Sway Bar Confusion, Anyone seen this before? |
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Sway Bar Confusion, Anyone seen this before? |
MAD914 |
Feb 12 2014, 05:38 PM
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#1
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Newbie Group: Members Posts: 23 Joined: 3-August 11 From: La Verne, CA Member No.: 13,390 Region Association: Southern California |
This is my 74' 2.0. I took the gas tank out in preparation for installing an anti-sway bar (among other things), and this is what I found:
The passenger side is fine, all ready for a mounting plate. But then: On the driver's side, there is a stock plate spot-welded in, but neither the bolt holes or the hole for the bar are punched through. What the hell? Now I guess I have to drill out the spot welds, take the "stock" plate off, and install a proper reinforcement on both sides? I also thought of trying to thread a bolt into the existing nuts and maybe snap them off by hitting it with a hammer. Then I could leave the existing plate in place, and just drill through it to mount my new plate on the inner (gas tank) side of the sheet metal - but what about the nut that's down below the existing crosspiece? Oddly enough, the A-arms also have the stock U-tabs on them, even though the car didn't come with a front bar. I'm thinking maybe the schnitzel truck pulled into the Karmann factory early, and Gunter and Helmut didn't want to be last in line, so they just left the assembly line with the car halfway prepared for a sway bar. Anyone seen anything like this, or have any advice on the best way to proceed? Thanks, |
914werke |
Feb 12 2014, 06:14 PM
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#2
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"I got blisters on me fingers" Group: Members Posts: 10,141 Joined: 22-March 03 From: USofA Member No.: 453 Region Association: Pacific Northwest |
Thats F'n weird.
Never seen that one. Although it looks like that rail flange has been chewed on? |
SirAndy |
Feb 12 2014, 06:17 PM
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#3
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Resident German Group: Admin Posts: 41,679 Joined: 21-January 03 From: Oakland, Kalifornia Member No.: 179 Region Association: Northern California |
Just by looking at the quality of the welds, i highly doubt this was done at the factory ...
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif) |
jcd914 |
Feb 12 2014, 07:07 PM
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#4
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 2,081 Joined: 7-February 08 From: Sacramento, CA Member No.: 8,684 Region Association: Northern California |
The passenger side seems to have seam sealer sprayed on the rear seam (behind the wire harness) and the driver side does not. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)
Any odd seams where a section may have been grafted on? Jim |
Jeff Hail |
Feb 12 2014, 07:43 PM
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#5
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,141 Joined: 3-May 07 From: LA/ CA Member No.: 7,712 |
It was for the mid level 914-5 that was never put into production.
Half a 4 and the half a 6. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/av-943.gif) |
Krieger |
Feb 12 2014, 08:25 PM
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#6
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 4,728 Joined: 24-May 04 From: Santa Rosa CA Member No.: 2,104 Region Association: None |
looks like a plate was spot welded on the inside of the fenderwell. Got a pic from that side. PO probably realized it was crap work and maybe stopped himself with his good hand.
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McMark |
Feb 12 2014, 10:43 PM
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#7
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914 Freak! Group: Retired Admin Posts: 20,179 Joined: 13-March 03 From: Grand Rapids, MI Member No.: 419 Region Association: None |
Factory nut plates were welded on from the outside.
My first suspicion is that your car has a large section welded on from another car. |
mepstein |
Feb 12 2014, 10:55 PM
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#8
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914-6 GT in waiting Group: Members Posts: 19,315 Joined: 19-September 09 From: Landenberg, PA/Wilmington, DE Member No.: 10,825 Region Association: MidAtlantic Region |
Factory nut plates were welded on from the outside. My first suspicion is that your car has a large section welded on from another car. Is your car black or just the trunk. Black trunks on a different color car are usually a tell that something went wrong in the past |
Rob-O |
Feb 13 2014, 01:11 AM
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#9
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,252 Joined: 5-December 03 From: Mansfield, TX Member No.: 1,419 Region Association: Southwest Region |
I agree, those welds don't look factory. Looks like an inner wheel well was grafted on. To me, it looks like the old inner wheel was pulled/pried off. See the wave in the metal next to the bottom sway bar mount is? Then when the new wheel well was butted up, they drilled holes in it and welded them from inside the wheel well. I'd check for welds in the wheel well area. But that doesn't help to explain why a sway bar mount was welded to the outside of the wheel well, when it obviously wasn't needed.
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ChrisFoley |
Feb 13 2014, 11:40 AM
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#10
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I am Tangerine Racing Group: Members Posts: 7,934 Joined: 29-January 03 From: Bolton, CT Member No.: 209 Region Association: None |
Unfortunately, it looks factory to me.
