observations on previous owner, 1974 914 1.8 Options

[brcacti]

I bought this from a younger guy who's relatives had the car so it was in the family for a good amount of time. He DID take care of the car BUT I noticed he did or at least tried to do some maintenance on the car himself. He was not mechanically inclined, less than me even (IMG:style_emoticons/default/slap.gif) . When putting the stock steering wheel back on I noticed he did not have the momo aligned right so one direction light did not cancel. I put the stock wheel on aligned so they both cancel. Also he must have at some point tried to set the timing as it was retarded causing it to run very rich. My mechanic advanced it 5-8 after the electronic ignition was installed and now I don't get that massive rich gas smell. I heard it was not always easy to set timing on these for beginners unless you're a mechanic. He MAY have not even used a timing light. My Mechanic told me to set the idle down if I wanted was 16, just did to about 11. I might set it down further in the next couple of days, want to drive it tomorrow and observe.

[914forme]

When ever I go into a new job, I try to remember the last person did their best with the knowledge they had, and when I leave the next person will find issues with my work. It is very easy to do, and I hope the work I did 20 years ago, is not the same work I do today.


I always feel like I could be someone else DPO

[bbrock]

When ever I go into a new job, I try to remember the last person did their best with the knowledge they had, and when I leave the next person will find issues with my work. It is very easy to do, and I hope the work I did 20 years ago, is not the same work I do today.


I always feel like I could be someone else DPO

I HAVE to take that attitude because at least half of the DAPO stuff on my car that I've had to fix were done by 35 years ago Me. I'm not the same person I was then. More skills, more patience, more appreciation of history, and most importantly... more money! Just try to remember that some of the stupid crap we see might have been done by someone trying the best they could to get their daily driver in condition to take them to work.

The other half of the stuff I've had to fix was done by professional body shops who banged dents only roughly back to shape before swiss cheesing them with holes before slathering on filler way too thick. That was pretty much standard practice back then and frankly, the car wouldn't have been worth taking it to one of the few shops that "did it right."

It all just becomes part of the history of the cars. Life stories.