Since I bought my 914-4, I had been wanting to do a six conversion. Always have I suppose..
Anyways, one way or another, this car came up for sale, and kind of fell in to my lap I'd say, and I got it for a great deal. Yes, I bought a real 914-6.

The original plan was to yank the motor, and all complete drivetrain components, and do a direct swap into my 4, however after going of to the owners house last night to take care of the paperwork, I don't know if I have the heart to gut it and part it...

The engine is a 2.7 RS motor with S cams, IDA's, 964 oil pump, hydro tensioners, etc. It's a bulletproof 7200 RPM engine.. so you can see why I'm interested in pulling the motor and gearbox parting out the car..


As you can see in the pictures, the car was wrecked pretty hard. I'm not sure what speed he hit the pole, but it was fast enough to severely damage the car. I know it will need a front clip, but I noticed the targa top didn't quite fit perfectly... so..It's a little tweeked. That means celette bench..

After it had been wrecked, the car was taken to a shop, and was quoted $15k to weld up a new clip, and pull it back into spec. That honestly doesn't sound like a terrible price, but it certainly isn't in my budget, and I'm really not the kind of person that pays shops to weld..


So, now I'm torn.. I want to keep it and fix it, but part of me wants to do the swap into my 914-4..

What would you do? And for those of you who are experts on these kind of repairs, how difficult is a repair like this? (the welding is no issue for me, it's the chassis pulling that is daunting)

I would have no qualms about pulling the drivetrain and sticking it into your /4. Then either part the rest or sell it as a tub. It's not like you're separating a numbers-matching /6 engine.

Fix it !! Its way to hard to find Factory 914-6,
If you transfer the motor you will still have a conversion.

Other than a trip to a bench , It is pretty straight forward repiar.
As long as it didnt transfer into the area behind the gas tank wall.

sell the tub to someone who wants a real 6 and will restore it. You will probably come out ahead $ with a free engine. Nice!

Pull the engine, do what you want with it. But hopefully you can sell the tub to someone who will fix it, hate to see an original 6 parted. For the right price I'd buy it.

Jeff

Do the swap. Move EVERYTHING, dash included.

The Cap'n

So Lola wants to be a man. "L-O-L-A, Lola" Ray Davies/Kinks. I'm putting a set of balls on mine, too.

look around...how many SIX's do you find? ( I know it's not #'s matching )

It's an early 6, probably late January, early February 1970 build. Hope someone brings it back with all vin numbers intact.

I see it as a rare opportunity that you may regret letting go of if you do. It's way more complete than what I started with and I'm guessing less rust to.

You can do it

Fix it !

That is a low number factory six, for sure worth saving !

Check if numbers of engine and chassis match first- if they do keep together
If not, have fun with engine and sell tub!

Fix it....no question about it.

Look at it like this...it will cost $30K for a decent new car....

Or, you can spend the same money or less and have a nice 914-6. It may not be a concours winner but will always hold it's value and even appreciate.

Thanks for the insight everyone. It definetely is a bit of a conundrum for me personally...

It actually has zero rust... the only thing that needs to be repaired is the crash damage..which doesnt help my internal conflict..haha

Everything on this car is working and complete, which is why this is so difficult for me.. overall, i'd say it had been much better cared for than my /4 over the years, and other than a non-numbers matching motor and a late back pad with scheel-mann seats, its entirely unmolested..

now for the other questions...

Does anyone have an estimate on how much time/labor would be involved in pulling the car on a bench?

I seem to remember someone having done this or something very similar before...

Or pull the Drivetrain & keep the Tub for a time when you can afford to do

If you pull the motor and want to sell the roller, let me know.
I may be interested.

rich

Boy kid...you always have a few secrets....lol I say fix it. Put the engine in the running car and work on the tub as you go...Or you can get my red car running and drive that.

Do a search here, i had two cars pulled on a Celette a few years back. One of them a real /6 that was hit just as hard as the one you have, but in different places.

It took 3 full weekends at a discounted hourly rate to get the car back to specs. I will still have to put it back onto the Celette to weld in the replacement panels.
Thankfully, i don't have to "clip" it, but it needs major surgery.

Unless you know someone who is willing to give you a good discount, the $15k shop quote sounds about right.


PS: The upside of all of this is the fact that they are rare and they don't make them no more.
Even if $5k or $10k or $15k sounds too much right now, KEEP IT. Park it, put it in storage, but KEEP IT and fix it when you have the means.

PPS: Oh, and don't sweat using the 2.7L for your /4, unless it was build on the original /6 engine.

Here's one:

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=52631

Don't part that car and don't sell it to someone who isn't going to fix it. It's a big fix, but it's ABSOLUTELY fixable. I would say it's a $4-5k fix. If I didn't already have a huge list of projects I'd offer to make a deal on fixing it, just to make sure it's done right.

Damn Ethan, you're going to have to let me know what other things you've got in the cooker... Nice find! I vote for cellette... There's a local shop that Siverson used recently after the mishap @ Willow...might see what bench time there would set you back...

Why dont these things come my way, I've even got a barn now...

you'll kick yourself later...

