lowering my 914, some wheel work Options

[johnpierre]

hey everyone (at least here in los angeles). i want to lower my 73 a little, or at least explore the idea. i want it done as best as possible, i.e. ride quality, steering geometry etc. does anyone know of someone or a shop (here locally) that i can trust and that has plenty of experience doing this on 914s. i also want to strip the paint on my rivieras, and repaint them, i suppose that would just be any paint shop right ?

[Tom_T]

Otto's in Venice knows 914s well for the suspension & any other mechanical work.

You could refinish the Rivieras yourself - strip & repaint, smooth out minor curb-rash, if they're not too bad. Look up some of the wheel refinishing threads on here & adapt to Rivieras.

[r_towle]

Otto's in Venice knows 914s well for the suspension & any other mechanical work.

You could refinish the Rivieras yourself - strip & repaint, smooth out minor curb-rash, if they're not too bad. Look up some of the wheel refinishing threads on here & adapt to Rivieras.

I believe Otto recently passed away.
There is a thread here on that.


Lowering the car will create compromises that you need to understand.
To low, and the car becomes stiff, hits potholes and shakes teeth.

To low and you end up with twitchy steering sometimes called "bump steering"

We have all scraped the ground and all raised them back up again.

Never let the front a-arm get beyond level, that is to low and requires modifications to get it to be right...

You will need to get an alignment after you lower the car.

You will need to buy adjustable perch rear shocks to give you any adjustment in the rear.
Front is simple, turn the adjusters to lower it.

rich

[johnpierre]

Otto's in Venice knows 914s well for the suspension & any other mechanical work.

You could refinish the Rivieras yourself - strip & repaint, smooth out minor curb-rash, if they're not too bad. Look up some of the wheel refinishing threads on here & adapt to Rivieras.

I believe Otto recently passed away.
There is a thread here on that.


Lowering the car will create compromises that you need to understand.
To low, and the car becomes stiff, hits potholes and shakes teeth.

To low and you end up with twitchy steering sometimes called "bump steering"

We have all scraped the ground and all raised them back up again.

Never let the front a-arm get beyond level, that is to low and requires modifications to get it to be right...

You will need to get an alignment after you lower the car.

You will need to buy adjustable perch rear shocks to give you any adjustment in the rear.
Front is simple, turn the adjusters to lower it.

rich

that is good insight. as it turns out, it is the front that i want to lower more, to create a slight racked look. when you say, the front is easier and just turn adjusters is that something i can do without taking everything apart?

[johnpierre]

Otto's in Venice knows 914s well for the suspension & any other mechanical work.

You could refinish the Rivieras yourself - strip & repaint, smooth out minor curb-rash, if they're not too bad. Look up some of the wheel refinishing threads on here & adapt to Rivieras.

I believe Otto recently passed away.
There is a thread here on that.


Lowering the car will create compromises that you need to understand.
To low, and the car becomes stiff, hits potholes and shakes teeth.

To low and you end up with twitchy steering sometimes called "bump steering"

We have all scraped the ground and all raised them back up again.

Never let the front a-arm get beyond level, that is to low and requires modifications to get it to be right...

You will need to get an alignment after you lower the car.

You will need to buy adjustable perch rear shocks to give you any adjustment in the rear.
Front is simple, turn the adjusters to lower it.

rich

that is good insight. as it turns out, it is the front that i want to lower more, to create a slight racked look. when you say, the front is easier and just turn adjusters is that something i can do without taking everything apart?

by the way i am talking about an inch maybe 2 inches at the most.