1st Irish Bumblebee Options

[Cairo94507]

Man, time must really be different in Ireland....all that work would have taken a good year or two here in the USA. Must be like dog years or something. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif) Congratulations on making great great great progress. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[ddire333]

Still waiting on the heads from the machine shop, but halleluhua they are ready!!! and I can collect tomorrow, so back to engine for next update.

Since i was stalled on the engine front i was getting on with others jobs, intake runners and new injectors all ready, and then onto fresh coat of sunflower yellow on all the trim bits, wanted to outsource the wheels completely but no one would take them on, didn't like dealing with the metal rim, so got on with it myself , well with help of someone striping them, and polishing up the rims, I'm happy with the result cant wait to get them on the car after the paint dries for a few days more.

[JeffBowlsby]

Recommend you rotate the injectors 90 degrees which will make the FI harness connectors so much easier to install.

[ddire333]

Thanks Jeff, i had no trouble getting them in? well is been a few weeks and i pushing to get on the road before winter, thankfully our weather has been good and tomorrow will be big day.... putting the engine in.

I finished the engine rebuild of the past few days, I'm keeping it mostly stock but have put revised cam (elgin 330-1) and new jugs and pistons 2056, did all the bearings new valves and guides so hopefully enough to see it through a good few years and give small power boost. i estimate 8.7 compression.

As space is limited I need to move the engine to near the car, and then mate up the transaxle and slide it in.

in between working on the 914 got a few days in Donegal with some other Porsche heads in the 928, some great roads and good to be getting out and about again! [attachmentid=808
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[ddire333]

Took few days off work to get the show on the road, and as of today it is (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif) .

Moved the engine and gearbox out to the car, but them in place with a little help, then spend few days checking fuel, fluids, adding exhaust (poorly it seems as i have exhaust leak on number 4 at least, if not more), checking hoses, wiring - was quite nerve racking trying to make sure all was right but it started right up first time

Tried to do the 20 min cam brake-in at 2500 rpm, i was so busy trying to keep the rpms up it took me some time to notice the exhaust was way over heating do late timing. Stopped, cool don and added some advance and the engine was much more happy.

First test drive was today, here is a vid. (fixed the backwards tail light wires already!)
first drive

Biggest issues 1) voltage drop to the starter, or more to the solenoid, cleaned and soldered all the connections but it was still lucky dip, so put the relay "fix" in for now will go back to it later 2) exhaust leak from heads, kind of expected as I was fearful if torque those nuts much, hopefully a easy fix to loosen and re-seat them. 3) getting good idle, we not really as engine has been in less then as week and its nearly good, have holding around 1000 rpm when warm now 4) new coil faulty after running ok twice giving me a no start issue, not the fault I expected. 5) injector plug covers (new) had pulled them after the no start issue, they where bugger to get on on the bench, in the car they are near impossible.


In the next week will drive down to do import and first reg inspection and get a reg number. Then next few weeks will be for install of new 914 rubber door seal kit and engine lid - basically get it water proof .... and put a few miles on (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) . then put it away from the winter rain until spring.... for the finishing touches

[JeffBowlsby]

Progressing along great!

Noticed your two alternator harness grommets are not quite right, looks like you left the one off that fits to the back of the alternator cover (inner grommet). The outer gtommet slides over the central harness section with both branches in it, and inserts into the hole on the engine tin.

[ddire333]

hi Jeff, I need to go over things in the engine bay again, few bits i just put where i though made sense but might not be right, i need to cut off the extra alternator grommet, I put a 911 75amp unit in and there is no place in the back for the second grommet on it.

ps can you advise where the 3rd hose for the charcoal canister connects - i have one to the line from the tank, one to the air cleaner, but cannot figure out the single port on the alternator side of the engine bay, there is no place I can see for it to go although I see fan housing noted on some diagrams, there is no port on my fan housing?




.

[wonkipop]

@ddire333 .

on a 74 1.8 with the charcoal can in the engine bay this is the port for connecting the blower feed to the can. but.....i don't know when it comes to 74 2.0s. someone else with a 74 with engine bay can would be able to confirm. (if it is the port would be open and a little sleeve is used that presses in to the port and the hose to do the connection).

later 2.0 L 912E uses this port for the can. though they are L jet 2.0s they do have the can in the engine bay. i think a feed off the other side of the fan was used on cars with the can up front near the fuel tank?

[L-Jet914]

Nice work so far. Amazing progress. I've never seen a Type 2 Bus/Transporter fan grill installed on a 914.Nice way to keep debris out.

[ddire333]

Got the reg plate friday so time to get out on the road, boy was was itching to!!

