BUILD-OFF CHALLENGE: New 914 owner...what have I gone and done! |
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BUILD-OFF CHALLENGE: New 914 owner...what have I gone and done! |
Darren C |
Dec 26 2014, 09:15 AM
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#1
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Member Group: Members Posts: 392 Joined: 26-December 14 From: Chichester UK Member No.: 18,255 Region Association: England |
Hi everyone,
I have been looking for a 914 on and off for a couple of years now and late one evening I bid on ebay for a car in Desert Hot Springs CA. A real leap of faith for me as I live in Chichester UK! My first car was a VW Beetle and I’ve owned quite a few air cooled VWs and always wanted a 914, so now almost 25 years later I finally took the plunge and with sweat on my brow placed a last minute bid on ebay on a car I’d only seen in 4 small photo’s on line. To my surprise I won the 914. Problem was it lay 8000 miles away from me here in UK. I got hold of the sellers phone number and gave them a call. The car is a 1974 2.0L one owner from new sold in Palm Springs 914. The seller was the owners daughter. The gentleman passed away several years ago and she’d had it parked up on her driveway for 5 or 6 years. From the description in the listing it had a Salvage title due to sand storm damage on the paintwork. It looked reasonably solid in the few pictures I saw, but very sorry for itself with flat tires and bad paint. It was a gamble, but sometimes these things pay off. I got the car picked up by a shipping agent and taken to Long Beach for shipping. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i265.photobucket.com-18255-1419606931.1.jpg) 2 months later it arrived in Southampton UK (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i265.photobucket.com-18255-1419606931.2.jpg) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i265.photobucket.com-18255-1419606931.3.jpg) Last week I went down to Southampton and collected my new project just in time for Christmas. I was recommended this site from another 914 owner and it's a great relief to find such a large active community. 914's were never sold in the UK, so all are personal imports and a rare thing to see on our roads. I’m pleased to now join you guy’s and post my restoration progress in getting this little car back on the road. Regards Darren |
pilothyer |
Dec 26 2014, 09:29 AM
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#2
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Member Group: Members Posts: 838 Joined: 21-May 08 From: N. Alabama Member No.: 9,080 Region Association: South East States |
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png) Congratulations
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JStroud |
Dec 26 2014, 09:37 AM
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#3
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,463 Joined: 15-January 11 From: Galt, California Member No.: 12,594 Region Association: Northern California |
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png)
Looks like a good start to a nice car. Glad it all worked out, have fun getting it going. |
JeffBowlsby |
Dec 26 2014, 10:04 AM
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#4
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914 Wiring Harnesses Group: Members Posts: 8,758 Joined: 7-January 03 From: San Ramon CA Member No.: 104 Region Association: None |
Looks like you scored a good one Darren, welcome to 914s. The funs begins!
Post more photos of the car when you get it cleaned up. |
green914 |
Dec 26 2014, 10:25 AM
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#5
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,467 Joined: 29-March 11 From: Sacramento, California Member No.: 12,874 Region Association: Northern California |
Let the fun begin! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png)
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shoguneagle |
Dec 26 2014, 10:28 AM
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#6
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shoguneagle Group: Members Posts: 1,180 Joined: 3-January 03 From: CA, OR, AZ (CAZOR); New Mexico Member No.: 84 Region Association: Northern California |
Congratulations. Looks like a good project and there are some members from UK here on the site. NOW, for the sickness - you will catch the 914 fever and there is not any cure for it. Congratulations.
Steve Hurt |
JawjaPorsche |
Dec 26 2014, 10:33 AM
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#7
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 3,463 Joined: 23-July 11 From: Clayton, Georgia Member No.: 13,351 Region Association: South East States |
Welcome to the Madness, Darren!
You have came to the right place! I have received numerous help for needed repairs from members on 914World! Terry |
EdwardBlume |
Dec 26 2014, 10:33 AM
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#8
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914 Wizard Group: Members Posts: 12,338 Joined: 2-January 03 From: SLO Member No.: 81 Region Association: Central California |
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Cuda911 |
Dec 26 2014, 10:45 AM
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#9
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,489 Joined: 20-May 14 From: Oceanside (N. San Diego County), CA Member No.: 17,376 Region Association: Southern California |
Great! And, Desert Hot Springs is a perfect place to score a 914 from. Lots of affluent retirees, very low humidity, very sparse rain.
Congrats! |
Gustl |
Dec 26 2014, 11:08 AM
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#10
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914 enthusiast & historian Group: Members Posts: 11,680 Joined: 16-June 04 From: TIROL / Austria Member No.: 2,212 Region Association: Austria |
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png) ... from far, far away (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)
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76-914 |
Dec 26 2014, 11:10 AM
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#11
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Repeat Offender & Resident Subaru Antagonist Group: Members Posts: 13,636 Joined: 23-January 09 From: Temecula, CA Member No.: 9,964 Region Association: Southern California |
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png) You shouldn't be too long with it. It likely has very little rust and should be an easy turn around. Cheers (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) Kent
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porbmw |
Dec 26 2014, 11:22 AM
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#12
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 812 Joined: 10-September 08 From: Vancouver, B.C. Member No.: 9,534 Region Association: None |
Looks like a nice car!
