1st Irish Bumblebee Options

[ddire333]

Going to start this tread by saying thanks to those who helped or gave advice so far and please keep it coming.

About 8 months ago I decided it was time to get a 914, friend had one when i was in high school (80's Ontario) and it was so different to anything else I had driven i have never forgotten it. I'm in Ireland many years now and 914's where never sold here, looked at few in UK but prices where high for not much car, it was a project I was after. Joined 914 world and put a wanted add up, was considering few cars regular members had for sale, but then someone who had just joined made very low key contact, just saying they had a 74 2lt LE they wanted to sell. I thought it it was likely a scam but decided to go along, how wrong I was.

First I got few photos, still skeptical, but slowly as i asked for more detail it was all forthcoming, i was buying sight unseen, but after a few calls with the seller (Tom) all seem good and we did the deal, had the car collected just before Christmas. covid and brexit lead to shipping delays, so the car just arrived this weekend to its new Kildare home. Anyway Tom is a gent and an Ohio petrol head who just needed to thin out projects, he had had the car since the 90's but had been off the road a few years after a stalled restoration.

So the car is an Ohio car all its life, with.... a very solid body. I started stripping today and outside, the rear jack points and thresholds its very very good so far. Hell hole is solid from the top and had good photos of underside from Tom, so hopeful.

Engine needs a full rebuild (its in boxes) as does suspension, fuel, brakes and and a full respray. The interior is original and in great shape. Plan is to have a driver which is as original as possible, like what Ian is doing on youtube, but with a bit less budget.

I will undertake all but the respray myself, I had a garage to work in lined up but unexpectedly lost it, oh well real men work in the drive anyway. I had to laugh when I took the seats out today, I had restored the ones in my 928 last year and it nearly killed me lugging them about, I don't think both the seats and all the carpet in the 914 equaled one 928 seat. It going to be fun having the two ends of the spectrum to drive.

I will put updates on the thread as I go, but for now here is the original window sticker
and a couple of pics.

[Maltese Falcon]

Congrats, that 914 looks like a good solid candidate for a full restoration . And imported from Dublin too (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (Ohio that is) !

[KELTY360]

That window sticker is such a great document. Not only is it an excellent description of the basic elements of a 914, but the listing of the LE features leave no doubt of the provenance of the car.

Nice find, good luck with the resto. Keep us posted.

[Dion]

That’s awesome. Congratulations. Good luck with all. Irish Luck that is!
Seems to be a solid foundation.
Love the window sticker. Very cool.
Look forward to seeing it completed.
Cheers, Dion

[anglophone1]

Hi Dave- so three “new” Irish 914s in 2021! We’ve probably doubled the totall
Looking forward to seen this when we can move about - a 928/914 is very cool.......
C

[horizontally-opposed]

Title of this thread had me envisioning the LE package with Irish Green paint and the yellow trim/wheels.

Very cool car, and cool to see it in Ireland. Cool 928, too. Nice to see alternative ways to enjoy the marque…

[bkrantz]

Congrats--your car looks vey good.

I hope you can find a garage--doing a serious rebuild outdoors adds to the challenge (been there, done that).

[ddire333]

Had good weather here the last two days so got stuck in to the strip down.

positives: the car is all very original, the engine number and stamp in the trunk all match, most of the rust I'm finding is mild to medium surface rust and the hell hole survived the jabbing screwdriver test top and bottom. i'm amazed there are so many places where there is no rust, like the rear panel which hold the lights and under the fuel tank, floors, firewall.

the challenges the rust around both rear jacking points is extensive, there is also one small pin hole middle of the rear trunk, right threshold and b pillar also have issues more than surface in places, need to investigate those more

the engine was partially disassembled, the heads hade been cleaned and had valve guides removed, the valve seats and sparkplug holes are perfect, but on one head an exhaust stud boss is damaged, and one intake valve guide boss. I cant tell the extent as some jb weld has be put in. i would prefer to have it repaired - welded, will have to see, any advice welcome. not sure how vital small bit of value guide boss is?

[burton73]

So far, this car is looking very good.

Welcome to the world

Bob B
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png)

[rgalla9146]

What a great find !
Good luck with your new project.
Happy Saint Pattys Day
Slainte !
Rory

[Cairo94507]

Congratulations. That looks like a really solid starting point. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[ddire333]

Short update, have been taking the do something every day approach, splitting between working on the body when the weather is ok, then in the shed when not.

Motor fully stripped now, it seems in good shape for 100k miles, only minor wear on all bearings, expect oil leaks and possibly valve guide wear got the PO part tear down started. Ordering parts now, going 2056 with stock FI and have sent the cam to Elgin cams for regrind (330-1), new injectors ordered as was missing one, new metal fuel lines in. MPS is buggered, have ordered the tangerine racing repair kit. Have decided to have the one damaged head repaired locally instead of going new, the chambers and valve seats are perfect still so feel its worth saving.

On the the body, thankfully the problem rust is confined to the area around and above the jack points on both sides, on the passenger side the door catch was only held in place by "the force" (have more than in the pic cut out now), new panels from RD have arrived so moving on to test fitting them with some self made patch panels before starting the welding

[rjames]

You're moving fast! Nice work!

[Shivers]

Very cool dude, going to be a nice ride. It looks pretty unmolested, not seeing many missing parts. Best of luck with your build.

[anglophone1]

Keep it up Dave !

[ddire333]

chipping away... pulled the front calipers for teardown, already have the rears apart and cleaned, getting some quotes to have them all zinc re-plated. Master cylinder out now as well, just getting new one. Best was finishing off the trunk surface rust cleaning up with por-15, just the need to weld the new reinforcement plate and a couple of pin holds just above it - i'm going to try to weld them up but it doesn't work i'll put some new sheet metal then prep for final paint. Getting all the other repair panels roughed up before i start the welding phase !

[ddire333]

Weather has not been the best to progress the structural welding, plus I was out of practice so decided to see if I could save the front protection plate, it was very tricking to weld, so thin and even though cut and ground worst out i was blowing through all the time but got to a level could live with and then re finished. Also got to finish off the caliper rebuild, new brakes lines 50% in. realy hope to make headway on the structural welding in the next couple of weeks, really want to get it behind me

[BillJ]

ice green metallic or maybe a blue 928 hiding over there too?

[ddire333]

ice green metallic or maybe a blue 928 hiding over there too?

yep, i88 - venetian blue, had no color code stickers when I got it, took me long time to figure out what the color code was

[jim_hoyland]

Great work! Thanks for sharing. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)