About a month ago I flattened my right fender while attempting to submerge under the bumper of a Chevy Tahoe. As embarrassing as that was, it forced me to take the car off the road for repairs. Given the splotchy, oxidized finish it was silly to try to match the paint, so the only logical path was to finally do the full cosmetic makeover I'd always intended.

After getting recommendations from the incredibly sympathetic members of the PNW contingent. I contacted Eurotech Bodywerkes to do the work. The owner is a 914 owner as is one of the metal massagers, Slow914. They mostly specialize in German stuff with some other interesting rigs sprinkled in for interest.

Here's the initial damage that triggered everything.

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The original plan was to strip down as far as necessary to insure good adhesion, but after discovering numerous problems from previous repairs, it was taken down to bare metal.

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Sail vinyl was removed and the trim holes filled.

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I was offered a hood and fender by 914Junkie down in Vancouver, WA - thanks Paul. We were able to use the fender in the repair but the hood was a little too rusty. I also discovered that the hood off my parts car was too rusty, but finally I found one from rdauenhauer that worked - thanks Rich (and effutou101 - Chris for delivery).

The fender repair looks great.


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Eurotech has been great to work with every step of the way and they are really making great progress. The body is prepped and primered with color hopefully being sprayed tomorrow.

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After looking at countless pics, I decided I really like the look of body color painted bumpers. The tits are history also. They didn't help in the last episode anyway.

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The doors and hood have also got some color now.

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It's getting exciting now. Can't wait to see this all come together. I'll post more as progress is made.

Awesome!!! That's the color of my 914 as well. I'm interested to see how the bumpers end up.

Eurotech did all the bodywork and paint on my car back in 2003. The paint still looks new. They do very nice work. Can't wait to see your car with paint on it.

Too nice

Awesome Marc. I was going to flick you all kinds of crap..... And you wouldn't want to give ANYtech credit. Cuz....I thought you had some paint issues. Was I wrong????

I figured the strange paint - wigggy - faded - yada-damaged........ Combined with the latest turn of events..... Schwing!!

Yeah, you figured right. I've had the car for over four years now. From the time I drove it home from SoCal I've wanted to make it purdy, but I became kind of attached to the cosmetic flaws because it's so much fun to drive and I didn't have to worry about chips and dings. But I'd also been looking at color schemes and thinking about what I'd like my car to look like. This has been a chance to put all those ideas to the test.

Along with the bumper tits and sail vinyl, the side warts have been removed and the lower panels will get a complementary accent color. The Mahles will also get some special treatment. Really looking forward to seeing how it all fits together.

That's awesome Marc! Looking great... can't wait to see the result.

i need a green with envy smiley

Looking good!

That's gonna be really nice Mark.

Dave

Oh man, that's gonna turn out nice!

sweet

Might be too late but might want to take off the plastic door stills. I took mine off and found out the metal had never been painted underneath. Had a little rust hole.

Good point. It is a little late, plus the jams have been left alone. I will check it though as I may swap out those sills anyway.

Dropping off some of Mikey914's nice seals gave me a good reason to visit the shop again this AM. I'm a noob at getting a car painted and I'm amazed at the difference a clear coat makes.

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Making it look like liquid glass.

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Color was scheduled to be squirted on the body this afternoon. Gonna be a long weekend of anticipation. I can procrastinate a project for years, but once it's going I'm not a patient person.

I'm here for ya man.

Another Garage Queen huh?

From the bad comes some good.
Tom

Yeah, I may have to go park it next to that green POS in the other garage. Are you ever going to get that door handle fixed?

Beautiful
Did you say when she is going to be ready?
For those of us who cant make WCR this year, we have to get together soon,
PST, Puget Sound Teeners

Thanks Tony. It may be ready end of next week for this show in Issaquah.

Marc, that is awesome!

Eurotech just keeps rolling along. They shot color and clear over the weekend so when I stopped in this morning they were installing some seals and buffing out the trunk lids and doors.

