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Posted by: scottb Apr 29 2003, 03:34 PM

every time i walk up and unlock the car, get behind the seat and hear the engine start, i think "damn! i get to drive this thing!"

every time someone asks "what is that?" i get to tell them about the little porsche that could......

i make up errands for things that the wife wants that will fit in the car. managed to get 3 big ass storage shelf kits into the front seat and rear trunk!

i find that i listen really closely to everything that goes on in the car and worry about every squeak and rattle. i feel like i have a 3rd kid!

i see little troughs of rust around a bolt and immediately assume the entire car is about to detonate into a cloud of ferrous oxide! then i hit a large pot hole (northeast roads blow!) and the car is solid so i stop stressing. for now.....

i think of setting up a car fund much like my kids college fund. is this wrong?

the first spring with the car has been great. i am gonna drive the little money pit until winter and then up on jack stands and i get to turn wrenches all winter. at least my wife knows where i am when i am in the garage.

sorry for the length of the post but felt compelled to speak.

Posted by: Ferg Apr 29 2003, 03:38 PM

You are not alone...
Ferg

Posted by: StratPlayer Apr 29 2003, 03:39 PM

Man does that sound familiar, spent a fortune on my 914 this past winter but now I feel as though the car is safe and running at its best.. I buy things from ebay and pay for a lot of it using Money Orders that way there my wife doesn't get to see how much I have spent on the car using the credit cards.
Now I've become a parts whore, stashing things in case something goes wrong,,, dizzy, fuel pump, etc etc. I think you've taken the words out of a lotta mouths on this board... LOL Little money pit,,, ha ha ha but I wouldn't give it up for the world.

Posted by: efrenv Apr 29 2003, 03:47 PM

Listen to it ... it's alive ...

Posted by: Brad Roberts Apr 29 2003, 04:02 PM

Scott,

I couldnt have said better myself. My wife has one.. and she now understands the lure of our little cars. She has backed off my ass now that she owns one and wants to do things to it.

They are worth a million smiles per hour.. no matter how much we have into them.

B

Posted by: Chris H. Apr 29 2003, 04:14 PM

Holy shit you're right... I parted out a rusty 2.0 to buy my car and kept anything that I might ever need "just in case".

My wife keeps asking when I'm going to sell the rest of the "Porsche crap" in my basement and I yell "NEVER!!!" followed by the old evil laugh.....muhahahahahahahaha!!!

Posted by: anthony Apr 29 2003, 04:23 PM

I feel the same way. I love finding an excuse to drive it. I feel so priviledged to have found this car soon after I started looking. When I bought it I didn't realize what a rare find it is. It's not a concourse condition car and it has high miles but it's led a charmed life of garagedom under the ownership of 3 PCA freaks. I guess I'm the 4th! The last owner drive it only 2,000 miles per year for the last 3 or 4 years. I think I drove it 6,000 miles this last year.

Posted by: Mueller Apr 29 2003, 04:30 PM

Too me, just working on the car gets me excited....

Everytime (okay, almost everytime) I crawl underneath the 914, I still cannot believe that I own a mid-engined car, there is just something about this layout that is just too cool....

Maybe it has something to do with real racecars being mid-engined as well.

About a month ago I drove my bone stock 914 with the top off, no heater in the cold and fog, up to an auto-x about 150 miles away....I would not have had the same enjoyable trip in my 911 (of course I would have had heat and a radio, LOL)

Welcome to our sickness

Posted by: scottb Apr 29 2003, 04:32 PM

sweet to see i am not off base and a complete freak.

this car rocks. too bad my wife stays home and i can't do what strat does with the parts! i get calls from my wife at the office "a box showed up for you. what did you buy for the car now?" hehehehehehe ah well. at least i'm not out banging some 19 year old! she gets to stay home, i get to spend $ on the teener.

now it is supposed to rain the next few days so maybe i have time to pop the door panels and adjust the windows so they seal up to the top and don't let a torrent into the cab.............

