I can't remember the last time I signed on to 914world. Did anyone else experience this when you had kids? No time for the teener. My kids are 3 and 5 now.

Yep - I do remember how consuming younger kids are - but it was worth it. I got into the habit of not even trying to do anything for myself until after 8-8:30pm when they were in bed.

Once they get to seven or so you can start including them on the project, so be patient.

How about a pic of the teener?

Jason,

I'm in your neck of the woods and bought my 914 when my kids were 2.5 and 6 mos. I try to find time to drive it at least a couple times a month. Put it this way: I'm much more likely to volunteer for grocery trips and other (solo) errands than ever before.

My son is almost 5 now and I have a booster seat he can use to ride in the 914... that helps too. He looooves to ride in it.

We should pick a weekend morning to meet with our older kids at either the Katie's Cars and Coffee in Great Falls (Saturday mornings) or Fair Lakes Cars and Coffee (Sunday mornings).

Yep, spent the last 19 years after my son was born and I sold the BMW cycle(74), and my 69 healy, waiting for the time to jump back in to something, 2 years ago I got ac 914, as a project for my son and I (he's now almost 20-junior in college ).
I drive it almost daily - to work but I have 3 girls too - 7, 11, 14, . They each take turns riding with dad for errands , or fight over who's turn it i. Each week I take one out on a special "date"
Enjoy, there are lots of ways to get it out of the garage. !! My oldest daughter is learning about
How to change oil and plugs etc on this car , and is already asking if she can start looking for one of her own to fix up.!

Since California stopped inspections 20+ years ago, what does it entail? We just have smog tests for '76 and newer.

Yes, I have noticed this. But I tend to spend time here and not have time to work on my 914.

Zach

Virginia inspection is for safety items - seat belts, all lights/wipers/horn functioning, tread on the tires, brake pads in decent shape, no cracked glass...

You can avoid it by registering historic plates in VA, but there are some stringent restrictions on how often you can drive it (e.g. can't be used for commuting to work). No idea how much they enforce those rules, but I prefer regular (non-historic) registration so I can feel free to drive as much as I want.

Yup, that's why my 73 2L sat for 25+ years until they were grown & gone, before I could start on it!
... and the web stuff wasn't even around for the better part of that time!

You've got about 20 more years before you're free & clear!

Texas has 'antique' registration that is similar. You don't need a safety inspection but you have to put this ridiculous looking plate on your car

Click to view attachment

I don't want a stanley steamer or whatever that is on my 914 so I stick with the regular registration. Seems to me old cars need a safety inspection more than new ones anyway.

It happens.
Drive the car at least once a week...go to the store with the top off.
Its a great stress relief...
That car is going no where....the kids will keep growing up and they are alot more fun to watch and learn from than any car will ever be in the long run.

Rich

The kids are grown and out of the house but I still don't get alot of time to drive any of my P-cars. The weather, spouse, honey-do list frequently get in the way of a fun run. As I read this thread, I realized that I last drove my white car to the Harvest Moon autocross last Oct ! 'Course, the PCA Potomac DE at Summit Point is Oct 30th weekend and I'm accepted and will drive the orange car. I will have to get teched Oct 22 so that will be 2 weekends in a row

Better to have the toys and try and find the time, than not to have the toys or the time!

I'm glad I front loaded my projects, now our kids are 2yrs and 6 months old and I have very little time to mess around with "man stuff" in the garage...but when I do it's very therapeutic!

IN VA no emissions necesary, just safety every once a year if you don't want register it "historic" which means you can only drive to events and to the mechanic and every so often on a weekend. Regular registration means you can drive it whenever you want.

I at least saw the orange car at gathering of the faithful in September. I didn't even drive my car to that and usually show it there.

Don't you have two now Zach? I was thinking you must be going through this too. I don't know where you found time to be in the garage building yours after your first was born.

I work in the Springfield area in the office park area around Fullerton. When I do drive it, it's usually to work!

pics of my 914

Second comes in February. We have an appointment monday to see if its another boy or a girl.
I don't have time. I like to pretend I have time, but I don't. Other then a quick run around the block in april, my 914 did not move at all this year.

Worst comes to worst, I put it on jack stands, cover it and wait for the kids to grow a little.

Kids are usually worth it.

mine yesterday in his Elmo suit doing REDRUM REDRUM!

Zach

It happens here too. If I spent as much time actually fixing my car as I do reading about how to fix my car, it would have been done by now.

Bob

The Kindercare right by Fullerton is where my kids went for the past few years (though not anymore). RPM Performance is near the other end of Fullerton, and one of the mechanics (Kevin) has a 914.

My 914 drives have been rare lately, and it's either taking my son somewhere in his booster seat, or driving to work in downtown DC.

BTW, just solved a mystery... Caroline (Babydoll) told me she once stopped for gas around Fairfax Station and another white 914 pulled into the same gas station. You?

In Texas all they test is the brakes, lights, horn, seatbelts, and other basic safety items. $10 and it's done.

And of course last year I had to fix my wipers, despite never driving in the rain. And this year one of my headlights is not popping up, I have until January to get that fixed...despite never driving at night. Grrr.

Glad to hear I'm not the only one. My son just turned one. Between that, moving, and house hunting, I've been out of the 914 loop for awhile.

My 914 is currently on jack stands in a garage about 600 miles away. I visit it every now and then. Just revisited this site for the first time in awhile. Nice to check in.