Project Code Name: "MIAMI RUST", The Total Restoration of a 1971 Porsche 911-T Targa (note: The "T"  stands for "Touring", not Targa). Time frame: June 1996 - May 2000

The Restoration Project and Lessons Learned: Lesson №1 - Obtain full coverage insurance on your classic sports car immediately following completion.

• In mid 1996 I found this 1971 Porsche 911-T, Targa in the Autotrader publication for the amazing price of $6,900. My brother John flew down and drove the car back to north Alabama at a cost of approximately $800 (which included breakfast at the best breakfast club in Tallahassee, Florida).
• You've heard the old saying, "if it sounds too good to be true"... well, my brother didn't discover the rust on the frame underneath. A rusty frame on these uni-body cars is big trouble. This car had spent it's entire life in Miami, Florida (salt water and sea air).
• My mechanic in Huntsville discovered it rather quickly and warned me not to invest in the restoration. I did not heed his advice (wish I could do that one over). Paul warned me that the car would be weak, he was right and I should have listened.
• A restoration project like this is expensive: Don't deceive yourself with low estimates. After you document everything you will need and get the best price estimates, make a list and total it all up, then add 25% to the bottom line.

Starting a Project:
Should you decide to take on a project like this, the most important first step is to chose the best candidate vehicle to work with. I learned this lesson the hard way. Don't buy the first car you run across. Take your time and check out the candidate vehicle thoroughly. I wish that I had invested more time and money upfront in the selection process.	All glass was removed to allow for replacement of all rubber molding. Care must be taken with that huge Targa rear wrap-around window.		We replaced the floor pan because of all the rust and corrosion.
After you've selected a candidate vehicle:
Early on you should decide what work you are capable of doing yourself and what work must be subcontracted to professionals (draw up your budget with estimates at this time). Ten years earlier I restored a 914 Porsche and I rebuilt the engine myself. This time I decided to hire professionals for the following 3 main categories: Mechanical - Engine/Transmission Body and Paint work Interior and Upholstery	More rust uncovered! Note the rust on the upper rear quarter panel just under the targa bar and window. I think "rust" is the number two enemy of classic sports cars, second only to owners.		This cat had already had 3 lives we found. We discovered that the car was originally blue, but had been yellow at one time and was a very dark green when purchased.
This left me with two primary functions, disassembly and reassembly, with attention to details.
The car was entirely "gutted", engine and transmission removed, all glass removed and securely stored, all interior completely removed and individual pieces were delivered to the appropriate professionals; i.e., the car was loaded on a trailer and delivered to the paint and body shop, the engine and transmission were hauled to the mechanic shop and finally the door panels, seats were taken to the upholstery shop last.	I chose a Porsche color, "Bahama Blue". My wife called it "Easter Egg Blue". Having the original shade of blue was less important to me than having just what I wanted.		The engine was in great shape. After tearing down and a thorough inspection, we replaced the timing chains. We did have to rebuild the transmission and replace two gears.
Having the appropriate shop space to work in is critical.
The work space must meet the following requirements: Be dry Be well lit Have a secure place for the glass (to avoid breakage) Preferably be dedicated to this project, so that no other work or projects occupy this space during the project	No flash shows the true color here. The original color was a darker metallic blue.		Making progress, but the light doesn't show the true color here!
And finally...
Know your limitations. If you run into problems, don't hesitate to seek help from someone with more experience. Most times it is better to consult the third party for assistance before the problem mushrooms. Often it's easier to fix a problem before "breaking it more" or making it worse. I ran into several obstacles and called on a friend with a lot of experience. He really salvaged my project for me.			The finished project car was well worth the hard work that went into it. After installing a new Blaupunkt stereo with a 10 cd changer in the front boot, adding an under-dash cover with extra speakers and replacing the front and rear speakers, it was ready to cruise!

• The initial investment was $6,900 purchase price plus $800 transport = $7,700. Other expenses in order of dollars spent were:
• Body work and paint $2,300
• Rubber molding for entire car, misc. replacement parts and accessories including turn signal lenses, bumper guards, trim, etc. $2,215 
• New upholstery and carpet (installed) $1,800
• Transmission rebuild with two new gears (parts and labor) $800
• Timing chain, misc. engine parts, main seal, gaskets etc. $800
• Floor pan $800 (installed)
• New Pirelli Tires (the rear wheels are wider than the front) $680
• New Blaupunkt stereo, cd changer, replacement speakers $630
• Replacement removable top (used) $500
• GRAND TOTAL $18,225 plus many, many hours from June 1996 to May 2000
• My original estimate, (with me doing a lot of the work) was $15,000. I also estimated that if I out-sourced all of the labor, the cost would have been $25,000. I wish that I had kept track of the hours I invested in the project, but then it would have seemed more like real work than a "labor of love".

After driving this little jewel for only three short months, I had an accident and "totaled" it. It was late one night, I dozed off for a second, my head bobbled, startling me and I over-corrected from drifting into the other lane. The rear end swerved one way, then the other, on the third fish-tail the rear tires lost traction and I went into a clock-wise spin for three cycles before ending up going backwards into a small embankment.

The impact warped the frame (due to that weakness caused by the rust that Paul had warned me about years earlier). Throughout the restoration phase I had carried liability-only insurance and had not increased the coverage since the restoration was complete. The car sat in one of my garages for four years after that. I finally sold it for $2,000 to be parted out, just to free up the space for my next project.

If you are a fan of classic sports cars, as I am, you are probably shaking your head and mumbling "what a shame", but wait, that's not the worst of it.

I thought that I had not sustained any physical injury at the time, however, six months later my arm went numb. My arm stayed numb for two weeks (it was like it was asleep). Then it went away, only to return six months later in the other arm. Then I lost feeling in two of my fingers. I went to the doctor and he discovered that I had two herniated discs in my neck that were pressing on a nerve! Eventually the pain became unbearable. There was no way to get any relief from the pain.

He removed the two discs, put bone in from a bone bank and inserted a titanium plate (about a half inch wide and three inches tall) with six screws in it. I told everyone "I got my head screwed back on". Because my problem went unchecked (undetected) for so long, I have some permanent nerve damage, caused from the nerve being compressed for so long.