Not looking Good, advice wanted, 914 damage delema Options

[Eric_Ciampa]

Background to Disaster-- I bought my first (and only 914) about 2 1/2 years ago at 19. I bought it knowing and actually hoping that it would need some work. I wanted to learn to work on it and start a long-lasting project. In fact my now fiancée was one of my first ride and the 914 was the means for most of our dates for the past 2 1/2 years. (we started dating the month after I bought the 914). A year ago I was driving at night around in beautiful northern cal (sac/Tahoe area) when a deer jumped in front of me while I was doing 50. AI thought the car survived the accident amazingly well. No real damage to fenders or any suspension or structural stuff. alignment was still perfect. Long-ways body looked perfect and the only damage seemed to extend onto the hood (completely smashed) and the front of the trunk that was pushed and folded in. Headlights needed work too.

My Situation-- I removed the hood, bumper and all the trim type stuff in front of the windshield and started removing paint and straightening what I could. I modified the hydraulic piston from my floor jack to push out and straighten most of the trunk area but then had to leave for college in SoCal. and it has stayed pretty much the same since I cant work on a car 400 miles away. In January I was engaged to my fiancée and sometime last semester she said that she wanted to drive away in the Porsche after the wedding. So, determined me started thinking how I could do it. I have no Body work experience. I was in summer school and just came home to work a few weeks straight to try to get the car in shape enough to make the drive to SoCal where she has a garage waiting. I was very exited. thought, with the right contacts I could straighten and get it done enough that only I would know seeing as once the hood and bumper are on no one can see the interior trunk.

Bad News--After getting a non op and driving all around I am now faced with pretty gristmill circumstances. the last body shop wanted 3,800 for everything. not in a college student price range. no body shop liked the idea of straightening the metal and leaving the rest to me. I have no equipment or real skills. The consensus was that the car was not worth fixing. A local mechanic suggested getting a rolling chassy and transferring or buying a good car with a blown motor and just swapping. either way I loose my car. and I don’t think i can realistically complete either other option within a year of week trips home. Bottom line… I can justify keeping one project car. But buying another, having two, swapping and building nearly a whole car just does not seem reasonable. Wow I talked a lot. Anyway’s I want your opinion and advice. I will let pic,s do the talking for me. I will take some tomorrow evening and post.