Drex 914, Iowa 914 Options

[Drex]

Hello Everyone
My name is Dave and middle name Rex...thus D Rex
A nickname my office girls gave to me as a play on 'T Rex'

It was quite a process to get signed up on this forum
But it appears I finally on

I'm in the process of buying a 1971 914
It was hit in the R front fender and now
Sat for > 40 years in a barn but was covered up
(see pic)

I own a '62 VW Beatle and had a '71 911 at one time
So am familiar with air cooled engines

Before the accident, it was apparently a running car
I know its hard to tell without a thorough inspection
But assuming it does not have much rust
How much should I be offering for it?

Thanks for all your expect advise

Drex

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.surfacezero.com-27003-1671748247.1.jpg)

[rjames]

Given it's been in an accident, have you verified that the frame is straight?

[Drex]

Hi Robert

No, I cannot verify if it has a straight frame
I figure this would make a big difference

It's a 914-4

I need to look at it again
But the temp outside is -10 F right now
So may be a few weeks

I'm just looking for ballpark values
I know that it depends on condition
Searching this forum here's what I've come up with:

30,000 if in excellent shape
15,000 if in fair shape and runs good
7,500 if in poor shape but running
3,500 if in poor shape and not running

Are these accurate prices?

thanks for your help

Drex

[krazykonrad]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png) You've come to the right place.

[infraredcalvin]

First of all welcome! You’ll get all kinds of interesting answers, starting with, more pics!

Without many more pictures or info I’d say free up to your 3500 range, no more, and I’m being nice…

Between welding and paint you’ll be underwater on that car when done. Due to the damage, unless you can really make it invisible, that will never be a top tier car.

Unless the aluminum vin tag was swapped to the original, you’ll already have two vins with different numbers… easily fixed, but will raise questions…

[JamesJ]

Right front damage
Sitting for 40+ years in a barn(with critters, no doubt)

Honestly, I would find another car.

[bkrantz]

Depending on the amount of rust, especially in the longs, I would keep evaluating it. How do the front suspension settings (strut tops) look? Same on both sides? Either one pushed to the extreme (left/right or front/rear)? Can you see any damage or even wrinkling in the frunk floor pan?

[Superhawk996]

First of all welcome! You’ll get all kinds of interesting answers, starting with, more pics!

Without many more pictures or info I’d say free up to your 3500 range, no more, and I’m being nice…

Between welding and paint you’ll be underwater on that car when done. Due to the damage, unless you can really make it invisible, that will never be a top tier car.

Unless the aluminum vin tag was swapped to the original, you’ll already have two vins with different numbers… easily fixed, but will raise questions…

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

If there is rust in the hell hole or longs that would be a deal breaker unless it were virtually free.

You can find underbody reference dimensions in a couple places:
http://www.914world.com/specs/underdims.php

Or look at Jeff Hails thread - lots of info buried in there somewhere around pages 9-11
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=76791

You want to find the graphic like this one. I used Jeff’s measurements as reference and they matched my chassis within a couple mm here and there (disregard my chicken scratch) you just want his clean graphic as reference since OEM measurements reference an imaginary center line that isn’t easily measured to.

[Drex]

thanks for all your help

i know it is a questionable car
but it was a friend's who died suddenly in October
so it is special to me and especially to his family
and we both would like to see it restored

i'm not much of a Concours restoration guy
my specialty is WW II Jeeps
and most of the Jeeps that win prizes are 'over restored'

here is a picture of the rear trunk area
again, it probably doesn't tell one much

it is -7 F here in central Iowa with winds up to 45 mph
so not good weather to be inspecting an old car

thanks again

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Drex

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.surfacezero.com-27003-1671795703.1.jpg)

[Craigers17]

So since you know the family, has it been in their ownership the entire life of the car? If so, can you then verify the original mileage and the story of it having been in dry storage for 40 years? This would make a difference to me. Given the answers to those questions, it is likely to be a very low mileage car with minimal rust.

I would ask to remove the rockers(you might need to drill out the pop rivets on the top...you might also need some PB Blaster and an impact driver on the bottom screws). As previously mentioned you need to check out the hell hole, floor pans, and areas behind seats. In a perfect world, they would allow you to remove the seats and back pad to check out those areas.

Does it still have factory FI? That along with the fact that it looks like Willow Green would also go a long way with me. Also, does it run? Does it turn over? Does it spin freely? I personally think you might have a diamond in the rough here....especially knowing up front that it's gonna take some time & money to get it back to the way you want it. Bonus: you helped bring an old friend's car back to its former glory.

