1975 Laguna Blue - 1.8, Working on my new project Options

[TRP]

Hello 914 World!

I just picked up my first 914 on Friday, August 8th, 2025. I have wanted a 914 for many years, came close to buying some needy projects in the past, but always seemed to pass for one reason or another. After a ton of looking around I finally found a good candidate for my next project.






The car was being auctioned off on Bring A Trailer but it did not meet reserve. The car was located about 45 minutes from my house so I ended up working out a deal a few days after the auction expired.

Here is how the car looked back in 2019 when it first sold on BAT:


Kind of interesting to see how it changed over the years.

Thanks for tuning in,
Ted

[TRP]

I did a little digging around, I think the relay thing under the passenger seat is part of the the seatbelt interlock system, which was standard on 1974-76 914s. So, that mystery may be solved.

The bundle on top of the center tunnel must be for the optional gauges and that lone wire must be for the defroster light.

The round one is still a mystery.

[wonkipop]

I did a little digging around, I think the relay thing under the passenger seat is part of the the seatbelt interlock system, which was standard on 1974-76 914s. So, that mystery may be solved.

The bundle on top of the center tunnel must be for the optional gauges and that lone wire must be for the defroster light.

The round one is still a mystery.

connection for counter for catalyst?
your car is a 75 with back dated bumpers?
it would have had a cat if it was a california delivered 75 1.8
dont know much about the catalyst etc but i believe there was some kind of mileage counter built into the foam in the passenger footwell.
others here will know for sure.

[TRP]

I did a little digging around, I think the relay thing under the passenger seat is part of the the seatbelt interlock system, which was standard on 1974-76 914s. So, that mystery may be solved.

The bundle on top of the center tunnel must be for the optional gauges and that lone wire must be for the defroster light.

The round one is still a mystery.

connection for counter for catalyst?
your car is a 75 with back dated bumpers?
it would have had a cat if it was a california delivered 75 1.8
dont know much about the catalyst etc but i believe there was some kind of mileage counter built into the foam in the passenger footwell.
others here will know for sure.

My car is a 1975 with backdated bumpers (because I'm a savage and have to modify everything...) -- but I think it's a 49 state car, that did not come with the smog stuff on it. I think you are on to something about the catalyst counter in the footwell. I say that because my foam foot well has a big factory square cut out of the middle of it with a wooden panel to cover the cutout.

Mystery solved? Thank you!

I was REALLY surprised at how easy the fuel lines went in, even with the motor in the car. I spent more time worrying about how difficult it would be than I did actually putting them in. Someone suggested using glycerin as a lubricant on the grommets and that worked like a dream. I had the car jacked up and blocked pretty high in the rear and just angled them in from the right side and pushed them in, wiggled the lines a bit if things got hung up. Once they were in the tunnel, the most challenging part was getting the lines in the front grommet, and that was only difficult because the lines were all slippery. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

The Tangerine stuff went in incredibly smoothly as well. Now I just need to reassemble the interior and finish plumbing in the new soft lines up front and in back. Then I have to tackle resetting up the shifter. Pretty productive Sunday all in all.

Thanks again for checking in on my little project car. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[wonkipop]

I did a little digging around, I think the relay thing under the passenger seat is part of the the seatbelt interlock system, which was standard on 1974-76 914s. So, that mystery may be solved.

The bundle on top of the center tunnel must be for the optional gauges and that lone wire must be for the defroster light.

The round one is still a mystery.

connection for counter for catalyst?
your car is a 75 with back dated bumpers?
it would have had a cat if it was a california delivered 75 1.8
dont know much about the catalyst etc but i believe there was some kind of mileage counter built into the foam in the passenger footwell.
others here will know for sure.

My car is a 1975 with backdated bumpers (because I'm a savage and have to modify everything...) -- but I think it's a 49 state car, that did not come with the smog stuff on it. I think you are on to something about the catalyst counter in the footwell. I say that because my foam foot well has a big factory square cut out of the middle of it with a wooden panel to cover the cutout.

Mystery solved? Thank you!

I was REALLY surprised at how easy the fuel lines went in, even with the motor in the car. I spent more time worrying about how difficult it would be than I did actually putting them in. Someone suggested using glycerin as a lubricant on the grommets and that worked like a dream. I had the car jacked up and blocked pretty high in the rear and just angled them in from the right side and pushed them in, wiggled the lines a bit if things got hung up. Once they were in the tunnel, the most challenging part was getting the lines in the front grommet, and that was only difficult because the lines were all slippery. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

The Tangerine stuff went in incredibly smoothly as well. Now I just need to reassemble the interior and finish plumbing in the new soft lines up front and in back. Then I have to tackle resetting up the shifter. Pretty productive Sunday all in all.

Thanks again for checking in on my little project car. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

easy way to work out whether its 49 state or california car is to see if it still has the white painted 3 digit number stamp on engine tin. be on either left or right hand side.
if so - what is it?

emissions stuff could be long gone and besides was not that much on the 1.8s.
49 states had virtually no visible emissions gear. just a disconnected hose on advance side of distributor vac can. that was it. calif had EGR and a cat. lots of 1.8s have had the EGR removed by now due to NLA of 75 exhaust system with the cat for a long time.

i imagine the fuel lines are not so bad LHD.
the top end near the front firewall is a lot more convuluted for RHD. you got to get the lines over the axle shafts for the RHD pedal cluster. and the extra iittle bends they have to do make them a bit more difficult to coax up the tunnel.
and of course make your own fuel lines as the LHD kits don't work - lot of trial and error. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)