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)

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

cheers

Antoine

[TRS63]

It can be a slippery slope once you start digging into the rust. I hope your rust is minor and you can patch it and get your 914 back on the road to enjoy it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

You're absolutely right.. We'll see when the engine is out how it looks like from the inside, suspension console,.. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif) I want to drive it again as fast as possible but I want a safe car that is not going to suffer from any bump on the street.. Better be safe and take the time to do it properly now (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

So, I asked my qualified employee (aka my 5 years old boy who is already wrenching with me as much as possible !) to remove the interior (except the driver's seat to drive it to my shop tomorrow) to better see what we got.. Well, rust (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)
Driver's side, in the corner: (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.thesamba.com-24690-1629123071.1.jpg)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.thesamba.com-24690-1629123072.2.jpg)

And under the seat belt up in the firewall, I don't know how it rusted here, was no hole, just rust where I got through with the screwdriver.. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.thesamba.com-24690-1629123073.3.jpg)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.thesamba.com-24690-1629123073.4.jpg)

On the passenger side I only found some bad fixes from the past..
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.thesamba.com-24690-1629123074.5.jpg)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.thesamba.com-24690-1629123074.6.jpg)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.thesamba.com-24690-1629123074.7.jpg)

Well.. I'm in for real.. Not that I don't like it (metalshaping is my passion and I love welding, especially TIG) but this one is planned as a driver so will try to get it back on the road as fast as possible (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Cheers

Antoine