3RD time is a charm/restoration thread, So many choices Options

[SUNAB914]

Ok, here we go. My wrecked 74 still sits in my garage, and then i find this 75 that has been in a garage for the last 8 years that came from Idaho and is amazingly rust free, and to boot the interior is mint! So my plan is to go ahead and get this one painted, what color is first choice. Do i stick with original or go with a complete color change that will require lots more work and money? Engine and trans out of 74, both have less than 10,000 on complete rebuild, easy solution for time being. I have just about a complete 5 lug set up with brakes and rims in boxes. Parts car should fill every need i might have, then a big sale on everything else. Sounds all easy, for some this could take years, for me, once paint is complete its all down hill as long as money issues don't arise too much.
Step 1: Finalize outcome of wrecked 914 in my garage.
Step 2: Scotty B, I will need a ball park estimate of same color and one for complete color change.
Step 3: Jump in!

[FourBlades]

Nice car! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)

John

[McMark]

Looks good. Color change = bad. But it's your car, make yourself happy.

[billh1963]

Chris...I like that color! Don't change it.

Sell it to me before you make a color change!!!!!!!!!!!

[mepstein]

I like the color and a good color change will cost $$$ but I'd probably backdate the bumpers if it was my car.

[Tom_T]

Nice find Chris! ...but don't abandon your other 914 - save it for the next project. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

If you're going to make engine, 5-lug & all those changes, then a color change won't matter as much to back-end value, cuz it's a heavily modified car, although if you saved all the original stuff then most could be put back to original for a FO.

If you decide to keep this beauty fully original, then definitely keep it all original - including color, and maybe then just recondition the existing paint if it's still original & save-able - since all original unrestored 914s are the top dollar getters!

For mine - I far prefer the Alaska & Marathon Blue Metallics or a custom metallic blue, but mine was originally L80E & I found that color changed 914s were only getting in the range of 50-75% of the value/price of of respray to original & unrestored paint cars in my informal surveys of 914s for sale. So I decided to resto mine back to L80E.

Although I move much more slowly than you, & have a bunch of other projects taking up my time! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

PS - with your 74 now being a wrecked to repair 914, and the 75 being a pretty pristine survivor - IMHO the 5 lugs & other custom goodies belong on the 74, & keep the 75 original & maybe use your old OE wheels on the 75 if they're Fuchs 2Ls or Mahle 4-lugs. But it's your cars - not mine! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

You could bring those Fuchs/Mahles out with you & to drop at Al Reed's in Anaheim for a concours wheel resto (or give them to me drop off to him) & save shipping one way.

[DRPHIL914]

Nice looking car, Chris!

my 2 cents - i am not a big believer in changing color especially on a really clean original car. SO i say keep this color. And you will be driving it in no time at all!!

cant wait to see some pictures of the interior etc.

are you going to keep the current engine/ transmission or pull the one off your wrecked car?

[tod914]

That laguna blue is a great color you don't see too often! Paint work looks nice in the photo you posted. If it's original paint and it can be preserved, the car will hold more value which is something to consider.

[SUNAB914]

Mepstein, back dating bumpers has been a thought also. Good reminder. The engine is a 2.7 monster, that needs to be assembled, but its just a paper weight right now and might stay that way unless I get really motivated. None issue right now.
Thanks for input, I'm leaning towards staying same color, way too much work involved.
I still need to clean both trunks out and see what I find.
More pics to follow.
Thanks to all.

[Tom_T]

That laguna blue is a great color you don't see too often! Paint work looks nice in the photo you posted. If it's original paint and it can be preserved, the car will hold more value which is something to consider.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

Your local VA PCA guys should know of some top notch concours paint preppers/restorers who will measure the paint thickness, assess chips, etc. & advise you whether, how & how much to preserve that paint job to concours finish (vs. respray) - IF it is in fact original from the factory.

Otherwise compare the cost of that vs a respray to Laguna Blue if it's been resprayed in it's lifetime.

Also, IIRC those tiny bumper tits were only required in CA & MD, so you have a hint as to where it was first sold.

This one may be well worth getting a COA from PCNA, & PCA members get $20 off + another $20 if you have a coppy of the original window sticker sent in with the COA order (basically makes their COA work easier).

[pdlightning]

That laguna blue is a great color you don't see too often! Paint work looks nice in the photo you posted. If it's original paint and it can be preserved, the car will hold more value which is something to consider.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

Your local VA PCA guys should know of some top notch concours paint preppers/restorers who will measure the paint thickness, assess chips, etc. & advise you whether, how & how much to preserve that paint job to concours finish (vs. respray) - IF it is in fact original from the factory.

Otherwise compare the cost of that vs a respray to Laguna Blue if it's been resprayed in it's lifetime.

Also, IIRC those tiny bumper tits were only required in CA & MD, so you have a hint as to where it was first sold.

This one may be well worth getting a COA from PCNA, & PCA members get $20 off + another $20 if you have a coppy of the original window sticker sent in with the COA order (basically makes their COA work easier).

I also like that color because you don't see it and it is original. I go with the majority to back date the bumpers too.

