This has been my Quixote for the last several years.

There were two 914-4 rain trays. The early one (pictured) was used from the beginning to sometime in early 73, when it was replaced with a much better form.

I've been attemptimg to find the partno for this long discontinued part, but have had no success. Would have posted it elsewhere.

This early form of rain tray was/is flat-bottomed and supported by L-shaped metal trusses riveted to the engine lid (underside). It's different from the later form, which had molded in horizontal support structures.

Most, if not all of the early trays suffered from from vibration cracking at one or more of the mounting points - probably why it was replaced.

The pic is of my original 72 tray. Note that it has a major split at one of the mounting points. I've bought 5 now & only 2 are better. Niether is good enough for my 914 & I've sent a "mule" to mikey914 for consideration.

Wish I new the partno though.
Pat

So........no one knows?

Or, no one cares?

Interesting, because there were somewhere around 40K 914's produced with this rain tray. Guess all of you in this tray have perfect ones, eh?

Or, could it be that you're 914 was converted to the later style (probably).

So, how come, with so many gurus out there, that this seems to be a mystery?
Huh?

Did they not change the original partno when the tray changed, and merely supercede it with the new?

I've got the early rain tray in my 72. I've got the 2 outer metal brackets still attached, middle one is missing.

I wonder about plastic welding the cracks, got one on each mounting hole, one at the big 'hump' and one at 1 of the holes between. Also it's deformed on that same side, curved out at the middle. I was thinking about reforming it with a heat gun.

It looks like the bird has 2 versions listed, maybe the early and late, this from a google result, same oem part number but there is a different store part number for each.

http://pp.paulheery.com/carson/dillard.pl?...0512%20189%2010

Hey Pat:Thats the same tray, I have in my car.I have a 1975 1.8 4, it was built in 1974.Sorry, but I dont know a part #.Jason

If the one that came off my red car is early and good, it's all yours. Ask Scotty B to take a look.

Jason,
Porsche stopped putting the flat bottomed rain tray om 014's sometime in 73.
Pat

Hello all--been off the site for a long time, but was working on fixing some cracks in my early style raintray, and this post was perfect timing! I was thinking about trying to use a product called Plastex to repair cracks and even "re-mold" two of the mounting points. Has anyone used this product before? What other "repair" options are there for plastic? My rain tray is straight and in excellent condition other than the left and right mounting points (that face the rear side of the engine lid) are cracked off. Thanks! Nemo

I was reading about Plastex. It's supposed to be the kit has 2 'colors' of the stuff - 1 is for areas that experience high heat, which the rain tray would require. Reviews of the stuff will say that the high heat 'color' is quite brittle when it sets so probably it would crack through again.

From what I gather, plastic welding would be the best option, not sure if it is high or medium density polyethylene that it is made out of (mcmaster-carr sells 2 types of polyethylene filler rod). Best bet would be to use part of another rain tray for the filler rod.

Two years ago I cut several pieces from a badly deformed tray, run them through a small food processor until they were powder. Using a very high temp heater/blower, I sprikled the dust into a crack. Then continued heating until it melted into the crack. Turned the heat lower to "cool" it down, then lower again for about 5 minutes. The crack literally disappered and, though a scrutinous eye could find the repair, I was happy with it.

Set the tray in a corner to cool (inside temp was about 85), poured myself a celebritory drink and heard a large "crack". The tray had spewed out all the melted dust and remained as prior!

These things are made of some secret compound that will not accept repairs!

Hope Mikey comes up with something.
Pat

I have spoken to Pat about this and yes I have this project in the cue, onlt because of the size the tooling will be a significant investment. I have to get some more tooling money back on a few projects I've got going and one more big project to get ironed out before I can make this happen, but hopefully we are not too far away.

-Mark

PS I plan on doing this either way, but may start a who needs thread to see if the demand would pencil out to pull some cash out of savings to make this happen sooner.

Mark,
You are my hero!
Pat

PS to all '69-early 73 914 owners. If you don't have the flat bottomed rain tray (no convoluted bracing) for your 914's it is incorrect! This is our chance to have them reproduced! Tell Mark that you're in when he gets to it!

Count me in for one.

Paul

C'mon, there have to be more early four owners with the wrong rain trays. Speak up!

Exactly ! According to the partslist of 1/73 the spare# is 914.512.189.10.
( Thanks to Klaus Straub)
When they changed the shape of the raintray,they kept the number and just gave you the new part. This happens all the time and is really annoying. If you order a door ,front lock bar, bumper or whatever,you always got/get the last model without knowing before,what you get.
BTW :I was always wondering,why they needed a raintray just for th -4 and not -6 ?

Due to the high clearance required by the six air cleaner & carb setup, there was no room left for a rain tray. In hindsight, they should have figured something out. Then again, they probably needed the addition airflow for the six motor.
Pat

I'd be in for one.

I am in for one.

Rob

So now we have 4 (four!) early 914s that would get the first design rain tray. Surely there must be more than four MY '70-'72s that would be enhanced by having a correct and unbroken rain tray beneath their engine lid.

I'd be in, too!

Hope Mark is tuned into this thread. We now have five. Tooling costs should be getting close to making this part a sale - hopefully!

Methinks we will need more than 5 subscribers for this piece of Porsche unobtainium to be reproduced.

Probably so.

So, lets figure this out. There were, by by reckoning, some 40K 914's produced between 69 & early 73 with these trays. I mean worldwide. Let's assume that 10% of these cars still survive. That's 4K trays of that vintage possible.

We all know that many of the 10% remaining cars have been "modified". Yet they still need rain protection. Let's say that 10% of those that haven't been modified, or wish to be restored properly have given up on the original because it hasn't been available for years have gone with the later tray ( a direct replacement authorized by the Factory). A very good replacemnet, by the way.

But let's just imagine that there are even half that number who lust for the original tray. By my reckoning, we're looking at a "possible" run of 2-300 of these trays for officianodos. I think it makes it a possible moneymaker. I wonder how many purists there are out there worldwide. I know that I will pay whatever Mark decides, because I have no choice.

Bump of sorts

Yeah, I was excited to see the thread in the garage.
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=137834

I'd definitely be ready to buy one made of fiberglass. It seems ideal by the info I found here as far as heat resistance.
http://www.bgf.com/fiberglass_cloth/default.asp

It seems like it would need some coating, paint? Would it need to be heat resistant paint?