1974 914 - Tig welding and Metalshaping saved it! Back on the road! Options

[TRS63]

Hello all,

member and owner of a 1974 1,8l since a few months, I still did not introduced myself.. now correcting it (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

First about myself: I am a french guy living in Stuttgart, 32 years old, mechanical engineer but my real passions are metalshaping and aircooled VWs and Porsche (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

After dreaming about a 914 since years, I decided end of last year that it was time to fulfill the dream and after seeing a few 914s, I bough that one.

About the car: originally from the US (sadly I know nothing about its history there), it is a 1974 1,8l 914 originally phoenix red. It was sometimes repainted, before 1991 when it was imported to the UK. It ran there until 2009, where it found its way back to Germany. And since october with me!

It is far from perfect but a good driver, which was my goal, as I want to enjoy it on the road during the restoration of my karmann ghia (for the curious: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic...&highlight= ).

my plan:
-drive drive drive drive (made 1000miles the first month with it (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif) )
-in the future: repair the rust, paint it original color back, improve the handling (it still has no sway bars, shocks are quite old, frame stiffener will be ordered,..), some interior modification,.. goal is to keep it usable on the street, while lightening it where possible and putting some more power (I am in love with the sound of a 6 but might keep it a big 4 for weight and legal reasons..).

Some pictures:
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.thesamba.com-24690-1612188443.1.jpg)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.thesamba.com-24690-1612188445.2.jpg)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.thesamba.com-24690-1612188445.3.jpg)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.thesamba.com-24690-1612188446.4.jpg)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.thesamba.com-24690-1612188446.5.jpg)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.thesamba.com-24690-1612188447.6.jpg)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.thesamba.com-24690-1612188447.7.png)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.thesamba.com-24690-1612188447.8.png)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.thesamba.com-24690-1612188448.9.png)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.thesamba.com-24690-1612188448.10.png)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.thesamba.com-24690-1612188448.11.png)

cheers

Antoine

[TRS63]

Thanks to all of you for the kind answers and the warm welcome (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

@930cabman : thanks a lot, that's the kind of feedback that motivates me even more! I am only doing it as a hobby but enjoying it a lot (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif)

@wonkipop : Thanks, the bug was my dailydriver for the last 4 years, and might become it again, well half time with the 914 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)
it has no sway bars and no holes for it in the front, so I need to order all the parts and then plan one long weekend to remove the tank, clean everything, weld the sway supports front and back, and then mount everything. But no emergency, I learn to know the car as is and will improve it when time comes!

Speaking of what, I will share what I did in my first 2 months of ownership (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I had once some water in due to the front seal being in bad condition.. so I changed the seal:
-before:
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.thesamba.com-24690-1612256454.1.jpg)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.thesamba.com-24690-1612256455.2.jpg)

-and after:
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.thesamba.com-24690-1612256455.3.jpg)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.thesamba.com-24690-1612256455.4.jpg)

and then I had the suspicion that water came under the "noise isolation" of the floor so startet to check:
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.thesamba.com-24690-1612256456.5.jpg)

and of course water under it:
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.thesamba.com-24690-1612256457.6.jpg)

so I removed it all (was already planned, to save some weight..):
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.thesamba.com-24690-1612256457.7.jpg)

but luckily it was in good condition under it and only with some surface rust. So I just cleaned it, treated where there was surface rust:
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.thesamba.com-24690-1612256458.8.jpg)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.thesamba.com-24690-1612256459.9.jpg)

and then a fresh coat of paint:
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.thesamba.com-24690-1612256459.10.jpg)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.thesamba.com-24690-1612256459.11.jpg)

and the last step was removing the engine bay isolation, as it's so heavy and prone to keep humidity. It was indeed not so nice:
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.thesamba.com-24690-1612256460.12.jpg)

so cleaned under it, remove the glue and a fresh coat of paint:
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.thesamba.com-24690-1612256460.13.jpg)

Cheers

Antoine