New to me original 6. Most excellent adventure !, And why Jon Lowe is a good guy. Options

[michel richard]

There was a bit of disucussion a couple of weeks ago about Jon Lowe's 914/6 project that was for sale. I bought it within a couple of days of the ad going up, and fedex-ed a deposit.

Went down to pick it up over the weekend. Left Montreal noon Friday and landed at Huntsville, Alabama at 4:30 central time. Jon picked me up at the airport and took me to the U-Haul store. They had a bigger truck than expected, but they were waiting for me, and had a trailer.

Got the car at Jon's house along with a mountain of parts. I was in hurry to get going but still saw that there was a ton of original /6 stuff that I was getting. Jon gave me an official-looking bill of sale and an odometer confirmation, both done before a Notary Public, with a nice embossed seal.

The route was basically I-65 North to Louisville KY, then I-71 North to Cleveland OH, then I-90 east to Utica NY, then NY 8 east to I-87 and that North to the border. Then Quebec 10 to within a block of my house. 1,300 miles.

I left Jon's house around 7h30 central time Friday evening, driving the 26 foot U-Haul truck, with the car trailer in tow. This is at least twice as big and heavy as anything I've driven before (although I have towed smaller trailers extensively). Made it to the far side of Louisville, KY, by 2 Saturday morning. Found a rest area and proceeded to pass out across the seats. Got up around 6, back on the highway at 6:10. If I remember correctly, had lunch outside of Cleveland. Reached NY state at 3:00 (I remember that one clearly). Continued to Utica, then 100 miles of smaller roads across the Adirondacs to I-87. I was at the border just before midnight.

Border crossing was hilarious:

When exporting a car from the US, one is supposed to stop at US customs for export control. They want to make sure the car is not stolen, and the process takes several days during which the car has to stay at the border. Big hassle. Let's say I forgot to stop.

I show up at the Canadian side, and the officer in the booth grimaces when I tell him I'm importing a car. He sends me to the office for further inspection and to process the paperwork. I did'nt have a title, because Alabama does'nt issue them for cars built before '75. I explain this to the officer inside.

She goes : OK but how am I going to report this to US customs without the title ? and says she will phone them to find out. I began to worry about having to turn back to the US customs post, and having to explain to Border Patrol why I'd forgotten to stop, "midnight express" visions started racing through my head.

Apparently the phone conversation went something like this. "Hey Fred, this is Alice at Canada customs, I've got this guy importing an old Porsche that's all apart, doe'nt have title, does'nt have registration of any kind. He does have this fancy looking paper with seals and everything where a guy in Alabama says he's the owner and has sold to my importer" Fred answers: " Yeah, it's quite possible some states were'nt issuing titles in '70. Tell you what, Alice, if you let the importer go and don't tell us about letting that car through, I don't think we'll mind"

Lady customs officer fills out the required paperwork, fills a couple of boxes with " N/A " tells me about US custom's answer, collects duty and taxes, and wishes me a safe journey home. I felt like I had just tickled a Great White under the chin and gotten away with it.

Left the border just shy of 1:00 and 40 minutes later, I was home. Passed out again, but in my bed, at 2:00.

Now, for the parts.

The tub has a little rust in the front, and a little light surface rust elsewhere. The bodywork has some dings from being neglected (prior to Jon's ownership). Not quite as good a tub as the one I got last year, but it's OK, very fixable, and the serial number starts with "914" ! Allright, please remember that this is an Eastern Canadian speaking. If you can't fit your fist through a rust hole, it's a pinhole, and if you need a sturdy screwdriver to punch a hole through anything rusty, it's surface rust.

The parts are incredible: Rebuilt calipers all around, including rear calipers, original /6 halfshafts and at least half a dozen NOS CV joints. All the switches, including the ignition switch, /6 steering column, sheet metal, new trim for everything, new rubber for everything, /6 inside trim, /6 suspension, gauges. Gazillion of parts replated, including all the headlight stuff, all the door components, all the latches. New carpeting etc . . . Plus a mountain of spares, including spare /6 things.

I was like a kid at Christmas this morning while unpacking the truck. I just need to store it correctly so it does'nt get damaged and I can find it when I need it.

I have some steel flares in the garage, plus a 2.2 E engine. The plan is to put the flares on but not make the car into a racing machine, just bigger wheels and the arches. Something like a /6 that just had the M-471 package. The only thing I might do is upgrade the engine to a short-stroke 2.5. We'll see.

Cheers, and thanks to Jon.

Michel

[redshift]

Excellent! Fun story man! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smile.gif)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/ohmy.gif) are those 5 lug steel wheels?


M

[Joe Bob]

QUOTE (redshift @ Jul 3 2005, 12:35 PM)

Excellent! Fun story man! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smile.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/ohmy.gif) are those 5 lug steel wheels? M

I told you I had a set....btw....I thought you were leaving the building....?

[ejm]

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/clap.gif) Congrats..nice score..will we see it at the ECR in September? (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/laugh.gif)

[michel richard]

Those are 5 lug steel wheels, but they're not all the same. At least one is 5.5 X 15 and at least one is 4.5 X 15. And I will b at the ECR, with the green car I got last year; the six is in and running strong.

The whole thing was a bit of an adventure, but I had great fun !

