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New To Everything


Whit

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Hello All!

 

I'm excited!

 

Here's the deal . . . my dad has had this car, 74 tii, since '74 or '75 (his memory is a little foggy pre-children) with 5000 miles on it. It was his every day car for a number of years and has a little over 100k on it. Sometime in the mid-80's it was prepped for restoration/overhaul.  It looks to me like everything, save the engine has been dismantled and the body has been stripped and primed.

 

The plan has now been put on hold for just shy of 30 years.  He has just given up and told me I can 'have at it'.  I'm hoping his lack of follow through is not hereditary.

 

I do not yet have the car in hand, for the last few years it has been at a shop, sitting.  For all but the last year of the '30' it has been in a dry garage. 

 

Within the last year the shop it has been at had it running, at least briefly.

 

I'm going to stop storytelling, as I'm not sure how much sense I'm making, and how much time I have left in the coffee shop.

 

My main questions are:

 

1) What books should I buy? (I like to think I am mechanically inclined, however would not call myself a mechanic, but I follow instructions well, and I love a puzzle.)

 

2) What should I keep my eyes peeled for, in terms of common first problems, etc.

 

I appreciate any help/advice you can offer.  I'm hoping to get the car to my house, where it will be garaged, within the next few weeks, and at that point I will be able to give better questions/photos.

 

Thought I would at least introduce myself and try to get some reading material as quickly as I could.

 

Thanks again,

 

Best,

Whit

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Step two is to pick your battles. I suspect you only have so much time, space, and energy like the rest of us. Try and take too much on yourself, and you might get overwhelmed, especially if you are new to this. Take small tasks and chip away at it. have fun.

Make sure you have proper space also. Working on a car outside only to have it rust will be a step backwards.

Factor in tools. Bonus if family owns everything... Cost of tools is a huge hidden cost that most diy types fail to mention when they talk of the savings. It becomes cheap when you get good... And getting good takes a lot of being bad first.

On that note, diy is only saving money if you make less than the mechanic per hour... Or can do the work faster/better than them. That being said, if you enjoy it... Dive in!

I personally am new to this too. I farm out a lot, but try to do and learn as much as time and my very young family permits. In time i hope to do most of the routine work myself. When i retire in 30 years maybe i will be one of the local experts, or at least continue learning...

1973 2002Tii (Pacific Blue)

1984 911 3.2 Carrera (Platnum Metallic)

2009 328xi (Black Sapphire Metallic)

2010 Mazda Speed3 (Black Metallic)

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Welcome to the fraternity/sorority.  Lotsa advice/experience/expertise on the Board, so don't hesitate to ask questions--especially if you can't find answers in the several hundred thousand archived posts. 

 

I think you'll be a lot more inclined to finish the project if you can make it driveable first.  This presumes that the glass is still in, as are the lights, wipers etc.  Once you've started driving it, you'll see how much fun it is and you'll be motivated to do the cosmetics to make it look as good as it runs. 

 

Since it's a tii, second the motion on the McCartney book ( "02 Restoration Guide").  It has a very lucid explanation on how to make the K-fish injection work properly--far better than the factory shop manual.  But a factory manual is also useful.  I think it's available on a CD, as is the parts book (useful for diagrams on how things come apart/go together). 

 

Post some pictures once you get it home so we can vicariously enjoy your new project.

 

cheers

mike

'69 Nevada sunroof-Wolfgang-bought new
'73 Sahara sunroof-Ludwig-since '78
'91 Brillantrot 318is sunroof-Georg Friederich 
Fiat Topolini (Benito & Luigi), Renault 4CVs (Anatole, Lucky Pierre, Brigette) & Kermit, the Bugeye Sprite

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Welcome to '02 World!

 

As everyone has said you have come to the right place for help and information.  Buy the books listed above and post pics of your car.

 

I'm in RI and have just started working on a '73 tii that was in storage for 20 yrs.  I occasionally make it to Ludlow and the Hanover area if you are nearby.  Have fun!  TR 

'71 MGB - sold   '74 2002 - sold

'89 XR4Ti - sold  '94 Miata R Package - sold

'73 tii - restoration project - sold

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Hey, Whit, I'm in Boston.

 

You said "everything but the engine" has been "dismantled" and the body has been "stripped and primed" but that it is "running." Nothing is more enjoyable than a car that is up and running, and nothing will squash that enjoyment faster than gratification that is deferred too long. Personally I'm in awe of guys who enter into and complete the restoration process, but I'm a fan of "rolling rejuvenations," where the car is driveable for as much of the process as possible. Sounds like, however, that ship has already sailed. 

 

If the car is rust-free, and if some of the hard work has already been done (as hopefully it has if it has been stripped and primed), then you'll need to get estimates for getting it painted. Not to pump my book, but there's a chapter specifically devoted to the trade-offs between Maaco-quality spray jobs versus higher end paint work associated with restoration. Don't let anyone give you the "do it once do it right" bullshit. Right is right for you and your budget. If you only have a few grand, there's nothing wrong with a quick spray job and a slap-dash reassembly to get the car up and running, enjoy it, and find out what it really needs. You can try and suss out the condition of the engine with a compression and leakdown test, but you're not really going to know what it's going to do until you drive it.

