Bringing out the dead Options

[Jeff Hail]

Bringing Out The Dead.....or how to restore a rusty 914 and convert it to a street/track car when I have time after dealing with everyone elses stuff.

My background is collision and restoration (day job) of high end automobiles for 28 years in addition to race fabrication. I jumped the fence and left that industry to pursue pretty much the same thing except on the paperwork end which is really boring and thankless. (another day job)

I look at rust like a diamond in the rough. Rust is afraid of me because it know's it cannot live in my world. Metal becomes submissive because I have confidence in my metal working talents. I will add to this post as work progress's.

I hope my years of experience can help others as I add. I believe there is a right way to repair a car and wrong way. I metal finish because in the end its cleaner, lighter and stronger. I was taught old school techniques with new school technology. A great combination. I also believe in doing a job once correctly using the highest quality materials and proper tools. Many ways to skin a cat I say. If you hold it by the tail it can still bite!

Good advice to follow:
Take measurements of the door openings and targa bar to windshield header. Cross measure then do it again to confirm. Recheck your measurements against the factory figures. Make a couple of adjustable braces for each side that attach from the upper seat belt anchors to the door hinges. I recommend cross braces also right to left. These can be made from rod or tube and turnbuckles for cheap. Racer Chris has some really nice ones with rod ends. Support the car from below equally on both sides of the undercarriage and front and rear. I do not believe jack stands can hold the proper tolerances at 4 points. It takes a minimum of 6 and preferably 8. These are all easy to do and are essential to a square and level chassis. Not everyone can afford a Cellete bench or hourly frame time at a shop for these type of do it yourself repairs. Impovisation can be done correctly and for a lot less money. Make sure your floor or platform is level.

Keep in mind that tolerances for the 914 were 7-9mm from the factory so anything you can do to make it better is worth it. 7mm by today’s standards is huge. 9mm is a Grand Canyon. Anything you can do to tighten the tolerances will provide a better end product. Exterior panels were fit with the adjust and weld method and are only a skin.

My 914 had measurements all over the place on the front end and the rust issues were all in the rear that needed correction. Car was never in any collisions.
90% of the measurements were factory assembly tolerances. Porsche's aint perfect.

I made my own dedicated bench for 911's and 914's. By some stroke of luck I ended up with a 1 mm variance in height (datum) and 2mm in length and width is zero with my own fixtures. This has been substantiated with endless anal cross measuring and factory manuals. I used a steel front suspension cross member as a front body holding fixture. I went through 4 before I found an acceptable one. The first 3 were so far off factory tolerances (4-6 mm out of square) I rejected them before I found a good one.

My bench is not for pulling. It was designed for assembly and replacement of structural parts. It will support 3,000 pounds. $350 worth of steel and another $175 in industrial castors was worth it considering its use. A stripped 914 shell is a feather and easy to roll around. When you cut and replace structural parts recheck your measurements. Control points change when you remove, replace and weld in new parts. They are easily controlled with patience.

If it does not come out perfect do not lose sleep. Remember tolerance and variance was not perfect from the factory. If you have a control point locating hole that is 14 mm a dowel or pin of 9-10mm was used during birth. That is why suspension systems are adjustable for variance and wear. You will also find center indexing points on the front and rear of the body. Easy tools to use are plumb lines, tape measures and levels if you do not have access to high end measuring equipment. You can locate and make symmetrical measurements throughout repairs. If you have one side that is undamaged or not rusted use that side as a starting point for measurements. Use panel gaps as a visual indicator during repairs and welding.

3 important factors- height, length and width. If you are me then there are 4 (Z axis) and that one will make you lose sleep!

Some pics of the beggining: A back east 914 comes to California.

[Loser_Cruiser]

Lookin good, I'm excited to see your lighting solution.

[enderw88]

If Lamborghini could get away with using 92 Nissan 300ZX headlamps on the Diablo I can do this easily. (bet you never knew that)

I had to see it to believe, wow!

[Jeff Hail]

My neck and left shoulder are killing me. Can't keep a good fabricator down.


The tunnel braces for the throttle and clutch tubes are fab'd and installed. Sorry no pics.. Ooops.

Fab'd some other parts. I hate buying stuff that can be made and love making stuff that can't be bought. Access to a 50 ton press is helpful.

Name those parts?

