Ridiculous 914 stories?, You haven't lived if you have never... Options

[Moneypit]

I was just recalling the first time we ever drove our '74 1.8 with Twin Webers. It was the first 914 we'd had after my dad sold his back in the 80's, and we picked her up for $600 dollars after catching it on fire briefly while trying to turn the motor over. When we got it home, we started digging through the car, and discovered two main things: 1) the passenger side Weber was seized up, which resulted in 2) the crappy metal crank that attaches the go pedal to the throttle cable being broken. So basically the gas pedal was non-functioning. After removing the carb, pulling it apart and freeing it up with WD-40, we at least could get the car finally started! After much trying, backfires, and standing around with fire extinguishers, the motor jumped to life!

Not content to just have the motor running, my dad and our friend (a body man who restores old cars & worked at a porsche/bmw/mercedes/audi dealership) kinda looked at each other and said, "wanna take it around the block?". We had removed the rear trunk and engine lid to get better access in the engine bay, which incidentally led to possibly the most ludicdous 914 sight I've seen yet. I want you to picture someone sitting in the rear trunk, manually running the carburetors by hand, while my dad steered/shifted, and me along for the ride. It took a few moments to synchronize driver/throttle man, but soon we were pulling out of the back alley, and cruising along our neighborhood in a backfiring, trunkless 914 with a guy hanging onto the rollbar working the throttle. Needless to say, all the kids in the neighborhood were pointing and following, then ducking and running when it backfired. We did a few laps, and then parked her, victorious!

We only did it the one time, and naturally this was before cell phone cameras and even digital cameras being everywhere, so sorry I don't have a pic or video. Soon we got a replacement lever, rebuilt the carbs with a rebuild kit, sorted the throttle linkage all out, and had her driving normally.

Anyone else have ridiculous, 914 stories from your restoration, trips to meets, or just daily driving?

[Bruce Hinds]

Oh yes . . . I can see it all now. That's funny.

I had built my V8 car and was having a ball. My dad was my hero and had taught me to work on cars at an early age so we always had that connection and as the V8 project progressed we'd talk each week about what and how to do stuff. He was in AZ and in CO. After coming to visit and riding in the beast it ignited and old spark.

Fast forward about a year later and I'm visiting AZ, so far it's been all talk until I go out and get the newspaper. Low and behold I see a teener in the classifieds and I circle it and label it Dad'd 914, then leave it with his coffee. Off we go that afternoon to take a look.

The V8 car was my 4th teener and I'd had several VWs before that so I was pretty confident that we could get this baby running even thought the ad said it starts, but needs some TLC. It wouldn't idle so the throttle was adjusted to run about 1500 RPM and it would spit and miss. Even so we tried to drive it around the block and the accelerator cable was looped around the clutch so every time you pushed the clutch in it opened the throttle.

Dad was ready to run away from this "project" and the sellers had no clue what was wrong or how they were going to sell it. It was a really clean no rust '73 1.7 with steelies and nice chrome caps so I looked in to see what I could see. I found that the point were welded together and that's when I noteced the single carb conversion.

I think we bough the car for $800 on the spot(1988) but we had to get it home. I borrowed a screwdriver and an emery board to fix the points and gapped them with a piece of paper then started playing with the carb. I was leaning over the engine when I told dad to start it; not a good plan.

The flame was about 3 feet long and the explosion got everyone's attention only to see me emerge with my face smoking. Mustash, eyebrows, hair and even my eyelashes were singed and smoking. It could have been a whole lot worse, but it was pretty funny at the time.

[2mAn]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)

[wes]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/av-943.gif) Well you've certainly got me beat could be redneck humor though.

