CUDA 911's 914 Thread ! ! ! Options

[Mike Bellis]

Now that you are a proud 914 owner...

Be prepared for many "experts" like the homeless guy commenting on your car.

1) "You know that's not a real Porsche?"
2) "You know VW built that car?"
3) "You know that car never came with a V8?" (My favorite)
4) "You know Porsche was too embarrassed of the 914 so they gave it to VW?"
5) "What is that, a Fiat?"
6) "I used to own one of those."
7) "I have one of those in my garage."
9) "You know that thing uses a Bus motor?"

And many more. I just humor these "experts" and let them tell me everything they think they know.

What a surprise when I found out my car did not come with a Chevy V8... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/first.gif)

[Cuda911]

Mike Bellis: "What a surprise when I found out my car did not come with a Chevy V8"

So, are you indicating that mine doesn't either? Crap. I want a refund.

Actually, the comments have been 100% positive. I never realized how many people seem to really love this car!

When I initially started my hunt for a 914, I had never even heard of 914World, and figured it was just some odd personal quirk that I really liked 914s.

One guy even asked me if it was a brand new car, and what kind it was.

Also, I've been surprised at how many people have told me that they used to own one. After all, there were only 120,00 made total. How is it that every third person I meet seems to have owned one?

A set of Mahle wheels has been ordered from another member here, so that should make a huge difference in the appearance of my car!

Apparently, they take a longer lug bolt than the ones for my current steel wheels.

1. Anyone know the exact size and style lug bolt I need?
2. Any of you got some for sale or a good link to someone selling them. Ebay? Pelican maybe?
3. I will need center caps. Similar question: Any of you got some for sale or know a good place to buy them? I will post in the market place forum too.

Oh, my side stickers arrived yesterday!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Wheels and stickers that will be installed soon on my car:

[rhodyguy]

Nice looking wheels. They'going to look great on your car.

[KELTY360]

Last I knew, 914Rubber.com (Mikey914) had center caps. You can find him in the Member Vendors section of the classifieds. Great guy to deal with.

[914_teener]

^^^ Ah, that makes sense... seller said something about an O-ring that was leaking, but I didn't know what he meant.

Dave, that was a good tip on the horn pad... I fixed the horn today!!!

Right tail light and turn signal don't work. I thought it was probably a fuse, but I checked this morning and all fuses were fine. Now, I'm keeping fingers crossed that it is the bulb.... haven't checked yet.

Today I took off the targa top and drove the 914 down to La Jolla and Seaport Village. Everywhere I went, all day long, people made comments and compliments about the car and wanted photos of it... crazy!!! Do you guys get that much attention in your 914s? I never get that many comments in either the Cayman or the 911.

Here's the oddest incident of all today:

I was in La Jolla, waiting in an alley for some friends that I was meeting. I was fiddling with the radio, and heard someone next to the driver's side say something. I looked up, and there was a scruffy, scraggle-bearded, tattooed, shirtless guy with filthy tattered pants. He was swigging whiskey from a bottle in a paper bag.

I looked up and said "what?".

He replied (in a somewhat slurred voice): "Great 914, man.... I haven't seen one of those in years." He took another swig, staggered a bit and nearly fell over, and then said: "Is that the 1800 engine? Your car is great, dude, I never see 914s any more."

Then he gave me that surfer "hang loose" hand gesture and staggered off down the alley.
.

That was just Slits (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer.gif)

[KELTY360]

Here's the oddest incident of all today:

I was in La Jolla, waiting in an alley for some friends that I was meeting. I was fiddling with the radio, and heard someone next to the driver's side say something. I looked up, and there was a scruffy, scraggle-bearded, tattooed, shirtless guy with filthy tattered pants. He was swigging whiskey from a bottle in a paper bag.

I looked up and said "what?".

He replied (in a somewhat slurred voice): "Great 914, man.... I haven't seen one of those in years." He took another swig, staggered a bit and nearly fell over, and then said: "Is that the 1800 engine? Your car is great, dude, I never see 914s any more."

Then he gave me that surfer "hang loose" hand gesture and staggered off down the alley.
.

That was just Slits (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif)

[Chris H.]

Last I knew, 914Rubber.com (Mikey914) had center caps. You can find him in the Member Vendors section of the classifieds. Great guy to deal with.

