74 Roller rebuild and Subaru conversion, 1974 rebuild and Subaru conversion project Options

[mgarrison]

Our son bought a HF engine hoist and started getting the engine and trans ready to come out of the crushed Miata. Hoping to regain this space for my trailer soon...


I know some folks around these parts find wiring therapeutic, cathartic, enjoyable. I'm thinking DAUNTING might be a better adjective (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif) I will be rather happy to get these steering column wires all tested and labeled so I can start dressing them in and finalizing the length needed, etc. Will be very relieved to get the chassis wiring finished.


Pay no attention to that looming ECU wiring that looks like a dark & dangerous storm on the horizon... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif)

[mgarrison]

Our son decided he needed a toolbox for his "extra" tools he doesn't use at the dealership. He found this one on sale and is keeping all his extras next to the 914...Tool bonus! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)


I spent the hours smoking our Thanksgiving turkey trying to get the dash, column, switches wiring completed. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)


Things came out ok. My OCD kicked in and I debated redoing the dash wires and cutting them all to exact length and redoing the ends, but a neighbor and my brother talked me out of it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/screwy.gif)


And then I wrap her up like a burrito again. I don't want to think how much time I spend uncovering & recovering again and again (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)


Our daughter wanted a nice, wood tack trunk for her 18th. I refused to pay $1,200+ for a plywood box with nice trim, or $500 for a beat up used one like this...


So, I talked her into letting me build one myself. Still need to order a few parts and pieces, but most of the major work complete.


In the "you never know what people are dealing with category", this boy has been in the Horsey ICU for the last five days (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)


My 914 fund has taken another big hit, but he's really a member of the family at this point and I'm more concerned about the "emotional cost" than anything...

[mgarrison]

Here's a cheesy little video of me testing the lights and dash switches...
https://youtube.com/shorts/5rScl8lkML0?si=o3gGOrewglSlDv1N

[slowrodent]

Tack trunk looks great! You need a side job to support yourn914 habit. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smash.gif) . Wiring progress and vid (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer.gif) are excellent....Wiring is much much cleaner than mine...

Continued excellent work!

[SLKWrx]

Here's a cheesy little video of me testing the lights and dash switches...
https://youtube.com/shorts/5rScl8lkML0?si=o3gGOrewglSlDv1N

You've got a bit of hyperflash as soon as your turn on the turn signals. Any idea why?

[mgarrison]

Here's a cheesy little video of me testing the lights and dash switches...
https://youtube.com/shorts/5rScl8lkML0?si=o3gGOrewglSlDv1N

You've got a bit of hyperflash as soon as your turn on the turn signals. Any idea why?

I noticed that as well. No clue why that is happening right as they come on and then acting normal. I don't notice it with the hazards, and it's using the same flasher relay for both so it's rather odd... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

[76-914]

Our son decided he needed a toolbox for his "extra" tools he doesn't use at the dealership. He found this one on sale and is keeping all his extras next to the 914...Tool bonus! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)


I spent the hours smoking our Thanksgiving turkey trying to get the dash, column, switches wiring completed. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)


Things came out ok. My OCD kicked in and I debated redoing the dash wires and cutting them all to exact length and redoing the ends, but a neighbor and my brother talked me out of it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/screwy.gif)


And then I wrap her up like a burrito again. I don't want to think how much time I spend uncovering & recovering again and again (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)


Our daughter wanted a nice, wood tack trunk for her 18th. I refused to pay $1,200+ for a plywood box with nice trim, or $500 for a beat up used one like this...


So, I talked her into letting me build one myself. Still need to order a few parts and pieces, but most of the major work complete.


In the "you never know what people are dealing with category", this boy has been in the Horsey ICU for the last five days (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)


My 914 fund has taken another big hit, but he's really a member of the family at this point and I'm more concerned about the "emotional cost" than anything...

Nice carpentry work there. The car is coming along well. As for Pets; When someone asks me why I drive such an old Porsche I tell them I have pets but my Vet DOES have a new Porsche. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

[SLKWrx]

I noticed that as well. No clue why that is happening right as they come on and then acting normal. I don't notice it with the hazards, and it's using the same flasher relay for both so it's rather odd... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

Might be worth experimenting with adding an inline resistor. Its possible that its not drawing enough current on switch, but then it catches up.

[mgarrison]

Our son decided he needed a toolbox for his "extra" tools he doesn't use at the dealership. He found this one on sale and is keeping all his extras next to the 914...Tool bonus! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)


I spent the hours smoking our Thanksgiving turkey trying to get the dash, column, switches wiring completed. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)


Things came out ok. My OCD kicked in and I debated redoing the dash wires and cutting them all to exact length and redoing the ends, but a neighbor and my brother talked me out of it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/screwy.gif)


And then I wrap her up like a burrito again. I don't want to think how much time I spend uncovering & recovering again and again (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)


Our daughter wanted a nice, wood tack trunk for her 18th. I refused to pay $1,200+ for a plywood box with nice trim, or $500 for a beat up used one like this...


So, I talked her into letting me build one myself. Still need to order a few parts and pieces, but most of the major work complete.


In the "you never know what people are dealing with category", this boy has been in the Horsey ICU for the last five days (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)


My 914 fund has taken another big hit, but he's really a member of the family at this point and I'm more concerned about the "emotional cost" than anything...

Nice carpentry work there. The car is coming along well. As for Pets; When someone asks me why I drive such an old Porsche I tell them I have pets but my Vet DOES have a new Porsche. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

Boy is that last line the gospel truth! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif)

The vet bill for our horse was $6,800 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/icon8.gif) Waiting on the insurance reimbursement with all my fingers crossed! Know it won't cover it all, but I'll take anything I can get at this point!

