New 914 Owner, Lots of questions Options

[SLKWrx]

Hey All,
I've been a bit of a lurker lately, trying to pick up hints and tips for when I finally took ownership of my "new" 914. First off, I just want to thank all of you here, I have been reading up a lot and you guys have helped me out immensely. Now to my questions:

1) I'm trying to get the VIN off the car, but the plate on the passenger side in the front trunk area is a little banged up. Trying to make out the numbers but its not really visible. Can anyone help me translate this into a real VIN? Looks to me like "4Z"732927U41 (the 2 #'s in " " I'm not sure if they are numbers or just scratches).

2) The engine code for the car is GA 001294. I'm told this is a 2L or a 2.1L, anyone have any insight?

3) Last one, the body has some rust on it. There is a hole in the rear pass corner of the cabin (where the longs meet the floorpan it looks like), as well as a hole in the driver sail (where the vinyl would go), and a few other patches. I'm trying to decide whether repairing them is the way to go, or to scrap the body and get a shell. How much does a nice shell normally go for? Any chance of finding one, or slim?

Thanks all for your help. I can't wait to get going on this thing! Had one ride on a finished one at an auto-x and fell in love!

With my nose in the service manuals,
-- Steve

[d914]

other vin driver side windshield.

pull the passenger side rocker and start poling around with a screwdriver on condition of the longs.

Can you weld????

[SLKWrx]

I've picked up my books on welding. I have my scrap metal, just have to buy the welder and start practicing. So the answer is no, no clue on how to weld. I know how to solder, but thats not too much help. I'm definitely going to practice before I come anywhere near the car with the welder.

The not knowing how to weld is most of the reason that I'm entertaining the idea of finding a shell or a rolling chassis.

-- Steve

[Jeroen]

The "4Z" should be a "4"
The "U" is most likely an "0" (zero)
A (stock) GA engine makes 95 bhp
Check the "914 info" link at the very top of the page for more info on chassis and engine #'s

Like said, there should also be a vin-tag on the windshield post and I suppose the vin# is mentioned on your registration papers

Shoot and post some pics of the rust, so others can judge how much trouble you're in...

cheers,

Jeroen

[Rusty]

A belated welcome... and we're glad you're not a lurker anymore.

Most of the the rust descriptions you've posted sound cosmetic... but I agree with Andy. Post some pictures so we can get a good visual on what you're dealing with.

We may ask for more pictures. Lots of times it's not the rust you can see... but the rust that's not immediatley apparent that's a killer.

have a great day!

-Rusty (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smoke.gif)

[SLKWrx]

Gotta try pulling the passenger rocker and seeing what the deal is under there. Won't be able to do that for a week. I don't have all the pictures that I took here at work, but I do have a few. The pictures are large, so I'm just putting the hyperlinks. The big rust spot pictures are at home, I'll post them tonight.

http://home.comcast.net/~skado/914/Rust1.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~skado/914/Block.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~skado/914/Front.jpg <-- Don't mind the stuff, this was before I cleaned it off
http://home.comcast.net/~skado/914/OldVinyl.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~skado/914/PassSide.jpg

Figured out the VIN and the Engine code, thanks for that mystery solved. 1973 914/4

-- Steve

[ruddyboys]

The car dosn't look to be too bad from the pics. Take a few shots of the longs and the battery tray area, thats usually the problem spots. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welder.gif)

[SirAndy]

welcome! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)

the pics don't look too bad, but i agree, we need more pictures of the areas more commonly attacked by the rust monster.

take the rocker panels off, if you haven't done so already and shoot some pictures of the rockers, especially around the jack posts.
use a screwdriver to find the rusted parts (and don't be shy about poking!)

take a picture of the area under the battery tray, especially where the framerail meets the firewall.

take a picture of the back of the rear trunk floor.

i see you have the engine out, so please also take a picture of the rear suspension pickups from under the car and inside. where the trailing arm mounts to the body.

take off the carpet and show us pictures of the floor-pan, especially behind the seats.

also, the rust on the cowl, where the fender meets the cowl, right in front of the windshield, doesn't look good. that usually goes through and you can see more rust there from inside the fender well.


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

[SLKWrx]

hey all, got some of the other pictures up. the hole in the door, passenger compartment and in the engine compartment. The ones that require removing pieces I'll have to wait till next week to get.

http://home.comcast.net/~skado/914/DriverSailRust.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~skado/914/PassEngineHole.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~skado/914/PassCabinHole1.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~skado/914/PassCabinHole2.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~skado/914/Cabin2.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~skado/914/FrontDriverRust.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~skado/914/DriverDoorRust.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~skado/914/RearCorner.jpg

Thats all I have for now. Any input is greatly appreciated.

-- Steve

[dinomium]

Hey look! you to are a memeber of a VERY RARE but storied group of 914ers... Your car was once Delphi Green Metalic! If you look on the drivers side forward door jamb there should be a square metal tag with the paint number L99!!
I have two of the "rare autos" one is ivory over green and yes, the most common RED over green. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol2.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol2.gif)

Welcome to the asylum! You can check out anytime you like BUT YOU CAN NEVER LEAVE!!!!!
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif)

[phantom914]

Yay, Delphi Green! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif) I saw Toast's car on Saturday and it had Delphi Green poking through the previous owner's shameful attempt to cover it up with white paint. You can't keep a good color down. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) I think it is time for this color's much unanticipated comeback. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)



Andrew

[bondo]

It looks like that may have been a V8 car at one time. The things that make me wonder are the hole in the front firewall, the notch in the front of the trunk, and something funny going on behind the front bumper (isn't there supposed to be a row of holes there with plugs in them?)

[Jeroen]

That hell hole (the pic of the engine comp. below the battery tray) sure looks bad
Looks like it rusted all the way from there to that hole in the pass.side floor

Once you really start diggin' you're most likely to find a lot more of rust

It's not undoable, but if you can get a decent shell or roller, I wouldn't think twice

Just MHO...

[cgnj]

Looks like Ravenna on my tube. Wish I had kept that car.

Carlos

[Series9]

One more on VIN:

1. left windshield near the bottom
2. stamped on the right, front fender well, under the front deck.

3. on the factory placard, on the inside right headlight housing in the front trunk.

Joe O'

[SLKWrx]

Delphi Green, so thats the color thats in the engine bay. Whats with everyone painting over it?

As my schedule stands, I won't be back to play with the car until the weekend of the 22nd, but then I will be poking around seeing if the cancer really is that bad. Hopefully its not horrible

Thanks for all the help guys, I'll be hunting down vin plates and color codes for days once I get back to the garage (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)