Just another Factory 6 being fixed up Options

[Luke M]

Well it's gotten to be that time finally. I've been collecting parts to do the repair on my 914-6 and now the work starts. The main issue is the hell hole/inner engine long, inner pass long, pass inner rocker panels are rusted out. The last part I was trying to source seams to be NLA. I sourced most of the parts from the good guys at Restoration Design. I received my order today for the last batch of things. Based on a few threads that I've looked over the outer shell to the inner engine long is currently not being made by RD. A few guys have made their own which looks like a real pain in the rear to do. I laid out all the new metal to see how things lined up. By the looks of things it will need some fine tuning to mate things properly. Before I start cutting into the chassis I'll build a few braces to keep things true.

Time for the pics...

[Cairo94507]

A-mazing! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[930cabman]

You make it look easy, sure helps if you have done it before and have the equipment and the guts

I almost forgot, the time. All of this takes plenty of time, but it can be satisfying.

[Luke M]

It's hard work for sure. If you have the proper tools and a attack plan it's kinda easy.
I have a list of things to get done but little by little knocking them out.

Got the outer right suspension mount prepped and ready to install.
That alone took a few hours to get ready for install.

[horizontally-opposed]

Incredible work, and wonderful photos. Thank you for sharing these!

The cleverness of the 914 unibody never ceases to amaze me in pics like these. It may not have been perfect, or able to fend off the tin worm, but its design was certainly quite advanced for its time.

[Luke M]

Not much progress but did cut away some rusted out sections which will need to be replaced. Got the spot welding tongs in but looks like I still need another set to install the fenders.

[14carrot]

Wow, Luke. Simply amazing. I knew you had mad skills but am utterly blown away by your level of commitment in putting together all the right tools for the job. Just outstanding. Like everyone here, I can't wait to see the finished result!!! This car is going to be killer!

I take it you are simply mothballing the original engine for posterity? Simply great that you're taking so much care to make that chassis better than new and then also have the guts to do the reversible performance upgrades to make the car your own.

Kudos!

PS - how did your brother's car turn out? Is it detailed somewhere here? You went in deep on that one, but this is entirely beyond next level.

R E S P E C T !!!!

Someday I'll get your old six done and we'll have a reunion. Still trying to gather parts.

-John

[930cabman]

Not much progress but did cut away some rusted out sections which will need to be replaced. Got the spot welding tongs in but looks like I still need another set to install the fenders.

Cutting out the old rusty stuff is often more difficult than putting new stuff in, at least much more messy. Spot welding tongs, are they simply 1/2 or 5/8" copper rods with tips? can you fabricate new tongs to fit a specific task?

[Luke M]

Wow, Luke. Simply amazing. I knew you had mad skills but am utterly blown away by your level of commitment in putting together all the right tools for the job. Just outstanding. Like everyone here, I can't wait to see the finished result!!! This car is going to be killer!

I take it you are simply mothballing the original engine for posterity? Simply great that you're taking so much care to make that chassis better than new and then also have the guts to do the reversible performance upgrades to make the car your own.

Kudos!

PS - how did your brother's car turn out? Is it detailed somewhere here? You went in deep on that one, but this is entirely beyond next level.

R E S P E C T !!!!

Someday I'll get your old six done and we'll have a reunion. Still trying to gather parts.

-John

Hi John,

Lots of work being done on both cars. My brothers 914 is about 90% done with the welding. Then it would need to go out for body and paint work. He has most if not all of the parts to get it back together.

Link to his : http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...=212849&hl=

I'd love to finish my 6 this year and get some seat time in. See how things go here. I keep finding rust issues that need to be addressed so that slows me down. Tracking down good sheet metal to use and get in takes time.


The spot welding togs are solid 5/8'' copper rods with replaceable tips. I need some close quarter togs to install the front fender and a few other small sections. I figured the one set I purchased was gonna work but it won't. I did get two 5/8 '' straight rods in case I had to make some specific tongs. I'll have to see what if anything I can do with them. Maybe use them as an extension to clear longer runs?

[Luke M]

Removed the right front fender. Time to get the spot weld cutter out to finish it up.
The door post is also coming off.

Anyone with a NOS R/F fender stashed away that they want to part with?

May take a very nice used one as well.

[Luke M]

Got the door post off. Started cleaning up the mounting areas for the door post and fender. Also a quick test fit of the NOS right door post. Still got to figure out a patch panel for the lower section of the inner wheel housing/lower door post.

[Cairo94507]

I have never seen that NOS panel installed before. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[930cabman]

Luke must have a line on these NOS parts, and a good line at that

btw, looks great Luke

[rgalla9146]

I have never seen that NOS panel installed before. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) I've never seen that joint so exposed......where the fender, the door post,
the cowl and the windshield frame all come together.
I always wondered how the fender might be attached in that 5"-6" vertical
seam below the black plastic 'push-in' filler piece.
Luke, was the fender welded below the black filler ?
Man you get 1st prize in the DIY category.
WOW ! great work.

[Luke M]

I have never seen that NOS panel installed before. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) I've never seen that joint so exposed......where the fender, the door post,
the cowl and the windshield frame all come together.
I always wondered how the fender might be attached in that 5"-6" vertical
seam below the black plastic 'push-in' filler piece.
Luke, was the fender welded below the black filler ?
Man you get 1st prize in the DIY category.
WOW ! great work.

Hi Rory,

Thanks for the kind words. A work in progress it is. Little by little I'm chipping away at the list of things to do.
The fender to cowl was welded in the area I have circled in the pic. Looks to be lead welded/filled to me. It's way too soft to be anything else. Then there was a few spot welds that attach the fender to the door post at the very top and along down the door post.

[horizontally-opposed]

Hi Rory,

Thanks for the kind words. A work in progress it is. Little by little I'm chipping away at the list of things to do.
The fender to cowl was welded in the area I have circled in the pic. Looks to be lead welded/filled to me. It's way too soft to be anything else. Then there was a few spot welds that attach the fender to the door post at the very top and along down the door post.

The Bermuda Triangle of the 914

I've got an(other…) appointment with the one on the passenger side of my 914.

[rgalla9146]

Luke in my reply I said vertical when I should have said horizontal.
I'm curious about the area to the right of your circle.
It does not appear to have been welded or ground clean.
Is the fender attached along there ? or 'sealed' (in that special Karmann way) ?
How would they have welded it ?

[Root_Werks]

That jig, let alone the metal work, is straight up amazing! Thanks for sharing such a cool thread with all the pictures.

[Luke M]

Luke in my reply I said vertical when I should have said horizontal.
I'm curious about the area to the right of your circle.
It does nor aoppear to have been welded or ground clean.
Is the fender attached along there ? or 'sealed' (in that special Karmann way) ?
How would they have welded it ?

No welds at all in that area. There was just seam sealer (area in yellow) and that was it.

[Luke M]

I spent a few hours on Sat. cleaning up the inner wheel housing. Got the remainder of the fender sections spot drilled and cleaned up. Now I need to fix the cowl to wheel housing area. I may need to order the cowl repair section from RD. Then I need to figure out the lower wheel housing section so I can start putting things back together.

[Luke M]

I received the R/F NOS fender in today ( thanks Jeff ). I got it blasted and test fitted on the chassis. Fits well and also stuck the flare on to see how she's gonna look.
Hopefully the rest of the sheet metal will arrive by Friday so I can get it welded in next week.