"Excited Newbie Blues", "Further Adventures in the Garage" Options

[Larmo63]

Okay, here's the deal, I just bought this car in early March, and I have to tell a bit of the story of myself and the "progress." I found it in the upper desert (Pearblossom, near Palmdale/Lancaster, SoCal) at an out-of-the-way, largely Mercedes Benz junkyard, where I went with a friend so he could check out and buy a MB Diesel wagon. (he swears by them) There it sat, forlornly knee deep in the weeds and I couldn't resist. The purveyor of the fine assortment of (junk) classics wanted $3K for the car, I had the money, but I finagled it way down because he needed the dough, badly. I aired up the tires and with the help of a crack head forklift driver who "forked" a few dead MB's out of the way, it rolled right out! The dirtiest car (inside) I've ever seen, and/or have ever taken on. This car was NASTY inside when I first saw it.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i983.photobucket.com-17068-1397105965.1.jpg)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i983.photobucket.com-17068-1397108586.1.jpg)

[Larmo63]

So, after dropping off his (pain in the ass) MB wagon in San Fernando, we headed back for my new toy. I finally got home after a full day of driving all over Pencil-Tucky retreiving (junk) cars with high hopes. By 11:00 that night, the car was in my garage in south Orange County. My fiance is already jealous, probably wants to give me a reality lecture, and all I want to do is start working on it by midnight!

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i983.photobucket.com-17068-1397106179.1.jpg)

Notice the dirt/mud stains on the tires.....Isn't the side mirror supposed to point to the rear?

[Larmo63]

That Monday, I joined something called "914 World." I am a quick study, I've owned many cars, all types of VW's, Porsches, Ghias, BMW's, etc. I start cleaning it first, taking out all of the extra parts that came with the car and indexing the paperwork, receipts, manuals, junk. I know enough to save all this stuff, as I have in the past made the mistake of tossing stuff out immediately. I save EVERYTHING now. The receipts were interesting, the car seemed to be well maintained during it's life. The guy was a Navy flyer obviously, with receipts from Pensacola, Hawaii, Virginia, Texas, Yuma, AZ, even a service in Acapulco, Mexico. My fiance is nodding, but I know she is thinking: (I"M NEVER GETTING IN THAT PIECE OF SHIT, EVER, EVER.) I'm cool, I can dig the dirt out, the car is okay, solid, (I have no idea at this point what a "hell hole" on a 914 is) and I'm in business. A battery, some gas, and I drive down to the tire store on the way to the DMV and I'm golden. I'm into a fine German sports car for under $2,200.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i983.photobucket.com-17068-1397106768.1.jpg)
After some clean up......

[mgp4591]

Could've done alot worse but she looks pretty clean! They all have rust to some degree... it hides from you! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png)

[Larmo63]

So, I reach out to the fine forum here, introduce my self, (newbie wanna-be) and tell a bit of the story, and a few people offered help, (Bruce, Colin) and Colin Greene even showed up and spent half the day helping me do a new starter, and getting the POS up on jack stands. (the kiss of death) A new battery, starter, some relays, Eff with the fuel pump, tighten some hoses, buy a remote starter, (because no start at the dash switch,) a fire extinguisher, and put a gallon of gas in. The engine turns over nicely, but doesn't start. So, I return to the forum and call Bruce back. He gives me the "hoses, fuses, grounds, fire extinguisher" lecture, (thanks!) and I go back to work. Some things work, wipers, radio, blinkers, lights, (no headlights) and I'm happy with the progress. I call around to my beloved 356 mechanic, (NO 914's!!!!) and a couple other local shops that work on type IV buses, (NO 914's!!!) VW places that end with the word "haus." (NO 914's!!!) No takers. Shitskies!! Hmm, okay, I'm back as the head mechanic. I go about faking like I know what to do with a test light (my fiance is impressed) and make a bit of progress> (in my own mind, I know I'm completely lost) I determine that there is no power going through the coil. So I call a local guy to ask if he sells Bosch coils. We get to talking, and he says he used to work on 914's all the time. "Can you take a look?" "Bring it down Monday." Call AAA and tow it two miles away. I'M FRIGGIN' PUMPED!!!

