I have been working side by side with a local outstanding wrench that many of you early car owners of a certain Gruppe will know, by the name of Bernie. My car (Millie) went under the knife Wednesday for a complete overhaul, including a complete and refreshed SC suspension and a high compression 3.0 liter with Webbers. Now that I have just finished the third solid day of work, I still have another four days left.

As of tonight, we have removed the entire suspension, pulled the engine, power washed the engine compartment, and reinserted an entirely new suspension including:

* A arms
* aluminum cross member
* Koni struts with 3.5 spacing
* Inserts
* 22 mm front torsion bars
* SC calipers and rotors
* stainless brake lines
* turbo tie rods
* adjustable spring plates with new bushings
* 29 mm rear torsion bars
* SC aluminum trailing arms

We stll have to do the following:

* paint the engine compartment
* install the 22 mm adjustable sway bars front and back
* install new 205/50/15 Goodrich T/A KDW NTs
* wire the engine for MSD
* break open and refresh the '72 915 transmission
* install transmission, possibly with LSD (?)
* install 3.0 - 9.8:1 compression and 964 S cam, new SSI heat exchangers and sport muffler.
* install new 21 mm master cylinder
* install new axles

I know I am forgetting a lot, but you get the idea. Why we were in there many unplanned things came up. Oil lines have to be fabricated, the transmission was leaking at the main seal, master cylinder was leaking, and bad axles, among other things.

I drove my car back from Ohio to Seattle in July last year, going the long way, down to Texas and over to Southern California, then up to Washington. This trip was just the beginning for Millie and me, and now, after this experience, I feel like I know this car better than any car I have ever owned. A big thanks to Bernie for showing me the ropes!

Here are some pics:

And so it begins:



Engine out:





Will keep you informed as things progress.