They are rare to see on the road here in North America....so I can't imagine the odds of seeing one on the road in England....I was in London this summer for a couple of weeks, didn't see ANY vintage/classic cars of the road. You will have fun with the car....be patient with the resto process, but not too patient, or your car will be sitting on stands or a hoist. Don't know if you have driven one yet....you will have fun with it, but become accustomed to it. There are a fun car to drive, but very primitive in comparison to today/s products. And (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png) |
Darren C |
Dec 26 2014, 12:09 PM
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#13
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Member Group: Members Posts: 392 Joined: 26-December 14 From: Chichester UK Member No.: 18,255 Region Association: England |
Thanks for the kind words of encouragement. I got a look over the car last weekend and hope to work on it tomorrow. From what I have seen it’s a very solid little car. Having not run for 6 years or so the car was laid up with the presence of mind to overfill the motor with fresh oil, so once drained and set to the correct level the internals should be free from rust. That said I haven’t found anything much at all on the car. The sound proofing pad had fallen off the bulkhead onto the engine so I carefully lifted it out and had a good look in what you guy’s call the “Hell Holes” in both bottom forward corners of the engine bay. They were full of desert sand (almost 2" deep) so I gave them a good vacuum out and the rest of the bay. The good news is ZERO rust in these area’s, only a tiny amount on the corner of the battery tray about the size of a UK penny or a US dime. The metal is really solid so after a good clean I plan to repaint it before the sound proofing pad gets put back in. The paint seems really thin and white primer is showing through on the raised surfaces, bends and edges, plus it looks like they never lacquer clear coated the engine bay when built as its very matt finish. Maybe someone with more knowledge than me can confirm this?
Having a look around the motor it looks like the previous owner removed the thermostat, cable, flaps and linkages from the fan housing (possibly an attempt to give more cooling in Palm Springs?) In UK it’s much colder so I plan to strip out the Fuel injection, remove the tin ware and re fit the flap assembly back to stock. I started to take off some rubber breather and fuel hoses and they are very brittle and snap clean in two if you try and bend them so these will all need replacing. I suppose that’s the price you pay in return for no rust in a Desert car! The shopping list gets bigger each day, but I was prepared for it and the car was real cheap in the scheme of things. Apart from the paint which I knew from the start needed a full respray, the rubber trims running along the top of both front and rear bumpers are completely shot, as are all the window and roof seals. What’s puzzling is the seats, console, and dash are all in real good shape compared to some I looked at on ebay that all seemed to have splits and tears? They just need a good clean. I think I’m gonna have a fair few more vacuum cleaner bags full of Desert sand to come! No; I've never driven a 914, plenty of air cooled VW's but nothing mid engined. I expect its going to be a well balanced little go-kart. |
SixerJ |
Dec 26 2014, 12:51 PM
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#14
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Member Group: Members Posts: 448 Joined: 24-June 13 From: UK Member No.: 16,042 Region Association: England |
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png) ... from far, far away (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png) .....from not quite so far away As you said, your now part of an exclusive UK club (IMG:style_emoticons/default/w00t.gif) |
bandjoey |
Dec 26 2014, 12:58 PM
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#15
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bandjoey Group: Members Posts: 4,930 Joined: 26-September 07 From: Bedford Tx Member No.: 8,156 Region Association: Southwest Region |
Congratulation on a great looking car. Most everything you need can be found here from members and vendors. Enjoy your new Teener.
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Bleyseng |
Dec 26 2014, 01:08 PM
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#16
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Aircooled Baby! Group: Members Posts: 13,036 Joined: 27-December 02 From: Seattle, Washington (for now) Member No.: 24 Region Association: Pacific Northwest |
Nice car and change out all of the fuel lines including the ones at the injectors.
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oldschool |
Dec 26 2014, 01:16 PM
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#17
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 3,372 Joined: 29-October 08 From: P-town Member No.: 9,705 Region Association: Southern California |
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png) You'll have have a ton of fun with her.
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Mblizzard |
Dec 26 2014, 01:17 PM
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#18
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 3,033 Joined: 28-January 13 From: Knoxville Tn Member No.: 15,438 Region Association: South East States |
You will be happier in the long run if you keep the FI.
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messix |
Dec 26 2014, 01:28 PM
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#19
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AKA "CLUTCH KILLER"! Group: Members Posts: 6,995 Joined: 14-April 05 From: between shit kickers and pinky lifters/ puget sound wa.north of Seattle south of Canada Member No.: 3,931 Region Association: Pacific Northwest |
most of what you will need you can order from here http://914rubber.com/
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JRust |
Dec 26 2014, 01:30 PM
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#20
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914 Guru Group: Members Posts: 6,310 Joined: 10-January 03 From: Corvallis Oregon Member No.: 129 Region Association: Pacific Northwest |
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png) & congrats on the new ride! Look forward to hearing about your progress getting it road worthy again. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif) welcome to the madness
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