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Open House at Hi Tec Automotive
Hi Tec Automotive is an independent
Porsche-Audi repair facility in San Rafael that hosted an open house
and tech session for the Redwood Region following a breakfast
run. They have been in business for 18 years and include a number of
vintage racers as customers as well many long term Porsche owners.
This is the shop I selected to rebuild my engine and since they are
over 70 miles from my house through San Francisco and across the
Golden Gate Bridge, I don't get to visit the shop often during
business hours. Joining the Redwood region group was a good way to
check on the engine as well as wander around looking at some nice
hardware and talk to some interesting people.
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Behind the awning is the main garage entrance to
Hi Tec. In the foreground see three different Porsches with the same
paint code and although you might not see the difference here, three
different colors. I have one paint code on my car and 5 different
colors so we should not be surprised.
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The main thrust of the meeting was a discussion
of what the owner should do to prepare his car for autocross. The
example car is a Hi Tec early 70s 911S. This car has been converted to
Boxster brakes, so it would have to compete in a class for modified
cars. Soon there will be a 3.6 liter engine installed, hence the need
for bigger brakes. On the right in the blue shirts is Hi Tec owner
Deven Wailes, Dana his brother and engine man and Brandon Cook, a mechanic.
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Here is Deven working the crowd.
Now that we see the event, lets look around.
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Engines
I was third in a line of 4 cylinder engines when I dropped mine
off. The story of my engine is on
another page. Here are the other engines in the shop.
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They were just finishing a top overhaul on John
Thorton's #902 race car. Note where the external oil filter and cooler
lines are coming from. One fitting is common with the 356 the other is
from the high pressure side of the oil pump.
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Next was Bruce Ross' 356 race car. Notice the
difference in the oil sumps and the fittings for the external oil
filter. The wrapped hose contains the tach drive - mechanical on the
356. The other AN fitting is the oil return line from the oil filter.
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The third engine is for a customer 912. I like
the gray fan shroud, but it was the color of the 'Super' engines of
the late model 356. 912s were shipped with black shrouds from the
factory.
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As you can see, it is in the final stages of
construction.
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Bruce Ross Likes 356
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His cabriolet made in Belgium by D'ieteren in the
parking lot, next to a very nice 912 - mine. Actually, standing side
by side you can see big differences in finish and preparation of
Bruce's car. Mine is embarrassed.
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Bruce's race car. They will be racing at the
CSRG races at the end of March. We'll be
there too.
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Exhaust plumbing on the 356 race car. There is a
special ceramic coating on the exhaust that is designed for a lower
heat transfer than stock. More heat goes out the pipe, less stays
under the engine bay.
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Transmission on the 356. There is a family
resemblance, but nearly all the details are different than the 912.
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The Fram spin-off oil filter is in the wheel
well. The inlet side attaches to the engine after the internal
pressure regulator.
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Last modified: Sat, 13 Mar 2004
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