newby questions Options

[ckk]

Hi,

Sorry for the newby post, but I'm thinking about getting a 914 as a weekend car. I might take it to the track once or twice (since the local PCA requires driving a p-car for your first few events), but I have a dedicated non-porsche track car that will do most track duty after that. I've seen the buying guide on the Pelican Parts website, and I still have a few questions for the experts (is there a 914 world buying guide, btw?):

1. Generally, how easy is it to work on one of these? I'm comfortable doing interior trim, wiring, suspension and brake work on mid-80's and newer cars, along with minor engine work (belts, alternators, fluid flushes, etc), but I don't know how to weld, paint, or do major engine work. So if a major engine repair is necessary it would be my first time pulling off a head (as an example). I plan to do most of the work myself. Also, are parts generally available?

2. In a similar vein, if the car seems to be running well, and drives well, are they generally reliable given regular maintenance? Are there any major engine issues to look for? (Specifically on a '75 1.8 with the stock fuel injection -- I will look at one of those this week).

3. Lastly, on rust issues -- I'm really not an expert at checking rust. How can I tell if a rusty area is just surface rust that needs to be scraped and sprayed with rust inhibitor or if it's worse? Would I lightly scrape with a screwdriver or something, to see if I hit metal quickly? I'll check all the areas listed in the Pelican buying guide.

Thanks for any help, and sorry again for posting something that has probably been beaten to death!

--C