Michel

[redshift]

QUOTE (Manfred Z @ Jul 3 2005, 04:38 PM)

I told you I had a set....btw....I thought you were leaving the building....?

You said you have a set? I am just trying to make everyone have second thoughts about Dan flaunting that silver car... he's tearing us apart.

I can't live like this.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/laugh.gif)

I once did a border crossing from Mexico to the US in around 1980, we had 45 people, 3 vans with trailers, a falcon, a burro, maybe 15 big lizzards, and a few quatimundi, not one got found.



M

[davep]

Congratulations Michel, and thanks Jon. I love it when a plan comes together. This car will be a great reminder of the bonus.

[Bleyseng]

Damn, we let another one leave the country! Whats with the bordercops, aren't they supposed to hassle anyone for atleast 2 hrs with mindless papershuffling???

nice buy, but we need more pics! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif)

[michel richard]

More pics will come. Did an initial sorting of the parts. I have an OEM oil tank, OEM oil lines, new fuel lines, complete tool kit, a crate of plated fasteners and on and on.

Jon did not try to short change anything !

Michel

[Jeroen]

Nice score!
Why is Jon getting out of 914s?

[Joe Bob]

QUOTE (Jeroen @ Jul 3 2005, 03:39 PM)

Nice score! Why is Jon getting out of 914s?

Yeah my question, too...

[MecGen]

Yo MR
Nice score man...fucking good luck at the border too.
I've been burned for a lot less...What are you going to do with the SAQ ? strike (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/hijacked.gif)

We really got to hook up...I missed you guys at the F1 weekend, Mihai was supposed to be there as well.

You should stop by the shop, check out my wheels, Serge stopped by the other week in a 914, but he came at the busiest day...I didn't have much time to talk.
Hi Serge (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smilie_pokal.gif)

In Augest I am heading west to pick up a car (Vancouver), driving it back... (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/screwy.gif) I'm gonna "Bonny and Clyde" it.
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/ar15.gif)
but I don't have the border issues (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/cool_shades.gif)

My only suggest for your car is keep it origonal...all of it.
This is and always will be a "big" dollar 914. Lots of 2.0l 6cly motors out west, well compared to here.

Later
Joe
MecGen

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/beerchug.gif)

[michel richard]

QUOTE (Jeroen @ Jul 3 2005, 03:39 PM)

Nice score! Why is Jon getting out of 914s?

I asked him the same question. He said he had'nt touched the car in quite a while, had developed new interests, he's moving into a condo etc . . .

He sold the GT too. Purchaser is apparently driving down from Washington state. Will make my little road trip seem puny.

Looks like I got the proverbial "abandoned project". An old tub, a bunch of concours-quality parts, and another bunch of good-enough parts I certainly would otherwise be happy with !

First order of business will be to take care of the tub. Once that's done, I can start assembling. I'd like to do a project thread, I just hope I have the discipline and the patience, despite best intentions. (for the thread, I know I can do a project)

Michel

[toecutter]

I used to live in Plattsburg NY and my wife and I would always drive up to Montreal. After dozens of trips I found that if I was clean shaven I would practically get waved through. If I had facial hair I would get grilled for 30 minutes or more. The moral of the story? If you want to smuggle parts don't be hairy.

[michel richard]

QUOTE (toecutter @ Jul 3 2005, 04:49 PM)

if I was clean shaven I would practically get waved through. If I had facial hair I would get grilled for 30 minutes or more.

I too have have found that's it's real important to be clean and curteous. I had a two-day beard when I showed up, but I wear a tie and jacket on my passport and driver's license photos. Plus, I try to be nice and business like with customs people.
Seems to have worked this time. The time of night probably was a big factor too, I tried not to be threatening and they did'nt feel like throwing the book at me when there was no reason to.
M

[mskala]

Cool story, and interesting that Jon is getting away from them.

One question; with a 26-foot truck I cannot imagine how you would
also need a trailer, unless there was no way to get the car and
parts up into the truck.

[Tab914]

Nice score Michel. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/clap.gif) Good luck with the project.

I am originaly from Ontario, a small place called Alexandria, and only an hour west of Montreal. Going home for a visit in October. Maybe I can swing by and have a look at how things are coming along if that's ok with you. Would also be nice to meet someone from the board. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/beer.gif)

Hey Joe. Where are all those 2.0lt six motors out west you are talking about?? (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif) Do you have a lead for me. I'm in Banff and can't find one for the life of me. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/sad.gif)

Michel. Keep the pics coming.

Cheers guys,

Dominic.

[michel richard]

QUOTE (Tab914 @ Jul 3 2005, 06:19 PM)

Maybe I can swing by and have a look at how things are coming along if that's ok with you. Would also be nice to meet someone from the board.  :beer1:

That would be good !

Yeah I thought about putting the car inside the truck, but the floor is a little high, and tying the car down would have been difficult.

The trailer made things simpler, even if it cost a few bucks to rent and in gas. Once on the road, it was'nt too bad.

Michel

[tat2dphreak]

gave up on reading, too tired, kinda drunk too, looks like you got a new project congrats!! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smilie_pokal.gif) I'll catch the cliff notes version when it come out (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smile.gif)

[carr914]

Congrats! I had emailed Jon about the car, but you sure were quick with the deposit. I didn't need another project right now anyway. But it seemed like a great deal to me. I look forward to seeing it's progress. Good Luck.

T.C.