Thinking about joining your cult, but I want to do it right. Options

[Nickanator8]

Hello cultists, I've been a lifelong Porsche fan but I've never actually owned one. I've eyed boxsters and 944s on occasion but I've never pulled the trigger on either. Like many of you I spend my free time browsing the internet for cheap cars that would be poor financial decisions and recently a 914 has come into view.

Craigslist Post

Here's the thing that concerns me most about buying any vintage car as a project car, let alone a Porsche: parts availability and price.

My plans for this particular Porsche would be broken up into two phases. Phase 1 would be a basic restoration to being street drivable. I want a fun weekend car that I can bring to the occasional autocross and thrash about. Ideally something unique, fun to drive, and inexpensive to keep running. Phase 2 would be after a few years of keeping the car relatively stock and would be a slow evolution into a barely streetable race car that makes it unrecognizable to its original form.

The catch is that my automotive wrenching capabilities are limited to regular oil changes in my garage, and I'm a bit of a tight-fisted scrooge which is a contributing factor to why I have never purchased a fun car before. I'm concerned that diving into a 50+ year old non-running Porsche is probably not the best way to dive into project car life or Porsche ownership.

So with all that in mind, I ask you this: should I throw caution to the wind and add this pile of German metal to my garage, diving head first into the pool of Porsche, or should I play it safe and wait for a better example to begin my lifelong addiction?

[sb914]

Hello cultists, I've been a lifelong Porsche fan but I've never actually owned one. I've eyed boxsters and 944s on occasion but I've never pulled the trigger on either. Like many of you I spend my free time browsing the internet for cheap cars that would be poor financial decisions and recently a 914 has come into view.

Craigslist Post

Here's the thing that concerns me most about buying any vintage car as a project car, let alone a Porsche: parts availability and price.

My plans for this particular Porsche would be broken up into two phases. Phase 1 would be a basic restoration to being street drivable. I want a fun weekend car that I can bring to the occasional autocross and thrash about. Ideally something unique, fun to drive, and inexpensive to keep running. Phase 2 would be after a few years of keeping the car relatively stock and would be a slow evolution into a barely streetable race car that makes it unrecognizable to its original form.

The catch is that my automotive wrenching capabilities are limited to regular oil changes in my garage, and I'm a bit of a tight-fisted scrooge which is a contributing factor to why I have never purchased a fun car before. I'm concerned that diving into a 50+ year old non-running Porsche is probably not the best way to dive into project car life or Porsche ownership.

So with all that in mind, I ask you this: should I throw caution to the wind and add this pile of German metal to my garage, diving head first into the pool of Porsche, or should I play it safe and wait for a better example to begin my lifelong addiction?

Best first post ever !!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/first.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png)

[lesorubcheek]

Nick,
I may be wrong, but it sounds like you're looking more for a car to drive than to wrench on. Unless you're ready, willing and able to do an ample share of wrenching, welding, cutting and swearing, just about any car that's 50 years old is gonna be a challenge, unless you buy one that someone else had already done the work. The last thing I want to do is discourage you. Restoring anything from a lifeless state back to a workable and usable form is a very rewarding feeling. If you're into doing this on a fun classic car, then go for it! The skills you'll learn are very valuable and can be applied to many things besides automobiles. Just realize it'll take time, $ investment and patience, especially overcoming failures.

Above all, if driving the car is your #1 goal, then I highly recommend you meet up with a 914 owner and if nothing else go for a ride. With a factory 4, you're not gonna be impressed with the acceleration, that is if you compare it to modern cars. But, if the feel of it on the tight curves and the mechanical sounds right behind your ears as you shift through the gears turns you on, then you'll know what it's all about. If not, well, maybe a boxter or miata may be a better fit. It's totally your choice what you like and what you don't.

Dan

[Nickanator8]

Nick,
I may be wrong, but it sounds like you're looking more for a car to drive than to wrench on. Unless you're ready, willing and able to do an ample share of wrenching, welding, cutting and swearing, just about any car that's 50 years old is gonna be a challenge, unless you buy one that someone else had already done the work. The last thing I want to do is discourage you. Restoring anything from a lifeless state back to a workable and usable form is a very rewarding feeling. If you're into doing this on a fun classic car, then go for it! The skills you'll learn are very valuable and can be applied to many things besides automobiles. Just realize it'll take time, $ investment and patience, especially overcoming failures.

Above all, if driving the car is your #1 goal, then I highly recommend you meet up with a 914 owner and if nothing else go for a ride. With a factory 4, you're not gonna be impressed with the acceleration, that is if you compare it to modern cars. But, if the feel of it on the tight curves and the mechanical sounds right behind your ears as you shift through the gears turns you on, then you'll know what it's all about. If not, well, maybe a boxter or miata may be a better fit. It's totally your choice what you like and what you don't.

