components.
• 🏡 The car will be moved to a storage location, allowing the speaker's wife to reclaim the driveway.
• 🎉 The speaker is looking forward to attending a car show on Father's Day in Essex, highlighting their passion for cars and the car community.

Q & A

What is the Po 79 car SOS project, and what has been accomplished in Part 10?

The Po 79 car SOS project is a car restoration project, and in Part 10, the project has been completed. The speaker spent 235 hours over 132 days working on the car, rebuilding and restoring it to the best possible condition. All major construction and repairs are done, except for a final cleaning and touch-up painting.

What challenges did the speaker face while working on the car?

The speaker faced several challenges, including bad weather, issues at home, and the time commitment due to having a full-time job. Additionally, the front wheels and suspension caused problems, requiring coilover adjustments, changes in tire size, and wheel spacing adjustments.

Why did the speaker need to change the front tires, and how was the issue resolved?

The speaker found that the profile of the front tires was wrong, causing rubbing in the arches during test drives. The profile was higher in the front than in the rear, and the thickness was too thin for the wheel. The issue was resolved by fitting new tires with the correct profile and spacing the wheels out to prevent rubbing.

What advice does the speaker give regarding the wheel spacers?

The speaker recommends changing the 40mm spacers to a solid 40mm spacer or switching to wheels with the proper offset. The current setup uses a combination of shims and spacers, which could be optimized for better performance.

How did the speaker solve the arch rubbing problem on the driver's side?

The arch rubbing on the driver's side occurred due to a mispositioned fuel filter inside the arch. The speaker repositioned the fuel filter and zip-tied the connectors to prevent rubbing. After the adjustment, there was no rubbing during normal driving or going up slopes.

What modifications were made to the car's exterior and interior?

Exterior modifications included new headlight fittings, custom grills, proper positioning of shark vents, repainting parts, and adjusting the side skirts. Interior modifications involved new door cards, replacement seals, a new radio with Bluetooth, repainted interior parts, and a sport steering wheel. The car also had its windows, arch liners, and trim panels adjusted or replaced.

What challenges did the speaker encounter with the car’s suspension and wheels?

The speaker initially installed coilovers, but the car was too low, and the front tires had the wrong profile, leading to rubbing in the arches. After changing the tires and adjusting the spacers, the speaker had to resolve further rubbing issues by repositioning the fuel filter and making sure everything fit correctly.

What is the speaker’s plan after completing the car project?

The speaker plans to move the car to a top-secret storage location while waiting for the owner to settle the bill. The speaker's wife will be happy to have the driveway back for their other car. The speaker is also looking forward to attending a car show at Motorfest in Essex.

What is the speaker’s view on working on future car projects?

The speaker is unsure about working on future car projects while still working full-time, citing exhaustion and the strain it put on personal life. However, they might consider doing another car project after retirement.

What is the significance of the upcoming Father's Day event for the speaker?

Father's Day coincides with a car show called Motorfest in Essex, which the speaker is excited to attend. The speaker will be taking their white car to the show, looking forward to meeting new people and enjoying modified cars.