[Drex]

yes,
1st chance i get, i plan to go see it again
it's about a 4 hr drive away

i think my friend bought it in '74
and was in accident in '79

he had several cars
so maybe didn't drive this one much

i'll check this all out next trip
hopefully it will warm up some

thanks

Drex

[mepstein]

Based on what you’ve shown and written, it’s a $1-2k project car.
Running when parked 40 years ago doesn’t mean anything.
Repair looks fitted but not complete.
Rust is unknown
Parts may be missing.
Interior could be mouse infested, moldy or missing.

People have done more with less and achieved stunning results but that’s up to you.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png)

[mb911]

I am the crazy guy that would love a project like that. Probably a couple grand is the value as of now.

[Drex]

wen i went and saw it
it was 5 F
so didn't send much time inspecting

are advantages of living in warm climates
but i've lived in Iowa my whole life
and kinda like it here

will update when i get down there

here's the panel

Drex

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.surfacezero.com-27003-1671802168.1.jpg)

[Freezin 914]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) With Craigers17 .

I would like to start with I mean no offense. Just an opinion.
I find it a little amusing people are quick to say walk away from certain cars. While you look at all the builds here, half of them are cars that had issues. Some major.
To be clear, I completely understand bodywork, rust issues will get either time consuming, and/or expensive. In most cases both. But if everyone just looked for another car, 5% of these cars would be resurrected, the rest would be parts cars or scrap. Very, very few of these cars don’t have some sort of rust issue. The major questions are how much, and how bad is it really.
Nobody wants to be upside down on a build. Unfortunately, with most project cars, hard to be on the upside, really depends on your particular skill set, budget, time available.
I agree further inspection would be important to understand the amount of money and effort will be needed to get the car to a level you will be happy with.

Good luck on whatever you decide. Try to save it! Just be honest with yourself about it’s condition what it will need.
Looks like it could very well be a prime candidate to build and let the family see it it get on the road again. It could be a very rewarding project. Willow Green! Yes please!
Just my opinion.

[mepstein]

I agree, it could be a diamond. Based on what’s shown, it’s still coal but there could be more to the story. Just gotta check things out when the weather is acceptable.

A couple years back, we got a call about a rusty Porsche, under a tarp, under a carport. Owner wanted it gone. A well known restoration shop didn’t bother showing up when promised so the owner sold it cheap to my buddy. It was a ‘64 911.

[mb911]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) With Craigers17 .

I would like to start with I mean no offense. Just an opinion.
I find it a little amusing people are quick to say walk away from certain cars. While you look at all the builds here, half of them are cars that had issues. Some major.
To be clear, I completely understand bodywork, rust issues will get either time consuming, and/or expensive. In most cases both. But if everyone just looked for another car, 5% of these cars would be resurrected, the rest would be parts cars or scrap. Very, very few of these cars don’t have some sort of rust issue. The major questions are how much, and how bad is it really.
Nobody wants to be upside down on a build. Unfortunately, with most project cars, hard to be on the upside, really depends on your particular skill set, budget, time available.
I agree further inspection would be important to understand the amount of money and effort will be needed to get the car to a level you will be happy with.

Good luck on whatever you decide. Try to save it! Just be honest with yourself about it’s condition what it will need.
Looks like it could very well be a prime candidate to build and let the family see it it get on the road again. It could be a very rewarding project. Willow Green! Yes please!
Just my opinion.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

The problem is you and I are from the same part of the country and see the same rust buckets brought back from the dead just like in my build thread

[Front yard mechanic]

Buy it it’s green ! The color of money

[Cairo94507]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png) Welcome Drex. That looks like Willow Green to me and is a great color. These cars can be expensive to bring back after sitting for >40 years. This one needs the right front correctly repaired so it is straight and true. Then you can begin looking for other rust compromised areas. Just because it was indoors and covered does not mean rust was not busy working away on the car. I understand the connection to the car and that is admirable and cool. I would discuss all of the work needed to get her back on the road with the family and offer them $1,500 with a promise to get her running, driving and then take them for a ride when done. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[rick 918-S]

First of all. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png)

and B: did anyone mention the car is Willow? Very cool color. Always wanted a Willow car.

Another thing. Is the original front section still there someplace it the garage? If you notice the bright colored aluminum tag on the reinforcement belongs to the donor car not the Willow car. You need that tag to be reinstalled when the car is repaired as it has the VIN# on it.

and lastly I hope you have a good shop space and are really devoted to the restoration. If not post it in the classifieds so I can buy it. LOL! Otherwise be prepared to put on your man pants and get busy. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/assimilate.gif)

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...&hl=Juergen

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...=104128&hl=