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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ my full on custom 914 build
Posted by: mark21742 Sep 6 2011, 08:34 AM
I joined and posted a thread here last week with a couple of question and now its time to start my own custom build thread. Love it or hate it (I hope more love it lol) but here it goes.
About 12 years ago I was looking for a fun kit car project and ended up being GIVEN a 73 Porsche 914 project someone had started and abandoned.....guess either they ran out of money, time or got in over their head, but either way it ended up with me getting a free car 
I ended up storing it at my parents house under a tarp behind the shed and then it sat in the same spot til a few weeks ago when I put it on a trailer and brought it to my house.
This is what it looked like when I loaded it up on the trailer
Posted by: mark21742 Sep 6 2011, 08:43 AM
I first started by dropping out the engine/ tranny, tore the motor down, cleaned, honed and reassembled then painted
Posted by: mark21742 Sep 6 2011, 08:54 AM
After the drivetrain was finished I bolted it back in and moved on to the rear decklid and engine cover and fabricated the tail light section, welded the trunk and decklid together to make them one peice. To add strength to the two prices so they didn't tear themselves apart......and get a completely new look I made an intake scoop and air foils.
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk300/mark21742/IMAG0280-1.jpg
Posted by: mark21742 Sep 6 2011, 08:59 AM
Posted by: mark21742 Sep 6 2011, 09:03 AM
Next step was a new windsheild line and look.....I did some searching and lots of measuring to come up with a 98 Ford escort windshield
I used 1/2" angle iron to make the new windsheild lip.....lots of cut/ bend/ weld lol
Posted by: mark21742 Sep 6 2011, 09:07 AM
After a number of re fittings I added 1" round tube to give the frame some rigidity
Posted by: mark21742 Sep 6 2011, 09:23 AM
The frontend before I started getting "cut happy"
After a lot of cutting and bracing....still need to tie a support from the lower windsheild brace to the front supports
This is where I finished last night and it is sitting now
With the new windsheild sitting so low into the front section I'm going to need to go fuel cell or other gas tank, and extend the dash panel.....I can't wait to get back in the garage and back to work
Posted by: ripper911 Sep 6 2011, 09:26 AM
This will be a good one to watch come together. ![popcorn[1].gif](style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)
Posted by: mark21742 Sep 6 2011, 09:34 AM
I wasn't really sure of my overall goal, and then I ordered 4 to 5 lug adapters and put my factory 04 GTO wheels on the Porsche.....they look perfect for this car and got the wheels turning in my head.....now I know exactly what I want lol
I just can't wait to cut the front clip into 20 prices and start redesigning it to fit the rest of the car....its going to be shortened as much as possible, and between the wheelwells be as low as possible
Posted by: Dr Evil Sep 6 2011, 09:53 AM
What part of PA are you in?
Posted by: mark21742 Sep 6 2011, 10:00 AM
What part of PA are you in?
Just out of Chambersburg pa, off I 81 north of MD
Posted by: jsayre914 Sep 6 2011, 11:27 AM
cool project. Im excited to see more
Posted by: Andyrew Sep 6 2011, 03:09 PM
I love custom builds! Subscribed! Looking forward to the long painstaking progress that will unfold in the next few years 
Posted by: r_towle Sep 6 2011, 03:36 PM
someone has been busy...you must not be married and you had a lot of free time this weekend...lol
Looks cool.
RIch
Posted by: mark21742 Sep 6 2011, 03:56 PM
someone has been busy...you must not be married and you had a lot of free time this weekend...lol
Looks cool
RIch
Lol might as well be married with kids lol. Long weekend and not much sleep....she gives me lots of play time as long as I spend some time with her and the kids
A few more weeks like this past one and this might just be a quick project! I was very happy with how its gone so far, even though it did take two days just to fab and get the windsheild lip tweaked to where I needed it.
Posted by: r_towle Sep 6 2011, 03:58 PM
cool stuff...bring it to Hershey this year...
Posted by: PeeGreen 914 Sep 6 2011, 05:20 PM
THis looks interesting.
Nice work so far 
Posted by: mark21742 Sep 6 2011, 05:41 PM
cool stuff...bring it to Hershey this year...
What's going on in Hershey and when is it happening?
Posted by: Dr Evil Sep 6 2011, 06:09 PM
Dude, you have many good neighbors in that area. I moved from Hershey in 2010. Hershey has the largest, Porsche only swap meet every April
Posted by: ppetion Sep 6 2011, 08:49 PM
This is an interesting project. I will be watching the progress and hopefully get to see this one live at hershey next year.
