906-001
September 18, 2003
Here are
pictures as we disassemble 001.
Undoubtedly,
these rivet holes were to mount an additional running light??
The ID light is blue, when lit, it would tell the team the
driver is ready to come in for driver's change, fuel, tires,
etc.
Remember, there were no radios in early 1960s.
This sticker
is real cool. It is the tech sticker from 1966. We will remove
the windshield, crate it and return it to its owner in Germany.
Hopefully, Klaus will put this on a pedestal, keeping it for
museum purposes only. We will make a new sticker and stick
it on a remanufactured windshield. The 904 Store is where
we get some of the rare parts for these 904s, including the
windshield and windshield rubber. Notice the second key on
the hood. Somewhere down the road, somebody decided to make
the front hood lockable. This is an ingenious way to keep
nosy people out.
Trick,
trick, trick. This car has so many really cool parts that
other 904s don't. Notice the center fill gas tank. This tank
is the only one I have ever seen that has strengthening creases
on the face of the tank and the sides. The other picture shows
an additional horn. Undoubtedly, this baby makes some noise.
The suspension
looks the same, but that is where it stops. Instead of rubber
flan blocs, all the control arms were mounted with pin bearings,
same as the big sister 906 prototypes.
The shocks
are different and the mounting perches they sit in are different.
Brake
reservoirs are mounted under the dash! All the gauges, relays,
and water bag are exactly how they were because no one has
ever messed with them.
The wire
harness under the dash is like new.
Take a
look at the black buttons on the headlight cover. And look
at the brake duct glued at each end.
You can
see the extra large holes on the headlight bucket. The other
picture shows plastic retainers that actually hold the headlight
cover on. I have seen these on two other 904s. The reason
they are plastic is that when they are installed, they are
just pushed into the hole (the plastic has an expanding end
which holds it tight). When you break a headlight cover during
a race, you risk damaging the headlight (no headlight - no
see), plus the car becomes less aerodynamic (Mulsanne straight).
With the plastic retainers, you can change a headlight cover
in 1/8th the time, really cool!!
Disassembly
was a gang bang. Seven guys stripped the car in two days.
Pictures
were taken of every aspect of disassembly (more than 300 photos
were taken).
The owner will get all the photos and you will see a select
few.
After
the car was stripped, it went on the frame table to make a
new stand that enables us to turn the car upside down.
This is
a copy of our other stand which has 067 upside down. The stand
will come off 067 and 068 will get it while the bottom of
it is being done.
Jack and
I are steam cleaning the dirt between the cockpit and the
floor.
The car
was in pretty clean condition. Remember, this car didn't have
a very rough life because it was parked between 1966-1967
through 2003.
We always
check the chassis to make sure there is no rust. The tape
identifies where we cut the chassis open both in the front
and the rear.
The frame
rails looked really great, so we sprayed rust inhibitor inside
and welded up the holes.
Front
is welded, rear is about to be welded.
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