Dan

Thanks for the insight. Honestly, I am constantly wrestling between wanting to have a project car and wanting to have a turn-key experience. Though the extent of my mechanical experience is changing my oil on my daily, I always feel a sense of satisfaction when the job is done and my hands are covered in dirt and grime. I also have a nice collection of tools mostly for woodworking and I've become handy with that medium, but understanding cars has always been where my passions lie.

The boxster and Miata are both on my list of potential fun weekend cars and for different reasons. I'm actually curious if anyone in this forum has insight into the difficulty of wrenching on an 914 compared to an NA Miata. Obviously there would be roughly 20 years of technological advancement in the Miata and way more aftermarket support, but to be honest part of what draws me to the 914 is it's niche/cult status. It is a car that might require a bit more creativity in repairing and that intrigues me. I love problem solving and I think that's what id drawing me to the 914 right now (in theory anyway).

If anyone in the Denver area wants to let me ride shotgun I'd be down for that. I'm not too concerned about the car being low on power, my favorite car I've owned was a 2000 Hyundai Accent because it was so light I could go double the recommended speed limit through any corner in town on skinny eco tires and not break traction. Feeling those lateral g-forces has always been more enjoyable to me than straight-line acceleration. Besides, there are so many documented cases of engine swaps that I am sure I could slap an EJ from one of the million Subarus in Colorado into the car if I felt it needed more horsepower.

[lesorubcheek]

Thanks for the insight. Honestly, I am constantly wrestling between wanting to have a project car and wanting to have a turn-key experience. Though the extent of my mechanical experience is changing my oil on my daily, I always feel a sense of satisfaction when the job is done and my hands are covered in dirt and grime. I also have a nice collection of tools mostly for woodworking and I've become handy with that medium, but understanding cars has always been where my passions lie.

The boxster and Miata are both on my list of potential fun weekend cars and for different reasons. I'm actually curious if anyone in this forum has insight into the difficulty of wrenching on an 914 compared to an NA Miata. Obviously there would be roughly 20 years of technological advancement in the Miata and way more aftermarket support, but to be honest part of what draws me to the 914 is it's niche/cult status. It is a car that might require a bit more creativity in repairing and that intrigues me. I love problem solving and I think that's what id drawing me to the 914 right now (in theory anyway).

If anyone in the Denver area wants to let me ride shotgun I'd be down for that. I'm not too concerned about the car being low on power, my favorite car I've owned was a 2000 Hyundai Accent because it was so light I could go double the recommended speed limit through any corner in town on skinny eco tires and not break traction. Feeling those lateral g-forces has always been more enjoyable to me than straight-line acceleration. Besides, there are so many documented cases of engine swaps that I am sure I could slap an EJ from one of the million Subarus in Colorado into the car if I felt it needed more horsepower.

Nick, woodworking is awesome. If you've learned wood surfacing, joinery, staining/coatings, etc., then there's alot of parallels with mechanical work. The biggest thing is not to feel intimidated and realize there's no magic in auto mechanics, only the need for knowledge, sometime a few special tools, and patience. I dove into my 914 when I was 16 with only a Clymer manual and a simple set of Craftsman metric wrenches. One fact though is that a 6 year old 914 didn't have nearly as much rust as the average 50 year old 914. If it needed welding and patching rusted out sheet metal, there was no way I was equipped to handle that back then. Just like making dove tails with a router is a different job than planing or cutting a rabbit, sheet metal work is different than taking an engine or transmission apart and then putting it back together. If you decide a 914 is the right car, just be ready for the full spectrum of what type work may be required. If budget is limited and you don't think it wise to start welding, grinding and cutting sheet metal, then as other have said, it's best to look for one that has a solid tub.

It sounds like from your Hyundai driving experience that a 914 may be the perfect car that meets your goals for driving fun. It's been almost 20 years since I've driven mine, and it's about to drive me nuts to get started working on it and drive it again. These cars are so well balanced and confidence inspiring, it really makes you feel at one with them as you take the sharpest curves. Very spacious and practical cars also.

As for engine swaps, yes, 914s are perfect candidates. For the longest time my plans were to slap in a 283 Chevy, but plans have now changed to a 2.4 six. Lots of parts available for many types of engine swaps. The door will be wide open for all kinds of choices.

Dan

[Superhawk996]

As for engine swaps, yes, 914s are perfect candidates. For the longest time my plans were to slap in a 283 Chevy, but plans have now changed to a 2.4 six.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif) stay away from the dark side . . . . air cooled is the only acceptable engine swap. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/av-943.gif)