I just traded my 94 jag for this 914. I traded sight unseen, with cash on his end. I honestly expected it to be a total loss, but had a slight hope of saving it and making it a road worthy part time daily driver. Well there’s no chance of that. I just would like to gain you folks approval that this car is not worth saving. This is the second 914 I’ve bought, the first was for the drivetrain and it was very very rough. I’d love to get a 914 that I could drive, but life has been in the way.
Here are some pictures of the car. At the moment my plan is to part the car out.
Opinions? The car supposedly runs by the way.
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People have saved worse but it looks rough.
I figured so. Not to sound arrogant, but it’s not past my ability I am just taxed on garage space, time and a long list of current projects.
I am not a regular on here, but will members be upset if I part it out and list it on here? I know parting is frowned upon in almost every car circle.
Well it’s your car to do what you want.
Nobody likes to see a car cut up but then at least the pieces can help save other cars. Better than just dusting away. You should add the vin to the database here.
I don’t think it’s frowned upon if the car is as rough as this.
Run Forest Run!!!!
Wow, that is in rough condition.
What is the original color? Looks like it might be Ravenna Green. Check the Karmann production tag on the driver's side door column and find the paint code. IIRC, there was someone looking for an originally-Ravenna Green car not too long ago.
If you don't want to work on it (and I wouldn't blame you if you don't), maybe offer it for sale here first and then cut it up only of there's no interest.
Or, if you have a place to store it, you could store it away until you have time to work on it or wait for the values to rise high enough that someone will buy it.
Thanks for the replies!
Even if I part it out, I’ll have a ton of time removing, packaging and shipping parts. Honestly I don’t want to do it.
If I were to save it, it will have to sit outside for another year or so until I can get my second garage built. I don’t know how much worse it would get though. There are some parts I would like to put on my Ghia.
The original color is the green, I didn’t get the title yet, I plan to get it sometime soon though. Would that color make it rare?
If I were to sell it whole, what’s a fair price to ask?
Another though I’ve had, make this a road legal autocross car. To fix this stuff, where do you all get your sheet metal? The hell hole, passenger longs, floor and trunk floor is gone. I have the equipment to make repair sections, but it would be a big time saver to just buy replacement metal.
I thought my mind was made up earlier to part the car out, but after the replies on here I might consider fixing it. My wife and kids really like it, my daughter loves the original color too.
I browse classified for 914s almost daily, and the price on these cars is clearly climbing. I’m not saying I want to make this a show car, but I’m in it for $1000. The ones I’ve been seeing for sale, I can’t touch one for less than 5k, and they clearly need sheet metal replaced.
I’m going to pull the interior and some other panels to get a better look. The suspension mounting points all look solid, and the doors close without getting hung up. So if I repair the rust and try to add some additional bracing the car might not be so bad.
If you aren't scared of a little fabrication fun, a lot of drilling holes and a few hundred of spot welds... save it.
The build thread in my signature covers how I did all these pieces. I'd say my car was the same or worse condition. It's saveable with patience and money. Restoration designs has everything you need.
Ravenna Green car is pretty cool too IMO....
Garage space is crucial for these notorious rust buckets on the east coast. Only reason my LE is as nice as she is... garage queen
Pulled the carpet and crawled around it a little more. Couldn’t get the seats to move at all. I want to save it so bad, but I’m going to have so much time in it. Here’s a few more pictures. There’s not a corner in this car that’s solid. Someone was a fiberglass/pop rivet wizard too.
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Thanks for taking all of those photos.
I can gas you up all you want with motivation to fix it. Ultimately - it's up to you. Mine sat around while I stared at it for 6-8 months before I bit the bullet and really started going to town.
Everything pictured is fixable and it went surprisingly fast for me (3 months). With the added bonus of the feeling of accomplishment, knowing you saved a 914.
Sheet metal parts pop up on the classifieds here often, too. I've purchased 2 or 3 for almost half price. Food for thought.
So none of this is considered extreme?
I would call it extreme by most peoples standards. I am just a dreamer and want to see them all saved.
The suspension feels solid and the doors still close, which are both good signs.
Good, I wouldn't take the top off any time soon.
When you say buying sheet metal, do you mean factory stuff cut from cars?
Guys here often sell unused pieces from restorations. Typically RD or AA brand new parts. Cut outs too!
2 mysteries.... beside the accelerator pedal, and the rear of the center tunnel between the rear of the seats. is that normal ?
There's some butchery there. Full new floor pans cover all these areas.
Also is there a trick to get the seats to move?
The tracks are rusted to the hinge. Soak them with PB blast. On my passenger seat I actually had to break it out of place. Wobble back and forth. I tried for days and it just wouldn't budge.
Do you feel this is a rotisserie level repair?
Again, many will say yes. Depends on what you want the car to be... I am a fix it and drive it guy. Not a full restoration guy. I used turnbuckles and angle iron brace. Got the roof in spec, kept the top on and started removing metal. Once I verified the doors closed well.
All my comments are my experience and my opinion. Tons of other great advice here.
Part it out. If you want a 914, buy a better one and use some of the parts from this one to fix things.
Dont waist your time party,,,do a rough est. to the sum of all and move on....
I feel like a quitter for not saving it, but honestly I’d rather spend $5-8k? On a solid car that I can get in and drive and enjoy now. My last 2 builds have been frame off or pan offs and they drag on for years because life gets in the way, I want to get in and carve the corners in this one!
Another issue, the title I have is not for the car. No fault to the guy who sold it to me, he didn’t lie about it at all. I had no real intentions to save it at first so I’m ok with that. I figured if I took the time to make it road worthy I’d take the time to get that straightened out.
I really appreciate all of your replies! Great advice both ways, no shamming me for considering parting, and positive advice on repairing.
In the trade for the car, it was for a $1000 car, so that’s what I have in it. Can I part it out and break even? I hate to ask this, but could I get some advice on what orgs are worth? I’ve searched eBay, but I don’t want to gouge people. I’d like to stay involved in this community because I plan to get another 914.
My car was in about that shape and another build thread example in my signature. I think you've already got a clear eye for what's ahead. I'd just say, save it if you want a project. Either sell it or part it out if you don't. I've spent 3 years of almost all my spare time bringing mine back from the dead to a high level of restoration. No regrets because I wanted the project and the car has sentimental value. With the exception of machine work on the engine, I've done 100% of the labor and the car will probably be worth about what I have in it. My reward has been in learning new skills and the satisfaction of a job I'm proud of, but if what I really wanted was a car to drive, it would be a hard way to get there. For the same money, I could have bought a very nice #2 condition car which is I think what I have now.
Thanks for the reply Brent. I’ve been like a teenage girl the last few days, one minute I’ll save it, the other I’m parting it out. I’ve wanted a 914 for years so I’ll get one eventually. When I first got an intrest in them it seemed like I could get a clean southern car for $3-5k. After searching all the classifieds I normally look at, I’m not seeing them for any less than $7k. There are clearly increasing in value, not that I care about resale value. I hate to let this car go when it could be saved, but there’s a ton of sheet metal that needs replaced. I’m really surprised to see all the replacement metal thats avibke for these cars. That’s a game changer honestly. I started watching YouTube videos of the guys who post videos of changing everything out. Im not so Leary of it now. I can barrow a friends rotisserie and probably bust it out pretty quick.
When I got the car I had some kind of plan of throwing it together and running the drivetrain as is. BUT if I change all this sheet metal I cans just leave the drivetrain alone. So this will snowball into something.
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