Is this a good looking undercarriage?, Opinions please!! Options

[rwilner]

How do you expect to add heat with headers and the oil cooler lines running through the long?

Headers will come off. (maybe i'll make a few bucks to finance other inevitable repairs...?)

oil cooler lines I can unbolt @ the engine -- they just hook up via a sandwich plate at the oil filter. I can pull them right into the front trunk, they're not secured to anything.

[rwilner]

[rwilner]

This looks like leaking brake fluid but seller says he didn't clean up after bleeding brakes the morning of the inspection...looks reasonable

[jasons]

Yes -- suspension ears (both) were welded by Racer Chris, probably the most solid part of the car.

As for the clutch cable, I'm not familiar with what it *should* look like...but I do know I don't like being stranded!!

I'm sure the suspension ears are good to go then. See the pic.... There should be a clip holding the cable to the stop. No big deal, but I would fix it. Half ass repairs usually travel in groups or armies on 914's.

[SirAndy]

As for the clutch cable, I'm not familiar with what it *should* look like...but I do know I don't like being stranded!!

It's moved out of the way because of the headers. It's still VERY close to the headers so heat is an issue ...

If you had stock heat exchangers on that car, the clutch cable would be a straight shot forward. Currently, it's bend upwards with bail-wire to clear the headers ...

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif) Andy

[rwilner]

Fancy Bushings!!

[rwilner]

The hell hole is rusted,

I can't tell that from these pics, where are you lookin?

your fuel pump mount has turned to dust,

yep, but I think that's the worst of it...

the pass. side suspension mount has been welded,

YEah, both sides repaired by racer chris, so not concerned about that.

the motor leaks oil, the tranny leaks oil,

Are you sure that's tranny oil on the tranny and not motor oil? Is this amount of oil leak "normal"?

[McMark]

The number of 'oddities' would make me nervous that there would be more surprises later on. I wouldn't buy this car expecting it to be maintenance free. That hell hole warrants a VERY thorough inspection. It all comes down to price. It's obviously not perfect, but if price is right, it doesn't look horrible.

[rwilner]

if price is right, it doesn't look horrible.

Mark, what do you think the right price is?

Other details: car is a 73 2.0L FI signal orange, owner claims to have rebuilt most of the car, work done by a mechanic, from seals to trans mounts and bushings, 140lb rear springs, bilsteins at all 4 corners...he autox'd it.

i'm looking for a fun weekend car and I really want an orange 73 2.0L.

here's the car from the outside...

[McMark]

The right price depends on too many things. I'm not really familiar with the NE market. The car looks decent, and worth looking further into. But there do appear to be some issues, so keep that in mind. You need to know if you're willing to make those repairs. There is some obvious metal work. The engine oil leaks mean to me that the motor is aging and may run forever, but it may crap out someone soon. You just don't know. Compression test?

I can't tell you what to pay for it, that's between you, the seller, and the car. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

[bandjoey]

Take the inspection covers off of the tunnel by the shifter, and look inside for rust. Take out the battery, get mirrors and lights and look under for rust. Check to see that the rear window is tight. Most are loose and water rusts out the floor under the tar. This looks like a great car to work on a little at a time. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif) Drive and keep it off the jack stands, and it'll be a great car to own. Price? What you think it's worth.

[jaxdream]

Check with the owner to see if he / she will allow the removal and reinstallation of the rocker panels , check around the jack points and the longs with the panels off. This will give you some indication of long / jack point rust. Pull the pedal board in the driver's side area , look around the pedal assembley for rust and leaking brake master cylinder , the routing of the clutch cable has been mentioned as a potential problem , but can be remdied easily , the other issues also can be remedied with some time and a little money, but mainly check for hidened rust issues, convince the owner to allow the rocker panel removal . Check the panel vendors on the forum to get an idea of prices for long , jack point repair pieces , and other hell hole repair pieces, this will give you an idea of what it may require to repair an other wise solid looking car that has hidened rust issues that after the sale you may find . It's looks good from the outside , but the insides are hidened by carpet , firewall padding , rocker panels. Your money , your call - everybody has been through this , if want a 914 then you take the plunge !!!Good luck , let the board know your findings and outcome , just look real hard and good at the prospective car .

Jack / Jaxdream

[6freak]

This looks like leaking brake fluid but seller says he didn't clean up after bleeding brakes the morning of the inspection...looks reasonable

cept the bleeders on the other side of the caliper ..shouldnt be wet there (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

[rwilner]

Check with the owner to see if he / she will allow the removal and reinstallation of the rocker panels , check around the jack points and the longs with the panels off. This will give you some indication of long / jack point rust. Pull the pedal board in the driver's side area , look around the pedal assembley for rust and leaking brake master cylinder , the routing of the clutch cable has been mentioned as a potential problem , but can be remdied easily , the other issues also can be remedied with some time and a little money, but mainly check for hidened rust issues, convince the owner to allow the rocker panel removal . Check the panel vendors on the forum to get an idea of prices for long , jack point repair pieces , and other hell hole repair pieces, this will give you an idea of what it may require to repair an other wise solid looking car that has hidened rust issues that after the sale you may find . It's looks good from the outside , but the insides are hidened by carpet , firewall padding , rocker panels. Your money , your call - everybody has been through this , if want a 914 then you take the plunge !!!Good luck , let the board know your findings and outcome , just look real hard and good at the prospective car .

