RANT: Why do I have a 914?, Joy vs Frustration: Which will win? Options

[Air_Cooled_Nut]

Quick history:
My first 914 was a '75 1.8L daily driver for $1800. Put the nose into a wall @ 30-35mph. Crumple zones worked great, no injuries whatsoever! Years later, had to get another one and a friend had one for sale @ $2000. A year later it HAD to go and for $1000 (which was still a tad high) it was mine.

Fast forward to the present:
This one currently is a sunny day only ride as the targa/doors don't seal on the passenger side. I discovered that the front right was hit and subsequently straightened, which is why the passenger door doesn't seal, predominantly at the wing window. So to fix the fit as well as replace the broken door handle (pictorial to be posted at a later date) I tore apart the door. Well, the upper hinge had washers unther it (body side) so I removed them...and the door alignment went way out, like, 1/4" to 3/8" higher than the rear fender! So that's why those washers were placed there... And all the adjusting in the world with the wing window fasteners and lower adjusting stud didn't work (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/mad.gif)

So, the washers went back under the hinge and I took apart the wing window so I could drill the rear bolt hole an 1/8" larger, to allow the securing bolt the forward movement it needed so the wing window could be angled forward. After much cussing I got the wing window remounted (after opening up the hole). I spent a good hour or longer opening and closing the door, tweaking this and tweaking that, to get the wing window to seal against the A-pillar while the targa roof was on. No joy.

So this is what I'm ultimately left with...a door opening that is too long and/or possibly has a very slight twist about it (near the A-pillar). Obviously, the "fix it" job by the PO -- and it's history is unknown except she had several PO's -- was cheap in every sense of the word and I'm eventually going to need the body straightened in order to get the door to properly shut (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/headbang.gif) Luckily, the driver side is fine (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smile.gif)

So she is still confined to being a dry weather only car, which is a bit of a bummer because I believe cars should be all-weather for the most part. The plus side is that I successfully dropped and re-installed the drivetrain and fixed the engine oil leaks and was able to adjust the linkage (and replace parts) so I can hit all the gears, thus she IS driveable! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/clap.gif) When I received her she was barely driveable and leaked oil like SUPER crazy.

Even though the heater barely works thanks to rotting heat exchangers and the front hood is off until I can weld in new gutter patches for the trunk seal and there are grey primer patches on her cheaply repainted yellow body, I still LOVE to drive her. I smile. I grin. I get looks like crazy, especially from the rice boyz. Where's the motor? It's so small! I look out the side windows and I see the underside of door handles. I smile even more. I swear I can feel the asphault glide past my butt like it was just a couple millimeters away. Damn do I love driving my 914! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wub.gif)

I can't afford a proper body straightening right now and, honestly, I'm thinking I could buy another 914 with a sealed cabin for the same or less than it'll cost me to fix my current ride. But, fear not!, I will not scrap my teener. There's not many on the road and too many are being destroyed one way or another. The money will be well spent to save my ride than give up. Such is the addiction as there is no logic in it from a non-hobbiest point-of-view. Pray for me...

[nomore9one4]

RANT: Why do I have a 914?, ......because you already are well endowled and do not need a 911 to make up for it!! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/lol2.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/lol2.gif) (this is just an assumption)

[qa1142]

Love wins!

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wub.gif)