advice on 914 restoration Options

[JayKoit]

Hello everyone,

I'm new to this forum, but I'm a long time Porsche enthusiast, and I'm looking for some advice.

I'd like to purchase and restore an old Porsche 914, or possibly a 912. I did a '73 Super Beetle restoration about 12 years ago and loved it, and I'm hoping some of what I learned in that process will translate over to a 914/912 restoration, at least in the powertrain dept. Not sure if anyone on this forum has 912 restoration experience, but my main question is: if i'm on a budget, and my only experience is restoring a beetle, which one would be a better fit for my wallet & experience level, or are they about the same? Also, is there a notable difference in insurance premiums between the two? Finally, if I find a good, mostly rust free roller without engine or tranny, what would a ground up restoration cost on a 914 if I just went with standard engine, tranny, suspension, etc?I love both models equally, just wondering if anyone would be willing to give me feedback on this. Thanks!

[TJB/914]

BTW: (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png)

The only thing I suggest, spend $8K to $10K up front for a running rust free 914 and you will spend less money in the end. If you buy a low buck rust bucket you will spend more in the final restoration along with a 5-10 year project (really). Parts are getting scarce and expensive. I understand everyone's budget is different, but if you have it spend it up front.

I completely restored my 914 about 10-years ago on a rust free CA car and spent about $12K in parts with a lot of horse trading to bring my total restoration cost in at about $20K. I believe today's replacement parts will be in the $20K range, not including motor work for a CW type restoration plus labor costs, paint & misc services. Cost can be reduced if your a do it yourself guy. Make a plan before you start. Do you want a daily driver or CW restoration or ??? Everything depends on your up front $-budget?? This site is the best in 914 land. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/pray.gif) We are here to help!!!

Tom