Good luck. Don't know about the fabs , but lots of help here with the engine and trans.
Posted by: mark21742 Sep 8 2011, 04:23 PM
Well during the work week with the kids running around the house when I get home the progress has slowed lol. I welded in all the front braces and the windsheild braces and sat the front clip back on. Today I sat here looking at the front clip trying to figure out exactly where to make my cuts, broke out the Sharpie and drew some lines.....a few more measurements and lines and I'll be ready to start cutting again
Posted by: zymurgist Sep 8 2011, 05:12 PM
I'm pretty sure I saw that car in its original state. I was driving by, and I recognized it as a 914, although it was barely visible through the trees etc. If your parents live on Leiter Street, they are less than 1/4 mile up the street from my house (corner of Leiter and Ringgold).
I know where 21742 is
Posted by: mark21742 Sep 9 2011, 05:41 AM
I'm pretty sure I saw that car in its original state. I was driving by, and I recognized it as a 914, although it was barely visible through the trees etc. If your parents live on Leiter Street, they are less than 1/4 mile up the street from my house (corner of Leiter and Ringgold).
I know where 21742 is
Yup, that's where my parents are! I got this one, and also was given a complete stock one that was a rust out by my brother in law.
You might not have seen this one, but I also had a couple of Saab Sonett's stashed back there for a while lol
Are you in the house on the up hill corner? I've admired a couple of your cars too....its a small world!
Posted by: mark21742 Sep 10 2011, 09:48 PM
I got to do some cutting on the front clip today! Did some grinding and laid some fiberglass on the fender lips. After the glass sets up over night I'll start working and forming the center of the hood and glass the front edge.
Here are a few more pics, going with new VW Bug headlight lenses and building a double projector light set to fit behind them.
A
Posted by: Dr Evil Sep 10 2011, 09:51 PM
Ok, now that I see what you are doing with the front, and re-curving it, I am hooked
Posted by: mark21742 Sep 10 2011, 09:57 PM
Yup, the lines of the flatnose kit just didn't flow with the rest of the car.....so I'm gonna cut and hack til it does lol
Posted by: skaufmann Sep 10 2011, 09:58 PM
Mark, with all do respect (and you have mine for whatever it may be worth) you are committing a sin in many teener eyes. With that said, I'm impressed.
You're surprising me every update you post. Keep it up.
Posted by: mark21742 Sep 10 2011, 10:09 PM
Mark, with all do respect (and you have mine for whatever it may be worth) you are committing a sin in many teener eyes. With that said, I'm impressed.
You're surprising me every update you post. Keep it up.
No, the sin I commited was dropping a 66 Mustang body down around a 96 Honda Civic for my mom, so she could have her classic with fuel injection, great mpg, and front wheel drive so she can drive it all year around......now that was a love or hate build with no middle of the road lol
Posted by: skaufmann Sep 10 2011, 10:12 PM
Mark, with all do respect (and you have mine for whatever it may be worth) you are committing a sin in many teener eyes. With that said, I'm impressed.
You're surprising me every update you post. Keep it up.
No, the sin I commited was dropping a 66 Mustang body down around a 96 Honda Civic for my mom, so she could have her classic with fuel injection, great mpg, and front wheel drive so she can drive it all year around......now that was a love or hate build with no middle of the road lol
haha, you're killing me. Where did you come from?!?
Posted by: ppetion Sep 10 2011, 10:13 PM
Mark, with all do respect (and you have mine for whatever it may be worth) you are committing a sin in many teener eyes. With that said, I'm impressed.
You're surprising me every update you post. Keep it up.
No, the sin I commited was dropping a 66 Mustang body down around a 96 Honda Civic for my mom, so she could have her classic with fuel injection, great mpg, and front wheel drive so she can drive it all year around......now that was a love or hate build with no middle of the road lol
I agree that was a sin.. any pics of that project?
