new car, first post Options

[earossi]

It would be a great idea to look at replacing all your rubber fuel hoses as well as the center tunnel hard lines that run through the center tunnel to the gas tank. Also, look at rust inside the fuel tank. Tangerine Racing sells nice stainless steel line sets for fuel and so does Rotary'14 (914World member). I replaced all my lines and cleaned out my tank last summer and was horrified with the condition of all the rubber lines. Ethanol fuels are not kind to rubber lines not rated for it's use....make sure to get 30R9 rubber fuel lines.
We are great at spending your money!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer.gif)

What makes you blame the degradation of rubber fuel lines on ethanol? You may have ethanol confused with methanol, used years ago, which did attack rubber. At 40 years old I suspect that most rubber is at end of life due to ozone....not ethanol.

[r_towle]

Change all your rubber fuel lines.
Two under the gas tank, two from the rear of the firewall, all the injector rubber lines.

Rich

[euro911]

"Is it a doomsday scenario that the right side jack point wouldn't hold the weight of the car?"

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

Snap some pix of your right side jack post - preferably with the rocker panel removed so we can have a good look at it. It's probably the most critical area to be concerned with. Hopefully it's only the sleeve and support.

Rust develops in the 'hell-hole' in the engine compartment, it's just forward and below where the battery sits. Water mixes with the acid from the battery's venting and settles in the crevasse (hell-hole), slowly eating at the metal.

From there, the toxic mix travels down the path of least resistance, and settles along the bottom of the longitudinal structural member (affectionally known as the 'long'). This is a condition many 914s suffer from. The factory should have designed the car with a different battery location, but it is what it is.

With today's sealed batteries, the problem isn't as drastic, and some folks relocate their batteries to a front or rear trunk location (and inside a protective container).

[arsprod]

"Is it a doomsday scenario that the right side jack point wouldn't hold the weight of the car?"

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

Snap some pix of your right side jack post - preferably with the rocker panel removed so we can have a good look at it. It's probably the most critical area to be concerned with. Hopefully it's only the sleeve and support.

Rust develops in the 'hell-hole' in the engine compartment, it's just forward and below where the battery sits. Water mixes with the acid from the battery's venting and settles in the crevasse (hell-hole), slowly eating at the metal.

From there, the toxic mix travels down the path of least resistance, and settles along the bottom of the longitudinal structural member (affectionally known as the 'long'). This is a condition many 914s suffer from. The factory should have designed the car with a different battery location, but it is what it is.

With today's sealed batteries, the problem isn't as drastic, and some folks relocate their batteries to a front or rear trunk location (and inside a protective container).

I misspoke - it's left side (driver's) that's the problem. Right side is fine.

[rnellums]

Where were all you indy guys when I was at Purdue! Looks like a great score! It seems a lot of nice 914s got stashed in barns for a long time. I picked this one up out of indy three years ago. Also a 74, with steelies.



Good luck with it, they are great cars!

[arsprod]

Where were all you indy guys when I was at Purdue! Looks like a great score! It seems a lot of nice 914s got stashed in barns for a long time. I picked this one up out of indy three years ago. Also a 74, with steelies.



Good luck with it, they are great cars!

Gorgeous! Love that color and I really like the panel stickers. May not be period correct but I'm putting them on this one... after fixing everything else!

[somd914]

Gorgeous! Love that color and I really like the panel stickers. May not be period correct but I'm putting them on this one... after fixing everything else!

The Porsche negative stripes are period correct, but don't sweat it even if they weren't, make the car your car and enjoy it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Java2570]

It would be a great idea to look at replacing all your rubber fuel hoses as well as the center tunnel hard lines that run through the center tunnel to the gas tank. Also, look at rust inside the fuel tank. Tangerine Racing sells nice stainless steel line sets for fuel and so does Rotary'14 (914World member). I replaced all my lines and cleaned out my tank last summer and was horrified with the condition of all the rubber lines. Ethanol fuels are not kind to rubber lines not rated for it's use....make sure to get 30R9 rubber fuel lines.
We are great at spending your money!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer.gif)

What makes you blame the degradation of rubber fuel lines on ethanol? You may have ethanol confused with methanol, used years ago, which did attack rubber. At 40 years old I suspect that most rubber is at end of life due to ozone....not ethanol.

I'm pretty sure that any kind of alcohol will degrade rubber. I'm no expert but I've read this many times and heard it from lots of folks. And for what it's worth, my rubber hoses were replaced in the late 90's by a previous owner...they were not 40 years old. The hoses not rated for ethanol fuel can degrade faster than the 30R9 hoses. I'm not saying it'll happen overnight with non rated hoses but it will happen faster. I could have left my center tunnel plastic lines in place as they were in good condition but I like the peace of mind. I only mentioned it because I would think the OP would want to check the condition of his fuel lines....his may be as old as the car!

