When I got my car the entire braking system was in need of repair, so I have no basis for proper pedal feel or travel. The pedal is solid but only after about 3" (or about half way to the pedal board) of relatively free travel. It seems like too much travel to me. Here's what I've done to restore the braking system:
New 19mm MC
All new hydraulic hoses
Rebuilt all Calipers
All new rotors
All new pads
MC push rod free play set very close to 1mm
Rear venting clearance set to .008 inside and out
New DOT 4 fluid, system bled & bled & bled
Due to some other repairs I'm not driving the car now but have driven it since the brake repairs. The brakes were solid but the pedal travel seems to be excessive. As a comparison, the free travel in my pedal exceeds the total travel in my Mom's Honda Civic. I'd like to get this resolved before I'm back on the road.
How much is pedal travel is considered normal. Any ideas what I've overlooked?

You probably won't get it resolved "until" you get back on the road...

http://www.pmbperformance.com/page/page/1492423.htm

You have brand new seals. They are effectively pulling your pistons off the rotor. This is described in the 911 factory manual but not the 914 manual.

Bed the brake pads properly and after a couple of weeks your pedal will begin to come up. Bed them a couple of times if you wish. The heat transferred will help break in the seals. Before you know it you will have a tall pedal.

VERY COMMON.

Thanks for that tip Eric,
I rebuilt mine in the fall and bled the living hell out of them but still had that play described. The main problem is that I don't have it on the road yet so until I get it there everything won't seat. She's out for paint now and still a few months from being road ready. Let's just say you saved me alot of head scratching! Cheers
sw

I found that the .008 venting clearance is too large, That will cause excessive pedal travel. .004 worked better.

Also you might try taking each caliper off the rotor one at a time and putting something smaller inbetween the pads and pushing that calipers piston out then putting it back on by barely opening the bleed screw to get it on the rotor. Waiting till you drive sounds the easiest though but if you are like me the seals may not like the new extended place after resting for a year or two where they are now. Also the .004 could help if you are not set at a real .008

.......concensus