personality, or in today's vernacular, "patina".

If it's too perfect, too original, too clean, too showroom perfect, it loses something that "use" imparts......the current operative word these days being "patina".

Some imperfections, or flaws, I would personally loathe. Door dings imparted on the side of my 914 by careless, lazy, or spiteful people would really piss me off.

Minor stone chips on the nose and/or valence, or on wheel well openings, while not desired, do show use of the vehicle.

Similarly, modest wear of interior components (not tears, rips, cracking, etc.) point to a car that is driven and used, rather than put on a pedestal as an icon.

What precipitates this thread is my decision to forego any further pursuit to abolish my 914s' individuality, while yet still embracing the (mostly) EOM ethic.

Examples that will remain as-is as signs of use.

Hey Paul - I hear ya on that one, since the perfection monster keeps eating at ya as you go along on the car - any older car!

I'm debating how much to redo vs. just "clean-up" & maintain on my 73 2L, & if something needs to be taken down completely, then do it right. This inevitably leads to "scope creep" - "...well, since I'm doing this, then I may as well do that, & that, & this, & etc...."!!!!

IN total I have 4 cars under my care which ostensibly qualify as "classics" - 2 `88's, 1 `85, & my `73 914-2.0 - all will be (914 again) or currently are driven & the other 3 "non-914's" are current family DD's. So I try to rationalize what is upkeep/maintenance vs. pretty looks, then definitely do the former & some of the pretty-up stuff that makes sense. One factor which my working on the resto/repair of the 914 has taught me, it to get the parts needed on the other 3 cars now - before they go NLA &/or jack-up the price to cost a mint!!!!

In your 914's case, if it were me - I'd repaint the seat handles & dipstick handle to prevent any future deterioration &/or rust on those parts, but might not be so anal as to change the steering wheel & might just touch-up the gauge rings with a black marker to not offend the CW eye!

Of course, you & Pat go back a long way, & he hasn't weighed in yet, so I think I feel a lecture coming!

yep, I have the 76 914 2.0L and the 77 Westy to keep in restored condition not that either is Concour shape.

Paint the damn handles and those dashfaceplate screws that are always chipped...
I would paint the dipstick too...

Paul, I agree with Jeff. Definetly refinish those items. You put so much effort into the car already, those minor little touches will be a plus. I didn't realize the 1.7 dip stick had grey paint on it. Figured it would of been yellow zinc or cad. A car with too much "patina" usually makes it way to a sawzall party. Another option, is keep your original pieces and replace them with nos or refinished ones.

Of course, you & Pat go back a long way, & he hasn't weighed in yet, so I think I feel a lecture coming!
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Yes we do! 30 plus years! And I still can't figure Paul out!

Sends his car to Stoddard for a complete physical. F & R everyting mechanical & structural, and now he's worried about "patina"? Give me a break!

Hey Paul - the "patina" is gone!

Get over it - take 'em off & redo them (you DO have a wrench?). They are inconsistent with the rest of the car. Fix 'em.
Pat

What !? The Dip stick is supposed to be Grey?

FYI- The factory wasn't perfect either. I get points off for excess glue oozing out from the dash. I refuse to take it off. The factory put it there- it stays. Also, some paint runs in the trunk(s). There are others that escape my mind at the moment. There really is no such thing as perfect, we just try to achieve it.

Dave

I don't recall ever seeing a painted dipstick, but it's not something I actually looked for ......................

The Cap'n

I doubt the painted dipstick. Never seen one that looked original. Always seen zinc plated ones.

Patina shmatina!

Repaint those adjusters! They look shabby!

The dipstick is a connundrum(SP). Never seen one blue before. But.....you and I both know the original owner, and we was not likely to do that as a personal item. I'd either repaint & try to ecplain it, or scrape it down to the zinc level & not have to answer questions.

You have become the Vegan of 914 owners. Make it right.
Pat