Posted by: Gint Apr 29 2003, 06:25 PM

That's what I do. $150 twice a month into the "car fund". If it has enough money for a part/project step, I spend it, if it isn't there, I wait until the account is built back up. Line of credit on that account also "just in case".

I package my parts and have my wife ship them from her work. Lots cheaper that way. She's a good wife, I think I'll keep her.

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?act=ST&f=2&t=1191&hl=resto

Posted by: tracks914 Apr 29 2003, 06:41 PM

The first teener I drove was the one I bought last October. I test drove it for about 20 minutes on a twisty paved backroad. It took me 30 minutes to get the smile off my face after I closed the deal. Then I trailered it 300 miles, unloaded it, drove my wife around the parking lot in it and the next day proceeded to tear it down.
I CAN'T WAIT TO GET IT ON THE ROAD!
That might have to wait between 4-12 months depending on parts but...time (and an understanding wife) will tell.

Posted by: scottb Apr 29 2003, 07:03 PM

my teener addiction started at age 18 (40 now). was headed south on colorado blvd towards hampden (colorado folks will know the area by wilshire golf course) and took a turn lane at 75 mph. my dads teener stayed rock steady in a 4 wheel slide for 2 lanes and then i hit 5th and wrapped it to about 110mph watching the wine and brie crowd tee up.

it took me 22 years, but i was able to get one of my own.

but now i know i can die so i don't drive like that anymore!!!!

Posted by: bernbomb914 Apr 29 2003, 07:13 PM

It sounds like we all start the same way. Buy it, drive it home, tear it apart, try to make it new again. We make it our personal project and massage it with much attention and love much to our wife's displeasure. I just finished the Brake project, Volvo front dual pot calipers, removed the balance valve and installed a tee, ss brake lines, new fluid, all for under $200.00 and Boy it sure stops. Next is the engine, bought a 2.0 that needs rebuilding and on and on and on. The life of a 914 addict.

Bernie

Posted by: Mike's2nd914 Apr 29 2003, 07:37 PM

I have to say, my wife really can't say anything about the time/money I spend with my car, she bought the damn thing for me. I had one back in high school (1987) when she and I first met. When I graduated from college a few weeks ago (I was on the 16 year plan), she bought one for me as a graduation present. Now really, how cool is that?

So far, it's only taking up about 90% of my time, hey, a man's gotta work!

Posted by: markb Apr 29 2003, 07:45 PM

I like driving the car so much I even take it to Costco. It's amazing how much stuff it'll hold! We bought an SC for Marcie to drive, and now I never have to justify buying anything for my car.

Posted by: Curvie Roadlover Apr 29 2003, 07:48 PM

When I read these posts it's as if I'm reading about myself. It is truely an addiction as well as a passion. I'm grateful that my wife sort of understands about the special relationship I have with my "iron mistress" It's cheap therapy too!

Posted by: Curvie Roadlover Apr 29 2003, 07:50 PM

If I had a nickle for every time I looked at the car just to admire it. I'd have one helluva "car fund" to work with.

Posted by: Bruce Allert Apr 29 2003, 11:45 PM

Scottb, thanks for this post. I'm gonna go to bed with a smile on me face
I'm think'n about getting under the car tomorrow and drain the tranny oil then put in some new...
And then comes the biggest smiles...... AX on Sunday:driving:
Gonna be my first time driv'n the Punkin at the track!
Balls to da wall with no worry of hittn anythang or slidn offa da road. Eeeee-haaaa
bruce

Posted by: Rob Ways Apr 30 2003, 07:16 AM

Its a great car... an overlooked car relative to other Porsches... a famous car on the track.... a favorite car in club circuits.... a foundation for creation..... an object of longing and appreciation... a challenge to maintain.... a sea of parts and maintenance

Oh, and a damn fun car to drive!

Ever drove out of your way to follow a 914? Ever recognize a car sold 5 years ago in another state? Ever wake up early on a Saturday morning thinking about all the things you are about to do to the car?

IMO - Excellence was achieved.

Posted by: FlatSix Apr 30 2003, 07:19 AM

I only have one so I can browse this board and see the banana!