Yes I had a set of these. Very nice quality. Definitely recommend them.

914rubber center caps

[Cuda911]

I just ordered a nice set of center caps with Porsche crests from another 914World member, so they are on the way!

Also, I cut apart the visors today and sent the metal "bones" in for the "group buy" to get them re-covered. The vinyl on the old ones was perfect, but the foam inside had degraded, so they were kind of "lumpy" looking.

Almost made me nauseous to cut up the perfectly good vinyl on my original ones! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I still need to find a place to get the proper lug bolts for the Mahle wheels. Any suggestions?

[Cuda911]

Current status:

The car is at the shop now, for a general inspection.

The following items have been ordered from four fellow 914World members and should be in transit to me at the moment:

- Mahle wheels (set of 5 wheels)
- Center caps with Porsche crest
- OEM lug bolts, 16 of them
- Re-covered sun visors ( I stripped the old ones and send them in to be redone)

I'll post an update when I hear findings from the shop.

[carr914]

To get the Center caps on & off, get some PVC pipe pieces. Get one big enough to fot over the cap but catch the edge. Get a smaller piece to fit the inside of the cap. That way you won't dent them up in the future

[zambezi]

I agree. And NEVER let a tire shop remove them for you.

[Cuda911]

Good tips regarding the caps!!! I didn't realize that they fit so tightly into the holes in the wheel centers.

All these great tips come from you guys with experience in owning these cars.

I just recently learned that I am supposed to hold my hand up over the engine cover when releasing the catch, so that it doesn't come springing up so hard.

Also, I take my cars too a very high end tire/wheel shop. It isn't really open much to the general public.... they do wheels for the local Porsche, Mercedes, and other high-end dealers.

Pricey, but they do great work.

I had some doofus totally scratch up my wheels on another car many years ago, at a Discount Tire shop. Never again.

[carr914]

Good tips regarding the caps!!! I didn't realize that they fit so tightly into the holes in the wheel centers.

All these great tips come from you guys with experience in owning these cars.

I just recently learned that I am supposed to hold my hand up over the engine cover when releasing the catch, so that it doesn't come springing up so hard.

Also, I take my cars too a very high end tire/wheel shop. It isn't really open much to the general public.... they do wheels for the local Porsche, Mercedes, and other high-end dealers.

Pricey, but they do great work.

I had some doofus totally scratch up my wheels on another car many years ago, at a Discount Tire shop. Never again.

Even a High End shop can mess up our Center Caps - they bend very easily

[Cuda911]

Update - 6/19/2014:

OK, got the car back from the shop today. The shop owner is a PCA officer, Chief Scrutineer, and long time member of PCA, POC, and PCCA. He owns and races 914s, and has done so for many, many years. A true 914 guru of the highest order.

To start: He said that my 914 is one of the finest examples he has ever seen in his shop... quite the compliment for the car! And, quite the testament that you guys steered me in the right direction on my 914 hunt. I am extremely grateful for all the advice you guys gave.

There was no rust on any of the undercarriage or components.

As stated above by member "Sleepin" , there was a minor transmission fluid leak that was due to a leaking speedo drive O-ring. Great diagnosis, Sleepin!!!

Had that replaced. The faulty rear right tail light was due to some minor corrosion of the bulb contact. The bulb assembly was taken out, bead-blasted, and replaced. Works fine now.

Oil/filter change.

Shifter bushing is on order.

My center caps arrived today... beautiful OEM caps with Porsche crest, in original boxes. Thanks, Orthobiz!!!!!!!!!!!

Still waiting for the wheels and lug bolts to show up, and I still need to put the Porsche stickers on the doors.

My 996 was getting lonely... giving all my attention to the 914 these days. So, I took the 996 out for a 100 mile drive today.
.

[ripper911]

That's not air-cooled! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

[Cuda911]

^^^ No, but I am, when I'm in it and the windows are rolled down.

So, I snuck it into my 914thread!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[brant]

Pull the rockers

[Porschef]

Yes, pull them rockers (IMG:style_emoticons/default/w00t.gif)

[Cuda911]

Got the rocker pull planned for tomorrow! I'll post findings here.

[KELTY360]

Still waiting for the wheels and lug bolts to show up, and I still need to put the Porsche stickers on the doors.

Wheels shipped by FedEx Ground today. Probably arrive on Tuesday. That's great news from the inspection.