I need help from fellow 914 guys. My wife doesn't understand the "need".
there is a 73 2.0 for sale here at a shop about 20 min from my house. the owner said it is on conighnment for a customer who took it for back due rent. He said it was running two months ago and the owner brought it back because he could not get it to start again after letting it sit. I did stop over and look at it. it seems pretty solid, but who knows under the rockers. the cable for the engine lid broke and he could not get it to open, it is 15 degrees here right now. front trunk looks solid looking under the car not much oil to speak of. i did reach up under the hell hole area and there was rust there how bad I could not see enough to be sure. Drivers seat is a little wobbly pulled up the carpet and it looked solid besides behind the drivers seat in the corner rust, rust, rust. here are some pictures of it from the Craigslist site. it currently is not running and i would have to have it towed to my house for around $75.

I have a 74 converting to a 2.7 on a extrem budget now that i have been layed off from work.

thanks for any input you can give.
By the way he has a guy coming down from Michigan tomorrow to buy it sight unseen. but said who ever shows up with the money first

Worse case scenario, there is probably more than $800 in parts there.

No 2.0 Fuchs, interior looks beat up and motor doesn't run. If the tub is rusted up I'd say walk away. You'll have trouble getting your $800 out of it.

If the tub is fairly clean and the motor would just take a quick once through to get running it's a decent deal.

if it had the 2.0 Fuchs, I'd offer 500 for it, and feel good about getting back my money. But it is going to be rusty. if you can open the engine compartment, you know it is going to be rusty!
if it were me, I'd put my resources into the 2.7 conversion, and not squander them on this car.
Zach

thanks guys, i have been driving myself nuts with should i or not and i'm getting the idea that i should not.

You can't answer your question without KNOWING how bad the rust is. You have to examine the hell hole and areas under it.

The wheels and the rust you've seen already make it highly questionable. If on the odd chance the body was truly solid, you couldn't go wrong.

There is no 12 step program for this disease. I too suffer from it. But unless it's in excellent condition, keep focused. I have a hard time with this too.

My advice is not to buy it without looking at it a LOT closer. Regardless, you probably wouldn't make much money, and probably not worth the time unless you have lots to spare. Just because somebody else is willing to take the risk in buying it doesn't increase the value of the car.

Best guess is that you'd be better off saving your time and $ for the conversion.

Run Forest, run.

Don't do it!! If You snapped up every obtainable "deal" you will burn yourself $$$ the *&#@! out! The main thing is to stay focused on one project even though it seems to take on it's own life and direction;... you have try to maintain an order to the process.. A method to the madness. The last thing your need is another open nevr ending sore. Finish your car then later as gets when your done if that is even possible ....but you will know when the car will tell you. It is like SCREWING A GORILLA .. YOUR DONE WHNE THE GORILLA SAYS YOUR DONE.. then you can fitz with parts cars by then you will know a plan of what to do with another 914. Try not to purchase blindly with no immeadiate idea of what you even going to be able or want to do with it.. Joe

Good call. Stay focused, that's how projects get finished.

Thanks every one. I know some time i need a slap across the face to bring me back to reality. I do need to stay focused on the conversion I have set a goal to have it road ready by spring. (mid to late April around here) So that means more like when my son goes to his highschool prom (he is 4)
thanks again every one I'm sure i could use the money for the conversion, I still need to get an oil cooler.

Good call. Stay focused, that's how projects get finished.

I'd say get the engine lid open and look.

There's a center console in it... $250 ish?

why won't it start? does it turn over? does it have carbs? ($400-$500 for carbs)
2.0 long block core? ($500? $600?)

Chrome bumpers?

What parts do you NEED for your 74? are there enough parts there that you will have to pick up still for your project to make it worthwhile for the parts that you need?

If it's a good stepping stone for getting your project finished, answer some more questions about it first.

Well, I drove out to take a better look this morning with a flash light, screwdriver( rust test) and battery in hand to try and start it. After some what crawling under the passenger side, it is bad. after stepping back i could see that it had a slight lean to that side also. I offered the guy $500 and he said no. I figured with the parts i could use or sell off it it would pay for it self at that price.

It had fuel injection
did have air but removed the center console was cut down to make it fit.
bumpers were painted black with a nice touch of rust overlay in the corners
i forgot to get the VIN sorry guys. I told him to give me a call if the other guy didn't buy.
still could not get the engine lid to open...that makes me nervous because he didn't seem motivated to get it open either.

coming from a guy(me) who has 3 non running Porsche And I think you said your not working I would walk away.

You don't know how true that is for some of us. My project six took 13 years. That was with two divorces, four moves, and lots of time not doing anything to it. But, now that it's going it's a blast to drive.....

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Now at least you can sleep at night. You made a fair offer. Now walk away.

Nice ride man,....now did the 914 have any thing to do with the Divorces?

Nice car, looks great.
Here is a couple of shots of the project that i have owned for 22 years. hasn't been drivin in 12

You can buy that car and then invest $25,000 and lots of work fixing it. OR you can buy this one for $25,000 and all the work is done! Just get in and drive away.

The 914 didn't have anything to do with either divorce. Both wives were OK with it. They couldn't claim it as it was "mine" before I married the first time. When I started the conversion I striped it to the body & wiring. After cage, stiffening, body work and paint I put it back together again. I missed driving a 914 so much that in the middle of the conversion I bought a '75 and drove it a while and sold it.

Man do i wish i had the money to buy your car it looks great and i'm sure it moves pretty well too.

I will try and add my pictures again.

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