Optimusglen's build off challenge, 6-cylinders of goodness. Ready for my next cross-country trip. Options

[Optimusglen]

Oil change done, valve adjustment done, all rocker shafts still have full torque. Brakes bled again, pedal feels good.

I just need to pack my bags and I'm ready for the trip tomorrow!


Leg 1

[Optimusglen]

another 600 miles on the 914 today, with the first leg of the rally to the rally complete.

The car is running well and it seems to be going great. cruises well at about 75mph. Getting 25 mpg

Driver window is misaligned and doesn't want to roll up all the way. It also rained a good part of the morning. So there's that.

Tonight I sleep in Hershey, NE and head for Denver, CO tomorrow.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/live.staticflickr.com-19709-1632192846.1.jpg)

[Cairo94507]

Thanks for the update and enjoy that ride. Glad it is running great. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[pete-stevers]

Great looking car! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Optimusglen]

Edit: I realized I missed an update.

The day before last we made it through Denver where I made a pit stop to visit my sister, and then southwest on 285 all the way to Salida, CO. About 600 miles that day.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/live.staticflickr.com-19709-1632400938.1.jpg)

It made it out to Mexican Hat Utah, the start of the rally. Another 370 miles yesterday.

Not much data service, and the wifi is slow, so you're stuck with a low res pic for now.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/live.staticflickr.com-19709-1632400527.1.jpg)

[Cairo94507]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)

[Optimusglen]

I had a full day in Mexican Hat before the rally and I went over the car. I did have to add some oil, but trans and brake fluid were both good. I also adjusted the throttle linkage a little. Should be set for the start of the rally today.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/live.staticflickr.com-19709-1632477072.1.jpg)

[TRS63]

Wonderful car and happy to see you enjoying a big trip in it!

Antoine

[Mayne]

I had a full day in Mexican Hat before the rally and I went over the car. I did have to add some oil, but trans and brake fluid were both good. I also adjusted the throttle linkage a little. Should be set for the start of the rally today.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/live.staticflickr.com-19709-1632477072.1.jpg)

Nice shot! The car looks purposeful and beautiful.

[Optimusglen]

Edit: I realized I hadn't updated since mid-trip last year. Here is a run-down of the Overcrest Rally. This was about 3400 miles on a fresh engine.

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...=355998&hl=


Finally, I mean FINALLY I have the car out of winter hibernation. After last season there were a handful of things I wanted to do, and a backlog of other projects prevented me from using the 914 at all during the spring and half of the summer.

The main tasks:
-drop the motor

-install safety collars on chain tensioners, after I rebuilt them and the motor there wasn't sufficient space to install them, had to break the motor in a bit.

-add a section to my oil line. The one coming out of the tank near the oil filter. I have this routed down the frame, up and over the transmission, and then forward into the case. Disconnecting the fitting on the tank every time I dropped the motor was no fun, it was the worst part of the experience. So now I added a small section from the tank to just outside the sheet metal on the underside, I can disconnect it there very easily.

-install turbo lower valve covers, and remove paint from upper valve covers and chain covers. Of course, resealing these as well. I brought the new lower valve covers in to mill out the section required. I used a photo that someone posted here as a reference. Turns out it was wrong and I milled off the wrong corner. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif) Will be corrected next time I drop the motor (likely for my next valve adjustment...)

-reseal the intermediate shaft cap. This was the source of my oil leak. NO MORE LEAKS!!

-install all new brake hardlines and disassemble/clean the brake pressure relief valve. At the end of last season I had another bout of brake seizing. Something keeps pressure on the rears enough to make slight contact with the rotors, the heating (I believe) swelled the pads slightly, enough to make more pressure, and more heat, etc, until the rears were just locked up. After doing the pad adjustments over and over, and replacing calipers and soft lines and checking everything else, it came down to the possibility that the hard lines were in poor shape, or gunk in the pressure relief valve.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/live.staticflickr.com-19709-1658332135.1.jpg)

Happy to report that I've completed all of the above and started it up for the first time this season. I still need to do another round or two of brake bleeding, and adjust the shift rods, but otherwise it's running like a champ and absolutely purring.

Did I mention, NO OIL LEAKS!!?!?!



Now that it's running, there are a few other items I'll want to get to. New door cards from 914Rubber are in, and a set of visors are due in Friday. I also want to wire in an outlet inside to charge phones etc. Likely USB.

On the back burner is audio. I'd like to do a Bluetooth amp hidden somewhere and a speaker or two, but that might be a project for another season. The audio track that came with the 6-cyl swap has been pretty riteous (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif)

All this in preparation for the next Overcrest Rally. This year we're heading to the Sawtooth Mountains in Idaho in early September. This will again be about 3000-4000 miles round trip. They used my car for one of the promotional art pieces this year, wooo!

Overcrest Productions Instagram

[Optimusglen]

I installed the doorcards, the new clips didn't work very well in my experience.

