I have been looking at a green 72 1.7. Over all eveything seems to be well maintained, but the battery has been moved to the trunk and put in a marine type battery holder, there is some rust under where the battery used to be, and the wind shield is cracked on the passsenger side (I am guessing this is from body flex)

I am interested in a daily driver that I can eventually upgrade to make it better running and more reliable. The PO is asking $4,600 , but what kind of expenses can I expect in order to repair the frame? (I have no welding skills...I would have to have it done for me) I would like to offer him what it is worth to me if I have to do a major repair such as this. Soooo I am cautiously asking for opinioins from this boa..oops... fourm.

I think his price warrants a PPI by someone who knows these cars. There are a few down there in Florida, the crack int he windshield may not be from flex. I have one in mine that is from a small rock chip that spread. Have it inspected by someone who knows these cars. Then start your offer from thier evaluations.

Red Flag...

Big,
Is it in FL?

There is one on Ebay in Lakeland.

Paul

$4600 should buy you a really clean 1.7 that needs nothing. I'd walk away from this car now (and any car with major rust issues).

I agree with Anthony, the price seems too high. You should be able to find a good 1.7L in the $3000 to $3500 range. You might want to look for a '73 or newer to get the side shift transmission.

pass on this one.

kevin

Thanks for all the posts so far. The car is located in Naples and I found it on the classic car section of autotrader.com. It's interior is very clean an I didn't see any indications of major repairs.

Plus..and this may be lame...when I was a kid I lived in Marburg Germany in 1972 and I had an auto book from the grocery store that had b/w pics of cars that you would cover with the colored sticker that you got every time mom went shopping. I fell in love with a little yellow car...which as you savy people have guessed was ..... a 914. Actually I think it was a 916, but it looked the same and I was in kindergarten. So the prospect of owning the first car I ever liked is very tempting.

Is it possible to find a rust free 914?

That is a good one!

You can find a rust free '72.

You'll have to go back to 1972 and be at the factory door when one drives out.

Paul

Sad....... but oh so true

Even a good inspection can miss some things, but you are much less likely to end up with a basket case. All 914's have some rust, unfortunate reality of an ungavlanized car. What you really have to watch out for is anything structural. I just picked up an inexpensive driver, that I knew would need a section behind the pass seat replaced, and now I'm going to have to do quite a bit more due to what couldn't be seen until the interior was pulled. It's not a big deal, and it will be done right. You just have to make sure you don't buy a car that's beyond repair (ie $4000 to fix a $5000 car). There are beautiful, original, clean piles of rust out there. You'd never know it without really looking. Good Luck.

I've always had the feeling that the metal they used to build the car was ALREADY rusted! <_<

I expect some rust on any 30+ year old car. But I want to avoid the structural/highly expensive type of rust. The only test I know of is the "BIG BUT TEST" where some one such as myself (240lbs) sits in the passenger side with the top off and the door closed and then rolls up the window. If it sticks when the door is opened, but doesn't when the big but is not in the seat, then you have body flex. Is there anything else that can be done to check for expensive structural damage?

Check under the car and tap on it with a screwdriver. Or better yet take off the rocker panels. If crap falls on the ground when tapped lightly, look out.

Remember Neil Young said it best "Rust Never Sleeps"

and on 914' it never even gets tired.

Paul

You can unscrew the bottoms of the rockers without having to take the riveted tops off. One should do this anyway once a year anyway to clean out all the crap that accumulates in there.