Returning Barn Find BB To The Road Options

[DBF]

I posted earlier about finding this survivor BB and I am working to get it back on the road by spring. I was asked to post more photos, and I’d also appreciate some advice on a couple items.

The first regards the engine. The car has 100K miles, and my experience with VW Type 1 motors is they are ready for a rebuild, at least a top-end rebuild at 100K. Is that true for Type 4's as well? I have the engine stripped down to the bare case/cylinders/heads since I want to clean off 100K worth of old oil/dirt, replace all the oil seals (yes all leaked), and to replace the fuel injection/air intake seals and vacuum lines to help ensure good drivability. Does the mileage say it’s time to keep taking it apart?

The second regards the fuel pump. It is still in the rear of course, but I plan to pull the gas tank to replace the old fuel lines, including installing stainless steel lines. “While I’m at it”, should I move the fuel pump to the front? It changes the originality of the car, but I plan to autocross and attend DE events with the car, so looking for safety and reliability.

Here is the car on the lift a friend gave me when he closed his auto repair shop this fall. It is a tight fit, but works for my small cars and old jeeps. I was sweating as the lift was being installed, hoping that all my calculations were correct, and was relieved when the 914 fit as planned. I was so anxious to see if it would fit that we lifted the 914 before we cleaned up the garage after the install. It will also allow me to store two small cars. Lastly, while on the lift I can still open and close the 914’s doors with one finger.

[DBF]

Thanks for the great advice. Ian - if you're reading this - your advice and the videos are great and will be very useful as I get the car back on the road. I especially appreciate the comments about "only original once". I am lucky to own and co-own a number of old unrestored VW's, one of the first 996's imported to the U.S., and a WWII Jeep that were bought from the original owners. We keep them as original as possible while making them reliable drivers, and that is sage advice for the BB.

My original plan for a 914 was to find a relatively un-rusted example and upgrade the brakes and suspension for autocross and DE events. As luck would have it, I found yet another survivor, and even luckier since it is a BB, so I now have another car to keep as original as possible. I admit I was wrestling with the idea of installing stainless steel fuel lines, and after hearing Ian's comments, and I also talked with Brad Mayeur from 914 Limited who said he has never seen the original vinyl tubes leak, I will stick with the originals. I feel a lot better about this since I looked closer at the interior and it doesn't look like any pieces were ever removed. It looks like you need access to the tunnel in order to install stainless steel lines, and my experience with car interiors is it is almost impossible to remove and re-install interior pieces and get them exactly the same as when the factory technician put them in the car. There are usually tell-tale marks when pieces are removed (marred fasteners, old creases showing where the piece originally was set in the car, new marks on the vinyl), and there are none of these in this car’s interior.

Here are a few more photos of the car, including when I first picked it up with 20 years of dust, and the serial number of the front spoiler. Interesting it has the VW logo, and I am hearing this is a very rare part.

[JeffBowlsby]

...the serial number of the front spoiler. Interesting it has the VW logo, and I am hearing this is a very rare part.

Rare is an understatement. This LE spoiler design was developed specifically for the 914 Can Am cars, although it was subsequently a factory-installed optional equipment item for later model 914s and sold through dealership parts counters to all 914 owners. It has been reproduced by many becasue of its desireable design, although none are quite like the original. Of the 291 914 CanAm cars on the Regsitry, over 200 of their owners would give their right arm for the chance to own this spoiler. It is irreplaceable at this point as there are no more in factory production.