Just checked out a '74 2.0, advise please! Options

[wertygrog]

Hello,

First off im 17 years old, my dad is a very avid antique car collector (he likes muscle cars and stuff)...we both love old cars, and my dad is very competent with car repairs/maintainence. My dad's fried bought a nonrunning 74 2.0 914 from a guy who was moving, and he bought several hundred dollars of parts for it, including a clutch, new park lights, batt tray i think, etc, and recently had $1200 worth of labor put into it (brake/fuel lines, gas tank, getting it running, etc). He even has the window sticker for it! Since he is a family friend (and he is too big for the car) he will sell it to me for $1000. I checked out the car and this is what is has:

-amber/clear park lights-i think this is euro style
-porsche hood emblem (is this stock?)
-black minilite wheels (we think)---how to tell?
-doesn't have small side lights (why not?)
-porsche side lettering
-porsche-lettered plastic trim under door sills and under lettering
-quad weber carbs/ k&n filters
-fog lights
-leather steering wheel/shift boot
-3-guage cluster (appearance group)
-original red paint and 80K mi on it
-minimal rust other than noted below
-has about $10 worth of change in center console

and here are the problems:
-windshield wipers don't work (unknown reason)
-pass door doesn't open from outside (mech issue)
-has carbs not orig FI
-paint is bubbling up due to rust on upper quarterpanels by door handle
-doesn't shift into first (prob needs new bushings)
-trunk hinges shot (but not rusted. has previously been welded)
-considerable amount of metal missing under pass side floor panel where meets rocker panel. driver side isnt TOO bad.
-batt support pillar is rusted, but not rusted through.
-targa top is difficult to put back on. I fear body sagging, but im not sure.
-tires (185's) need replacing.
-pass window crank is damaged (where to get a new one?)
-he lost the key (cheapest way to get replacement?)

What do you think? I am buying this as a fun car until i go to college (of course i won't destroy it-see way to much of that). I can't pour much money into rustoration, but my dad and I can perform all maintainance repairs that aren't too $$$. A question i have is why it doesn't have the side markers? It also has a porsche hood emblem that i suspect is someone's mod (although i like it). I'm wondering whether this car will fall apart on me in the next year or so (rust wise), and whether it would cost me a fortune to run and maintain it.

Thanks for reading this,
Brent

[r_towle]

Do you know how to weld?

I am close by, as are several others...we would be happy to come look.

These cars typically rust under the passenger side longitudinal, and under the batter tray...We refer to it as the hell hole.

Do a search here for hell hole (type in "hell and hole")

You should see alot of pictures of the issue, and how to fix it.

If you are up for the challenge, it can be done.
My son and I are finishing up his 914 which had severe damage in that area, and its all painted and we are putting the interior in...took a few months at night, but it can be done...

If you can weld and have time, figure about 20-40 hrs of metal work.

Rich