Jamie's 914-H6 Subaru Swap, Palm Springs California Options

[jamlip]

### EDIT - for the purposes of not filling this forum with multiple posts about the same car, I'm going to continue the recomissioning of this car in this thread. Details begin on page two. ###

Checking in as the new owner of a 1971 914.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i.imgur.com-26060-1636387205.1.jpg)

Dragged out of the desert yesterday. Basically a shell, a steering rack, one wheel and a title.

Appears to be in decent shape. Probably needs a floor (rust penetration), definitely needs a front pan (cut up, no idea why) and some repair to the hellhole (small rust hole, but unsure what lies beneath). Rockers, doors and rear trunk appear to be very nice. There is light crash damage to the front left which has been hammered-out. I can't find bondo on it anywhere.

Kind of hesitant to post this as I've always wanted a 914, but unsure if this is the one. Long-time Porsche fan - owned a '72 911T when I was in my mid-20s, and now have a twin-plugged 912 which I restored (from a shell which wasn't a whole lot nicer than this).

Anyway, I have a rough idea of what I want to do with it. In the time being, I need to start hunting down some parts. Lots of parts.

[jamlip]

Few more hours on the car this evening. I'm taking it right down to the shell - I just find things way easier to work on when they're pared to their most basic form.

My friend Logan gave me a set of wheels so I can at least get the car rolling. They're just cheapo steelies from JBugs, but when I put them on the car I actually kind of dig the look, and it got me thinking.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/imgur.com-26060-1639458403.1.jpg)

When I started restoring my 912 all those years ago I had all these ideas about what I wanted to do with it. One of them was to make the most base-model 912 imagineable, and that is kind of how it ended-up. At least in terms of appearance - underneath there's a twin-plugged injected motor and lots of covert chassis lightweighting (it stands, ready to drive with half a tank of gas, at 1945lbs).

Anyway, I still love the 'all-go, no show' concept, and I think it'd be fun to do it to the 914, although go even more hardcore - just a tub and an engine. No heat, no dash, no trim pieces anywhere. I'm aiming for somethign I can thrash off-road, so I'm thinking just spray the whole thing black and vinyl wrap the sides whatever colour I fancy at the time.

The car is nearly down to nothing now. I pulled off the right rocker cover and discovered the bottom of the A-pillar had rotted out where the AC lines entered from the wheel well / cabin. I guess it was condensation from the lines that did it. Bummer. Found a repair section on Restoration Design, so not too much of an issue.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/imgur.com-26060-1639458403.2.jpg)

Still trying to work out if I buy a front trunk repair panel at $250 (to replace the current one which has been cut for A/C) or just patch in some sheet steel. If I take this thing out in the desert that pan is going to get eat a lot of rocks.

Another thing I'm trying to work out is whether I have the shell sand/media/vapor blasted or just leave as is. It's really nice to work on a clean shell but it's perhaps $1000-1200 I don't need to spend on something I plan to ultimately be thrashing the balls off.

I think I know what I'm going to end up doing, I just haven't admitted it to myself yet.