How bad does this rust look and would it be expensive to fix?......need help and advice.....

https://picasaweb.google.com/11710357606934...e914AnaconaBlue

I don't personally think the rust looks that bad. However, being in California and that being a 1976 car, you're going to be stuck with making sure it stays smog legal... forcing your hand into keeping a working FI system.

Fixed the link for 'ya ...

There is a lot more rust there than meets the eye... That would be enough for me to walk away.

Ferg

$$$$

I see a TON of rust there - much of it being covered up by the supposed "cure all" POR15 or whatever, & the longitudinal below the Hell Hole is severely & multiple holed.....I stopped looking there.

Keep looking for your 914 - you have the luxury to hold out for a good one in this market!

PS - as noted above, 76 MY 914s will be subject to CA bi-annual smog tests, whereas 70-75 are exempt so long as they still have all of the original smog equipment on them, and any out-of-state cars will be inspected/certified that the eqpt. is still there. Also the seller is responsible for providing a current smog certification to the buyer (in state).

I did a post on here in the Garage about that a few weeks back about that process, when the question came up on the yellow 76 2L originally from MT in the FS classifieds on here, if you want to read up more on that.

I dunno, but a TON more pics. is required.

I'm impress what little I see, why the undercoat, pretty bad, must's of been rattle -can

But the exhaust is robbing the 914 of a lot of power.

Pictures of door jams,Up and down would help.
Also, lift the carpet.

It would not be a car I would choose for a keeper, maybe not even to turn into a driver, but its not worth parting out yet, unless the rest of the pics of the top side issues look as bad, and I suspect they may.

If it was cheap enough and you had the werewithal to do most of this labor yourself, and couldn't bear to see this go to someone else, then go for it.....

those that have true rust free, dry, western, or desert cars are spoiled , and I will admit I' m one.

just remember, in the salt belt and on the east coast, this one is barely broken in.
It hasn't cracked in half yet and been patched together with railroad iron underneath.

---in fact it appears it was almost on a no salt diet.....and the rust isn't much worse than what Karmann bequeathed upon its body before releasing it to a happy throng of unsuspecting victims.....

Best wishes in your search.

I think that's the stock undercoat. Do what majkos recommended. It will help you make a better decision. Also, can you weld or a family member weld? That will cut down on your costs significantly.

The Bad-It's a '76 and you happen to live in California.

To me it looks like it needs the standard treatment. The only thing that stands out is that front pan. At the moment, there are no replacements, but Restoration Design has made a die and has promised to start stamping out soon.

The standard treatment is:

Battery Tray
Battery Support
Battery Clamp
Rear Floor Jack Point Left
Rear Floor Jack Point Right
Suspension Console
Engine Tray for Suspension Console

$653.00 for all that ^ Restoration Design

From your Pics its hard to judge but you may need:

Inner & Outer Firewall
Lower Inner Wheelhouse
Upper Inner Wheelhouse
Inner Right Long
Outer Right Long
Jack Plate
Jack Tube
(2) Jacking Donuts for the Front of the Pan
Rear Floor Pan

$860.00 without the Floor Pan Restoration Design

You maybe able to get a repair piece for the Front Trunk Floor Pan here for $50-$150.

First thoughts:

The first picture makes the front look slightly asymmetrical. It would be worth finding out if this has been hit in the front and repaired at some time in the past. Also, there's a nice rust hole in the floor pan under the passenger headlight.

The visible oxide crust on the seam of the passenger side long is probably typical, and likely indicates problems with the longitudinal itself. The rocker cover looks broken?

Rusty heater hardware is very typical.

Looks like smallish rust holes and lots of bubbles on the engine shelf under the battery. And some nice cracks in the metal. Likely has hell-hole problems.

The oil leaks look pretty typical as well, they may be CV joint grease that's been thrown around?

Why are there no pictures of the upper side of the car, the interior, or the engine bay?

I would personally walk away from this car, but in part that's because of the CA-specific smog requirements. And the condition of everything but the bottom of the car is very much in question.

--DD

It does look like it's been hit in the pass. front ...

Lots of major repair work to be done, for sure.
And check this out.... Am I seeing it wrong, or does that engine mount console have some plates scabbed on? Looks typical of someone patching over damage instead of fixing it right.

I see a car that has sat dead for a long time. recently pressure washed belly. fresh black belly paint over rust. left corner is hammered. right longitudinal vertical wall aft of fire will is perforated with rust. longitudinal aft seam exploding from rust expansion. are those tires from 1994?

dont be fooled by shinny cars. buy a faded car with dents over a shinny car with these issues

the sun states fade the outer shell. the rainy states have less UV exposure so a car will look shinier but be rusty as hell in hidden places

cars left near trees clogg the drain holes and do what we see here

RUN AWAY

anaconda blue...how appropriate. the big pretty snake thats about to bite your ass and strangle your wallet

LOL@SEAN V8 914.......I really apperciate all the comments and advice amazing what a coat of paint can cover up. Here more pics of car inside and out...Hey Tom T my search continues for the right 914
https://picasaweb.google.com/11710357606934...914AnaconaBlue#