Posted by: PeeGreen 914 Sep 10 2011, 10:28 PM
This is going to be awesome I think what I dislike about the slant nose look is it is very boring when these cars have so much character. With what you are doing this car will certainly have character. Can't wait to see more 
Posted by: mark21742 Sep 10 2011, 10:46 PM
Body/ drivetrain stripped out of the Honda
Stripped down 66 Mustang shell (left the rearend under till the end so I could roll it around like a wheel barrow)
Believe it or not the Honda and the Mustang had the exact same wheel track and only had to stretch the Honda chassis 3" to get the right wheel base....once I cut the outer rockers off the Honda the Mustang inner rockers slid down tight over them and just had to weld the two together
Had to play with the adjustable Honda suspension to see what the Mustang looked like slammed, but my mother made me raise it back for her lol
Posted by: mark21742 Sep 10 2011, 10:50 PM
This is going to be awesome
I think what I dislike about the slant nose look is it is very boring when these cars have so much character. With what you are doing this car will certainly have character. Can't wait to see more I agree with you on the slantnose being boring.....the more I look at all these restored stock 914's in here the more I like the front fins
Posted by: ppetion Sep 11 2011, 11:11 AM
Body/ drivetrain stripped out of the Honda
Stripped down 66 Mustang shell (left the rearend under till the end so I could roll it around like a wheel barrow)
Believe it or not the Honda and the Mustang had the exact same wheel track and only had to stretch the Honda chassis 3" to get the right wheel base....once I cut the outer rockers off the Honda the Mustang inner rockers slid down tight over them and just had to weld the two together
Had to play with the adjustable Honda suspension to see what the Mustang looked like slammed, but my mother made me raise it back for her lol
wow! is all I can say and bow ndown to you.. Keep up the great work.
Posted by: mark21742 Sep 12 2011, 05:13 AM
Ok back on the Porsche again lol.
I didn't get as much done yesterday as I wanted to, but managed to get alittle more glass laid and one peice welded back into the hood..... Still need to weld the drivers side peice in, trim and glass the front lip and re shape the windsheild edge of the hood
Posted by: zymurgist Sep 13 2011, 01:12 PM
You might not have seen this one, but I also had a couple of Saab Sonett's stashed back there for a while lol
Are you in the house on the up hill corner? I've admired a couple of your cars too....its a small world!
Thought I saw a Sonnett back there too.
Yup, that would be me. Orange Vette, Mexico Blue 911, Nocturne Blue Ninja, and 1970 John Deere 140. Green.
Posted by: zymurgist Sep 13 2011, 01:14 PM
I wanna see you take that Mustang to Carlisle. You'll probably get a lot of puzzled looks, like the guy who stuffed a Ford 460 into a C3 Corvette.
Posted by: mark21742 Sep 13 2011, 01:25 PM
I wanna see you take that Mustang to Carlisle. You'll probably get a lot of puzzled looks, like the guy who stuffed a Ford 460 into a C3 Corvette.
I could take it to import Carlisle lol
Posted by: mark21742 Sep 13 2011, 01:27 PM
The wifey is off work tonight, so I hope to get dome work done on it tonight after I cut grass and fix a leak in the house roof
Posted by: Twise Sep 15 2011, 10:20 AM
As far as sins go - That thing was way beyond coming back into the fold when you got your hands on it. Have at it. Very cool thread...
Posted by: mark21742 Sep 19 2011, 05:53 AM
Well I didn't get as much done this weekend as I wanted, but slightly adjusted a 1970 Saab Sonett3 fuel tank to work with the new front clip, and I have plenty of room for a radiator depending on what direction I go with for a drivetrain in the end. I still have a lot more cutting and bracing to do, but getting a little closer.
Posted by: mark21742 Sep 23 2011, 10:53 AM
Ok with lots of talk and thought going into my Honda engine thread I think I've decided on power plant for the car!
Turbo charged Honda 1.6L with the Honda transmission mounted transverse just like the stock Civic, but up under the rear of the Porsche where the stock engine was.
I'm going to mount the small inner cooler up in one hump behind the seats and the radiator up in the other side so I won't need any pipes running front to rear through the car.
I'll be using the stock Honda pedals, wiring, computer ( with fuel managment upgrades) and all Honda sensors. I'll need to have the Honda CV joints re splined to fit the stock Porsche rear hubs.
Posted by: zymurgist Sep 23 2011, 11:36 AM
Cool! One thing I never liked about conversions was giving up the front trunk space. Although in your case, that wouldn't seem to be a big issue.
Posted by: mark21742 Sep 23 2011, 11:45 AM
I've always been form, then make it function lol
Posted by: Andyrew Sep 23 2011, 12:00 PM
I think the honda engine would be a perfect option for this Frankenstein project! Especially since your familiar with them from the mustang project.
Which honda engine will you be looking for? Obviously the cheapest option would be a D16 and throw on a Z6 head for the Vtech and added compression. However i've read that the D15 has a better rod to stroke ratio so when you want to rev it out like in a turbo application its a better choice, you can still throw on a vtech head and make really good power.
Or will you be going with the almighty B16?
I like the fact that you can pick up a running engine and trani from craigslist for $400 every now and then
You should run the radiator set back in the hump so that its not that high, Water doesnt like to travel up that much, However your radiator fill should be the highest point on the car. Are you going to use the drivers side hole for the intake?
