Ah Nuts, And Bolts Options

[forrestkhaag]

Has anyone (who is anal enough to do such a task), thoroughly documented the parts and pieces involved in their restoration or their build of a 914 or conversion of a 914 to a 6? Pretty close to the nuts and bolts – excluding the time involved in a labor of love?
I am inquiring about a fact-base documentation of your pitiful unending vortex from your (otherwise) partially full wallet to its emptiness - in the pursuit of perfection (or simply a “running” car….) known as more than a roller……. a 914 that is fairly complete.
Unfortunately, having owned a way too many Porsche cars of a variety of ilk’s along the road to my 914, I have always kept the chits, notes, and documents to know, close to the penny, what I am in it for. The curse of a Virgo I assume.
Now, having some extra time on my hands, ..........I have assembled a column and row XLS spreadsheet of costs related to my original 4’s purchase and refurb as a 1.7, then the new 2.3 engine process, then the sale of that type-4 engine, then the 3.0 - 6 build, then the oil system, then the.... well, you get the point.
I have the data nailed to the individual Pelican part. The various swap meet parts as well. The West Coast “deals”………….. the eBay and PayPals along the way (and I have to thank my lovely wife for checking the facts and figures along the way).....and, I have the time nailed down to the drive to the flywheel surfacer shop or the crank polisher or the head porter guy in the bowels of LA... I have the costs of aluminum washers, nuts, and bolts. I have notes on the original 6 parts and purchases made in the dust and heat of Bruce Stone’s hallowed cardboard box strewn loft in Riverside. I have purchase receipts for new cam sprockets, one-piece chains, bearings, bushings, and beer. I have the cost less 50% for the half-used tube of sealant and the 2 boxes of Kim Wipes as required by my builder-instructor from LA for keeping things surgically clean during the build. All in all, a stack of receipts more than three inches high when compressed by a discarded type 4 flywheel.
That being the case, I now know somewhat accurately, what I have and what I don’t have. What I don’t have is any excess cash in my wallet. What I have is a rust free solid 914-6 conversion with a very well-built, top to bottom, 3.0 that I can continue to drive for thousands upon thousands of miles without fear of a breakdown. And because I know that I have a low-twenty grand in total of the purchase and build of it, I am now more motivated to take the 6 out for a drive just for the fun of it / ……….if not to amortize, by the mile, the investment that I have in it. And to further rationalize throwing hundred-dollar bills to the 914-winds, I now know that the 6 is way less costly than any other Porsche I have owned (excluding my 914-4 way back in 1974…).
Moral of the question. Would I tally this data again if I hadn’t already done so? Yes. Of course, life would be simpler if I had not. Some may want to remain ignorant of the course financial facts. Some should choose to remain in 914-cost-oblivion ……in your pursuit of 914-happiness… and you may be a lot happier that way.

Not my game. I want to know that I can sell the beast at any point and be ahead of the game and in the meantime, have some fun driving a very simple car.

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