Mine was no way as funny, I bought a $900 black 914 around 1996 in San Francisco Had a great sunny day running around. She was a pretty good runner for $900 even then. Started to get late and foggy (the car had no top) so headed back home and I learn she didn't like the dark as it seems as though after it got good and dark on some rather fun hard driving back roads towards Sunnyvale the car would just quit so I open the eng. lid took a look with my trusty bic lighter as if I had any idea what to even look for, noticed the battery was lose, pusheed it back to its proper place and for some reason tried to start my new teener up. To my amazement it fired right up and was ready to go. Well, this happened a few more times when I decided I needed to be on a main road as it was very likely that I wasn't going to drive her home under 914 power. So I drove down Elcamino and as I was passing Stanford College decided to cut through the campus as It was getting late, closer to home, oh the battery didn't seem to be charging right and as no one was around turned of the lights and drove on slowly when soddenly I was serouneded by big black GMC Suburbans, like FBI or something. They were, after I told my story pretty cool but made it clear that 1. I needed my lights on and 2. That I was to get the hell off campus!
The next day on the news I found that the Clintons had just taken Chelsea to her new college, Stanford!
As it turned out the battery keep pushing up on the computer and after the battery was cleaned up and properly tied down she was happy.

[Moneypit]

Oh yes . . . I can see it all now. That's funny.

I had built my V8 car and was having a ball. My dad was my hero and had taught me to work on cars at an early age so we always had that connection and as the V8 project progressed we'd talk each week about what and how to do stuff. He was in AZ and in CO. After coming to visit and riding in the beast it ignited and old spark.

Fast forward about a year later and I'm visiting AZ, so far it's been all talk until I go out and get the newspaper. Low and behold I see a teener in the classifieds and I circle it and label it Dad'd 914, then leave it with his coffee. Off we go that afternoon to take a look.

The V8 car was my 4th teener and I'd had several VWs before that so I was pretty confident that we could get this baby running even thought the ad said it starts, but needs some TLC. It wouldn't idle so the throttle was adjusted to run about 1500 RPM and it would spit and miss. Even so we tried to drive it around the block and the accelerator cable was looped around the clutch so every time you pushed the clutch in it opened the throttle.

Dad was ready to run away from this "project" and the sellers had no clue what was wrong or how they were going to sell it. It was a really clean no rust '73 1.7 with steelies and nice chrome caps so I looked in to see what I could see. I found that the point were welded together and that's when I noteced the single carb conversion.

I think we bough the car for $800 on the spot(1988) but we had to get it home. I borrowed a screwdriver and an emery board to fix the points and gapped them with a piece of paper then started playing with the carb. I was leaning over the engine when I told dad to start it; not a good plan.

The flame was about 3 feet long and the explosion got everyone's attention only to see me emerge with my face smoking. Mustash, eyebrows, hair and even my eyelashes were singed and smoking. It could have been a whole lot worse, but it was pretty funny at the time.

That sounds about like when we torched the 1.8! As mentioned, the passenger carb was frozen, so we at least wanted to check and see if it would at least crank. Our friend suggested we could dump a little bit of gas down each carb to at least get it to fire. We did it a couple of times to verify the motor was spinning, and figured what the hey, maybe she'll crank over. On our final try, the PO had brought an extinguisher just in case. The motor sounded like it was *so close* to actually starting, and then she burped out the carb, and next thing we know the whole carb was gently alight! Our friend threw his sweatshirt on the fire, which had coincidentally been just given to him by his wife (that didn't go over well), and then the PO pit it with the extinguisher. After this, we figured better not push our luck, and we went ahead and sealed the deal with the guy for $200 below his asking price of $800, just to get it gone. So yeah, caught it on fire before we even owned it!

[ClayPerrine]

Way back when my car was somewhat running with the original 2.0 4cylinder motor, I had to make a road trip to Waco. On the way back, just north of Waco, the throttle cable broke. I had dual webers on the car at the time, so I just took the top off and pulled the wire to the right hand speaker off the radio, split it and tied the two pieces together. Then I tied one end to the crossbar on the carbs, ran it through the mesh in the engine grill, and the other end I ran over the targa band and tied it to the laces of my right shoe closest to the toes. I could step down where the accelerator pedal normally was, and the car would speed up. I could lift my foot and run the brake because the brake pedal was high enough to leave slack in the wire when using it.

