Bringing Back The Dead, Restoring/Updating an old school 914-v8 Conversion Options

[LeftCoastErik]

OK, so I was the *lucky* bastard who ended up with GandolfTheGrey's (previously MichaelT55's) 1972 V8 Car. Specs were as follows.
Engine:
-1962 Buick 215 Aluminum V8
-STD bore, 10.5-1 (stock) comp ratio
-Cyl heads-ported exhaust ports, 3 angle valve grind with hi-retainers-shaft rocker stands shortened .060"-pushrods shortened .125" for geometry correction.
-Camshaft-M-488 custom ground by Shadbolt engineering(Vancouver B.C.) C/W hydraulic lifters
-Spheroidal graphite iron crankshaft, 5 main journal center, thrust mains, .010" under -Rods ground .001"
-New rings
-Hi volume oil pump, Buick V8 filter housing
-Facet electric fuel pump-GM canister filter
-Offenhauser alum intake
-500 cfm Edelbrock carb C/W electric choke
-Buick distributor with Unilite conversion
-Kennedy engineered product #1000 Buick to Porsche adapter
-KEP 9" Flywheel, clutch and throw-out bearing
-Custon h.d. radiator w/ twin Spals
-Toyota Corolla heater

TRANSMISSION:
Custom built V8 side shift trans by Dr. Evil.
Custom ratios
1st gear lock out
Fresh rebuild, newly installed

BODY:
-Rayco FRP front fenders
-Mitcom 916 rear quarter panels
-P.B. Tweeks FRP flared rocker panels

ELECTRICAL:
-Hella H-4 Q.I. headlites
-Eurolens rear tail lites
-Tach converted to 8cyl
-Mechanical oil pressure and water temp
-Alpine CD
-Electric windows
-Updated blade style fuse blocks
SUSPENSION:
-H & H Carrera 19mm adj front sway bar
-Addco 16mm rear sway bar
-140# rear springs (100 stock)
-Stock front torsion bar
-Koni adj front and Koni H.D. rear shock absorbers
-BMW 320i front brake conversion
-Stock Porsche rear calipers
-All four calipers have stainless steel liners and completely rebuilt.
-Adj proportioning valve
-19mm 911 master cylinder
-All rotors have been crossdrilled
-All flex lines are braided stainless steel
-Pagio performance brake pads, all four wheels
-Carrol Shelby Mini-Europa wheels 7/15 front 8.5/15 rear
-Custom roll bar with rear chassis supports

[LeftCoastErik]

Looks like a good car, right? Gandolf had recently redone the engine and trans and shift linkage and, in fact, it runs and drive really nicely. The trans works well also. After it took 3 weeks to get the car from MN, I was pretty excited, and I already had a full 5-lug conversion ,sway away axles, 17" Fuchs, new tires, konis, Boxter brakes from Rich Johnson, etc sitting in piles waiting for the car.

Car arrived late Wednesday and I drove it, cleaned it up and parked it in the garage. Yesterday afternoon, this happened:

[LeftCoastErik]

I yanked the rockers and my heart started to sink a little. I NEVER buy old cars without looking at them first...I made an exception in this case and it bit me in the ass. In Gandolf (steven)s defense, he did nothing except the mechanicals on the car when he had it and barely drove it. BUT, the rust is pretty ugly.

Hell hole is good (probably because the car was converted in 1984 and the battery moved to the front trunk). BUT the long is hammered, as is the passenger jack point. The inner long is surprisingly OK. Front of passenger footwell is separating. Pedal box has some rust, drivers inner fender and master area have been repaired from an accident, I imagine. Drivers tub is pushed up some, but not wrinkled. Passenger rocker area was poorly repaired with fiberglass and was holding water. I found standing water under the floor mats and seats. Passenger quarter is separating from the sail panel (fixable)

Also, the front fenders are molded into the cowl, so they have to be cut out. I have QRS GT flares and front end to install in the car, so that is on the list also.

Its a good running car with some nice parts, but its kind of a mess compared to the 73 I just restored.