The color is hard to judge in the harsh fluorescent but here's a contrast of the body color to the accent color that goes on the rockers and valances. For lack of a better name I'm calling it charcoal blue. Can't wait to see it in natural light (I'd have said sunshine, but this is the NW afterall )

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Removing the sail vinyl accentuates the graceful body line running rearward from the sail.

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I happened by euro-tech and oh there is Mark , sheesh kid in the candy store. Lookin Good , I cant wait to see it all together and the wheelvalancerocker combo in sunlight .
Very nice

Another day and we're almost there. Lot's of progress on the reassembly. Can start to see how it all comes together.

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Real happy with the way the Mahles look.

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It's down to a little more assembly, a few more seals and get the tires mounted. This is like 12/25 all over again.

Sweet! very nice Marc! I look forward to seeing it this weekend!

Who refinished the wheels? Those look sweet!!!

Eurotech did them. Centers are the same color as rockers/valances/fog light grills/914 2.0 emblem

I love it when a car comes together...

Wow, those Mahles look fantastic!

Wow!!

Now if we could just upgrade the appearance of the driver....

Looking good Kelty!

See you Sunday. ( can you throw the charger on the Green POS for me?)

So this was all it took to get your car looking good? I should have brake checked you a long time ago

I'm actually going to miss that 'cosmetically challenged' 914.

Talk about rubbin it in my face marc hahah

It hurts to watch such a sweet project come together so friggen fast wile mine rots in the parking lot

Just enough personalized options to make it very one of a kind while still keeping in great taste. I give my props

I guess I better come in early tomorrow hahaha

no you wont

Looking forward to see this when finished Mark.

Tom

New pics? 914 back home yet?

Not yet. Tomorrow I think. First I have to break my new tires out of jail (long story).

I got time

When the accident occurred that started this makeover I was on my way to a shop to discuss getting an alignment done because I'd prematurely worn my front tires and needed a new set. While the body and paint work has been progressing I ordered a set of B'stone RA960s from Tire Rack to be mounted on the newly refinished wheels. I had them shipped to a tire store in downtown Renton, at the corner of 2nd and Logan, right across from the high school. They have these nice big red garage doors and.......well, you said you had time Jon

So Monday I go by to let them know the wheels would be coming the next day. Nobody there, closed sign on the door and a note in the window saying they had a power problem with their compressor and wouldn't be open that day. OK, no sweat, I didn't have the wheels ready anyway. Tuesday I go by, same thing; now I'm getting worried cause they haven't been very busy and we've seen businesses closing all the time, right? I can see my tires sitting on the floor in their front sales room. This is a quasi-franchise operation so the next morning I track down the HQ in Memphis, TN to see if I can get a contact name and phone number. Find out the owner also owns a shop out in the boonies between Redmond and Fall City. The next day I drive out to this shop and find the owner who says that the mgr of the Renton store has had a death in the family and that's why the store was closed. He said he'd call in the PM and meet me in Renton so I could get my tires. No call. Today I drive back out to the boonies to find out what's up. We make an appointment for 3:00 and this time he shows. By 4:15 Discount Tire has them mounted, balanced and loaded in my truck. Was that long enough?

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I'll drop the new rubber off in the AM and later tomorrow my 914 will be ready to go! Now all I have to do is figure out how to drive two cars home at the same time.

Marc, you have my number and I could pick up the tires/wheels from you today maybe even?

Give me a call if needed, be a good excuse to leave work today.

We could meet up at Euro-tech when I pick up the car this PM.

Awesome Marc

I'll give you a call soon Marc. The only car I have is the 914.....which is on jackstands.

Marc, that looks GREAT!! I absolutely love what you did to the wheels too!! Looking forward to seeing it this weekend.

Marc, what time are you going to be at Euro tech? I may be in the area and be able to get Dan's stuff that much closer.

pm with phone number sent.

That'd be sweet!

I appear to still be at work.....not working....but still here.

Still don't know an exact time but it looks like it will be end of day, 5 - 5:30 I'm guessing. I can call when I know better.