On the drivers side I added a leather strap for a door pull. Previous to this I just grabbed the top of the door. The armrest that came with the car was trashed and I liked the bare look.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/live.staticflickr.com-19709-1658771955.1.jpg)

The passenger side got the armrest, but not the lower section.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/live.staticflickr.com-19709-1658772009.1.jpg)

Always loved old-school painted liveries, and I liked the look of the decal "71" I had on my passenger side light cover. So I grabbed a spare light cover from my parts bin and rattle-can painted it a light cream then hand painted a 70's-ish groovy "71"

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/live.staticflickr.com-19709-1658771957.2.jpg)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/live.staticflickr.com-19709-1658771957.3.jpg)

I think it fits the "beat but neat" feel of the car.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/live.staticflickr.com-19709-1658771957.4.jpg)

I also painted the inner headlight surround the same light cream color, drivers side stayed black. I'm not as sold on that though, so I'm not sure how long it'll last.

ordered up speedometer stuff, the 914Rubber drive gear guide and a new VDO angle gear. I'm hoping that with these it'll stop a mild gear oil leak and enable the speedometer to work properly. I also need to order a speedo cable I think. I took my old one out when my old speedo was jumping all over the place. the GPS speedo in the 123Ignition app has been great, but I'd like to be able to track mileage better than doing math in my head and approximate calculations.


ALSO on the list is to tack weld in the rear wheel studs, I noticed this last time that more are coming loose a bit.

[bahnzai]

Glen,
Thanks for the update and Congrats on the Overcrest artwork. It was great to re-read the build thread. You have certainly overcome many, many challenges.
The car has such a great look and stance. I kept going through the pictures trying to pick what it is that sets it apart, makes it look cool and purposeful. There is not one “single” thing you have done, I guess it is the overall vision, like you said "beat but neat". It is always evolving and interesting to see what comes next.
Definitely inspiring!
Danny

[Freezin 914]

Glen,
Thanks for the update and Congrats on the Overcrest artwork. It was great to re-read the build thread. You have certainly overcome many, many challenges.
The car has such a great look and stance. I kept going through the pictures trying to pick what it is that sets it apart, makes it look cool and purposeful. There is not one “single” thing you have done, I guess it is the overall vision, like you said "beat but neat". It is always evolving and interesting to see what comes next.
Definitely inspiring!
Danny

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) I love every single 914, every build. But this car is truly one of my favorites, and it helps that Glen takes the time to share his cars story!
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[Optimusglen]

Thanks guys, it's certainly been a journey!

[Optimusglen]

More updates! Sorry for the wall of text.

I've been wanting to do a hidden audio system in the car since the beginning, now it's finally done. I got the amp and speakers installed, Soundsstream ST4.1000DB that claims 1000w max. Amp is small enough to bolt to the back side of the glove box, inside of course. 10g cable from the battery forward, with a 30a fuse (there's also a 30a fuse on the amp itself). Same 10g cable grounding to chassis.  Speakers are Kicker 47KSC4604 KS series low profile 4x6. 

For anyone who uses this amp, some of them have the remote-in and remote-out wires flipped in the factory-supplied harness. Mine was, and I was scratching my head wondering why my unit wouldn't power on even though I checked with a multimeter and I was getting the right power to the right wires.

Currently, audio is supplied via Bluetooth from a phone/tablet. I have options to add an input if I ever want to, but for now I like that it's completely stealth, even using the stock beat-up speaker grills.

Overall, the sound is much better than I expected out of two 4x6s. Amp and speaker tech have come a long way I think. Still some room under the dash so I might try to squeeze in a downward-facing center channel.




I swapped mufflers AGAIN. I did a few more highway drives and Ben's muffler sounds solid around town, but on long highway stretches it just kind of drones. My guess is that it has a lot to do with how small the motor is.

My buddy Dave (the rad guy who built my carbs, and tuned them) had a DIY sport muffler that he had on his car last year and let me have it. My hope was that it was a little louder than the DIY sport muffler I had previously but quieter than Bens. Happily that is the case, though it's still very close to the other sport muffler. It's going to work. Later this week the car is going back to Dave to make some tuning tweaks now that the car is fully broken in.



And also, I got a new Patrick Motorsports 6-conversion throttle cable. The first one I had maybe was a QC miss, it was just a bit too long. When trying to find a solution to the length last year I tried tieing a knot in the cable itself between the exit of the jacket and before the throttle linkage. This was shortly before I was set to leave so ordering another would have been off the table at the time.... ANYWAY... I did end up untieing the knot and instead putting a spacer at the jacket/firewall junction. The knot had induced some warpage of the cable, so there was some pre-load and spongy-ness that a NEW cable corrected. Comparing lengths, the new cable is slightly shorter and works much better, though I did keep the spaceer in place at the firewall.


Next up, installing a check valve at the gas tank vent tube so that I don't get fuel seeping out under hard left turns. I don't have any of the stuff on top of the tank that comes from factory, for fumes etc.

[mb911]

Glen,

I ended up changing my entire exhaust out but agree with the stock muffler with the sport mod. I actually capped the driver side as there is plenty of flow and doesn't drone in anyway now.