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balljoint |
Feb 13 2014, 11:48 AM
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#11
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914 Wizard Group: Members Posts: 10,000 Joined: 6-April 04 Member No.: 1,897 Region Association: None |
Stay tuned folks, for the continuing saga of Helmut and Gunther and the distracting schnitzel.
Could be a parts bin mix up, could be a sinister schnitzel scheme. Perhaps there is another '74 rolling around out there with the opposite pair of fender wells. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif) To be completely honest, I have, from time to time, been accused of wearing one brown sock and one black sock in my sandals, of course leaving an identical pair at home in the drawer for later use. |
SLITS |
Feb 13 2014, 12:02 PM
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#12
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"This Utah shit is HARSH!" Group: Benefactors Posts: 13,602 Joined: 22-February 04 From: SoCal Mountains ... Member No.: 1,696 Region Association: None |
It was for NASCAR "down under", where they only make right turns.
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MAD914 |
Feb 14 2014, 02:48 PM
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#13
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Newbie Group: Members Posts: 23 Joined: 3-August 11 From: La Verne, CA Member No.: 13,390 Region Association: Southern California |
I had no idea that a sardonic sense of humor was so closely tied to 914 ownership.
I've looked carefully at the area, and can't find any seams, cuts, or welds that would make me think there was a large graft from another car. The seam sealer on the driver's side is just out of the frame of the photo I took, and it looks stock as well. This is the fenderwell with the [matching] VIN stamped on it, so again, I think it's all stock. The holes for the bolts and the bar are very cleanly "punched", not drilled, as far as I can tell. I've owned the car since 1983 (the whole car has always been black), so PO damage is possibly less likely. I guess my next move is to clean off the wheel well side, take a look, and possibly start drilling out spot welds to take this thing off. In keeping with "balljoint's" comment, I've begun referring to this thing as the "schnitzel plate" (as opposed to a "taco plate"). Any other ideas? |
Eric_Shea |
Feb 14 2014, 03:26 PM
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#14
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PMB Performance Group: Admin Posts: 19,278 Joined: 3-September 03 From: Salt Lake City, UT Member No.: 1,110 Region Association: Rocky Mountains |
Looks factory to me as well...
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scotty b |
Feb 14 2014, 03:44 PM
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#15
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rust free you say ? Group: Members Posts: 16,375 Joined: 7-January 05 From: richmond, Va. Member No.: 3,419 Region Association: None |
I had no idea that a sardonic sense of humor was so closely tied to 914 ownership. you taint seen nuthin yet buddy (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) |
scotty b |
Feb 14 2014, 03:45 PM
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#16
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rust free you say ? Group: Members Posts: 16,375 Joined: 7-January 05 From: richmond, Va. Member No.: 3,419 Region Association: None |
look both wheel wells over VERY closely for sand scratches, or grinder marks under the paint
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bulitt |
Feb 14 2014, 04:35 PM
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#17
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Achtzylinder Group: Members Posts: 4,188 Joined: 2-October 11 Member No.: 13,632 Region Association: South East States |
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif)
Looks like sprayed on seam sealer on one side and not t'other (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) |
nathansnathan |
Feb 14 2014, 04:37 PM
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#18
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,052 Joined: 31-May 10 From: Laguna Beach, CA Member No.: 11,782 Region Association: None |
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McMark |
Feb 14 2014, 09:44 PM
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#19
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914 Freak! Group: Retired Admin Posts: 20,179 Joined: 13-March 03 From: Grand Rapids, MI Member No.: 419 Region Association: None |
Looks factory to me as well... I agree, It looks spot welded, which few people would have the means to do, especially right there. Yes I agree. But the other side could be the replacement. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) |
r_towle |
Feb 14 2014, 11:42 PM
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#20
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Custom Member Group: Members Posts: 24,591 Joined: 9-January 03 From: Taxachusetts Member No.: 124 Region Association: North East States |
I had no idea that a sardonic sense of humor was so closely tied to 914 ownership. I've looked carefully at the area, and can't find any seams, cuts, or welds that would make me think there was a large graft from another car. The seam sealer on the driver's side is just out of the frame of the photo I took, and it looks stock as well. This is the fenderwell with the [matching] VIN stamped on it, so again, I think it's all stock. The holes for the bolts and the bar are very cleanly "punched", not drilled, as far as I can tell. I've owned the car since 1983 (the whole car has always been black), so PO damage is possibly less likely. I guess my next move is to clean off the wheel well side, take a look, and possibly start drilling out spot welds to take this thing off. In keeping with "balljoint's" comment, I've begun referring to this thing as the "schnitzel plate" (as opposed to a "taco plate"). Any other ideas? German workers union rules allow for two liters of beer during the lunch break ( no kidding) Let's guess what time yr car was built (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welder.gif) then (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) then (IMG:style_emoticons/default/chowtime.gif) then (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) |
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