What should I check? Where should I go?, 914 restoration Options

[Name_of_User]

I just found the site and hope you guys can help me get on the road.

The situation...

I've got a 914 that's been sitting in an arid (NM) climate for the better part of a decade... OK, maybe even longer. The car has been covered but it has been outside sitting. I had my parents go out and take a look at it last week and they reported the following... paint looks good, there is something that resembles a nest and we saw several chipmunks in the car.

OK.

This thing ran well when I parked it but it's been so long. I'm guessing it will need new hoses, tires, wires, plugs, window seals, cooling flush, gas tank flush... and maybe some wiring. I want to have the car shipped here (NorCal) so I can look it over and then take it to a shop. So my two questions follow:

(1) What else should I check once I have the car?
(2) Who can recommend a good 914 friendly shop in Northern California? I maaaay consider a shop in New Mexico, but I'd rather go local.

[jt914-6]

Unless the car has an water cooled engine, you'll not need to do a coolant flush. With chipmunks in the car, most likely you'll be matching wires and splicing them together. Mice are bad about chewing wires into. Pull the rocker panels and check the longitudals. Pull out all carpet, front, rear, and interior and check for rust. Check the hell hole, the place around and under the battery for rust. You'll need a complete brake job too. Others will add to this list.

[Millerwelds]

Original Customs in Sonoma. You'll see his banner ad on this site.

[Rand]

Beat me to it, I was just going to suggest McMark. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
Where in NorCal are you?

[tat2dphreak]

someone here will probably volunteer to do a PPI(Pre-Purchase Inspection) take them up on their offer...

if it's been sitting a decade, it might need a full engine rebuild to really get going... you should really research out and figure what you will have to spend... new wiring harness, engine refresh, fixing whatever rust... etc... oh, and don't forget the cost of shipping a car is about 1500 alone.
add all that up, and you can probably find a rust free car that you can drive home for less... I've been down this road my friend, and I've learned the hard way... buy the BEST you can afford... it will be cheaper in the long run. that is IF you want a car you can drive soon... if you want to do the work, just to do the work, then by all means... but since you want to take it to a shop... think about it.

btw, I thought rust free teeners were falling off trees in Cali? wtf? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

j/k and (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png)

oh, and if I was a cali native, McMark and his original customs shop would probably be where I'd hang out.

[McMark]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/wavey.gif)

Come say hello anytime.

[orange914]

1] where in nor cal?
2] the 914 crew are very helpful and willing to help out... you probably live near someone more than willing to lend their experiance to ppi it.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png) mike (ceres/centeral valley-nor cal.)

[Spoke]

...the cost of shipping a car is about 1500 alone.

I'm not sure it would cost that much. I shipped a 911 from Denver to PA for $775. However, shipping companies do not like to move an inoperable car and the brakes absolutely must work. Inop cars means it needs to be winched onto the carrier and pushed off.

I couldn't find anyone willing to ship an inop 914 from Connecticut to PA. Ended up renting a Uhaul trailer and doing it myself.

[rick 918-S]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png)

[tat2dphreak]

sitting a decade, think the brakes are good? I was betting on it being towed on a flatbed truck, possibly a flat trailer. I don't think a normal car shipper would bring it, being inoperable. I picked up my car in houston this way. luckily we just used my dad's pickup and flat trailer.

[Name_of_User]

Thanks all for the warm welcomes!

I'm in San Jose CA.

[Cevan]

This thing ran well when I parked it but it's been so long.

Sounds like he's owned it for awhile. About rebuilding the engine, the 2.0L I put in my car this spring came from a '74 car that had a 1992 inspection sticker on it. I've got about 2000 miles on it so far this year. I'd say try and get the motor running and then check the compression or leakdown.

[Name_of_User]

I have some video of the car.. check it out!

1974 1.8l 914

[McMark]

Looks really clean! Zambezi is one of my top color choices. Can't wait to see it in person some day at a drive or event.

Here's a thread about how to embed YouTube videos.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhmKagDq6a0

[tat2dphreak]

yep, car doesn't look bad at all... drain the gas, flush the brakes and see if they work, then see if you can get the engine going. then check for rust (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) best of luck!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)

[Cupomeat]

After watching the video, I have some questions/suggestions;
1. What was the cover on the Air Flow flapper box? Looked like it was made out of tape, maybe?
2. Make sure he has the black keys, or at least can get in the trunk. The red keys should be valet keys and should not open the trunks.
3. The battery tray seems to have a hole in it, so look for at least a small amount of hell hole refreshing.
4. Is the engine set up? It appears to have all the parts from the video, except a battery.
5. Any sign of respray on the lower valence covers or trim? The paint seems rather pretty on the sides for a Sun sitter.

all in all, looks like a nice zambezzi green car.

From the video, if the price is right, I'd go for it (if I were in that part of the country).

[Name_of_User]

>1. What was the cover on the Air Flow flapper box? Looked like it was made out of tape, maybe?

I think there is some tape over the box; not sure why. I'm the second owner, having purchased the car from the original owner in the early 1980s, and it came that way.

>2. Make sure he has the black keys, or at least can get in the trunk.

The red keys should be valet keys and should not open the trunks. Black keys are available. But thanks for the tip; I had fogotten that the color meant something

> 3. The battery tray seems to have a hole in it, so look for at least a small amount of hell hole refreshing.

The battery tray is rusty. Definitly some work needed in that area.

> 4. Is the engine set up? It appears to have all the parts from the video, except a battery.

The only part missing is the battery. My dad was able to get it started about 2 years ago with a jump. It was a brief gasp of life for the car: my dad detected a gas leak and quickly shut it down.

> 5. Any sign of respray on the lower valence covers or trim? The paint seems rather pretty on the sides for a Sun sitter.

There are a couple small places on the car where the paint has been touched-up by amature hands, but no respray. The car has been either in a garage or covered with UV-resistent tarp, so has suffered little direct exposure to the sun.

Thanks for the input!