I was coming up I35 just south of the split, and it started to rain. I was going fast enough that the rain wasn't coming into the car, it just went over me. Problem was, a Texas State Trooper came up next to me. She saw me in this beat up, multi colored (11 different colors at that time) old car with the top off in the rain. So she had to stop me. I stopped under the next bridge. She came up and asked me to step out of the car. Well, I then had to explain about the broken throttle cable, and how I rigged it to get me home.

A few minutes of laughing and commenting on my ingenuity, she said she understood why the top was off, but she wanted to know how come I wasn't getting soaked. I explained to her that as long as I kept moving, the rain was blown over the car and didn't come inside. She shook her head and, after a quick check of my license and insurance, she sent me on my way.

I got wetter getting back up to speed than I did the whole rest of the drive home.

And I got to accelerate at full throttle in front of a state trooper without getting a ticket!


And somebody needs to get Dave Darling tell the story of how he got his nickname (Damp Dave).

[poorsche914]

To keep with the theme of "carbs and fire", here is my story...

One of my dream cars was a Lotus Europa. I actually found one for sale that was affordable (this is back in the mid-80s) so I bought it (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

When I went to pick it up, my sister went with me to drive my 914 while I drove the Lotus. The 914 was powered by a euro-spec 2.0 with dual Webers.

After about an hour drive, I decided to stop by a friend's house along the way to show him my new purchase. As we approached his house, I noticed my sister was falling further and further behind. I stopped and waited for her. As she got closer, she suddenly stopped. I could see smoke and flames coming from the back of the 914 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

I ran to the car and grabbed a fire extinguisher and put the fire out. It pretty much destroyed the right side of the engine down to the head. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/hissyfit.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

[r_towle]

Pulled a car off the trailer to have it break in half going down the ramps.
Had to cut it completely with a saws all to move the front half off, then pulled the back half into the barn and using the saws all I cut the body off the motor and trans....

[ConeDodger]

Had to move some cars around in my driveway so I pulled the 914 out and pointed it uphill, put the E-brake on and started walking away. Suddenly, I became aware that it was on its way down the hill and gaining speed! I should mention, the hill is very steep and 100 yards long emptying onto what can be a busy street. So, I chase it and I'm trying to dive in which I manage to do but I'm still moving and I can't get my feet pointed right to apply the brake. All I can think of is the car going all the way into the street and hitting someone! But it turns out that isn't the worse that could happen. Off to the one side of my driveway is a field and on the downhill side of the field, a cliff...

Luckily, I get my foot on the brake and miraculously, there is no damage! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif)

[whatabout1]

The 1st summer I had my 914 1.7, low mileage but 10 yrs old in '83.
I was creeping along in the middle lane of a freeway during rush hr heading home from work.
When the car, also barely moving, in the lane to my right rolls down his window and yells,

"You're car is spraying liquid on the ground and it sells like gas !!!"

He let me pull in front of him to the curb. The plastic fuel line had split almost in half !!
No fire (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) I still owe that guy a huge thanks !

[hedfurst]

Up late the night before an autocross in Grenada Mississippi, had addressed some rough areas of the interior under the passengers seat and had decided clean up the area there around the wiring harness that's secured there. I gingerly moved the wiring bundle up and around and over, etc. I remember thinking that it was rather stiff but I really didn't have to move it --much(Never did get around to figuring out what all that is.) Anyway, early the next morning I'm flying up hwy 49 from Hattiesburg to Jackson at about 90mph when suddenly I'm sure I smell something?! Within seconds the interior fills up with acrid white smoke! The windows are up 'cause it's cold outside, I can't see and I'm overcome with a coughing fit and am barely able to get the window cracked and slow down the car at the same time! fortunately I was on a strait section of the highway and could feel the rumble strips and could get the car stopped safely! I just rolled out and laid on the ground/edge of the road and caught my breath. Glad it didn't catch fire- I was fairly incapacitated for several minutes- I'm not sure I could have operated the extinguisher.
Anyway, after about 10 minutes or so I decided to see if it would run. Cranked up right away- continued on my way!

