Cuda 911's 2nd Thread: Bought another 914 today! '73 1.7 Survivor Car! Options

[Cuda911]

Just got home with my new 914!! It will keep my '74 914 company.

Another Southern California Survivor car... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Saw a Craig's List ad this morning... it had no pix and described the car as a '73 1.8 (of course, it's actually a 1.7). The seller said they knew nothing about the car.

So, I drove out to see it... way down some dirt road out in the back wine country of Temecula (CA).

The seller turned out to be a very nice 87 year old lady who's son owned the car since February of 1986. Unfortunately, he passed away recently. He had been ill (cancer), so the car was garaged since 2005, other than taking it out periodically to give it some exercise. A total of 800 miles driven in the last 10 years.

This is a Southern California car. Spent its entire life in Orange County, other than the last 10 years when it was garaged in Temecula. The car has always been garaged and is extremely rust free. I poked and prodded, and poked some more. All I could find was some rust inside of the rear of the rear trunk floor that had been painted over in 1986, and appeared to have not spread since that time.

When the guy bought it in 1986, he had it repainted at that time. The paint is in great condition. Unfortunately, they really didn't mask off things very much when it was painted, so there are things like the headlight motors and other hardware that have been painted.

I drove the car home (about 60 miles), and it performed flawlessly. Feels like it could use some new shifter bushings, though.

They were asking $7,900. I paid $6,500, which I think is an extremely good deal.

Here's some pix. I'll post more when I clean the car up.
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[dlkawashima]

Wow, very cool find, Mike. It looks like you have uncovered another hidden treasure. Wasn't your silver car in pretty much the same condition ... just some surface rust in the rear trunk?

Pity about the headlight motors and such ... hopefully that can be cleaned with some mild cleaner/solvent and a lot of elbow grease. BTW, I thought the 1.8-liter L-Jet engines didn't make their debut till the '74 model year (not that I'm an expert on the model year to model year changes) ...

[Cuda911]

Yep, same rust spot as in my '74... inside back edge of rear trunk. The rest of the car looks very solid.

The ad said 1.8, but it's a 1.7. The seller knew nothing about the car, so I didn't bother asking about the discrepancy when I saw the ad. I figured I'd just go see for myself.

You will also note the aftermarket side view mirrors, and aftermarket front valence. I'll probably return those to OEM at some point, but the ones on the car now aren't bad.

I'm wondering if I can clean off the paint on things like the headlight motors. After all, that paint has been there for nearly 30 years. I'm afraid of making a mess out of it. For the smaller hardware, I do plan to strip that down to bare metal.

I'll spend some more time over the next few days figuring out exactly what the issues are with this car.
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My very first fill-up, on the way home tonight, and I had three people come up to me asking me about the car. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Mikey914]

Pretty car.
Looks like an Alaska Blue repaint

[Cuda911]

Pretty car.
Looks like an Alaska Blue repaint

I was thinking it's Olympic Blue. Anyone know for sure?

(Dang, somehow I changed a setting for the forums to the collapsed thread view. How do I change it back to the normal view?)

[Mikey914]

Pretty car.
Looks like an Alaska Blue repaint

I was thinking it's Olympic Blue. Anyone know for sure?

(Dang, somehow I changed a setting for the forums to the collapsed thread view. How do I change it back to the normal view?)

Run the 4 digit paint code in the door jam.

[Cuda911]

Pretty car.
Looks like an Alaska Blue repaint

I was thinking it's Olympic Blue. Anyone know for sure?

(Dang, somehow I changed a setting for the forums to the collapsed thread view. How do I change it back to the normal view?)

Run the 4 digit paint code in the door jam.

Good idea. They painted over the code on the door jamb, but I may be able to make it out through the paint, or clean the paint off of the metal paint code plate. I believe it's stamped into that plate, not just printed onto it.

[rhodyguy]

hl motors are cheap. find the best set you can and just swap them out. unless you want to spend hours cleaning them and possibly be disappointed in the result.

[SirAndy]

I was thinking it's Olympic Blue.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

Looks like Olympic Blue to me ...
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[914_teener]

Nice find.......again.

I would keep the 73 over the seventy four.

I am biased.

[theleschyouknow]

nice score! you got the colorful one you wanted looks to be in great shape

[ndfrigi]

Wow a really nice find sir! Not only that, it was registered that is why you able to drove it home and after it was seating for a while you just turned the key and able to drove it for 60 miles! that is a real deal!!! God did bless you!

[Cuda911]

Wow a really nice find sir! Not only that, it was registered that is why you able to drove it home and after it was seating for a while you just turned the key and able to drove it for 60 miles! that is a real deal!!! God did bless you!

Thanks for the comments, guys!

Rhody, got any HL motors for sale? You may be right that it's easier to replace them than to clean them.

914-teener: I'm definitely keeping both the '73 and the '74.

Thelesyouknow: Yeah... this is what I originally was looking for: a colorful 73 or 74 with chrome bumpers.

Had to go outside to look in the driveway first thing this morning to make sure it wasn't a dream! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[G e o r g e]

Pretty car.
Looks like an Alaska Blue repaint

I agree look at the engine bay shots, battery tray look like Alaskan Blue to me

[G e o r g e]

look behind your sound pad in the engine compartment

[SirAndy]

Looks like an Alaska Blue repaint

I agree look at the engine bay shots, battery tray look like Alaskan Blue to me

But he said "Looks like an Alaska Blue repaint" which disagree with.

The original blue looks like Alaska Blue but the repaint is most certainly Olympic Blue.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Cuda911]

Looks like an Alaska Blue repaint

I agree look at the engine bay shots, battery tray look like Alaskan Blue to me

But he said "Looks like an Alaska Blue repaint" which disagree with.

The original blue looks like Alaska Blue but the repaint is most certainly Olympic Blue.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Ah, yes, I agree after looking at those engine bay pix. Alaska Blue to start, now Olympic Blue.

At least I hope it's really Olympic Blue and not "Paint your Car for $99 Blue", since there's a small scratch on the top of a fender that needs some touch up paint.

[G e o r g e]

Looks like an Alaska Blue repaint

I agree look at the engine bay shots, battery tray look like Alaskan Blue to me

But he said "Looks like an Alaska Blue repaint" which disagree with.

The original blue looks like Alaska Blue but the repaint is most certainly Olympic Blue.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

ok, fair enough. it is close to olympic, but has a bit to much blue in it
this is olympic blue

[Big Len]

Nice find cuda....I would have bought it too. Good luck.

[SKL1]

Riviera wheels and a Monza exhaust... brings back memories of the '70's for sure!!


Boy 'cuda, you've got the disease don't you??? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)