 

Keep in mind that, if the car has been apart and all those parts have just been sitting exposed to dirt and dust, all that chrome and all those interior parts are probably going to look like crap if you paint the car and lay them against new paint.

 

Since the car is "running," is it possible to get enough of it assembled, slap a seat in it, that you can begin driving it around? That's what I'd think about doing. Boy it sure facilitates getting estimates for paint.

 

Another way to look at it is... you should try to answer the question "what is it that I want to come out at the end of this process?" If you will only be happy with a restored car, and you have the money to drop into it, then enter into the restoration process -- tow it somewhere while it is in its maximally disassembled state -- even disassemble it more by pulling the engine so the engine compartment can be sprayed -- and get it painted. But if you have a tight budget and want more of a "driver," there's nothing wrong with doing it in whatever manner fits your budget. If anyone gives you crap, smile because you're the one driving the '74tii.

 

--Rob

The new book The Best Of The Hack Mechanic available at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0998950742, inscribed copies of all books available at www.robsiegel.com

1972 tii (Louie), 1973 2002 (Hampton), 1975 ti tribute (Bertha), 1972 Bavaria, 1973 3.0CSi, 1979 Euro 635CSi, 1999 Z3, 1999 M Coupe, 2003 530i sport, 1974 Lotus Europa Twin Cam Special (I know, I know...)

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Thank you all so much,

 

I've just moved into a new place and the internet is yet to be up and running, so this is the first time I've been able to get back to the coffee shop in town.

 

I'm still waiting for the Macartney book, and my boss and his trailer!  Luckily the heat in the garage it'll be in has been fixed, so that will make for a much more enjoyable Vermont winter's worth of work.

 

I can't wait to get it home and asses, to the best of my limited ability, the condition.  I'll be sure to post pictures so you all can help with that.

 

I don't have much else to say, other than sappy stuff about how it's nice to be welcomed into your "brotherhood/fraternity/sorority/clique...etc.".

 

Thanks again, I'm hoping to have more to write soon.

 

Best,

Whit

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Step two is to pick your battles. I suspect you only have so much time, space, and energy like the rest of us. Try and take too much on yourself, and you might get overwhelmed, especially if you are new to this. Take small tasks and chip away at it. have fun.

Make sure you have proper space also. Working on a car outside only to have it rust will be a step backwards.

Factor in tools. Bonus if family owns everything... Cost of tools is a huge hidden cost that most diy types fail to mention when they talk of the savings. It becomes cheap when you get good... And getting good takes a lot of being bad first.

On that note, diy is only saving money if you make less than the mechanic per hour... Or can do the work faster/better than them. That being said, if you enjoy it... Dive in!

I personally am new to this too. I farm out a lot, but try to do and learn as much as time and my very young family permits. In time i hope to do most of the routine work myself. When i retire in 30 years maybe i will be one of the local experts, or at least continue learning...

Can you guys try to give me a good basic list of tools, so I can try to start compiling them (extended borrowing from friends and family).

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Welcome to '02 World!

 

As everyone has said you have come to the right place for help and information.  Buy the books listed above and post pics of your car.

 

I'm in RI and have just started working on a '73 tii that was in storage for 20 yrs.  I occasionally make it to Ludlow and the Hanover area if you are nearby.  Have fun!  TR 

I'm in Charlotte, which is just south of Burlington, so about 2 hours north of Ludlow, but I grew up skiing at Okemo.  Is that what brings you to Ludlow?

Edited by Whit
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Can you guys try to give me a good basic list of tools, so I can try to start compiling them (extended borrowing from friends and family).

Hi Whit,

 

Generally you really don't need much in the way of tools. I'll suggest quality screwdrivers, possibly Craftsman [sears] quality wrenches and sockets. You can probably get away with 10, 12, 13, 15, 17mm if you don't want to buy a full set, and then flare nut wrenches for the brake lines (are they 8mm? I don't recall). An electric impact wrench may be a timesaver also.

 

Others will have better ideas ;-)

 

And buy Rob's book -- it can help pique your enthusiasm!

 

Cheers,

Ray

Stop reading this! Don't you have anything better to do?? :P
Two running things. Two broken things.

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Good 1/4 inch drive socket set, 10 12 13 sockets 99 % time, feeler gauge for points, valves, 1/2 inch torquer for heads bolts steering wheel and lugs, and most important good internet service to stay in touch with more knowlege on o2s than a bag of Einsteins, the 2002faq

Happy Trails to u~ Dave Miller
76 Golf~Rhiannon~BM Mascot~*~97 328is~Silver Ghost~*~68 1600~Wisperin Beast~*~70-02~Bumble Beast~*~76 02~Beast~

Keep smilin all the way

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read, memorize the orange Owner's handbook

 

dog ate it ?

 

fine one on fleabay

 

the Owner's handbook will tell you all you need to know about

servicing your car, technical data, lubricant refill amounts.

How all the stuff works....02HANDBOOKcovers.jpg

Edited by c.d.iesel

'86 R65 650cc #6128390 22,000m
'64 R27 250cc #383851 18,000m
'11 FORD Transit #T058971 28,000m "Truckette"
'13 500 ABARTH #DT600282 6,666m "TAZIO"

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