factory pre bent chassis stiffening kit, any one interested? Options

[dr914@autoatlanta.com]

We have been lucky recently to have come across two factory chassis stiffening kits. These are stamped pieces that perfectly clamshell the body for very very easy installation. We were thinking about duplicating them but wanted to gauge interest and price to see if it would be worth while.
With the fact that they are pre bent they could not easily be installed on any 914 without a lot of labor. As tooling is very expensive and parts produced only sold to a small market, the sale price per kit would be more expensive of course than if we could make 1000 kits at a time. Comments?

[horizontally-opposed]

…funny on the timing of this.

Am just final-proofing an article in which Roland Kussmaul mentions that these braces and one more mod was enough to make the 914 a really great platform for racing—the better platform, actually.

My question for those who have done this: So the rear suspension has to come off. What else? And what about rust-proofing the car so modified?

[Mark Henry]

…funny on the timing of this.

Am just final-proofing an article in which Roland Kussmaul mentions that these braces and one more mod was enough to make the 914 a really great platform for racing—the better platform, actually.

My question for those who have done this: So the rear suspension has to come off. What else? And what about rust-proofing the car so modified?

It's not any easy job...it's "easy" in the context that the parts fit like they should. It would be a job that any advanced DIY'er could do, if you're not then it would be best left to a pro.

Of course it has to be welded to a sound chassis, but the rust issue is why I suggested galvalume steel like RD uses. You could mask the inner holes and edges and use epoxy primer on the underside. Then it has to be plug welded, Epoxy primed, then seam sealed and painted. Since it's the greasy side the finish doesn't have to be perfectly smooth.

[horizontally-opposed]

It's not any easy job...it's "easy" in the context that the parts fit like they should. It would be a job that any advanced DIY'er could do, if you're not then it would be best left to a pro.

Of course it has to be welded to a sound chassis, but the rust issue is why I suggested galvalume steel like RD uses. You could mask the inner holes and edges and use epoxy primer on the underside. Then it has to be plug welded, Epoxy primed, then seam sealed and painted. Since it's the greasy side the finish doesn't have to be perfectly smooth.

Not sure where I fall on the DIY scale, though I've been through most of my 914 and done a lot of the work on the car over the last 30 years. But welding, like major engine work or bodywork, is something I haven't played with—so I'd probably have this done. (And this chapter of life isn't conducive to DIY anyway…)

But, having more than doubled the power of my 914 a few years ago, to roughly 200, this kit is indeed interesting to me—all the more after reading Kussmaul's comments. Even if the factory-style stiffening kit went on a shelf for the right time, I suspect it's one of those few 914 parts you are unlikely to lose money on, or lose much money on.

Guessing there are others like me, also. I'd even be interested in a pre order if RD is involved, depending on what the price might be. Which I am sure is a bit chicken-egg for them, too. $30,000-$45,000 for the tooling is a big outlay, and we are lucky to have businesses that are even considering those kinds of products for the 914.