Any idea on the turbo or desired HP yet? You going to get it running N/A first then put the turbo on later?
Posted by: mark21742 Sep 23 2011, 12:23 PM
B16 I already have the entire drivetrain, computer, harness, everything from when I got a deal that was too hard to pass up lol one of my friends had a civic that was a rust out.....then he got rearended and that finished it off.....but as bad as the rest of the car was he always took great care off the motor ( commuted from Hagerstown to D.C. every day in it). And I'd have to look at the turbo I have laying in the garage ( can't remember what I got it off of) but its in great shape too
Posted by: Andyrew Sep 23 2011, 12:40 PM
Good stuff! Which B16 is it?
BTW, Go cast exhaust manifold, Big problems with the cheap "ram horn" manifolds. The cheap cast manifolds last longer.
You going to go with OBD 2 or OBD 1 for tuneability?
www.homemadeturbo.com
These guys would like your project, but they can be dicks (and they are typically kids..). Good for scrolling through and learning way to much about turbo's and how to do things cheap.
Posted by: mark21742 Sep 23 2011, 01:21 PM
Thanks for the link! Yes, I hate to say it, but I know about the cheap turbo headers.....I swear there for awhile one of my friends was stopping by for me to re weld every joint on his lol. For now probably going OBD 1 because that's what I have, with seperate fuel control, but in the end finish (or refine) with a stand alone system like the Mega squirt....I'm not too familiar with Honda tuning yet, but know GM with Hptuners inside and out, so I hope to fall right into Honda tuning pretty easily.
Standard old 8 valve since I'm going turbo....I'll keep the 16 valve head for my mom's Mustang..... Lol we dubbed it "project Ho-stang"
Need to come up with a good name for this one, we currantly have project Ho-stang, and the Che-Hell (my 69 Chevelle body wrapped around a stretched 87 Nissan Pulsar pan)
Posted by: poorsche914 Sep 23 2011, 01:26 PM
Rice-14
Posted by: mark21742 Sep 23 2011, 01:27 PM
I work tomorrow too, so I'm not going to have that much of a weekend, but I'm hoping to get the auto swapped out for a 5 speed, and all the glass put back in CheHell this weekend so I can move it out and free up a BUNCH of space in the garage
Posted by: mark21742 Sep 23 2011, 01:31 PM
Rice-14
Not bad lol
Posted by: moparrob Sep 23 2011, 01:34 PM
Project "Civic Duty"...
Posted by: Andyrew Sep 23 2011, 01:58 PM
OBD 1 is all you need .
http://wikitest.pgmfi.org/twiki/bin/view.pl
Lots to read on this one. PM me if you want to know more.. Basically for under 150 you can have modify your ecu and have a chip burner to be able to program new chips for your setup.
Its the way to go There are also plenty of basemaps that people have loaded on the forums.
Posted by: mark21742 Oct 25 2011, 09:05 AM
Been doing a lot of house work and family time over the last few weeks, but I managed to finish/ rework the whole tube frame front end, the floor is completely cut out (chipped off all the old coating to find lots of rust), also welded in 4" tube from the front suspension through the rear fire wall......this thing is straying to look more like a race car on a full space frame lol. Hope to get a bunch more done on the chassis this week and weekend between holloween festivities....more pics to follow soon!
Posted by: Rod Oct 25 2011, 09:18 AM
Nutcase! (In a good way!)
I also want to see the finished 'Hontang' images - Or is it 'Mustvic' or 'Civtang' ???
Posted by: Dave_Darling Oct 25 2011, 09:26 AM
Standard old 8 valve since I'm going turbo....I'll keep the 16 valve head for my mom's Mustang.....
Umm, the B16 motors should all be 16V. The D16 ones as well. The only 8V ones I know of in the 88+ Civic/Integra/etc. engines were the D15 ones that went into the CRX HF.
--DD (Who used to be a CRX guy)
Posted by: mark21742 Oct 25 2011, 09:38 AM
Standard old 8 valve since I'm going turbo....I'll keep the 16 valve head for my mom's Mustang.....
Umm, the B16 motors should all be 16V. The D16 ones as well. The only 8V ones I know of in the 88+ Civic/Integra/etc. engines were the D15 ones that went into the CRX HF.
--DD (Who used to be a CRX guy)
Your right, I did some head swapping (used my 16v head on my mom's car), using an older 8v on mine (89CRX).....her car is n/a, so I figured hers could use the little bump from the head swap, where mine is going to turbo.....After all is done I might upgrade to a twin cam Vtec in mine.