[dabird]

I've got this one being shipped to me from my mother's house in NY. I'm a bit further south than you in Indiana but it's a another 74 2.0 added to the state

[Java2570]

Where were all you indy guys when I was at Purdue! Looks like a great score! It seems a lot of nice 914s got stashed in barns for a long time. I picked this one up out of indy three years ago. Also a 74, with steelies.



Good luck with it, they are great cars!

Ross - I remember meeting you at the Carmel auto show the summer before you moved. Unfortunately, I have not driven my car as much as I'd like to....
The car has been on and off jack stands since I've had it so I've got some real excuses but mostly it's my fault for not driving more.

[Java2570]

Any Indiana people looking for a project...saw this on Samba this weekend in Carmel, IN.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1788494
Not my car but I'm pretty sure I saw it driving in Carmel last year. I also saw a Zambezi green car being trailered through Carmel but I have not seen any trace of it since...I should've followed it!

[arsprod]

I've got this one being shipped to me from my mother's house in NY. I'm a bit further south than you in Indiana but it's a another 74 2.0 added to the state

Saweet! Mine is originally from Louisville, maybe they're sisters!?

[arsprod]

I know I should be sorting out mechanicals but decades worth of dirt and oxidation were driving me nuts. She looks beautiful! Needs a proper, professional buff, polish, and paint touch ups but this is a start.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i1240.photobucket.com-18519-1431901408.1.jpg)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i1240.photobucket.com-18519-1431901408.2.jpg)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i1240.photobucket.com-18519-1431901408.3.jpg)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i1240.photobucket.com-18519-1431901461.1.jpg)

Thanks for everyone's help and advice. I'll start posting specific questions in separate posts. I love this car!

[euro911]

"Is it a doomsday scenario that the right side jack point wouldn't hold the weight of the car?"

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

Snap some pix of your right side jack post - preferably with the rocker panel removed so we can have a good look at it. It's probably the most critical area to be concerned with. Hopefully it's only the sleeve and support. ...

I misspoke - it's left side (driver's) that's the problem. Right side is fine.

Still, remove the rockers and post some pix. The right side is more prone to effects from the tin worm, but I've seen bad left sides before. Usually both sides bad though, moreso than just the left. Maybe the way it was parked … wet, with the left side down slope? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

[arsprod]

"Is it a doomsday scenario that the right side jack point wouldn't hold the weight of the car?"

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

Snap some pix of your right side jack post - preferably with the rocker panel removed so we can have a good look at it. It's probably the most critical area to be concerned with. Hopefully it's only the sleeve and support. ...

I misspoke - it's left side (driver's) that's the problem. Right side is fine.

Still, remove the rockers and post some pix. The right side is more prone to effects from the tin worm, but I've seen bad left sides before. Usually both sides bad though, moreso than just the left. Maybe the way it was parked … wet, with the left side down slope? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

Ok ok... I'm reluctant to pull off the panel 1) because the upper middle part of the bumper is a rust mess, 2) I don't want to find out that I have the long's disease, I prefer denial... but will bow to peer pressure. Probably won't be until later in the week

[Java2570]

Aaron - looks like the paint cleaned up very nicely!

[euro911]

Ok ok... I'm reluctant to pull off the panel 1) because the upper middle part of the bumper is a rust mess, 2) I don't want to find out that I have the long's disease, I prefer denial... but will bow to peer pressure. Probably won't be until later in the week

Not sure what you mean by the bumper (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif) … I hope you didn't try jacking the car through the little hole on the left side of the back bumper - that's a towing hook attachment point. The rocker panels run along the bottom of the car on each side between the wheel wells ...

Remove the fasteners on the bottom of the panel and gently pull it away from the car without totally removing the panel (there are roughly 10 plastic rivets securing it on the top) - Pull it away just enough to snap a few shots in and around where the jack point is (straight down from where your door handle is). You may need to brush off mud and dirt to get to the metal … road debris has a way of collecting on the jack points.

[arsprod]

No, not that stupid (yet). I thought I had to remove the bumper to get the panel off - my fault for reading Haynes manual without looking. That's easier than I thought

[Han Solo]

Even if there's little or no rust under the rocker covers - there's certainly dirt and rocks thrown up in there unless the car was never driven. You want to get that junk out because that's what captures the moisture and promotes the rust. There's a couple of other spots prone to that condition - in the front wheel wells behind the door jamb, the rear wheel wells below the sail and all the way to the rear behind the tail lights. Blow those areas out with pressurized air. If the car has dealer applied under coating (called Ziebart back in the day) that stuff is really bad after 40 yrs. with cracking and capturing moisture. Removing it is a major task unfortunately.

That's a good looking 914 and I'm sure you'd like to keep it that way.

[arsprod]

Where are the cupholders in this thing?!