Jack / Jaxdream

Jack,
Tons of pics of the car are here:
http://s760.photobucket.com/albums/xx246/t...tion=firstLogin

I'll post some of the highlights here showing some typical trouble spots.

[rwilner]

a few more pics

[ChrisFoley]

Tony's car. It's a buyers market. I believe it's been for sale for about 2 years. I'd say $5k it's a little tired. Do a search I think the car had some major ear repair in the past. Check the Vin# in Andy's excellent database (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)

No need to search for pics of the ear repairs. I have them in my customer car database. Both sides were carefully repaired, then reinforced. I don't have pictures of any other parts of the car though.

The clutch cable is re-routed to clear the header. If you switch back to HE's its no big deal but a new cable is probably a good idea. You can save the old one as an emergency spare. I bet the fuel lines are still oem.

The condition of the engine shelf is an indication that a hell hole repair will be necessary down the road.

The rear caliper has an o-ring seal on the inside, behind the adjuster screw under the black cap. It clearly weeps a little.
They often do that and it will require a rebuild at some point.
Eric Shea has nice rebuilt ones for a simple swap job. We rebuild them as needed in house but we don't re-plate them.

Price mentioned is probably a fair starting point. After that its up to how bad you want the car.
You were forewarned by Rudtner's so if you buy it don't be surprised when the spending spree begins. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/stirthepot.gif)

[ChrisFoley]

Pictures of the floor inside the car don't tell a thing about the condition of the metal except that it has never been repaired. What you see is factory paint over tar sound deadening panels.

[rwilner]

You were forewarned by Rudtner's so if you buy it don't be surprised when the spending spree begins. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/stirthepot.gif)

Bill saw oil on the underside and basically told me the engine was leaking oil like a sieve and I should pass on it. At the time I agreed, but based on comparing it to other 914s, the oil leak doesn't look bad -- a few drops overnight. I can live with that, as I think a 914 that doesn't leak a few drops is a unicorn (or at least out of my price range).

Rust is always the concern and we didn't get that far with Bill. In retrospect I should have stuck with it and had him do a full rust inspection. I will definitely have this done before a 3.5 hour road trip with a trailer in tow.

Regarding the spending spree -- as long as the car is fun to drive and safe i'm a happy guy, not going for a perfect car.

[jaxdream]

I agree with Chris about the floor and tar boards over the metal , no real way of evaluating the floors without removing the tarboards, maynot appear to be rusted , until you remove some of that sound deadening material . Overall from the pics it appears to be a fairly good car , but as mentioned the battery / engine shelf area needs some attention. Like I mentioned , check under the rocker panels , if not rusted , then the shelf area may be the worst , if the area around the jackpoint is rusted , then you can figure that the hell hole areais bad also rust runs down hill so to say. I would say if the rocker areas are ok , then go for it , all the other issues can be remidied with time ( elbow grease ) some money ( new HE gaskets , bolts , nuts of the proper size and type , parts missing ) and lots of TLC , which most all of these cars enjoy. Dude you really seem to have your mind made up , just seem to want some reasurance on some points of the car , if you are not familiar with 914s . see if you can get someone that does know them to check it out for youmaybe add that to the price of purchasing it , you know your budget better than anybody else , also know that you will probably have to pay more after the purchase to get it to where you need it , much less what you want from it . Good luck ......

Jack / Jaxdream

[dangrouche]

For $5k, too much. It is clean. It looks to have all the underlying problems common to these rides. Try to divorce yourself from that street view picture, which does look nice. But this will be a project car that you will be working on more than you drive in its first few years. Its going to be one project after the other, and soon you realize you spend a few grand, countless hours, and frustration, you should have waited for a cleaner ride that someone else has done the work. If the body and interior is good, this in my mind, is good, but useless if the motor tranny is not running right. The only saving grace is that it will be a garage queen that you can proudly say is yours to your family and friends. and in a few years, you can say to them, I got it running smoothly and its no longer leaking oil, thats after a new engine and a rebuilt tranny and countless other projects. Sorry I am a realist guys.

If you are looking for one that you buy, and just do tune ups and change oil, this is not the one. There are cleaner ones out there that you might want to budget for. Just like in Excellence, buy the best one you can afford..... I consider this one to be a medium term project would be on jackstands in the garage, I would be dropping the motor to repair the point of the oil leak and freshen the tranny syncros. This car would not see daylight for at least 1 year.