71 Project. Third time is the charm?, Started working on my 3rd 914 Options

[AZBanks]

The first car I ever bought was a 71 914. I bought it a few weeks after I turned 18. It was red with a 916 style front bumper, American Racing wheels, and a VW bus engine. I should have taken pictures.
I started disassembling it right before I went off to college. I never drove it again and sold it as a basket case three years later.

My second 914 was a project when I bought it. No transmission or engine because the PO had pulled the Buick grand National engine out of it a couple years before I bought it. It had a Chalon kit and the targa bar had been cut off. At some point the PO had added and then removed Testarossa style side bars on it and had not cleaned up the mess. It appeared to be in good shape but as I started to work on it I found the PO was really good at covering rust with fiberglass. I dumped it for a loss soon after.

Here is my third attempt at 914 ownership. The transmission for my 1990 922 S2 Cab is in the process of being rebuilt and I was checking Craigslist for a cheap transmission to throw in while I wait for my good trans to be finished. I didn't find any cheap 944 transmissions but I did find a VERY cheap 914. It looked/looks ugly but it has almost no structural rust. The battery tray is gone but the hell hole has just one smallish hole. I will have a patch panel made to replace any weak metal in the area. On the outside of the car, the PO went nuts with black spray paint over grey primer.

I've cleaned up most of the black spray paint and some of the primer.
The wheels are off and will be media blasted and repainted and I'll throw some basic tires on them for moving the car around during the rebuild.

The car is going to be stripped of paint, bondo, and rust by a dustless media blasting company before I decide what direction to go with the bodywork. The options are stock, steel flares, Sheridan kit, or slight flaring of the stock fenders.
There are some issues with the existing stock fenders so making major changes won't be messing up a pristine original example.
Here are the pics of how it looked the night it came off the truck from the PO. Years of grime and neglect hid a decent set of bones.

[AZBanks]

Here it is after it's first bath in years. It's still ugly.
You can see some of the bondo/bodywork issues I have to fix.

[AZBanks]

Here are some pictures after I removed most of the nasty black spray paint.
It's has gone from ugly to project potential.

[mepstein]

hiding in plain sight. nice save. good. luck. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[Cairo94507]

Can't wait to see it after you have it blasted. I am hoping the 3rd time is a charm for you. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[mbseto]

This looks interesting. Although I am sad that you removed catwoman from the passenger sail.

[pgollender]

Hey Arizona;
Nice find especially 'cause you had enough sense to look under her dirty skirt.
Don't forget to register the VIN and chassis number under the 914 Info members section, (tab on the upper right) to give her a proper pedigree.
Good luck and (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png)

[pgollender]

Opps , I mean Welcome Back !!

[AZBanks]

I got a little more cleanup done.
I had the old, flat, rotted tires dismounted so I could clean up the wheels a little before mounting temporary tires to roll it around on during the rebuild. A little work with a wire wheel and some silver spray paint does wonders for a short term solution.

It has 3 original steel wheels and one replacement that is wider than the other three.

Now I'm looking for a place to buy 4 cheap temporary tires.
Anyone got a set of cheap tires or cheap tires and rims they want to sell?

[2mAn]

I like where this is going. Good Luck!

[Alphaogre]

I am pretty sure that car was an extra in movie "Escape From LA" (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[AZBanks]

I am pretty sure that car was an extra in movie "Escape From LA" (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Could be.
It started life in Cali, escaped to Nevada and ended up in Phoenix.
Nothing like work on a project outside when it is 105 to 115.
On the bright side, the spots I sanded last week have no rust. It really is a dry heat.

[AZBanks]

Slow progress.

[SirAndy]

Slow progress.

That is the way nature intended a 914 to be stored.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[AZBanks]

Got tires mounted and put some primer on to keep surface rust down until I can get it to the media blaster.

[stuttgart46]

I love those steelies.

[AZBanks]

I love those steelies.

Thanks! I like them more than I thought I would.


Three are original and one is a wider aftermarket replacement. One of the originals is bent quite a bit in the center. It does not mount flush.

[mark04usa]

Three are original and one is a wider aftermarket replacement. One of the originals is bent quite a bit in the center. It does not mount flush.

The steel wheels were made in both 4 1/2" and 5 1/2" widths. Size is stamped on them (4 1/2J or 5 1/2J)

Love your car (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)

[AZBanks]

A little more clean up. The floor pan rust looks bad in these pictures but is just surface rust. The hell hole is a little worse than I though but should be an easy fix. The longs are SOLID! Although it does look like the passenger side jack mount has had a little welding done on it.

[AZBanks]

More pics