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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ Put the steering wheel on and drove it
Posted by: mmichalik Sep 25 2022, 04:09 PM
I bought the car in 2015 and had it towed up to the house. Have never driven it before.
I got the steering wheel back on Friday, put it on and gave it it's first shake down drive. In some ways, it was very cool and others a little disappointing. It rides like it's a buck board. I have some "cost effective" shocks on there now, so I'm going to upgrade them to Bilstien B6's like I have in the 74. Hopefully that will help
I Wonder if I put something back together upside down....... it just seems awfully stiff.
And there's an electrical issue with the wiper switch, it gets hot and sends out puff's of smoke so, I unplugged it. Have to figure that one out as well
But all in all, very cool. I've owned it for 7 years now and I know it sat for another 10 before I bought it so, it's come a long way.
I have video of the first drive but, the audio really sucks for some reason. If I can clean it up, I'll post it.
These pics were taken after I washed it, right after it's inaugural drive.
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Posted by: mmichalik Sep 25 2022, 04:10 PM
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Posted by: mmichalik Sep 25 2022, 04:11 PM
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Posted by: mmichalik Sep 25 2022, 04:13 PM
Here's what it looked like when I first got it.
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Posted by: rjames Sep 25 2022, 04:18 PM
Congrats! Great color combination!
Posted by: mmichalik Sep 25 2022, 04:19 PM
Again, I want to thank the vendors that has helped me get it to this point. @http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showuser=209 , @http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showuser=1319 @http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showuser=3031 @http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showuser=3348 , @http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showuser=1110 , George Hussey (I can't figure out how to put his handle here) as well as all the people of this forum who posted their stories or gave me direct advise when I posted questions. Thank you!
I've said it before and I'll say it again, I couldn't have gotten it this far without everyone's help.
Posted by: scottsilvertt Sep 25 2022, 04:39 PM
Looks really good. That’s a fun interior.
Posted by: FL000 Sep 25 2022, 05:21 PM
Looks awesome! Another one on the road 
Posted by: Cairo94507 Sep 25 2022, 05:22 PM
Job well done; now enjoy that beauty. 
Posted by: 930cabman Sep 25 2022, 05:37 PM
Very cool, another one on the road and lookin good. The long's, etc were decent?
Posted by: Geezer914 Sep 25 2022, 05:48 PM
Nice job saving another one!
Posted by: Freezin 914 Sep 25 2022, 06:00 PM
Congratulations, car looks great!
Posted by: 76-914 Sep 25 2022, 06:08 PM
Congrats!
Posted by: Bullethead Sep 25 2022, 06:30 PM
Nice resurrection and a beautiful color combo! Kudos!
Posted by: Jett Sep 25 2022, 06:34 PM
Great job and great looking car!
Posted by: Montreal914 Sep 25 2022, 06:37 PM
Wow! great looking car and color combination. Clean lines without the mirrors too... 
Congratulations, it must be a great feeling. I am sure you will figure out the harshness and make it a super nice ride! 
Thank you for sharing, great motivating factor for the ones rebuilding their cars... 
Posted by: bbrock Sep 25 2022, 07:57 PM
That car is gorgeous! Well done. Good on you for keeping the BUBs too. I don't understand why so many are eager to back date. I think they look great.
Posted by: Eric_Shea Sep 25 2022, 07:59 PM
Congratulations Mike. Looks great.
Posted by: burton73 Sep 25 2022, 07:59 PM
Your car looks really nice. Great color combination it's good contrasts and very clean
Bob B
Posted by: Spoke Sep 25 2022, 08:12 PM
Car looks fantastic. The steering wheel helps.
Good luck with the wipers. Letting the smoke out of any electronic component is not good.
Posted by: 914werke Sep 25 2022, 08:41 PM
That combo is POPPIN!
Posted by: infraredcalvin Sep 25 2022, 11:03 PM
Congrats, that color combo is sharp, car looks amazing. I’m sure you’ll get the ride under control.
My 1st 914 is a ‘75, even though it’s getting a backdated look (race car) I fell in love with the car as it sat with its BUBs
Keep on refining!
Posted by: Mikey914 Sep 26 2022, 12:40 AM
Happy to be able to help
Posted by: wonkipop Sep 26 2022, 04:54 AM
you did a nice job on that car mate.
looks fantastic.
give it the shocks it deserves when you are ready.
Posted by: mmichalik Sep 26 2022, 08:25 AM
Thank you everyone. We did a lot of work on it, pretty much all in my garage. We had to send it out for paint and some fine tuning once we put the engine in but, the majority of the time, it sat in the garage.
@http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showuser=24877 - then longs were in pretty good shape, we had to cut out and replace the area just below the hell hole but, other than that they were solid. The hell hole was actually pretty good as well. Not sure if it's factory or if someone drilled in but, there's a drainage hole there that kept it dry. (not to mention, it been in SoCal pretty much all it's life). We did have to replace the battery tray though. It was a little rough.
