Disclaimer: It is clear from these pictures that I did not read the "How to buy a 914" book before before buying this car.

Dropped the engine and tranny last week, drilled out some rivets on a few sheet metal patches in the hell hole and found it to be even worse than I expected.

My ultimate goal is to have a safe and reliable daily driver that can be used for the occasional autocross. Not looking for a show car.

At some point, the right rear suspension ear most have rusted off so the PO had a new one welded in. Additionally, some sketchy metal work was done to the bottom of the long, the right jack post area and right engine bay area. Repair pics:
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Pics of the long and hell hole:
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Does it make sense to try to patch the existing long up in the hell hole or am I looking at a complete replacement? The area where the engine mount bracket attaches is pretty rusty at the top.

Thanks,
Bob

With all of the patching it looks worse than it is. When you finally cut out all of the damage and see what is made in the excellent replacement parts (If I do say so myself!!!) you will find it a fairly easy job to reconstruct the area. We do it all of time and usually they are much worse

If you are a diy type it's been done many times by others but no one will say it's easy or inexpensive. I would price the parts and look over the rest of the car real well before you buy parts. Check out the support pieces real well for the suspension on the bottom under the long there is a hole on top above it. Think about bracing the door gap before you start cutting pieces out. If you do start this I would get the replacement pieces before you start cutting to make sure you can go and not get hung up waiting for something or have enough metal to fill all the gaps. You know there is nothing under the jack point support already. Take a flashlight and try to look down inside the long at it's bottom as far as you can. This can be another good build thread.

George:

I have been browsing the AA catalog. I already purchased new jack support posts and sheet metal from someone on this site. I am still unsure what panels I would need to buy. Would the LOWER AND UPPER WHEELHOUSE (ONE PIECE);
be all I need, or do I need the 914 LONGITUDINAL MEMBER INNER RIGHT FRAME REPAIR REAR PIECE as well?

Thanks,
Bob

Charlie:
Appreciate the advice...I am in a tough spot. I really wanted to be driving it by now! Overall, the car is complete and unmolested (except for previous hell hole repairs). The 2.0 D-jet was running well when I removed it and the transmission is smooth. Floor pans are solid except for a few tiny rust holes near the firewall. I am already in pretty deep on this thing (BOTH time and $$$) so I may be priced in. I am a DIY type and I have purchased a MIG welder...but clearly did not expect things to be this bad and have never done such extensive repairs before.

Does anybody make door gap braces or is that something I need to fabricate?

Bob

Somebody might make them but they are easy to make with a piece of square tubing with nuts welded in the ends or turnbuckles to apply a little tension on the gap. You can sheetmetal screw a bracket on the inner jamb inside at the front and go to the seat belt shoulder mount on the inside of the targa. Some guys have just welded any thing inbetween the opening and then later cut it out and sand the spot down. I would add the braces before you jack it up if you can. Actually a X crossbrace, from side to side would also keep it from twisting. Another place to measure is at the top opening but the windshield frame bends pretty easily so the door is the important place. I would raise the car and support it at the ends and center at the same places on both sides. You won't be able to use the back donuts as thats where you are working. If the door gap is good, with the braces, you need to check this as you go, jack it up under the susp and see what happens, if it stays ok then that may be the way to support it till you get supports under the long and at the front and rear. Then remove the suspension support, but be safe. You need to look at the other threads that have done this before you start. I would make a list of how far you are going in to it and the inside pieces will need to go on first. Get to know the layers before you start. There is a double layer inside the long. Try not to get any area too hot while you are welding. Metal shrinks as it cools sometimes more than you can imagine.

Buy lots of beer and get the other 914 guys to give some advice and support.

practicew welding on scraps, get real good before you lay the tourch on the car. I got fairly good at it doing my VW Bus years ago and a frineds 914.

the mian thing is go slow, do not let too much heat get into the metal, allow lots of cool off times between welds. using compressed air to help quench a weld is a good idea, do alittle weld, then cool, then a little weld then cool.. never ever ever use water to quench a weld, the thermal shock is too great, the metal will become hard and brittle if this is donw,a dn if you got too much heat and quench it, it can shrink and warp really really bad. take your time with welding.

I just had to pull my car from a nut fuck shop that was doing just that, too much heat and then he'd dump cold water on it, what a damn mess (Stay away from Rennsport vintage werks in Pleasatnon CA, His bodywork is a disaster)

so take your time and practice, you can get it, but dont be fooled, you got a big project here. take yoru time, think and measure three times before each cut, make sure panels are hung right from all angles before you weld., make sure car is supported such that it will not be twisted / warped when welded up.


good luck

There are quite a few "rustoration" threads on this site that will show you what to do.

I wouldn't trust sheetmetal screws to hold the lower bracket in place -- you wouldn't want that connection to fail after you've cut out structural pieces, IMHO. Since you already have a MIG, just weld the brackets in the outer footwell / kick panel. See the second picture in post #17 for the upper / seat belt mount and the sole picture in post #42 in http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?act...f=2&t=83031 for an example of what I did (mine is based on what welding guru Jeff Hail built for cross-bracing). You can grind off the lower bracket welds when you're done and no one will be the wiser that you've welded anything in that area...

I also agree with realred914 that you should practice on junk pieces to minimize the frustration of burn-through. And be sure the weld areas are CLEAN before you strike an arc.

Good luck with your project!

Geoff