912 1966 Light Resto

[Robin]

OK so I am starting a light restoration on my 1966 912. This is a US 912 LHD, matching numbers, drive train and suspension/brakes all redone by previous owner. Body work rough but little rust (or so I hope).

Looking to strip down - get outside and underside painted in original Polo red/black under carriage. Fit new carpets etc. rebuild original seats and clean up original trim as much as possible.

I want to keep as much original as possible, clean rather than re-plate, refurb rather than replace and leave enough grotty so that I can drive it.

Engine and gearbox will come out before paint - needs syncros done carbs turned (maybe rebuilt).

Going to make this as original as possible (to US 912 spec) so rubber mats, vinyl on tunnel, optioned with wooden steering wheel.

[Robin]

Seats out and carpet out - still has a lot of the original tar/hair sound deadener. Found the original tunnel vinyl under carpet - also found a fragment of I guess original square weave carpet. Debating how much of the original sound deadener to clean out - anything solid I think i will keep for history.

Shift link cover is solid - Is this normal for this year?

[marcus_cottrill]

looks good. though looks some rust in the sills - worth replacing before you paint ? ..

[Terminator]

Robin

Tunnel cover should the slotted type

[9er]

looks good. though looks some rust in the sills - worth replacing before you paint ? ..

Yeah worth looking inside there to see what the inner look like.

[Merv]

Looks nice and original Robin. The horse hair based insulation is perhaps a bit far gone. I tried to keep as much as possible in the trunk area and the engine insulation. There is sometimes a small piece of square weave (any colour) behind the door cards, as a factory 'sound/vibration insulation' on 912s and 356's. The seats look good original as well. How original is the paint on there now?

[Ashbaxter]

Looks good, I would get those sills off for a better look as mine were not that bad but the inners were buggered

[Robin]

Robin

Tunnel cover should the slotted type

I have seen a couple of references of 65/66 912's having solid tunnel covers. Vented was for air entry for possible petrol heater fitment - perhaps heater was not option on the 912 so went solid cover? The usual reference books do not show the tunnel cover details. Anyone have evidence of solid covers?

[Robin]

Looks nice and original Robin. The horse hair based insulation is perhaps a bit far gone. I tried to keep as much as possible in the trunk area and the engine insulation. There is sometimes a small piece of square weave (any colour) behind the door cards, as a factory 'sound/vibration insulation' on 912s and 356's. The seats look good original as well. How original is the paint on there now?

I will get a camera to put in the sills etc. I will try and retain if I can - not interested in pulling this car apart too much - but will replace if needed.

The paint has been done at some point - I think there are a couple of areas of original paint - maybe around colour plate in door well - I will leave this original on repaint. Rear has had a bump and paint is crazed/lifting in parts. Did consider keeping crappy paint and driving as a "outlaw" look but decided to repaint as adding back lots of original trim which would need to be removed again if I decided to paint later.

Horse hair will go - I had a scare under the rear seats - looked bad and I thought it may be rusted through - but was just paint lifting - scraped back to good silver metal.

Interesting padding under carpet between rear seats - this will be retained and reused.

Question on the vinyl - pictured below are the rear trim tops - can anyone tell if this is original vinyl on these? I will retain if it is original - would recover to get rid of the lumpy feel if is not orginal.

[9er]

Plain tunnel cover on my Aus '65 912
Swapped him out for a slotted one, just because I like the look.

Looking at your first pictures it appears to have had see very recent work done on the floors.

Rear trims are just vinyl over metal (no foam layer) so if you are feeling lumps it is probably the metal bubbling.

[Robin]

Plain tunnel cover on my Aus '65 912
Swapped him out for a slotted one, just because I like the look.

Looking at your first pictures it appears to have had see very recent work done on the floors.

Rear trims are just vinyl over metal (no foam layer) so if you are feeling lumps it is probably the metal bubbling.

Yes looks like front half of drivers side floor has been replaced - rest of floor seems to be original (but repainted).

I will clean up interior where needed and paint in black to rust proof - then install carpets etc.

[Robin]

Any suggestions on how to tell if vinyl is original 1966 material?

[9er]

Compare it to your door cards.

[Robin]

Compare it to your door cards.

Yes all the door card, door top, parcel shelf etc. vinyl does match - so it looks to all be original.

As you said it i just vinyl over painted metal for the side/rear trims. The vinyl is loose so I think I will be able to peel it off from the metal - clean and repaint metal and then stick the vinyl back on.

What do people recommend as a glue to stick the vinyl down - on another car I used std contact adhesive but this was not great at holding vinyl.

Also what do people recommend for glueing the carpets in?

[Robin]

All internal trim removed.

Sound deadener removed to get to loose paint/stone guard.

A couple of rust holes - but all very small and patchable.

Interesting material on inside of door cards and parcel shelf trim - silver backing.

I think i will be able to remove orginal vinyl off all trim - repaint metal/replace board etc. and reapply original vinyl - worth a try to keep it original I think.