Imagine if financing were available and you could order one of these options built to your specs and pay monthly on it. Which would you want? Something you could build up? Or something that's completely done and just ready to roll? Inquiring minds want to know.

How about none of the above
More than half the fun of my car has been restoring it....and I haven't even driven it yet!

Jeff

If I had the cash, I'd do a ground up. Like Karl...

All the while driving another perfectly restored car..

Having fun, while im having fun..

(oh ya, I drove the 951 race car to school today.. See what I mean? )

Andrew

somewhere in between 100% show quality and the "no engine or tranny" ...

I have had a blast learning and doing DIY stuff.... BUT, I would have liked to be able to drive at least a little in the past year...

I like a project car that is like a house... complete and running, but there's always something else to be done...

the 914 is my first project car... I probably would have given up if I hadn't been able to drive the white car that I got rid of for a while before getting THIS project started... driving that car got me totally hooked...

I'd go for the first one. Then I'd have a perfect one to drive while I modify my others.

Okay, Lets run some clarification.

I could come to you, and you would have a number of on the lot 914's of various colors and such. Each one would have a Rebuilt Engine, Tranny, and no rust issues, offer a warrenty, and have financing available?

I think I might go for this. My GF needs a better car. Alot would depend on what your doing. Are you offering "new" 914's for consumers, or racers?

I've found in looking at everyone's projects as well as my own that the chassis is the biggest issue. You can rebuild the engine, you can put all new interior in. But how many of us can acid dip and fully paint their tub? And even if you could do it, would you be able to make the commitment to strip EVERYTHING off your car and how long would that take. IMHO, people should be lining up for perfectly restored, painted, rust free tubs. Once you have the base, everything else is gravy.

I have parted out enough chassis to have most of the necessary parts. Just don't have the chassis to build on. The only good chassis in Canada are in complete cars.

I'd jump on a Rust free painted frame. Even more if I could finance it. I'd lime mine with Flares though.

I like the idea. At times we have trouble even moving rust free chassis' for the cost of shipping so I'm not sure how many takers you'd get. I'd would definitely be on a per-order basis.

"Still contemplating dipping my tub" regards,

Jon

Obviously, I'd opt for number 3.


Longer than some might think.


A very slow, simmering gravy perhaps. It takes a lot longer to put it back together than it does to strip it.

Think choice one might be the most economical in the long term. Guess it all depends if you want a modified engine or not. Engines are around 6K? rebuilt??? Is that about right?

One of each please

- Garold

Lemme see here...

You could probably provide stripped, dipped, rust-free, body work and primed tubs to folks with nothing left but a paint color choice.

I imagine it could keep you busy.

Does the "perfect" restored car have a warranty or some sort of guarantee?

I don't know if I necessarily trust other people's restorations. There are so many shortcuts that can be taken. How do you prove it's been done right? You could Earl Sheib it and throw some old parts in a 2.0 case and it would be a couple years before the rust bubbled up through the paint and the engine started smoking... Regardless it is a 30 year old car and there are risks. I don't know if I'd be willing to pay $13k unless I had full trust in the seller.

ooooooooo, tough call.... I'll take door number three...but only if I can keep driving the imperfect one that I've got now!

actually, my lottery win fantasy is (providing it is a big jackpot) to drive down to Brad's, and pay him big bucks to take me under wing and build an awesome car with me. reinforced chassis, ala 916, 5 bolt conversion big brakes, and buy a big type IV from Jake, with Triad headers, SS heat exchangers, and that supercool exhaust Tirad makes. 5-bolt Fuchs, slightly flared fenders, 7 in. tires in back, 6 inch in front. and start it all with a stripped tub dipped in acid, like Brad discussed in a thread a few weeks ago. and then paint it bright yellow. i hear yellow cars go faster...

Hands on (expensive) learning Red?

That sounds good, lol.

Especially with someone that knows EVERYTHING..

i figure putting up with me asking questions and wanting to do stuff would cost quite a bit! payment might keep me outa trouble in the process we will try a minor experiment this weekend, involving a brake caliper and Dinomium; wish us luck! (not paying, but offered nourishment )

I would like option 2 or 3, my wife would like me to have option 1 as would many other S/O's I would think

Reasonable rate fin. might be difficult for many people. Anyone have ideas what Nissan charged for cars and fin. when the offered the 240Z rebuilt/refurbed about 10 years ago.

Did they take a bath with that venture?

There must be a market for something like this, otherwise, AA wouldn't be charging what they do for some of thier cars.

I think for simplicity you should run two options.

First, I'd have a "spec" set for the cars. You could get

1) Tub, Acid dipped, Rust repaired, Body worked, Primered, and you order the color, and its $5000, If the person wants a expensive paint, they pay more.

2) Complete car. A stock car, painted 1 of 5 colours (Red, Black, White, Blue, Green, Silver) With a set engine. I'd leave it at a basic group option., No console, No radio, No sail Vynal, No Spare, Basic 3 color interior, Black, Charcoal, or Tan.

The completed car should leave open to the purschaser options to complete the car. And where is the best place to get those options? The place that sold him/her the car.

Ideally for the completed car, if you could get it so it cost ~10,000, and had a warrenty of some kind, I think you could sell them. For the engine, I'd look for getting a 100 HP plant, that is reliable as the day is long, and is cheap. I don't know where you would find these.

Your business plan could be just that, Buy a completed 914 to drive while you work on the project teener. Buy one for your GF thats bugging you, or your kids, or wife. If your not a huge DIY, well the hard parts all done. You just have to the minor things, and you have a complete resource here to help with it.

And cause you will have a Teener come race it with us, and get involved in events, and such.

10K. Your not just buying a car, your buying a lifestyle.


Just my thoughts.

I think the upper range of the prices is more realistic than the lower range. If you could provide me with a "perfectly restored chassis" for $4K I'd put my order in tomorrow. For $6K I might have to think about it for a while before I said yes.

For a perfectly restored chassis I'd expect paint as good or better than a new factory paint job was.

Hey Mark...

Whatever answer I give will be wrong.

Go have a burger... how about that Big Kahuna Burger? (burger trivia question )

-Rusty

Pulp Fiction!

Royale with cheese