New here and need some help 914/8 Chevy 350 refurbish, Cleaning up and refurbishing 1973 914 - 350 converted car Options

[Daryl32]

So just a hello and introduction.

I am Daryl - sorta old and have been working on cars since 1969. Mostly Chevy's and Dodge's - then a 30 years or so I got my first taste of German engineering with a BMW E21 320i we were given as our Dd died on us.

So I am here because a friend of a friend needed help with a project. We thought it just needed some carb work and a couple of leaks sorted out.

The project have taken on the project of working out some issues with a chevy 350 converted 1973 914, the conversion is most likely 10 plus years old. I believe the kit is a Renegade kit.

Some of the issues were it bleeds fluid very where the tranny and engine can. Most of the leaks have been addressed and stopped "I hope".

Heads were replaced because both were cracked.
New Holley carb will go on with new intake with square bore pattern for more choices in carbs.

New electric water pump

Lots of bent and rusty parts blasted and powder coated or replaced.

Now that all this is done I need to fix the wiring and try to put it all back together.

I can find lots of pictures of Chevy v8's from the top seating in the cars, But I could use some good pictures of the bottom of the car.

Shiftier issues I need to address.
Fuel line placement to carb
Thorttel cable placements with carb facing forward.
Where did you run your wiring harness to the engine bay?

I am sure I will have more questions by the day.









May work bench - sorta.

[Daryl32]

Engine as of 12noon today

[DickSteinkamp]

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I'm sorta old too...but still playing with cars. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

I finished my SBC conversion this summer. Mostly Renegade conversion parts. Mine has their belt driven water pump set up.

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Here's a few underneath shots...

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Describe your shifter issues. You should have the side shift trany in your 73 which actually shifts quite nicely with new shifter bushings all the way through and adjusted correctly.

I replaced the FI fuel pump with a lower pressure one for a carb. Used the stock fuel lines back to the engine compartment. Short piece of hose from it to the carb.


Off the shelf aftermarket throttle linkage holder and stock throttle cable.

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Stock 914 wiring harness with just a few simple mods to run the fuel pump without the ECU and to light the alternator idiot light.


Plenty of help available here on the World. I could not have done mine without this forum.

[Daryl32]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png)

I'm sorta old too...but still playing with cars. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

I finished my SBC conversion this summer. Mostly Renegade conversion parts. Mine has their belt driven water pump set up.

Dick thank you so much for the pictures and reply!!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)

You have an amazingly clean car!

I will be going over these and most likely asking a lot more questions.

And to start:

What distributor are you using? An old Mallory?

And is that a Moroso carb wedge?

What about air cleaner to hood clearance.

One last one for now, did you close off the open expanded metal hood? Chevy v8 do not like to get wet, or do you just drive it on sunny days?

[Daryl32]

Shifting issues are simply very hard to shift. I was thinking some of the issue is due to the "U" bend in the shifter rod from the tranny shift pivot to the connection at the firewall. Thinking the rod weight is per loading the shifter to the second and third gear side? I am thinking I may make it worse to get it to go around the new racing oil pan?

The bushing at the firewall seems new, I will check it again when I get back under the car.

The stick in the car does not appear to be a stock 914 piece. I need to get a picture of it to post up.

[DickSteinkamp]

And to start:

What distributor are you using? An old Mallory?

And is that a Moroso carb wedge?

What about air cleaner to hood clearance.

One last one for now, did you close off the open expanded metal hood? Chevy v8 do not like to get wet, or do you just drive it on sunny days?

Yes it is a Mallory dual point marine dizzy. Centrifugal only advance. It's the only dizzy I could find that didn't require a hole cut in the front of the rear trunk.

I don't know who made the wedge. I probably got it from Summit.

Minimal air cleaner to hood clearance.

Rain tray and part of the structure of the engine cover was removed for air cleaner clearance. My first outing with the car was from my home to Seattle (90 miles). Hard rain both ways but the car didn't mind any. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[burton73]

Sorry I saw this earlier today, WELCOME to 914World


Dicks v8 car is one of the cleanest V8 914 I have ever seen.