So got about 30 break-in miles done today. Still have to get alignment done so taking it easy but so far so good. Gearbox works well up and down all gears and the engine is putting well, giving it lots of short pulls from 2-4.5k rpm. Think I still have small bit air still in the brakes as they firm up on second pump, but have no leaks.

Will drive as much as I can before putting away in a week or so for the winter.

Will finish the interior in the spring and drive it!!!

[autopro]

Just beautiful, congratulations on getting it back on the road after all the hard work you put into it.

[team914]

Only found this thread now. Really well done, the car looks fantastic. Cant wait to see it.

[KELTY360]

That's some nice work....well done! Good luck being able to hold off driving it all winter.

[wonkipop]

sauve

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

love the number plate.

which part of ireland?

[ddire333]

I'm in Kildare, yes just luck the Irish vintage plates are back with silver numbers, just matches the bumblebee perfect

[ddire333]

Only found this thread now. Really well done, the car looks fantastic. Cant wait to see it.

Same with yours, looking forward to seeing, maybe do some updates on the build here

[Arno914]

Beautiful car, great progess!
Are you planning on going to Wales next Year? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

[ddire333]

Thanks, was thinking about booking earlier in the year, but wasn't sure if all my efforts would come together into a functioning vehicle in time. see its booked out now, might put down for the waiting list, just one main hurdle left..... my funder says she is "never getting into the deathtrap"

Has been know to change her mind with suitable persuasion

[robkammer]

Going to start this tread by saying thanks to those who helped or gave advice so far and please keep it coming.

About 8 months ago I decided it was time to get a 914, friend had one when i was in high school (80's Ontario) and it was so different to anything else I had driven i have never forgotten it. I'm in Ireland many years now and 914's where never sold here, looked at few in UK but prices where high for not much car, it was a project I was after. Joined 914 world and put a wanted add up, was considering few cars regular members had for sale, but then someone who had just joined made very low key contact, just saying they had a 74 2lt LE they wanted to sell. I thought it it was likely a scam but decided to go along, how wrong I was.

First I got few photos, still skeptical, but slowly as i asked for more detail it was all forthcoming, i was buying sight unseen, but after a few calls with the seller (Tom) all seem good and we did the deal, had the car collected just before Christmas. covid and brexit lead to shipping delays, so the car just arrived this weekend to its new Kildare home. Anyway Tom is a gent and an Ohio petrol head who just needed to thin out projects, he had had the car since the 90's but had been off the road a few years after a stalled restoration.

So the car is an Ohio car all its life, with.... a very solid body. I started stripping today and outside, the rear jack points and thresholds its very very good so far. Hell hole is solid from the top and had good photos of underside from Tom, so hopeful.

Engine needs a full rebuild (its in boxes) as does suspension, fuel, brakes and and a full respray. The interior is original and in great shape. Plan is to have a driver which is as original as possible, like what Ian is doing on youtube, but with a bit less budget.

I will undertake all but the respray myself, I had a garage to work in lined up but unexpectedly lost it, oh well real men work in the drive anyway. I had to laugh when I took the seats out today, I had restored the ones in my 928 last year and it nearly killed me lugging them about, I don't think both the seats and all the carpet in the 914 equaled one 928 seat. It going to be fun having the two ends of the spectrum to drive.

I will put updates on the thread as I go, but for now here is the original window sticker
and a couple of pics.

You're a brave man, for sure. I'm in Ohio as well and found a BB in Washington State, brought it here in February last year. I'm more of a mechanical guy, not very experienced in body work. The right car for me had the bodywork completed, or so I thought. After a good cleaning I did find some rough spots underneath but nothing I couldn't handle. I've been working through the mechanical bits and although I've found a few surprises there has not been anything to make me regret the purchase.
Best of luck and I'll be watching for your posts!
Rob

[ddire333]

One year on and the restoration is complete (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif) ... well you know complete for now. put the car in storage for the winter, spent that time repairing the seats and rest of the interior bits, was lucky it was all in good shape so mostly cleaning, and lots of new rubber.

Picked up a period radio, and put a compact electric heater inside of the center console, it a very tight fit but just goes. (as I was missing heat exchangers). This is the unit if anyone is wondering, needs an uprated alternator.

https://www.t7design.co.uk/12v-600w-ducted-...76-171-6ab.html

So out of storage at the start of March and got stuck in to installing all the interior back, and today the final touch was the side decals.

So just the post break-in oil change and valve adjustment to do, also want to check & adjust air fuel mix at load as think its a bit rich currently.

Have bits to improve, the sill covers and trim (rivet holes where messed up), missing the spare & tool kit, what more original exhaust, gear knob, new windscreen.....but will take mine time as plan to drive it now.

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