The value of a VIN, a post of what ifs Options

[djm914-6]

OK, lets assume you buy a nicely restored chassis for $5000. Then you take all of the parts off your "worst for wear" driver and put them on that new chassis. Magically you now have a factory 914-6 in pretty good condition. Is it worth it?

What if you paid $5000 for your "worst for wear" driver; now you have $10k in this pretty good factory 914-6. Is it worth it?

What if you had put a whole bunch of money into your "worst for wear" driver and add it to the pretty good 914-6 total. Is it worth it?

Seriously though, I'm contemplating this sinerio right now. Is a VIN number really worth it?

[bob91403]

From your questions, I take it you have a 914/6 in rusty condition, and your considering switching the whole car over to a restored 914/4 chassis. Fix the rust situation on your six. It's worth it. Your idea's end result would have no more value than a good conversion. They made too many fours and not enough sixes to say your VIN is not worth it. I wish porsche had used 9144 and 9146 instead of 473 and 914.

[Mueller]

I'd personally want a "real" /6 VIN chassis than your current /4 chassis with a /6 motor.

Even if the engine numbers don't match a /6 in a /6 chassis, it has more "appeal" to it for some reason.

[ChrisFoley]

I'd have to say he wants to take the parts off his "fake" six and put them onto a real six chassis after restoring it.
A bit better scenario than the other way around. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/boldblue.gif)

[bob91403]

I'd have to say he wants to take the parts off his "fake" six and put them onto a real six chassis after restoring it.
A bit better scenario than the other way around.  :boing:

He is rather vague about the situation. If that were the case, sure why not? As long as all the parts are correct. Another six back on the road is a good thing. Maybe he should give us a clearer description of what he is contemplating.

[markb]

Yup, fix the six. The VIN is worth it.

[JoeSharpOld]

I paid alot of money for my real -6. Because I wanted a REAL 6. I got the numbers and alot of work, but end the end it will be worth it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif)
Joe

[Allan]

I think it depends on the rationale. If it is just due to sheetmetal, then swap what you can and keep as much of the original as you can. I mean isnt this the place where the main goal is to save the 914

[william harris]

Racer Chris is on the mark (as usual). Dave's "6" is a conversion and has serious rust issues. Not being a snob or a purist, and of course everything depends on the depth of the wallet, I see nothing wrong with Dave finding a solid 4 chassis and morphing the "6" into a new body. However, if money is no object, there is certainly an advantage to the "real 6" route. I for one don't really take offense at a well done 6 conversion, V-8 conversion like the alien, or what have you (Subaru turbo, etc.) Keep em on the road and enjoy them. Dave, if you need help turning wrenches and moving parts, give me a call. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer.gif)

[d914]

forget real 6 or not. Is a $10,000 investment good to get a nice driving -6 914 real or not. Yes....Alot of us have that in a non- running 4.

[dflesburg]

Why do you care?

Are you going to sell it?

Is it for you or for your ego?

Personally, and I bet Root would agree with me... Who cares? Build a cool car to play with and play with it.

It took me 40 years to learn a basic fact of happiness...

If I feel good about me on the inside I don't care what everyone else thinks or says.

Besides if my kids really love cars then one of them or one of my grandkids would end up loving the car the way I do, otherwise when the greedy goblins go to sell it they will be disappointed, and at the time I will be dead and won't care.

Why do you care so much about "status".

[djm914-6]

Sorry for the confusions. I posted the message then went to bed.

For those that don't know, my 914 is a -6 conversion. The original 914-6 was severly crunched so the PO traded the crunched chassis for a "straight" 4cyl chassis. I'm looking at the 914-6 chassis listed in the classifieds. It needs a lot of work, more than my -4 chassis actually.

My debate is to scrape, beg, borrow and steal the money to buy the chassis then sit on it for a time until I can afford to pay a nice east coast welder to fix it. I can do all the finish work myself (with help from a few others). Basically I'll drive my real fake 914-6 until the chassis is complete then swap parts. I know I can buy another -4 chassis with little to no rust for the same money as the badly rusted chassis.

I've moved from the make it fast no mater what to a "concours racer". I want a racecar look on a concours body. The depth of my wallet is a very major concern. It's deep enough IMO, but there's a lot of hands in there.

More thoughts?

[bob91403]

5K is a lot for a chassis that needs work, even if it is a sixer. If it comes with some original parts, go for it. When you finish it will be worth 12-16K. So, yes, it's worth it. Right now your conversion is probably worth 8-10K. You're kind of at the break even point. But, there is something to be said for the prestige of a much more limited production car. I like the thought of even ONE more 914/6 being saved and put back on the road. I think most of us have romantic feelings about our 914/4s, and only dream of owning a real 914/6. Consider yourself blessed and enjoy it, we'll all be envious.

