So - here are my latest highs and lows -(others I am sure have better and worse!)

High: its spring, rollout the 914 (74 1.8); 914world as interesting as ever

Low: still has last summers starting problem (catches then dies): has fuel, spark intermittently, turnover, no starty; suspect my crappy coil and crappier harness

High: Jim Hoyland takes the time to provide harness diagrams (very helpful - thx): Jeff Bowlsby ships me a replacement harness (expecting any day now); order some miscellaneous parts from AA; come in 5 days!

Low:113$ in parts; 58$ shipping and handling; parts I really wanted not available- God its nice to live in Canada

High - found a friendly VW mechanic to look at the car (have not been able to locate any real 914 expertise in Ottawa Canada - clearly backwoods here)

Low - 2 weeks later he appears to be giving up - suggests could be a valve train problem - has good spark (coil was crappy), fuel, not catching any more, compression only 90 on cylinder 3; about 115 on the others - may have to bring it home to pull the passenger head - shit