[SUNAB914]

Thanks for info Tom, it looks good in pic, but it will have to be painted. The hood is a mess. I would probably have to use my hood off the 74 to replace it. Other than that no rust bubbles and i don't see and damage, just chips and small dents. Looks to be original paint from all indications, must have been taken care off most of its life. Solid longs, hell hole and battery tray. Even the rear trunk lid shows no signs of rust where it usually gets near latch. I checked under seals and no rust in channels I saw. More investigating to follow this weekend.
Good info you provided!!

[Tom_T]

Thanks for info Tom, it looks good in pic, but it will have to be painted. The hood is a mess. I would probably have to use my hood off the 74 to replace it. Other than that no rust bubbles and i don't see and damage, just chips and small dents. Looks to be original paint from all indications, must have been taken care off most of its life. Solid longs, hell hole and battery tray. Even the rear trunk lid shows no signs of rust where it usually gets near latch. I checked under seals and no rust in channels I saw. More investigating to follow this weekend.
Good info you provided!!

Hey Chris, I can't see it up close, but if the front lid can be properly repaired & resprayed by a true "art-teest" - or if only the front trunk lid were replaced with paint-to-match the aged original - & assuming the rest is restorable paint, then it would still qualify as "Unrestored" under PCA's rules & by most on resale price/comps valuation. Just so you know.

Assuming the interior is an original 10:10 & the paint/body can be brought back as original, it's still a numbers matching motor (& transaxle if recorded), & you restore it as an all original survivor (vs. a resto/mod with transplanted motor/etc.) -

...then you're talking the difference of an end value in the $10-15k range for a nicely done resto/mod vs. $20-25k+ for a refreshed survivor as Tod914 does with his 914s.

Even that unrestored 73 Marathon Blue 2.0 ("Grandpa's car) which needed a good bit of refresh/repair work sold to Germany for $20k as-is!

Tod is sorta near to you, so maybe he can take a look at it & tell you if it's worth saving, or can recco a NOVA CW who can do so? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

I'm a keeper of cars - not a car seller/flipper/hobbist, & have only owned 5 (6) cars in my life since 1969 1st car & still own #3-5, & #6 was my brothers-in-laws then wife's & kids car that my son & I refurbed & is my son's now. So I'm not worried about resale value of my 914's resto/repairs & just want it done right & to last as best as possible, & I'm over-spending to get my long-time friend back on the road! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif)

However, even so - the comparable & insurance values are still important in order to get enough money back from insurance once the resto is done, in order to repair/replace, should anything happen.

[scotty b]

It's just a bastard VW. Flat black it and be done. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

[SUNAB914]

damn right Scotty, put some racing strips on it! Come and get it.
Tom, it won't be original in the end. Sorry. .
Someday I owe this to my son, since i was driving the 914 Iwas going to give him for graduating USMC boot camp and got wrecked. He helped me restore the last two 914's. If he wants it one day, it will be his.
Bill, do you need me to find you a 76? Let me look.

[billh1963]

damn right Scotty, put some racing strips on it! Come and get it.
Tom, it won't be original in the end. Sorry. .
Someday I owe this to my son, since i was driving the 914 Iwas going to give him for graduating USMC boot camp and got wrecked. He helped me restore the last two 914's. If he wants it one day, it will be his.
Bill, do you need me to find you a 76? Let me look.

I didn't know you were going to give your son the 914 for graduating boot camp! You should give him a truck like I gave mine when he graduated. Then you would have won the collision! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i268.photobucket.com-12871-1358278448.1.jpg)

[billh1963]

Bill, do you need me to find you a 76? Let me look.

You know of one?

[Tom_T]

Someday I owe this to my son, since i was driving the 914 Iwas going to give him for graduating USMC boot camp and got wrecked. He helped me restore the last two 914's. If he wants it one day, it will be his.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

I did my son's Honda with him as a "practice car" for the 914's resto, in the hopes he'd get interested & help me with the 914 - since he'll get it someday.

But that backfired when he said: "Dad, I'm glad we did this together & I learned a lot....but I never want to do that again!" (IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif)

Oh well! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) He'll probably still get the 914 eventually! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Do what makes you happy Chris .... and hope your son is good with it, but if not .... you're still happy! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

How about this look - VARA full race?

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/first.gif)

[SUNAB914]

Bill, your boy wanted the 996, bad daddy! Naw thats cool.
Nice pic Tom. I had some rims like those, they weren't minilites but looked the same. Should have kept those too.
I'll put my feelers out for a 76 Bill. Matter of fact I think I know one, let me check when I get home. Supposed to be in really nice shape also. Owner asked me about FI issue and I drew a blank stare. Told him to carb it and drive. Ha! Yellow car I think.

[billh1963]

Bill, your boy wanted the 996, bad daddy! Naw thats cool.
Nice pic Tom. I had some rims like those, they weren't minilites but looked the same. Should have kept those too.
I'll put my feelers out for a 76 Bill. Matter of fact I think I know one, let me check when I get home. Supposed to be in really nice shape also. Owner asked me about FI issue and I drew a blank stare. Told him to carb it and drive. Ha! Yellow car I think.

Cool...let me know. I like yellow!