Hey guys, I've been lurking in the shadows around here for a few months now, and now that I've finally started working on my 914 I figured I would post up an intro of sorts.

I come from the wide world of aircooled Vw's, so type 1 based engines are cake, it's these newfangled type 4 engines that have me all confused. I'll figure it all out eventually, but I'm sure I'll have lots of questions to ask, but I will try to search first! This all started about 8-9 years ago when I went to a friend's house and saw this car sitting across the street, I was 13-14 years old then and really didn't have the money for such a project, but it was always in my mind.

A few years ago I come to find out that the owner of the car was actually a member of the church my dad works at, so he tried talking to him for me, and the guy said he would think about selling it.

After continual bugging, he agreed to sell it to me for $10 about a year later, but was still real laggy, so the deal lost momentum again, until he finally said I could just HAVE it, the stipulation being that I need to take him for a ride when it is back on the road.

I can do that.

A little history, or at least what I know of it, through paperwork found in the glovebox and center console the other day. It was purchased used in 1985, and either the speedometer quit working VERY soon afterwards, or it only travelled 4 miles until 1989. In the fall of 1989, the PO I got it from bought it and drove it home, he noted it needed an exhaust leak fixed, then jacked it up and put it on wheel dollies....for 20 years... Which is how I found it.

It has been repainted the original color, I'm not sure why yet, but it's not the best repaint. The interior looks pretty original from what I can tell, and the car is largely unaltered. The big changes are a conversion to carburetors at some point in its life (40IDF Webers), and a header system.

It looks like it was pretty decently optioned, with what I guess is the appearance package, with the 3 gauges in the center console, leather steering wheel cover and shift boot, Pedrini wheels, foglights and sail panel vinyl. It also has a dealer-installed (hacked) A/C system, and an am/fm radio.


My initial plans for the car are to rebuild the carburetors, bleed the brakes and see if they need redone, tune up and oil change, tires, check suspension, make sure all the electrical works, and buff the paint. So far the carbs are torn apart and are waiting for the rebuild kits to come in, half of the car has been hand buffed and waxed, oil has been changed, new plugs and wires. All electrical but the headlights work (they were shattered), and the starter is not working with the key, but I can jump the terminals. (I think there is a wire at the battery that is disconnected.) It creeped me out when the radio started playing about 15 minutes after I had turned it on.. seems like everything took a little bit before it started working normally.

Rust situation doesn't look too bad I guess, you guys would know better, but the floors have no holes and are still brightly painted under the carpet, the battery tray support and surrounding areas are rock solid, but the battery tray itself will definately need to be replaced. I still need to pull the rocker panels off to really see how bad they are, but I'm hoping they don't need more than patching.

Anyway, thanks for reading this long thread, and here are a FEW pictures for your enjoyment. I totally forgot to upload a bunch of pics, so these are basically as found...sorry..





Hah, I guess I should have mentioned, it's a 74 2.0, and if remember right, it's within the first 2-300 built for the 74 MY or so I believe..

One other thing, parts sources, I have found a few, AA, Pelican, Stoddard, is there any sort of feedback threads on any of these? Any other good places I should check out? I am BRAND new to the whole PorSCHA thing. I'd also like to find a good repair manual, I've seen a restoration guide, but I'm not sure that's quite what I need being a n00b, then there's the Haynes manual. Are there no Bentley-type factory service manuals for these, or have I just not found them yet?

Thanks guys, I can't wait to drive this thing!

Great find!

If it was my car I would have given it to you after you scraped and primed and painted my house.

It looks like a great start.

don't forget guys like PMB(Eric Shea, has more parts available than the website would indicate)
also GPR, paragon products, high performance house, and craig at camp914... aircooled.net is a great source for carburetor parts, they even have the odd-ball jet sizes

our member vendors are a great resource! guys like mikey914(mark), morph(james) Jwest(James adams), are true innovators, not just resellers, bdstone914(Bruce) is a good source for used parts as well...

once you get the old battery tray out, inspect THAT area real well... take off the rocker panels and inspect the longs, if the car has set for very long, I WOULD bet on rebuilding the brakes. and new lines(OEM rubber)

at any rate... glad you are here, and I hope we can help you save her

Someone is missing from your list


And good luck with that car! :cool:

I'm sure lots of people are we have a member vendors section for that... I can't remember everyone all the time... and if you are referring to whom I think you are referring, then consider it passive resistance... if I forgot a true member vendor, then it was on accident only

I was messin' with ya :rebel:

What's the VIN? Just curious as mine is also an early '74MY 2.0 with appearance package. My VIN is 4742900862.

Best of luck getting it back to

Welcome to the insanity. You'll never regret it, nor ever forget that first drive.

