Collection of 'sensible' improvements Options

[mct]

Hi fellow 914 enthusiasts,

I'm a newbie to 914s after having restored numerous T2b Westfalia buses, bugs, Karmann Ghias and Golf !s.
I´d like to compile a list of sensible DIY improvements one can make to the 914's suspension, brakes, tranny, motor and wheels.
Nothing wild & crazy, just plug&play stuff to keep it looking stock but behaving 'better' ;-)
Does anyone have suggestions?

THanks,

Michael

[eric9144]

A case can be made that you can not improve on 'original'. Leave the 914 alone and just enjoy the 914 for what it is. Maintain it for sure, and fix its problems. If you want something more/different - power, smoother shifting, lighting, quieter - then find that in some other car and leave the 914 alone. There are exceptions, but so many times an 'improvement' can cost a lot of money, results in hacking the car, looks out of place, may make it so no one else can repair it, often decreases its value, and for only marginal 'gains'.

I'd disagree--there are a good number of great upgrades that are totally plug and play with no permanent changes to the car, so easily reversed if the car is to be returned to a purist state--but in some cases why would you even go back. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif) LEDs for example, drop in optical ignition, battery upgrades to non-acid, shocks/springs etc.

[JeffBowlsby]

I'd disagree--there are a good number of great upgrades that are totally plug and play with no permanent changes to the car, so easily reversed if the car is to be returned to a purist state--but in some cases why would you even go back.

Don't get me wrong I'm not so much of a purist that I don't appreciate some of the 'upgrades' like a gel battery. And not even I run the original air in the tires...

I run points and always have - never a problem and seeing the electronic box and its wiring in the engine bay just looks wrong to my eye. And that's important to me.

And I don't put mods on in the first place, so there is no pressure to 'reverse' anything. Keeps my life simple.

To each his own...everyone needs to decide for themselves what is important to them...don't hate me for whats important to me.

[ConeDodger]

I'd disagree--there are a good number of great upgrades that are totally plug and play with no permanent changes to the car, so easily reversed if the car is to be returned to a purist state--but in some cases why would you even go back.

Don't get me wrong I'm not so much of a purist that I don't appreciate some of the 'upgrades' like a gel battery. And not even I run the original air in the tires...

I run points and always have - never a problem and seeing the electronic box and its wiring in the engine bay just looks wrong to my eye. And that's important to me.

And I don't put mods on in the first place, so there is no pressure to 'reverse' anything. Keeps my life simple.

To each his own...everyone needs to decide for themselves what is important to them...don't hate me for whats important to me.

I appreciate Jeff's counterpoint. Which may sound strange considering my car (see picture). Not many of these cars are stone stock. Most have been hacked away at in one way or another. In the future, the really valuable cars will be the original ones.

[JeffBowlsby]

Thanks Rob. I LOVE your car BTW... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif)