Hello all, not posted in long time. I am a Uk teener owner who has finally got his act together to get the hell hole on my '74 2:0 litre sorted. I took her off the road 8 years ago to do a 4 to 5 stud conversion which took longer than planned and then I started investigating a small patch of scab under the battery tray you guessed it the usual problem. The car is an ex texan 914 and fortunately the rest of the car is solid .... several years later I had the drive train out and the area ground away. I thought I had found someone to do the welding (I am time and ability constrained). he didn't work out so roll on another couple of years including a house move and the usual stuff of a busy family (3 kids). Having now got to a state where we have finished the building work on the new house I am determined to get the 914 sorted for spring 2011. I have found a good welder (by reccomendation) not much 914 experience but I trust him. He has revealed the full extent of the damage and we are discussing whether to buy ready made panels or fabricate the pieces. The web sites for the various companies selling the panels are really not very good imho in illustrating what each piece is precisely (why don't they just take a couple of clear pictures of the repair panels on their own and then in place)? anyway, so I have taken a couple of pictures which I'm not sure how to attach but in the meantime here is a link to them:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/53566641@N08/

I'd appreciate any listers advice as to which panels will do the job from Restoratrion or Pelican for example. I am particularly puzzled by the piece that joins the point where the suspension ear is and then curves down to the long. Is this the inner fender piece or another piece? Appreciate any help. I have studied the 2 build threads in the classic thread forum which have given me inspiration and help so far.....

You may be hearing more from me.....
Phil

fabrication is expensive if you can purchase a cheap replacement panel. PLUS fabrication deviates your car from the stock look and therefore lowers the value. When we restore a 914 we use nos reproduction and used and then as a last resort fabricate. Spend the money up front and have the value at the end. We have tried very very hard to reproduce all of the rust repair panels a 914 could ever need and would like to make many more if the sales to support the tooling was there.

Go to the restoration link on the home page of this forum and there are numerous post and pictures of restoratons steps. Good luck hope those post and pics help.

Below is a link for another good place for replacement sheet metal and as Dr914 stated he sales all replacement panels also.

http://www.restoration-design.com/

I must be me but if you look at the replacement panels they pretty much look like they only go one place. The only trick is putting them in in the right order, thats where the many threads come in handy.