More rust repair...how far should I go?, for a 75 driver, not race, not CW??? Options

[cha914]

Ok,

Its time to start on my Dad's "nice" 914...its a 75 with the strange gold color option and white interior. It was a 1.8, but we yanked that out and are putting in a 2.0 that has "all the goodies" but thats for another thread...

The car has been basically sitting for the last 2+ years, the last one outside (I know, I know)...we finally pulled the rockers and interior this weekend for a full rust inspection...and it has more than I thought it did...big supprise I am sure.

So, this car is going to be a driver, i want to fix the rust as fast as possible, but I don't want to be a DAPO for the next guy, so how do I fix this rust without doing a full resto? It has the beginings of long rot, but its not bad yet...ok...here are the pics:

The overall picture:

[LvSteveH]

We are really spoiled here on the west coast with regard to rust. Any time a car can be safely put back on the road and driven, it's a good thing. There is a point at which you just need to find a better chassis based on availability in your area. There is a thread open right now that shows just how bad a car can be, so the repairs we are looking at are minor in comparison. I'd say that for the average 914-4, if the rust can be fixed for less than $1000 parts and labor, it's probably worth fixing. You end up with a solid car and you know exactly what you have. Most 914's have some serious rust that even the owner doesn't know about, so it's not simply a matter of buying another car, because you'll just end up with new problems.

The only major thing I'd recommend is using GMAW (mig with gas) to do chassis welding. You'll find it is much easier to control the heat and the end result is much better. Flux core has it's place and I even like it for some applications, but not on a car. If you really want to have fun try Oxyfuel welding, it actually works really well, but anything flammable in the vicinity is toast...... literally. Good luck.

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