[majkos]

I LOVE the near "donut holes" shelf
(Don't know what to call 'em)

Better than original

[Scott S]

Now thats a SHIFT knob !!

Whatcha think?

Is that a real pool ball? If so, bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad idea - please do not use that. I did the same thing on a 1981 full size blazer - built the thing in shop class in high school around 1984. I can still see some of the scars from the 20+ stitches in my hand when it shattered 3 months later while driving. Find a fake/wood ball - dont use a glass/ceramic.

Ugh. I remember having to call my parents from a pay phone to come get me in a parking lot and take me to the ER. Had a hand full of glass, a shifter covered in shards and blood all over the carpet and seats.

[Jeff Hail]

Actually the 8 Ball came with the car. I think it passed the test of time. Its a real shift knob not off a table.

[Jeff Hail]

Guess that part? Hint: Qtr panel.

[Jeff Hail]

I guess no takers on: "Guess that part".

The prior owner had the left quarter panel replaced at one time. I assume this was done probably when the car was fairly new judging by the grey filler and some brazing. Space age microspheres (Dynalite used red hardner and the filler ends up pink) so I know its old old work.

Well the bodyman used an air chisel here and a Sawzall there. He cut right through the vent duct and never bothered to repair his fine error.

That weld you see at the lower rt corner of the photo is where I removed some brass at the pinch weld. I didn't like the way it looked.

[Jeff Hail]

My conundrum was how to repair or replace it with the quarter panel still on the car? No room for tools up there.

So grind out the gash flat and fabricate a piece. Used a drum sander on an extension to get in there. Sand blast it bare.

[Jeff Hail]

The piece is then bonded with structural adhesive. First because I can't get a welder in there. Second I can't grind the welds down because its too confined. Third because the structural adhesive make sense for a repair of this type and it comes out clean.

[Jeff Hail]

Lets play "Guess that part" again.

[Jeff Hail]

Hint !

[Jeff Hail]

No winners today.

[Jeff Hail]

Spare me the the mass PM's please. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

These were a test run only for now. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/stirthepot.gif)

I will let you know when they are ready.

[Loser_Cruiser]

I already emailed you the other day, haha. I was hoping you were the jeff he was refering too. Always great work.

[Jeff Hail]

Sometimes life goes so fast.

[sixnotfour]

You know the movie quote "Italian trash"

Nice Ferrari.

[NS914]

You know the movie quote "Italian trash"

Nice Ferrari.

Aside from the Ferrari....which is sweet, how are you coming along with the 914. I just got back to this thread and my own car as well. Fantastic work and truly helpful is an understatement. Thanks so much for leading us through this.

Quick Q? Do you have more details on your shifter set up. I likely need to go back in the thread and see if i missed it.

Once again, thanks so much for what has to be one of the most informative threads in a very long time. Grant

[Jeff Hail]

You know the movie quote "Italian trash"

Nice Ferrari.

Aside from the Ferrari....which is sweet, how are you coming along with the 914. I just got back to this thread and my own car as well. Fantastic work and truly helpful is an understatement. Thanks so much for leading us through this.

Quick Q? Do you have more details on your shifter set up. I likely need to go back in the thread and see if i missed it.

Once again, thanks so much for what has to be one of the most informative threads in a very long time. Grant

I'm still here just have not done any work on the 14 lately. Lot of stuff going on in life right now so the car is on the back burner. My shoulder is out and has been since May which really sucks.

[NS914]

You know the movie quote "Italian trash"

Nice Ferrari.

Aside from the Ferrari....which is sweet, how are you coming along with the 914. I just got back to this thread and my own car as well. Fantastic work and truly helpful is an understatement. Thanks so much for leading us through this.

Quick Q? Do you have more details on your shifter set up. I likely need to go back in the thread and see if i missed it.

Once again, thanks so much for what has to be one of the most informative threads in a very long time. Grant

I'm still here just have not done any work on the 14 lately. Lot of stuff going on in life right now so the car is on the back burner. My shoulder is out and has been since May which really sucks.

No worries and take care of your shoulder. I busted mine up playing hockey and that rotator cuff can be a real pain when it does not work like it should.

Like the others, I have really learned alot through your work....sometimes as much abouty what I should tackle and what I should have a "Pro" do for me. Talk soon and hope you are back at it. Grant