Bob B Los Angeles

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[DickSteinkamp]

Shifting issues are simply very hard to shift. I was thinking some of the issue is due to the "U" bend in the shifter rod from the tranny shift pivot to the connection at the firewall. Thinking the rod weight is per loading the shifter to the second and third gear side? I am thinking I may make it worse to get it to go around the new racing oil pan?

In mine, the shift rod from the firewall to the trans is stock...except it has been lengthened 1.25 inches since the engine and trans is set back 1.25". You can see in the picts that there is a stock U shaped bend in it. If you have the Hanes manual, there is a procedure for adjusting the shifter. You may want to give that a try.

[Daryl32]

The one in this car has been cut sleeved and welded back together also but seems to have a lot more bend in it then yours.

[Daryl32]

Sorry I saw this earlier today, WELCOME to 914World


Dicks v8 car is one of the cleanest V8 914 I have ever seen.


Bob B Los Angeles

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Thank you.

Dick's car is very clean and straight - a great example of how to do it right!

Which is what I need moving forward with this refurbish for my customer - new friend.

[Daryl32]

So I have a couple more questions for the 914 V8 owners / builders.

#1 how big do the vents you cut out in the front wheel wells need to be?

This is what this 914 has.






As for the radiator and fan I believe they are good. The radiator is a double pass through piece, water goes from one side into a large tank on the other and back again to the first side. Radiator has two core in it.




As mentioned above we have gone with an electric water pump for the refurbish. It is a Davis Craig unit out of Australia, we also bought the Davis Craig water manifold that mounts to the stock water pump position.

As a mechanic and car builder I am VERY IMPRESSED with these parts!






This water pump came with an electronic controller. That with a temp sending unit, lets you set the temp when the pump turns on and off as well as the electric fan. Thinking this might be a really nice feature!

[Daryl32]

Just a quick up date on the re-build

As they were when pulled out transmission and engine:








As the engine is today - once refurbished wiring harness is in car I can assembly engine and transmission and get them back into car.

[Daryl32]

Davis Craig water pump and header/manifold installed and along with alternator and new finished support bracket for it.

Made an engine wiring harness so that the engine and trans wires can be unplugged one place and both removed / installed pre-wired. Except for battery cables and alternator power wire.

Mostly need to work on the car now - Wiring - fuel delivery - tank and fuel pump placement.

And flywheel clutch and transmission assembly to engine

[Cairo94507]

Very nicely done. Looking forward to seeing pictures of it installed and running. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[Daryl32]

Very nicely done. Looking forward to seeing pictures of it installed and running. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

Thank you!

I am looking forward to seeing it installed and running also. Going to have to have an adult beverage drink - consumption BBQ to celebrate!

Back in Oct. when the owner brought it over we were only going to clean up and tune the carb! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

[Daryl32]

Got a little closer today after some prolonged - pushing, shoving, pulling, jerking then shoving, pulling, pushing and pushing and pulling and .... so on.

The wiring harness is sorta back in the car, pushed it into and through the stock position with a lot of (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)

But it is in and positioned.

[Daryl32]

Some more work in the engine bay - fuel filters and pump. Also secured all the wiring harness branches with rubber lines clamps. Today i need to cut off the screw ends inside the interior of the fire wall.

Bent and installed a steel fuel line for the V8 Carburetor.

[Cairo94507]

Just please make sure all of the fuel line clamps are the correct clamps for rubber lines - we definitely don't want to see any engine compartment fires. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[nihil44]

Are those the original plastic fuel lines going through the tunnel?

[Daryl32]

Are those the original plastic fuel lines going through the tunnel?

Yes owner wants to wait to change them out at his shop, my hours are getting up there.

I really wanted to change them out, but they are on the suck side of the pump so they are not under any pressure. And he drove it down from SF in Oct. with no fuel leaks. Just a lot of engine oil and water along with the trany leaking really bad.