Original, or not?, a '70/4 inspection, trying something new and/or different Options

[1970 Neun vierzehn]

w/s washer bottle side.....

[1970 Neun vierzehn]

along the centerline......

[1970 Neun vierzehn]

brake reservoir side....

[sixerdon]

detail, outside.......

Confirmed there was no screen below the grill on early cars through '72, I believe.

Here's a question for you, Paul.........are those nuts on the wiper arm black or natural alum color?

Don

[SirAndy]

without the carpet (w/ stain that I can't get out)

The seam sealer around the rear shock towers does not look original. It should have been sprayed on, not brushed.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

Sir Andy,
I understand that the early production cars had the seam sealer applied by hand with a brush, rather than the typically seen, later style sprayed app.
The accompanying pic shows the rear trunk before restoration.

Paul

My '70 /4 has the seam sealer sprayed on ... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

Anyone know when they switched? Must have been somewhat early in '70.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)

[tod914]

Paul, I don't know enough about the 70 model year to be certian about some front trunk differences than in post 70, but a few things that jump out on me are; 1. No label on the gas tank evaporator 2. Silver painted gas strap hardware instead of yellow cad plated 3. Gas tank with spot for charcol canister (I guess the tank was designed with the idea to accomodate the canister in the future?) 4. Brake fluid resevoir and cap are different than mid & late year cars. Your car looks fantastic btw Paul. Top notch job on the paint and body work.

[1970 Neun vierzehn]

Don,
You noticed the lack of a screen (IMG:style_emoticons/default/clap56.gif) , yet another "missing" item on early cars. And there is another "omission" further on in this thread, as we shall see (or not see as the case may be).
The nuts for the wiper arms are natural metal (I'm supposing aluminum).

Sir Andy,
Years ago, before the resto on this car, I took the 914 into a respected body shop that specialized in 356s and early, air-cooled VWs. As the owner/main body man evaluated the car, he inspected the rear trunk and pronounced that this (my 914) was an early production model because the seam sealer was obviously hand applied with a brush, and a rather meager application at that.
That was the very first time that I even noticed that anomily. That was also prior to my participating in any 914 Forums. Later, through these same Forums, I've heard accounts of similar hand application of seam sealer on early cars. As to when the folks in Osnabruck started spraying the sealer on seems to be one of those questions that can only be answered by examining MY70 cars and comparing build dates on chassis #s.

Todd,
No labels ever in the cowl, not even on the w/s washer bottle.
The fuel tank strap has always been silver.
There has never been a charcoal canister on this car (an early 49 state example)
Yes, I understand later 914s had a slightly different brake fluid reservoir.


For comparison purposes, here are some pics PRE-RESTO of the cowl area:

[1970 Neun vierzehn]

AARGH

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) I just now noticed......................I did have a sticker on the w/s washer bottle.
I wonder if an early one is available (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

[SirAndy]

I did have a sticker on the w/s washer bottle.

Look in the car, it might just have fallen off ...
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

[1970 Neun vierzehn]

Before we go inside the passenger compartment, a quick look at the door jambs and door sill is in order.

[1970 Neun vierzehn]

looking inside.......

[1970 Neun vierzehn]

.........

[1970 Neun vierzehn]

from another angle......

[1970 Neun vierzehn]

dashboard fascia

[1970 Neun vierzehn]

and....

[1970 Neun vierzehn]

seats

[1970 Neun vierzehn]

center tray.....

[1970 Neun vierzehn]

interior light

[1970 Neun vierzehn]

recepticle for the drivers' side (only) seatbelt

[1970 Neun vierzehn]

early top, w/o headliner