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i983.photobucket.com-17068-1397108748.1.jpg)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i983.photobucket.com-17068-1397107693.1.jpg)

There it goes for a quick fix...............................................................................................

[Elliot Cannon]

Hell hole? Look at the longitudinal channel (that provides most of the strength of the chassis) directly under the battery in the forward right side of the engine compartment. Is there a rotted, rusted hole in the metal? Probably. Oh man, you're screwed now!! By the way. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png)

[Larmo63]

This place does mostly Mercedes Benz repair, but Gary seems to know what's up on VW's and Porsches too. (He is building a badass BMW 2002 street racer, so I'm pretty sure I'm in the right place!) He says he'll look at it that afternoon, Monday. By Wednesday, nothing. It hasn't moved and it's parked right on PCH, on his lot. I drive by there every day on my way to work. I'm sure it's going to get stolen. A week goes by, nothing, and so I wander in. He's one mechanic down, shorthanded, but he'll get to it. I'm friggin getting antsy by now. He sends me a probable parts needed list, but no prices. I just want the thing done. I have the money to fix it, but I want it done right and running. (I'm reading 914 racing stuff here and doing the Walter Mitty thing, the wife thinks I'm mad) Two weeks, nothing.

I sent him an email last night, I don't want to be a dick, and this coming Friday I was just going to go quietly pick it up, no arguing. Today, I drive by and I see it halfway up on his rack, Bosch parts boxes on the roof!!! Yaaayy. It's a good day.

I remember driving my friend's 914-6 in high school, and I NEVER Forgot the feeling. I don't know why it took me 40 years to finally buy one? I'll update things when I find out, and thanks for the friendship and the forum!

[Larmo63]

Hell hole? Look at the longitudinal channel (that provides most of the strength of the chassis) directly under the battery in the forward right side of the engine compartment. Is there a rotted, rusted hole in the metal? Probably. Oh man, you're screwed now!! By the way. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png)

Yup, there is the "factory" rust there, but not really as bad as I thought at one point.

[euro911]

Post some pix of the hell hole so we can see what you're up against.

Best to learn as much about the car so you can do most of the repairs yourself. As you have already found, there isn't a large selection of repair facilities to work on them any more.

Take your time and ask as many questions as you need. You'll find most of the knowledge and mechanical skills right here on World.

Some folks quickly lose their love affair after they get an enormous repair bill and still don't have a good running car.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png)

[wndsnd]

I got my engine from a crack head!

Very dependable.

























The engine. Not the crack head..

John

[JawjaPorsche]

Welcome to the Madness! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[boogie_man]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png) neighbor car looks good, liking the color (they're faster). I know of some good mechanics in the area if you don't get any further. Looks like a pretty clean car considering where you found it (they don't do well sitting outside anywhere in the world) Good luck......

[Elliot Cannon]

You might want to invest in some safer jack stands. One of our members was badly injured when a jack stand of that type failed. I prefer the ones that are secured with a pin that inserts through the barrel of the stand. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[green914]

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[76-914]

Do it yourself and get the answers to your questions here. These are simple little cars and won't be a problem for you to maintain yourself. As far as your "lack of knowledge" is concerned I'd bet that 85% of our members were mechanical novices before joining our ranks.
Oh. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png) Be sure to make the G&R event in a few weeks.

[smarens]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png) , enjoy the new addiction, I'm a few months into it and still super pumped, mine runs but does need some "fixin", good luck and hope you are driving it soon

[r_towle]

So I see your first mistake was to ask a few "914 experts" to come help and they ended up jacking up your new toy and placing the sacred jack stands underneath.

Did they draw the circle around the car and light the correct German made candles to ensure the jack stands would mate with the car properly?

Never invite guys over who being jack stands as gifts....

[Larmo63]

I bought the jack stands and it is already off of them! I read a lot here about the "curse of the jack stands" and I want to avoid it. I just want to drive it.

[euro911]

Those stands are OK, just drill and pin them.

[ConeDodger]

You might want to invest in some safer jack stands. One of our members was badly injured when a jack stand of that type failed. I prefer the ones that are secured with a pin that inserts through the barrel of the stand. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

He wasn't 'badly' injured. He wasn't that pretty to begin with... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)