Posted by: mark21742 Oct 25 2011, 10:07 AM
Also, Andrew I'm sorry, I had my series wrong.....it is a d16
Posted by: kg6dxn Oct 25 2011, 01:15 PM
More pictures please...
Posted by: cwpeden Oct 25 2011, 08:28 PM
Going all the way back to the first post....I see something familiar beside the car, what is it? Just cant put my finger on it.
Posted by: mark21742 Oct 26 2011, 04:09 AM
Old stock Honda exhaust manifold lol.
Hope to have more pics by the weekend......turning one of the small rooms on the second floor of the house onto s full walk in closet is kicking my butt, but almost finished so I can get back on the car again
Posted by: cwpeden Oct 26 2011, 10:04 PM
Naw, thought it looked like a Corvair manifold, then realized it was four ports. That almost looks like one of the old superchargers.
Posted by: mark21742 Oct 31 2011, 05:27 AM
I did a lot more cutting and laid more tubes this weekend and last week.
Started getting the rear cut apart to make room for the new rear half of the chassis.
After I get the rear suspension tied back in I'm going to cut the stock rockers out, since they won't be needed any more and remove most of the rear firewall to make my drivetrain swap easier. By getting rid of the rockers I will have plenty of room to run coolant tubes if needed
Posted by: Andyrew Oct 31 2011, 09:12 AM
Is that exhaust tubing? 
Posted by: mark21742 Oct 31 2011, 12:33 PM
Don't worry Andyrew, It's 4 OD x .120 wall 1010 Welded Structural Round Steel Tube.
Posted by: skaufmann Oct 31 2011, 12:46 PM
You've probably already thought of it but how you gonna shift?
Seems like you blocked direct access to a tranny with your *exhaust* tubing at the rear firewall.
Posted by: Andyrew Oct 31 2011, 12:49 PM
Ahh good. You had me worried there!!
Posted by: Hontec Oct 31 2011, 12:59 PM
Don't get me wrong, but you've welded 4" round steel within the already very wide longitudinals and on top of that you again constructed your cage structure within that, so you basically made the inner room , which is very cramped to start with, even smaller. Plus you now even sit at least 4"higher? This car going to be a single seater?
And why your choice for 4"round steel? Why didn't you use square beams and replace the side longs with your new subframe...no loss of space, more rigid, less weight and a place to build up your cage without sacrificing inner space like you're doing now?
Once again, not dissing you but you've made some decisions here that do not fit regular chassis building logic....
Best regards
Randall
Posted by: Andyrew Oct 31 2011, 01:16 PM
^ I had some of these concerns as well.
However I figure the steel you had laying around. The design aspect was what I was concerned with.
Posted by: mark21742 Oct 31 2011, 01:21 PM
Interior pace is really no concern to me in this one (I'm 5'5")lol I'll still have plenty of room for me, the 2 seats (Summit Racing buckets) and the shifter. A big part of the floor design/ tubing will give me a lot better support for a completely flat floor with just a slight dish to it to allow for better drainage not if, but when the car gets water inside (no roof , side or rear windows in the plans at this time).
A lot of the rear firewall is going to be cut out and not replaced till after the engine swap is complete and if my plans workout the way they are in my head the new shift linkages "should" run just through a notch on the bottom of the 4" cross tube in the rear.
Posted by: mark21742 Oct 31 2011, 01:26 PM
^ I had some of these concerns as well.
However I figure the steel you had laying around. The design aspect was what I was concerned with.
Already had a peice of plywood laying acrossed the floor and the seats thrown in the car to do a quick test fit
. For me, yes it works and feels great, if you are 6' talk, then no way in hell lol
Posted by: mark21742 Oct 31 2011, 02:56 PM
By the way, don't want you guys to think I'm blowing any criticism and tip off, I've built gocart and motorcycle frames before, but this is my first attempt to build a full car chassis, so all advice is welcome!
Posted by: mark21742 Oct 31 2011, 02:59 PM
Also, I finally have a name for this project car! "Project NARP".
Posted by: skaufmann Oct 31 2011, 03:13 PM
Also, I finally have a name for this project car! "Project NARP".
Maybe "Project NARPteen" is a bit more fitting?
Posted by: Rand Oct 31 2011, 03:13 PM
It's not even a NARP. It's NANARP.
Fun project. I'm enjoying your build.
Posted by: KELTY360 Oct 31 2011, 06:03 PM
It's not even a NARP. It's NANARP.
Fun project. I'm enjoying your build.
Isn't that what Mork used to say, "nanarp, nanarp"?
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