[mgarrison]

Dealt with a couple of issues with the horns today. Both horns were just touching the bumper supports and making this horrible vibration. The Hella dual tone horns are a smaller overall diameter, but must be dished different, or the mounts are angled different. You can just see where the outer rim of the horn is touching the bumper supports in these pics...


The other larger issue was that the horns were going off continuously whenever the steering wheel was installed! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)

I thought it was because I didn't have the batwing horn button in place, so I repaired the broken horn wire from the batwing to the steering wheel.


I didn't realize that the spade connecter is only on the one end. The other end can't be replaced. So I crimped a new spade connector on the end that I could access. If you take the contact ring off, pay close attention to keep the turn signal cancelling tab in the proper location.


Unfortunately, fixing the wire and mounting the batwing made no difference - I still had the constant horns!

I got out my multimeter and everything checked out as expected. Then I noticed it only happened when the steering wheel was seated all the way down. I pulled out the turn signal/wiper switch ring and then reseated it again which helped some. It wasn't going off continuously, but I still was getting the horn going off when I went from low to high beams, and when using the turn signal switch! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

I finally narrowed it down to the rivet that holds down the ground side of the high/low beam switch. Check out the slight differences in the new aftermarket turn signal switch vs. the original turn signal switch. I added some arrows to point out what I am referring to.


When you pulled on the turn signal arm to switch from high to low beams, that rivet protrudes enough to contact the horn contact ring on the back of the steering wheel. I insulated that so it could not touch the contact ring and then discovered just the slightest horn honk when using the turn signals! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)

The cancelling spring for the turn signals was not staying flat and was just touching the contact ring when using the turn signals. I insulated the return spring so that couldn't happen, and now the horns are finally working as expected. Whew...that was a bit of a chore.

[mgarrison]

Not a lot happening on the 914 - still playing catch up on finances with our horse's sickness. Trying to do things that don't actually cost $$. The cradle that I got with the engine and transmission has some minor issues; the mounting holes were drilled too small for the stock mounting bolts. I also wanted to see if it was possible to reverse the intake so I can avoid cutting the trunk, if possible. So, out comes the engine and trans...

It's quite the low, flat, WIDE lump of aluminum!


So wide that the engine hoist legs wouldn't fit around, under, between, etc. I had to use a floor jack and wood blocks to get the engine off the cradle. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)

It was some interesting "Southern Engineering" to get the mounting tabs at the correct angle in the drill press.


I got them all drilled out so they will accept the stock mounting bolts.

Now onto reversing the intake - it looks like there is only one mounting tab used to hold the wiring harness that needs to be removed to reverse the intake. Will need to block off and remove the EGR piping and actuator but the engine came with an EGR block off so I suspect that was always in the plan. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)

[76-914]

Great job diagnosing that intermittent horn dilemma. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[JRB1]

I just finished reading this great job. I am about to embark on the same journey. Would you mind sharing the dimensions of the hole you cut in the front valance? Thanks - Jim

[mgarrison]

I just finished reading this great job. I am about to embark on the same journey. Would you mind sharing the dimensions of the hole you cut in the front valance? Thanks - Jim

Jim, initially I just connected the holes that exist in the front of the 914. You can see that in this post: http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?s=&...t&p=3036649

Once I modified my bumper to add the "GT opening" I then increased the opening in the frunk to match up with the opening in my bumper. I could measure it for you, but it's most likely not applicable unless you had my exact bumper and valance. I would source your bumper & valance and then cut an opening to match them... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)

[mgarrison]

I managed to find a 10' x 15' canopy that raises & lowers and fit's my work space (sort of). Trying to avoid having to wrap up the 914 like a burrito every single night!


So far no HOA "police" contact (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif)

[mgarrison]

I've been trying to get the cradle mounts squared away. The cradle that came with my motor doesn't quite line up like I would hope. It's made from stainless steel and seems a bit springy - you can bend the legs out to line up, but I was concerned that having them under constant tension might cause issues over time. I reached out to Ian at Coldwater914, but haven't received a response yet, so I decided to make my own mounts. Probably a good thing too since things don't line up to my chassis exactly! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

I had some 3/16" steel around So I cut out and drilled a couple of test mounts.


After a couple of modifications it seemed like I would be able to get the mounts in a location where things lined up close enough.


I got some 1/4" plate to make the final mounts. Cutting them was not as bad as I thought it might be. Only used a single battery for the bandsaw to cut them all out!


I only needed to offset one of the rear/transmission mounts to get everything aligned as best I could.

[mgarrison]

I sourced some polyurethane bushings from Summit Racing for the mounts trying to mimic what Ian at Coldwater 914 sells.


I labeled the rear mounts to avoid future confusion!


I was out of the satin black spray paint I've used for most things I've built for the 914 but found some dark blue. Thankfully the mounts are pretty hidden.


HF finally had another 15% off any one item coupon so it was time to go buy their ATV jack with some $$$ I got from selling Miata parts. I decided to go with the aluminum version as it lifted a bit higher and was wider.

[mgarrison]

Then it was musical cars to get the 914 where I have room for the Quickjacks, etc. to roll the motor back in place.


Here's the juggling act I perform to get the 914 onto the QJ SUV adapters.


Even with the extra height of the SUV adapters it's a tight squeeze.


Luckily the ATV jack does drop low enough to just sneak under with the intake manifold still in place on the EZ36.

[mgarrison]

The ATV jack made positioning the motor much easier!


However, it still did not lift high enough to put the motor in place while the 914 was at the lower QJ stop point. All in all, much easier that what I was doing before the ATV jack though!

[76-914]

Looking good Mike. Did you try rolling the drive train beneath the car with the wheels that were attached to the cradle in earlier pics? I jack my car up 24" and roll my drive train under the car then lower the car enough to start the bolts. Just curious and knowing you I'll bet the is a good reason. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)