@http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showuser=20845 / @http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showuser=9463 I really like the 75 bumpers, without the tits though. It gives the car a funky 70's vibe. My 74 has the smaller bumpers and I like them as well but, wanted to keep this one as stock looking as possible.
Posted by: campbellcj Sep 26 2022, 10:36 AM
Looks really great, love the blue and congrats on getting it back into action!
Posted by: 914e Sep 26 2022, 02:51 PM
The car looks great. Blue with white is a nice combination.
Posted by: Root_Werks Sep 26 2022, 03:22 PM
Wow that turned out great! Nicely done!
Posted by: Steve Sep 26 2022, 03:23 PM
If it still rides like a buckboard after changing the shocks to Bilstein, check the torsion bars and rear springs. Maybe someone swapped them out for autocross or something harsher.
Posted by: simonjb Sep 26 2022, 03:47 PM
Amazing ! well done.
Posted by: mmichalik Sep 26 2022, 04:25 PM
If it still rides like a buckboard after changing the shocks to Bilstein, check the torsion bars and rear springs. Maybe someone swapped them out for autocross or something harsher.
I was going to swap the shocks and springs in the rear. Like I said, they were "cost effective" in the beginning so, hopefully that will solve it.
Posted by: 930cabman Sep 27 2022, 04:57 AM
The car looks great. Blue with white is a nice combination.
It does, but I could never have anything white
Posted by: JamesM Sep 27 2022, 12:18 PM
Looks amazing!
Late model cars may have some negatives associated with them but man they knock it out of the park with the color combos not available in earlier years.
Posted by: billh1963 Sep 27 2022, 02:07 PM
Very pretty car!
Posted by: mrholland2 Sep 27 2022, 04:55 PM
The car looks great. Blue with white is a nice combination.
It does, but I could never have anything white
I'm not sure I could either. . . at least not without the 1950's clear plastic slip covers purported to be on every old lady's couch.
Posted by: MM1 Sep 27 2022, 07:53 PM
Well done, Sir - to (incorrectly) paraphrase my kids, “that blue is bussin!”
Posted by: ChrisFoley Sep 28 2022, 04:36 AM
A thorough transformation. Nice job!
Posted by: jhynesrockmtn Oct 5 2022, 04:25 PM
Beautiful car. Amazing work! My new to me 74 that was restored many years ago rides rough and vibrates through the steering wheel. I am planning to go through the suspension this winter to see what might need to be done. I have ordered a set of turbo tie rods as a start.
Posted by: LeviB Oct 5 2022, 06:34 PM
I bought the car in 2015 and had it towed up to the house. Have never driven it before.
I got the steering wheel back on Friday, put it on and gave it it's first shake down drive. In some ways, it was very cool and others a little disappointing. It rides like it's a buck board. I have some "cost effective" shocks on there now, so I'm going to upgrade them to Bilstien B6's like I have in the 74. Hopefully that will help
I Wonder if I put something back together upside down....... it just seems awfully stiff.
And there's an electrical issue with the wiper switch, it gets hot and sends out puff's of smoke so, I unplugged it. Have to figure that one out as well
But all in all, very cool. I've owned it for 7 years now and I know it sat for another 10 before I bought it so, it's come a long way.
I have video of the first drive but, the audio really sucks for some reason. If I can clean it up, I'll post it.
These pics were taken after I washed it, right after it's inaugural drive.
Nice car!!
Posted by: iankarr Oct 5 2022, 08:32 PM
Congrats! Looks awesome!
Posted by: falcor75 Oct 6 2022, 06:46 AM
Congrats on a fantastic looking car.
I would say that even on Bilsteins the ride is definatly on the firm side especially if you are used to a more modern (plush) daily driver. There is a bit of brain calibration needed to simply get used to it. It gets a bit better at speed but poor roads will always be felt. Tire pressures make a big difference, I ran my 15" at 26-29 psi.
Posted by: Dion Oct 6 2022, 07:51 AM
Turned out beautiful. That’s a very nice colour combo. Enjoy!
Posted by: mmichalik Oct 6 2022, 08:09 AM
Congrats on a fantastic looking car.
I would say that even on Bilsteins the ride is definatly on the firm side especially if you are used to a more modern (plush) daily driver. There is a bit of brain calibration needed to simply get used to it. It gets a bit better at speed but poor roads will always be felt. Tire pressures make a big difference, I ran my 15" at 26-29 psi.
I hear you there, definately but, it rides way stiffer than my '74 does. There's something not right in that back end.
We'll see, I put Bilsteins and new 914rubber springs on the 74 and it made a very nice difference from what was in there before. Hopefully it will do the same on the 75.
I just have to get a moment or two together and take a look.
Posted by: cali914 Oct 6 2022, 10:15 AM
Beautiful car
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