[djm914-6]

No, no, I believe the total for the chassis and fixing it up will be near the $5k line if I do a lot of the work myself. I hear there's a good welder in CT that knows a little bit about 914s (Hi Chris (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) ). He would be a good candidate do put this thing back in order. Steel flares, vintage cage, stripped interior, all '70s inspired decos.

Hmmm, what to do; what to do?

I guess the desciding factor is if I can come up with the cash just to buy the chassis. Then I'd need a place to store it until I can afford the repair work.

If it's meant to be things will fall into place, if not then another /6 goes to the great rust bin in the sky.

[davep]

I'm in the same position as Dave, I'd like a nice /6 and don't have deep pockets.
My take on it is, find a restorable original /6 chassis and restore it as money permits. Take the bits off of the current driver to complete the restoration. The leftover converted /4 tub could be sold to someone else wanting a project at that time.
A slight aside here. In many cases the "restorable" 914/6 tub will be in poor shape. However, the VIN does command a premium. Since we are not worrying about a pristine original chassis, why not go the GT route during the restoration. This adds significant value, as well as costs, but perhaps the benefit/cost ratio is a better choice as opposed to just restoring to an original plain jane 914/6. Since the original GT's came in many degrees of conversion, you have your choice as to how far to proceed according to the available money. GT flares make the car. A front oil cooler is also a good idea. A 100 liter fuel tank is useless except for endurance racing, so only the few cars that needed it were converted.

[Root_Werks]

Sorry for the confusions. I posted the message then went to bed.

For those that don't know, my 914 is a -6 conversion. The original 914-6 was severly crunched so the PO traded the crunched chassis for a "straight" 4cyl chassis. I'm looking at the 914-6 chassis listed in the classifieds. It needs a lot of work, more than my -4 chassis actually.

My debate is to scrape, beg, borrow and steal the money to buy the chassis then sit on it for a time until I can afford to pay a nice east coast welder to fix it. I can do all the finish work myself (with help from a few others). Basically I'll drive my real fake 914-6 until the chassis is complete then swap parts. I know I can buy another -4 chassis with little to no rust for the same money as the badly rusted chassis.

I've moved from the make it fast no mater what to a "concours racer". I want a racecar look on a concours body. The depth of my wallet is a very major concern. It's deep enough IMO, but there's a lot of hands in there.

More thoughts?

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) Dang, read me like a book. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

A lot of hands dig into my wallet as well. If I could swing a cherry $20k factory 914-6, I would, but I can't. So I build mine for what I can afford.

Family, house, job, happiness all come long before a car ever will. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[nickg]

first off, let me set some of the record straight here. I own the 914-6 chassis in question. I am a bit remiss at whayt you guys are calling a bad chassis. I can tell you that this chassis is more solid than 90% of the cars i have ever seen. it has little rust in the "hell hole " as you guys call it and less rust on the inner rockers than my car that i just trucked out from California. I would love to see your version of a good chassis. I have been into 914 since the early 80's and have parted out over 100, i can say i have a good handle on what is a good chassis and what is not. I emailed a bunch of you guys pictures, waste of my time as i figured. i took a picture of every bad spot on the car. the floors are solid(driver foot well is surface rusty as it has no paint. the front and rear trunk floors are perfect, the battery area is nicer than almost any driver around the north east. I bought the car for the drive train to put it in my 76. i already looked the chassis over very detailed and figured i can fix the rust for less than 1000. anyway, i am listing it on ebay this weekend to get it out of my yard, if it does not sell i am cutting it up and scrapping it next weekend(i have no place to store it) oh well, the last 1970 914-6 .......

[Mueller]

nick,

I don't think anyone was really bashing your /6 chassis...some are just making assumtions (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

there is a fellow member here who bought an original /6 chassis that is going to need a couple grand to get the body "straight"...I wouldn't touch it since I don't like to do bodywork and I don't have the funds to pay someone else, but my hat is off to him for buying it and putting it back together...(way to go Steve (IMG:style_emoticons/default/pray.gif) )

[914werke]

I am a bit remiss at whayt you guys are calling a bad chassis.

Entry: remiss
Function: verb
Definition: careless
Synonyms: behindhand, culpable, daydreaming, defaultant, delinquent, derelict, dilatory, disregardful, fainéant, forgetful, heedless, inattentive, indifferent, indolent, lackadaisical, lax, lazy, neglectful, negligent, regardless, slack, slapdash, slipshod, sloppy, slothful, slow, tardy, thoughtless, uninterested, unmindful, woolgathering

Soooo your saying that the chassis is a POS (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

Lighten up (IMG:style_emoticons/default/finger.gif)

[djm914-6]

Um nickg, I'm sorry you have taken offence. I was just looking for others opinions. The chassis does need a lot of work. I was figuring at least $3k just to get it in some order. The longs are gone. The floor is gone. Some think it way even be two chassis welded together. IMHO it's far worse off than my car and my car is the worst I've seen except one. I've seen lots of 914s. I'm sorry to have "wasted your time" but I was seriously thinking of buying.