advice on 914 restoration Options

[JayKoit]

Hello everyone,

I'm new to this forum, but I'm a long time Porsche enthusiast, and I'm looking for some advice.

I'd like to purchase and restore an old Porsche 914, or possibly a 912. I did a '73 Super Beetle restoration about 12 years ago and loved it, and I'm hoping some of what I learned in that process will translate over to a 914/912 restoration, at least in the powertrain dept. Not sure if anyone on this forum has 912 restoration experience, but my main question is: if i'm on a budget, and my only experience is restoring a beetle, which one would be a better fit for my wallet & experience level, or are they about the same? Also, is there a notable difference in insurance premiums between the two? Finally, if I find a good, mostly rust free roller without engine or tranny, what would a ground up restoration cost on a 914 if I just went with standard engine, tranny, suspension, etc?I love both models equally, just wondering if anyone would be willing to give me feedback on this. Thanks!

[VaccaRabite]

Agree about paying more now to pay less later. But often the only way to get the far I want is to buy a fixer and then slowly pay out.

A lot Of the skills you learned with the beetle will help with a 914 or 912. They are built similarly. A 912 will probably have a much more expensive engine unless you get the 912E. A TIV engine is a little more expensive to build then a TI, but they are just as easy. Rust will be an issue just as it probably was for the bug.

Good luck and we will be interested in whatever you get!