All the fuel lines, and the brake lines need to be at the top of your replacement list.

There are many of us vendors who can supply pretty much anything you need.

Great project car find & can't beat the price!!

Change out all the fuel & brake lines & other soft parts before you try starting it up, so you don't with an engine fire!

Tons of member vendors, members selling "extras" & more advice than you can shake a stick at here!

Bentley manuals come up here, TheSamba & evil-bay occasionally, but AutoAtlanta (AA) sells the factory manual on CD for about $50 IIRC, so get one & a set of binders & case of paper to print out your own, or just work from the screen. When the full 9+/- vol. factory manuals do come up, they're $500++++ !!!!

You can also go to the Porsche website, under their Classics section & free download their pdf official PET parts manual for the OE numbers & diagrams, etc. (was 1 vol. of the 9 factory set). AA also has a downloadable free pdf parts catalog which hyper-links to their website parts system.

There are also a few other good 914 restoration & repair manuals out there which come in handy, by Dr. B. Johnson, Paternie, Brian Long, 700 Tech Tips by AA's George Hussey, etc. Most are sold through Amazon, Borders, B&N, etc. online.

That could be a very nice driver, or even a good restored show/CW 914 - depending upon your interest, time, pocketbook, skills & insanity level!

Get it out of the weather though - they like to melt when wet!

Good Luck & Have Fun!

Definitely replace the tunnel fuel lines. They are made of plastic.

What is the VIN? It can be found at the lower edge of the windshield on the driver's side. Be sure to record the VIN on this site....I think it makes you eligible for a prize if you register.

BTW, your wheels look to be Mahles, not Pedrinis.

That looks like a very nice candidate! Welcome to the madness!

"All electrical but the headlights work (they were shattered), and the starter is not working with the key, but I can jump the terminals. (I think there is a wire at the battery that is disconnected.) It creeped me out when the radio started playing about 15 minutes after I had turned it on.. seems like everything took a little bit before it started working normally."


That is just the 914 electrical system introducing itself to you.

Don't get the electrical system wet, you will not like it when it is wet!






Once sorted out, the electrical system really isn't that bad.

Sorry, I guess I forgot to add that I pulled the tank earlier today to change the rubber fuel hoses, I didn't realize they were plastic through the body. Just did some reading on the subject and I gotta say I'm not looking forward to replacing them.. haha. Do I really need the return line since I'm running carbs? I guess I better give Tangerine a call tomorrow.

As for the wheels, I guess I got mixed up somewhere, thanks. I'm still going back and forth on removing the whole a/c system. It's not hooked up right now and wasn't factory installed, so why not? Yes, and safe brakes are a definate move.

Minimal rust, sitting outside for 20 years, it would be a miracle!

Well, so far it hasn't buckled and turned into a taco-teen when I jack it up. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for a 70 I robbed some parts off of a few years ago.

I'll tell you what, give me a few days to get some good detail pictures of the rusty areas, and I will let you guys decide how rough it is. I havent seen too many 914s in person, but I be seen way worse than this.

Another KS guy! you need to get in tough with kansas914 and Mary Shortridge.

Yes, from what I can see of the wheels they look like Mahles. Mahles have full length ribs. Pedrenni's have a short rib then a long rib as the alternate.

Nice score!

Looks like a '73 model to me. A '74 wouldn't have the silver button gauges unless swapped out and it also looks as if there are no tit holes on the rear bumper also indicating a '73 model.


Shoe

Nice looking car!

I had this exact car except with fuch wheels & a luggage rack. Gotta love the orange ones!!!

My AC was different, but I think there were a few different ones the dealers put in them. I never ran it anyways; damn thing robbed too much power. The top should always be off.

Mine never did work off the key; never could figure that out. I mickey moused the starter on a push-button swich & kept it under the driver's seat. It worked.

Good luck & take lots of pictures.

I was mistaken, it is a low VIN, but not as low as I thought. It is 4742900782. It does have bumper guards front and rear, the left rear has broken off though. I don't know anything about the gauges.

You may want to save the ac stuff as there are some people that want to install ac in the cars that have had the motor swapped out that don't worry about the perfectness of the original car. All ac units were installed by a dealer in the 914. I'm pretty sure there are only two different brands and both were made in TX. One in Ft Worth and the other in San Antonio. I have the one made in FT Worth and have found it hard to get the control switches to replace the original ones. They use a different stem than the newer switches I have found available. Actually if you were to go to a new style more efficient compressor it wouldn't pull the motor down near as bad when it cycles on.

We should get these two cars together. They haven't seen each other since they were parked 80 cars away from one another in the Karmann factory lot.