Price Check, Aisle 5 Options

[McLovin]

Hi there,

This is my first post, and I need some help. I'm looking at a 914 locally (USA) and I'm trying to figure out if it is worth the asking price. I've seen prices all over the map. My problem is what you can't see in he ads, so here's what I'm looking at.

Factor in that I'm in the Southeast. The names have been changed to protect the innocent.

I'm considering a late '70's 914. It had a color change on the outside and door jams only, (not in the bonnets and trunk). Has nice alloy wheels (an upgrade), but they aren't fuchs. Has the 2.0 Liter engine, but no fuel injection.

It's running a single progressive carb, but it runs nicely. Has an upgraded header style dual exhaust. I'm told it has a new shift linkage.

Has a near perfect interior. But the battery tray rusted out, yet underneath the battery tray it seems pretty solid...I will poke around there in earnest before I get the car. No rust underneath the spare tire. All of the electronics work well and the car is reliable. I heard that a seat broke/came loose due to an overweight person sitting in it and it had to be re-welded.

Has a rust bubble on the read quarter panel, but not near the hell hole...looks like poor paint preparation. Other than the rust bubble, the paint actually looks pretty good.

So can you give me you opinion of the high, mid and low range that someone might pay for a 914 in that shape?

Thanks for any and all advice.

[malcolm2]

I wanted a project and I got one.... they all end up being more than you think. But now I have touched, removed, fixed, re-installed just about everything on my car. Some things more than once, some more than twice. I would be comfortable driving it across the country.

And have made quite a few 7 hour trips in it. I rolled the ODO back while the speedo was out, the "new" car now has 28K miles on it in 3.3 years of almost daily (rain-free) driving. 1.8 liter modified to a 1911 cc and factory L-Jet and a Dr Evil built tranz (the only thing I did not crack open myself).

I had not welded anything since 1980. But I put new pans in, touched up the rear trunk, removed the AC and added the front trunk back in, did Hell Hole and foot pedal work. All fun stuff if you are game.

Enjoy.