[speed metal army]

Drove across the line to buy my first 914. Drove about 6 hours, made the deal, hit the road! (Loaded on a trailer)Made it just into WA state and my truck and my new car got hit by a spinning GMC Jimmy on I-5. Hilarious. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bs.gif) Wrecked before I got home.

[orthobiz]

Somewhere in the 80s had a broken clutch cable on Christmas eve, out on Long Island while I was living in Manhattan. Was at my stepmom's house, not my favorite place, so after exchanging gifts went back to Manhattan in the dead calm of a NY holiday night. Somehow, I only had to shift 5 times the whole trip! Carry a clutch cable with me now all the time.

Also, used to try to park the car conspicuously whenever possible (college days in the 70's) and after coming out of a bar for a breath of fresh air, asked a fellow to stop sitting on the fender of my 1971 Signal Orange car. It was parked right in front, small group of people hanging out. He did so politely, left the bar but not before passing me and my friend in his.......911S. He shouted out the window how "sorry" he was for sitting on my car. I can still hear that bastard cackling as he drove off...

Paul

[boxsterfan]

One time at band camp, I was driving my 914.....oh forget it!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif)

[Moneypit]

Drove across the line to buy my first 914. Drove about 6 hours, made the deal, hit the road! (Loaded on a trailer)Made it just into WA state and my truck and my new car got hit by a spinning GMC Jimmy on I-5. Hilarious. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bs.gif) Wrecked before I got home.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif) I was hoping more for funny, but that's just depressing...

[Rockaria]

During my college days my 914 (72 1.7 FI) was my only car. I would drive 350 miles one way, in the 110 degree southwest heat, to go home on holidays. I was able to pack my entire belongings into it.

My tool kit consisted of a hammer, long screwdriver and a toy water pistol.

The hammer was to whack the starter when it failed to run. The screw driver was to jump the posts on the starter when the hammer did not work and the toy water pistol was to shot water onto the fuel pump to cool it down.

It was a sight to see at the rest stops. Oh to be young and stupid. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/drunk.gif)

[SLITS]

RRC in Ouray, Co. Going over the 11,000' pass, I saw a geyser of liquid coming out of my engine grill. Pretty sight until I figured out it was fuel and my return line had come loose ... 70 PSI geyser. No flames, but scary.

Another, when I lit off my 2.7L conversion, I heard someone yell fire. Rats had built a winter home in the HEs and the running engine caught their home on fire. Quick blast with 125 psig air and the burning material blew out the HE.

Bought a car from Pick-A-Part. Tried starting in the yard prior to towing. Engine caught fire from a leaking fuel line. Put it our with no damage, but a hell of a scare.

[Bruce Hinds]

Every time I took my dog with me he'd be sniffing the passenger floor area. Unpon investigation I pulled the carpet and foot rest only to find it packed with dog food!

As I'm cleaning out the mess my wife comes home complaining about how her car seems to have no power and won't idle very well. It was a really cherry 450SL that she hardly drove and was always ran great. I pulled the top off the aircleaner can and found that it too was packed solid with dog food.

Living in the country in Colorado I had no idea that we had some resident pack rats. Fortunately they didn't destroy any of the wireing.

[Phoenix914]

Speaking of pack rats...

For a while, I kept my car in the garage bay on the end of my uncle's barn. His house was in a rural part of (s)lower Delaware. I found out that the car wasn't the only resident of that barn. I went over there to do some work after a couple weeks of being away and found a very unpleasant surprise: a rat had gotten in the car, crawled on top of the fuse block, and ... DIED there. It must have been electrocuted somehow.

There was mostly decomposed rat all over the fuse block connections and on the driver's floor - YUCK! That was the worst mess I've ever had to clean up.

[Larmo63]

The yellow '73 that I have just gotten running and sorted has headlights that don't exactly want to work. I was out driving yesterday, puling the switch in and out multiple times (to "wake" it up?) and the headlight doors open at random times. Sometimes halfway up, usually one at a time. I had my wife sit in the car and pull the switch and the car looks like it is blinking at me. I think 914s have a sly sense of humor.