The Family Car, Making progress for reveal at the family Christmas!! Options

[Mr.Nobody]

Hello 914World!!!!

Thanks for letting me stalk your forums but I guess it's time to pipe up!!

First off, I'm sure you guys know it but what a killer resource this place is. I already met a few of your members a few weeks ago and they were nothing less than phenomenal representatives of this community.

Second, My grandfather bought this 1972 1.7 liter brand new off the lot. It really was the possession he purchased for himself when he had finally made it. He's had it since and it's his pride and joy.

I was born in 1982. Ever since I can remember the car has been in my life. Cruising topless was amazing when I was a kid. I can remember playing in the car, racing, chasing robbers, flying spaceships even. And so can every one of my cousins. It's an integral part of my family.

A number of years ago he told me one day it would be mine. I was the one in the family chosen to take car of it when he was gone.

Well, sure enough, he decided to give it to me early. I picked it up the other day with my wife, and my dad. Together we trailered it back home. It's been a little neglected over the recent years understandably due to his age, but honestly it's about as close as one can get to a one owner, never wrecked, (almost) rust free 914. And to me it's priceless.

Hope you guys like the pics, I'll have more in the future as I start making headway, but for now, I'm reading up. Lots of reading (IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)

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I plan to keep it a streetable ride with much better performance. No cage or nothing, but it will get a new suspension and brakes amongst a host of other items. The interior will be kept oem looking with some modern comfort.

I know a lot of people hold the notion of restoring it to stock. There's definitely a value in that, but it's not for this car.

The truth with this car is that it's not original paint, lots of parts have been swapped, and the cost to go full oem original would be astronomical. I will not be selling the car ever and my wife knows and she agrees with that decision. The car will be built for our liking and for the joy of my family when I bring it to family events. Everyone in the family agrees that the 914 was always lacking a little something. I plan to give it that. The car will remain relatively tame and stock looking, no chopped windshield, cage, etc. However it's going to get upgrades in the power, suspension, brakes departments.

The interior will be cleaned up and returned to close to stock. Radio removed, stock seats etc.


If you made it this far, thanks for reading and I look forward to seeing you on the forums to pick your brains, and out on the road! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/first.gif)

[Mr.Nobody]

Well, almost a year later, a little update. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)

The car has been stored in hibernation over the last year. Getting to work on the car is tough. It’s stored 45 minutes from my home, and I work a lot. I've done a few things, but not much. Mainly got it running. Vacuum lines, plugs, wires, coil, oil change, timed it and got it to run. Oh, and save money.

My time and energy has been spent combing the resources like this forum, Pelicans forum, 914club, and every vendor, blog, book, or tech article I could find. Researching one thing led to another, which led to another, and so on. I also spoke with anyone who would share their knowledge. Once I’d decided a course I began purchasing parts. Tom @ TC’s Garage has been extremely helpful with parts knowledge. If you haven’t checked him out, you should.

One day I hope to do a full restoration of the car, but for now it's mainly a refresh with the potential for a motor build in the near future.

The car has thankfully little rust, and from what I’ve found, it can wait a bit longer for the restoration. Poking in all the usual places has revealed very little.

The plan is to bring the car to the family Christmas this year. Everyone should get a kick out of that.

Over the last few days I have installed…

Brake job – including rotors, pads, SS lines, 19mm master cylinder.

BMW 320i calipers
Turbo tie rod kit
Rotary14’ SS fuel lines

I started Sunday, I'm slow. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif)

One plus right off the bat, when on 4 jack stands, both doors line up and open and close very easy. I did not try to take the top off and test it. And no it hasn't been on jack stands for the last year.
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Fuel lines were first, out came the tank. The tank itself looks great. Inside is bright silver and clean. Outside is really nice to.
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Unfortunately there was a small pin hole. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/chair.gif)
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A quick trip over to a buddies in town and he had it all welded up. He does some pretty stellar work and has worked on many high end restorations. If you need metal work, have a look at Mettelka Craft Metal Shaping, you won't be disappointed. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welder.gif)

Just need to fill it with water still and make sure it’s water tight before paint and reinstall.

Next up was the fuel line from Rotary’14. As many of you know already, really nice product, super easy guy too deal with. I definitely recommend.
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The fuel lines themselves slid right in no problem. The motor was in place and I did the install alone, it’s that easy. Took maybe 20 minutes to fish them both through. Definitely takes more time to replace all the other rubber hoses than it does to do the stainless.

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Next up were the brakes.
The rear rotors are still within spec, so I’ll re-use them. Every dollar saved is another dollar towards the motor.

The rear calipers appear to have been rebuilt not too long ago. While they aren’t the prettiest, the rubber around the pistons is soft, pliable, and in good shape with no tears. Maybe I’ll pick up a caliper paint kit or hit it with a clear lacquer.
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I went to install the 72+up SS lines I had ordered and sure enough, the threads appeared to be different when trying to bolt to the hard line coming from the proportioning valve. It took me a while to figure out (due to tight visibility in there), but some prior mechanic had installed a metric to SAE adapter to hook up to the random old stainless steel line he had installed. Very strange. Once I got the stupid adapter off everything fit right up.

While in the front brakes I noticed both tie rod ends were torn. So, a quick call over to Tom and a Turbo tie rod kit sooner than expected. Looking forward to those. The passenger tie rod end came out no problem. The driver side, 45 minutes of banging on a pickle fork. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smash.gif)

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The front rotors were out of spec and were replaced. Along with the 320i calipers, pads, SS lines and new front hard lines.

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New 19mm master cylinder with old two pole switch. Didn’t get any pics of it installed.

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I ran out of time to work on the car and had to come home to work on a project for work. I should be back up there for a few days in early April.
Next up on the list (have all parts already)

Fill up, bleed, and check the brakes for leaks.

Install new motor mounts.

New ball joints

New shift bushings.

Optima 34r battery.

Pertronix pointless ignition.

Finish the remaining soft fuel lines and reinstall the gas tank.

While I can’t work on the car for another 2 weeks, I can finish up polishing and painting the Empi 8’s I got and put some rubber on them.

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One final thing, the car is located in Fallbrook, CA. Which is also home to a certain specialty Porsche restorer called CPR, the place is 10x more insane then your wildest dreams. I stopped by for some questions and took just a couple quick pictures.

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Soon enough I'll be doing this (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif) and saving for the motor. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif)

Thanks for looking and reading!!