3D914s 914-6 SHO 3.2L v6, Build Thread - Project for sale. See classifieds Options

[3d914]

Spent several hours today removing front struts and suspension. This is all original so I know it was going to be a bear. The only easy part was the nuts on the top of the struts - neither was torqued properly. Everything else took grunting and penetrating oil, and more grunting. No broken knuckles though.

The 914 suspension is actually well designed and easy to maintain. I haven't decided completely on what's going in to replace it. Soo many options.



And one with it all off. Going to wait to remove the steering. Need to do a little more research.

[914forme]

Great build, and yes, I will be using some of your ideas. Like the rear trunk hinge setup, been trying to figure that one out for a while. With out using a Buick LaSabre piece.

[3d914]

Great build, and yes, I will be using some of your ideas. Like the rear trunk hinge setup, been trying to figure that one out for a while. With out using a Buick LaSabre piece.

Stephen, My thoughts exactly on the LaSabre hinge. I found that the first gen Mini from early 2000s has the proper shape hinge & with an off-center mounting - it will rotate up & backward so the trunk lid clears the rear vertical body panel.

Pic kinda illustrates - but poor image.
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads/post-1191-1388685573.jpg)

[3d914]

Now that its up on dolly, I'm finishing up the welding on the reinforcements and grinding all the welds. It'll be a while before that's all done. Lots of welds!

[Cairo94507]

Nice to hear from you and know progress is being made. Remember your eye protection (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

[3d914]

Making progress on the welding and grinding. Its much easier to do certain areas with the car on the rotisserie. Spent more than a couple of hours on this section. Lots of welding and I had to let things cool before continuing. Filled in the time gaps with grinding.

This is what it started out like.
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads/post-1191-1433621303.jpg)

Mostly finished except for the gaps along the top. There was no material there, but I'm thinking about cutting some pieces to fit and fill it in.

[3d914]

Got this area finished along with rest of the grinding for this side. Got a couple of welds in areas near the floor where my 4" won't fit. Need to find something to get these few welds down.



Also fixed the two plugs in the floor that were bent inward. Looks like the seam sealer was supposed to hold them in place - but these two were pushed in. So I cleaned off the seam sealer and welded instead. They'll get more seal sealer once the rest of the floor is done.

[3d914]

Reinforcement kit is done and ready for primer - which I just happen to be out of. Now I just have to remember if seam sealer goes on after primer or before.

Edit: It can go on after primer.

[3d914]

Got some time this afternoon to get the steering rack out and look closer at both sides of the floor-board under the pedal cluster.

Here's the outside before cleaning.


Here's the inside before cleaning.

[3d914]

Now to the cleaning. It looks like the outside was light surface rust - no pitting at all. I think I'll go ahead and re-enforce the portion I've cleaned. Even another layer of metal the same thickness will help a lot.



Got far enough on the inside to see that its not as clean & there is some pitting, but it's not as bad as I thought. Definitely salvageable. Treatment with some rust inhibitor should do the job.



There is a circular plug (just sheet metal) that came off of the gob of seam sealer under it. I'll clean most that out so I can weld a new cover on it. Not sure why this one is different then the others.

[3d914]

I've cleaned out the sealer on both sides and cut the end off the support piece - now you can see the sheet metal tab. I'll cut a new support piece that covers this and extends up into the area where the master cylinder mounts.



On the inside there's a shelf for the plug. I'll need to cut a new one out of slightly thicker material and weld it in. First will be rust treatment, then weld in a new plug on both sides, then finish off with seam sealer.

[3d914]

Working up front on the underside, here is something else I discovered. I know this car was beaten up when it was previously stolen - but I thought I had found all the damage - Not!

Gonna look to see if I can find a decent replacement section. If not I'll have to cut it out, repair it and weld it back in. Got a break with the floor - just to find more work under here. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

[3d914]

Finished up the underside of plug by welding the piece I cut off back on. I filled in the hole and then drilled a couple of holes for spot welds to keep the plug in place.



Welded in the plug cap on the inside, and with all the rust already treated, was able to get several coats of self-etching primer on. All that's left will be to fill this area with seam sealer.

[3d914]

Making more progress on the scope of metal work for the under body so I wanted to track what's getting done:

• Inner suspension (dog-ear) reinforcement
• Model pieces and weld while on dolly
• Limit material thickness to 0.075"
• Remove Doorway supports & keep doors
• Repair small sections in floor pan
• Install engman inner long kit while on dolly
• Repair floor under pedal cluster
• Weld outer body patch panels - currently exposing wheel wells (L & R)
• Cement L side to FG flare

[3d914]

Also finished up some welds on the dog ear reinforcements that I couldn't get to until now. Rotisserie sure helps.

[3d914]

Got it up on its side now to work on the underbody. Trying to locate a replacement piece for the front trunk area. Started stripping the remaining underbody treatment. There's not much left after all these years, and I'm just taking it down to the factory primer. It'll get seam sealer in a view places, more primer and black paint, then finally some fresh underbody treatment. I'm only focusing on the cockpit area since there's still work to do fore & aft.

[3d914]

Got the underbody coating off and mostly down to the factory primer. There are plenty of places where its fresh metal. I also treated any of the surface rust areas - so they'll be ready for primer tomorrow.

[Chris H.]

Front trunk floor is what you need?

Restoration design piece

Great work Gerard! Way to keep at it!

[3d914]

Also got some new parts in from Mark at Restoration Design - the left & right jack donuts for the rear. The parts are premium for sure.





Unfortunately, the underbody on this 914 isn't. It's quite beat up. You'll notice in the corners ahead of these donut pieces, someone has jacked the car repeatedly - and deformed the metal.

On the left side - this doesn't appear to be much of an issue.



On the right side - it's a difference story. There's quite a gap between the double-wall shelf and the new piece. Also the angled ridge adjacent to the shelf is smashed in - also leaving a considerable gap. I'm gonna have to research a little to see if that corner piece is available. I don't think I have the tools to fab those small radius' and sharp angles.

[3d914]

Was reading trojanhorsepower's restoration thread and saw a couple of good images of the corners from his new rear floor panel.

So here's the corner I'd have to form up for each side. Seeing the finished form, I think I have a way of doing it right on the body. I won't be able to get to this for a while, so that'll give me some time to think more about it.