[Optimusglen]

As an update to my last post, I installed a check valve for the fuel tank vent and cured that problem, wish I had done it sooner. Definitely a derp moment.

I dropped the car off with Dave Cheney, he ended up pulling the Zeniths off and going through them again, found a clogged idle circuit and generally freshened them up then retuned. They're in a good place now and running pretty well. Dave said I could advance the timing 5 degrees and then lean the mixture out slightly to further dial the tune.

I have the car all packed up and ready to roll for the Overcrest Rally. I'll be doing social media stuff in real-time through the trip, but also a trip report here, similar to last year.

The route heading out to the start will be 3 days, er... 2 and a half.


I will be leaving home today early-evening, then 4-5 hours up into North Dakota. My daughter is off to her first day of Kindegarten, and today I'll get her off the bus, hear all about her first day, and then hit the road. Leaving is always sad.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/live.staticflickr.com-19709-1662478294.1.jpg)

Day 2 will take me across North Dakota and into Montanna
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/live.staticflickr.com-19709-1662478295.2.jpg)

Then Day 3 will bring me into Challis Idaho for the start of the Rally.
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/live.staticflickr.com-19709-1662478295.3.jpg)

Posts, stories, maybe even a live-stream or two via Glen In The Garage

Most of the posts will also be mirrored to my art/rendering page, but I'm not sure I can do video stories simultaneously through the two.
Glen Cordle Instagram

[Root_Werks]

Really love that you are putting miles on your 914! The stories of your travels inspire me to get out and drive mine more.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

[Optimusglen]

Overcrest Rally 2022 has come and gone, trip report here

The car was great, no major issues. A flat tire and a broken window is all.


It's had me thinking again about the future of the car, and I might enjoy a little more ground clearance... So far this is the concept I'm thinking about

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/live.staticflickr.com-19709-1663651633.1.jpg)

a rendering, of course.

Been reading through Erics ORV build once again, and thinking about which items I'll try to implement in my car.

The molds for the fender flares shown here are on their way, they should be here this week. Then I get to learn all about fiberglass.

Also, I have one test tire due in soon. I was tempted to get the same size the Keen Safari 911's run, but then found some that were a little narrower. I'll mount it on one of my spare wheels and use it to gauge height, suspension, steering, flares, and all that.

I've started collecting parts to do 911 rear brakes, and I have a rear valance that will take some massaging to get mounted (fiberglass)


Oh, and still need a drivers door window for a '71...

[Optimusglen]

It's been awhile so I thought I'd update.

From the previous posts:
-new door glass was installed with new bits and bobs to keep it in place.
-offroad tire came in, and I mounted it on one of my spare wheels. Looks rad, but will certainly need fender mods to fit.


A week or two ago I decided to finally dig into fitting the fiberglass rear valance. Thankfully I just needed to do some cutting and squeezing to make it fit. It's not perfect, but on my car, it would be out of place if it was.

I must say though, once upon a time I preferred all 914s without a rear valance, especially when running a dual exhaust tip muffler. I was talking with @horizontally-opposed and he mentioned he preferred them on narrow-body cars, but without on flared GTs. Months or years later I came around, I really do like the look of a valance on mine now.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/live.staticflickr.com-19709-1692733776.1.jpg)

Now, this summer I had some big plans for the 914. I was going to flat tow it out to Maine for a family vacation, and then I was going to flat tow it out to Oregon for the Overcrest Rally. Hit BOTH COASTS in a year! Well... things changed as sometimes they do. My tow rig (2009 Range Rover) has some intermittent air-con issues, and I didn't want to submit my wife and kid to 6 days in a hot car. So we ended up flying out instead.

Then I decided I didn't want to drive through the mountains for the OCRally in October, and was going to do a solo trip down to Tennessee and explore that region... buuttttt then I decided to scrap that too and just do Rennsport Reunion.

TL;DR - no big road trips this year

Now, to bring the project up to date.

In preparation for the trips I wont take, I installed a flat-tow bracket, LE-style front valance, and while I was in there did 911SC front control arms and subframe to be able to mount an under-body sway bar. This bumped by torsion bars to 19mm from 17mm, a change I haven't really noticed.

I went down a rabbit hole of trying to mount retractable seatbelts in an early car. Purchased the AA ones, they're bad, hot garbage. Took them out and found some from an old Beetle that had an extension bracket. Those almost worked, but my car needed to be on at least a little of a decline or the belts would lock up, so I took those out and put my fixed belts back in.

I noticed that the car was flexing a bit more than it used to, and the drivers door is harder to latch. That long stretch of bumpy dirt road on last years Overcrest Rally did me dirty in more ways than one I fear. Climbing underneath it, there are some spots of increasing concern. So, next year may be a year of bodywork for this old gal. My current plan is to cut and replace any bad metal, clean up anything that can be saved, and re-evaluate once I'm in. If it isn't too terrible I'll do inner long stiffening as well as the metal patchwork. And then since I'll be doing metal work I'll get the flares made and installed, and paint...

So, all in all kind of a bummer of a year for my 914.