Ok, I need some help on this;

I've been noticing a buildup of whit powder below and around the clutch pedal of my 73' 914/4 (converted to EV by previous owner). The powder appears to originate from a damaged area (actually a hole) between the foot well and where the gas tank once was. I'm guessing (and hoping I'm wrong) that this is some kind of asbestos containing material for sound deadening/fire protection, given its proximity to the gas tank.

The powder is white and chalky in consistency, which doesn't ease my suspicions at all. I've searched around and haven't found anyone with a similar issue.

Does anyone have any idea what this may be? The car is pretty far from stock, so it could be some kind of repair that was done at some point and is now falling apart.

Thanks for the help,

Mark

Man that almost looks like bondo dust.....

Galvanic corrosion is my guess, given your car is an EV, and its common for EV batteries to go where the gas tank used to be.

Where are the batteries kept in your 914? I bet you have a terminal with tons of this crap on it near the main battery bank.

Zach

I agree. It looks like battery terminal crud that my Pickup gets on the terminals

Through some in the sandbox and let the screwballs sniff it, then maybe we will

know.

That's a good guess too, but not the winner. The batteries are all fine, and contained in pretty thick boxes.

-Mark

Okay I'm just gonna ask..... Was your car moonlighting as a Coke mule in columbia??

I'm guessing your pet chipmunk keeps his powdered donuts by the fuse panel!

That one seems very likely to me. I know the previous owner used bondo in a few places, and patching a hole in the foot well seems like a distinct possibly

Ok, tha's got to be it. Maybe that's why I have so much fun driving it around...

And sadly, the only real way to tell if it is, is to smell it. Bondo retains it's polyester smell looooooong after its been mixed and sanded. Buit if it's comoning from a hole which is near an area that was repaired, and bondo was used, I'd say it's a damn good bet that's what it is.

Did your car come from Columbia?

Did the car ever belong to John DeLorean?

I see what ya did there...

Not enough hardener in the coca to solidify your 914 made completely out of Jaun Valdez's premium coffee powder



Definately looks like a quick mix job on the body putty...

It could be Corrosion, check any aluminum parts in that vicinity (mater cylinder) and makes sure that they are not getting fried. Galvanic corrosion occurs on all metals when there is an errant ground. Aluminum oxide looks like that and is caused by dissimilar metals corroding the aluminum. Steel and brass are more noble than aluminum and can cause the aluminum to decay. This happens in salt water environments and when current is introduced, like your electric car.
Front end components, master cylinders, any aluminum parts are suspect. Even the inboard side of your wheels.

Fire extinguisher residue?

Pretty sure he's referring to Scatty_underscore_b.



"Mater" cylinder? There's a joke in there... come'on Mke, you can do it!

Ant powder.

Was the car soda blasted?

I was going to post about checking the master cylinder.

It could be bondo dust, but I really think this looks like a galvanic reaction getting blown in through that hole.

Zach

Is that a hole in the peddle plate? Is the peddle plate aluminum?
Click to view attachment

Could a rust preventative solution be the cause (not neutralized prior to painting?)

Whatever it is, I'd keep an eye on it and wouldn't wait too long to fix it.