Wiring was a mess, power windows only sort of worked. Extra gauges were old school and one of them was arcing on the subwoofer installation..Arggg...

Anyway, teardown happened in one night, so today I get started on installing Brad's Long kit, the gt chassis reinforcement and a bunch of patch panels.

[LeftCoastErik]

More pics

[LeftCoastErik]

and some more

No problem zip tying the battery cables to the rear swaybar, right?? It should be ok.. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)

[LeftCoastErik]

So, yeah...going to be doing a lot of this (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welder.gif) for the next few days. I hope to get the longs in by tomorrow so that I can support it there and yank the front and rear suspension to bring down to the 914 swap meet in san jose on sunday

Wish me luck

[rhodyguy]

Bummer

[rjames]

Bummer indeed.
At least it looks like you have the skills to make it right again.

[Mueller]

Ouch....using the speaker to pick up the metal scraps?

[matthepcat]

Bummer about the rust.

The car is going to look so much better when you swap out the front fenders and those wheels. At least you can drive it and enjoy it during the process.


Matt

[LeftCoastErik]

Yeah, definitely a bummer, but stuff happens.

My wife (who is less than thrilled with the multiplying teeners) was like "so can you fix it?"
Me: "of course honey, no problem...I just didn't WANT to fix it..."

I just have to keep telling myself that its nothing compared to chopping the top on a 50 chevy or half of the other work I have done on custom 50's cars...Everything is small and easy..yeah...that's the ticket..

[whitetwinturbo]

.........and I had this one on the "watch" list on Ebay. MI seemed like a long way from CA so I did not bid...even though the price seemed right.....right? WRONG! Looking forward to the "fix"!

[r_towle]

Dude, don't lose the magic speaker that goes behind the jacking point to keep everything in tune.

[LeftCoastErik]

Day 2 saw the removal of the rear right suspension, complete with a broke off trailing arm console bolt...HOORAY! I soaked them for 2 days. 2 came out like butter. One rotated half a turn and snapped...Should be fun to remove.

It also appears that the long has been patched full length at some point in its history. Metal is good, and its gas welded with a goldish metal that is hard as hell. Not sure what it is, but I am guessing the welds aren't factory. The longs look nothing like the ones on my 73. I had to make spacer pieces to weld to the long to get the Mayeur kit to but up to and be able to plug weld. No biggie, but one more thing to deal with..

Hoping to get out today around 10am and put some more hours into it.

[LeftCoastErik]

Holes were added so I could spray Ospho in there all over...

[EdwardBlume]

Super cool. Dig the pup too! Let me know if you need any spare parts. I think I have an extra pair of CFR dog ear plates.

[LeftCoastErik]

Rob, I may just take those off your hands. Bring them if you are heading to Harrys on Sunday. I definitely want to check your rides out also.

[tomrev]

I too was following the car on ebay; not to buy, as I have my 914 fix, but because I thought it was a smoking deal with the mechanicals, and couldn't believe the low selling price! Given all the metal work, i feel better about the price now. I also had the same thought about having to R&R the front fenders for a stock look. It will be a cool ride when you are finished!

[LeftCoastErik]

Days 3-5 were pretty exciting also.. Got the longs done on both sides, the front and rest of the rear suspension torn out. Found a bunch more rusty stuff (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)

Also removed the toyota heater box and plumbing, pulled the battery cables so I can route them in (rather than under) the car, yanked a bunch of crap wiring and started to pull the fenders.

Damned fenders were molded to part of the original fender (very odd stuff) so they are going to be a beeeyatch to remove.

Got all my 911 CVs and Flanges thanks to some folks on here and got my Sway Away axles as well.

Turbo tie-rod kit is here.

Custom SpeedHut gauges ordered up as well (since I have to rewire stuff anyway..why not?)

[LeftCoastErik]

More pics. New 17" Fachs and RE71R tires waiting to go on!

The BMW 320i calipers, struts and drilled rotors are for sale also. Make me an offer