RESTORATION
1989 Porsche 911 Carrera Restoration
A clean, 61,000-mile Carrera 3.2 that came in for a little tidy-up, and turned into an engine-out restoration.
CAR
1989 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2
JOB
Engine-out restoration
MILEAGE
61,000 original miles
CONDITION
No rust, never hit
THE STORY
It started with “just a little clean-up”
What came in: We bought this 1989 Carrera from a customer, planning to clean it up and resell it. It had 61,000 original miles, ran well, and had just a few rock chips on the front bumper.
What we found: The previously painted right fender didn’t quite match, so the car was headed to the paint shop. While it was apart, we pulled the engine and gearbox to check the clutch. That led to the cylinder heads, where the valve guides turned out to be out of spec. The pistons and cylinders were within spec, but near the end of their wear limits.
What we did: With an original, rust-free car that had never been hit and still wore about 75% of its factory paint, we decided to do it right: a full engine-out refresh, refinished suspension and paint.
BUILD PROGRESS
Step by step
STEP 1
Engine and gearbox out
The drivetrain comes out to inspect the clutch, and the project grows from there.
STEP 2
Cylinder heads
The valve guides were out of spec, so the heads were taken apart and brought back to spec.
STEP 3
Bottom end
With the engine apart, the crankcase and internals were inspected and refreshed.
STEP 4
Suspension refinished
Suspension arms and components were cleaned and refinished before going back on the car.
THE RESULT
Before & after
Suspension before
Suspension after
PHOTO GALLERY
Every photo from the build (16)
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