I would buy it and ship it to Rick ...
I can wait till he can get to it, but I know he would do a great job getting it right.

rich

I agree with all the comments that say, "Save the car and get it to someone who will restore it". The car body is the important item along with the running gear, suspension, half-shafts, etc. A conversion many of us have done but you have a chance to save an original Sixer (whether you keep it to restore; or, sell it to someone who will truly restore it. I would try to keep all the existing Sixer equipment with the car to maximize value to you if you sell or restore.

It is definitely a do-able job and McMark is there with the repair costs.

I would buy it and return it to originality.

My thoughts,
Steve Hurt

Ethan,

Keep it and fix it.

Talk to Andy and Mark.

When you are my age, you will forever regret getting rid of it and kick yourself.

That is totally fixable.

That chassis is fixable save it!

here is link of the car before it was smashed
914.043.0624

Bring it up to McMark's after you pull the engine and front suspension. DO NOT cut anything off the front sheet metal damage. The car needs to be as crashed for the best results when it get's pulled 90% of the front sheet metal can be repaired. Maybe even the right inner wheelhouse. If you don't know what your doing don't start trying to pull on it.

Do what you want with the engine. Either sell the chassis with the dash and column intact to someone that will have it repaired or have the chassis repaired. It is a very repairable car. It looks worse to an un-experienced repair tech or even a repair tech that has not fixed a 914 than it really is.

Check the bottom of page 7 of this post There is a before and after photo of the inner wheel house that was completely wrinkled. There is no body filler on the wheelhouse. These cars pull out nice if you think things through. both fenders are repairable.

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...4128&st=120

Good into, listen to the experts...if I had to chance to buy that car I would also...and send it to ScottyB (since he's local) to fix it

Here's another thread to read. Read it all. John had the same targa alignment issue as you have. Yours looks a little worse but it's the same issue. I was able to help him get through most of the repairs. He was a good student.

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=88125

Sell your /4 and use the proceeds to get the /6 on the road sooner than later. Don't make this a long drawn out process. Sell sell the /4 and get the other repaired by the professionals and on the road. You could be driving by Sept. The /6 will only increase in value and you get the engine you want.

Keep it! Your gut is telling you the same thing.

It looks like a daunting task but you may never have another opportunity for a -6. Get it pulled and straightened, then replace damaged panels.

Huge money pit. have fun

504 took a hit like that and it was repairable. Fix it or sell it to someone who wants to....

yes, take the motor out and sell the rest..LMK jeff

Fix it.Keep it. Zero rust? I actually am having a hard time with the original question as there is no question! Fix it and keep it man!

Ethan, I will be the opposite voice. As a fellow young guy who has a giant project on his hands, I would say use what you need to put the 2.7L in your Yellow car and sell the tub to someone who wants to fix it. Being able to say you have a real 914-6 is cool but from the drivers seat, you will never feel the difference.

Leave all the 914-6 specific parts on the tub so the guy who fixes it doesn't have to source any rare parts and convert your -4 with an aftermarket 914-6 style engine mount and oil tank.

PS. Next week you need to come up to the OC and collect your Nickasil cup holder and pick through all the other 914 stuff. It all needs to go away. Lol

Yeah you will, a 2.7 RS motor will Rock your World!

If you're going to fix that car (and SOMEONE should) it will take quite a bit of time. Then you will probably want to do a full socalandy style resto. What you could do is put the 2.7 engine in your car while the 6 is being fixed, then source another 6 engine when the time comes.

Given what 6'es are selling for these days you're in a great spot. Keep it.

I think at this point, im leaning toward pulling the motor and a few things off the car that arent "6" specific, and keeping the car as a roller.

Im one of those people that will modify a car past original because thats what i want to do.. if it aint broke, make it faster.

best option right now is probably to keep it after the swap and go from there after college..

That's a realistic and mature thought process. Makes perfect sense (no people, I am not trying to buy the shell ). Good luck with whatever you choose, and thanks for not killing an original 6.

I have owned six 914's so far with two out of the six being factory 6's.
The 4's are long gone with three being parted out ( was in a crash with one and other 2 rusted out beyond repair) and one sold to a member here.
I now own two factory 6's. They both need work but the price for each car was worth it. Like many here I've been around the 914 for several years now (27 years to be exact) and have seen the prices of factory 6's jump. They are getting rare and will only keep going up in price.
If I where you, I would keep and have the 6 fixed. Sell off the 4 cylinder car and use the cash towards the repairs of the 6. It will take some time to repair the 6 but in the long run I believe that it will be worth it. If all possible and if you have the org. engine/trans for the 6 keep them with the car or store them.
Like several people have said get it fixed and keep it. Have it fixed the right way and you will never know it was damaged.

Glad your leaning this way. And no people. I'm not one of the pm's. I've checked this thread about 49 times to see what you planned on doing.

with Rick.

If you don't have a stack of cash to throw at it, best to let it pass on to someone else and use that money to bring your better car to the place you want it to be. Don't forget to leave the engine mount piece with the car.

Hopefully someone who's really going to fix it gets the car.

I cant wait to see what the roller sells for

I edited the post guys.. for now, im gonna keep it until after college, then fix it, and put it on a rotisserie..

this was actually after my dad's advice..he's not a 914 guy, but whole rare six thing has him interested..

Make sure it's always protected. These storage cars have a way of being forgotten in a backyard and collecting water. And they also seem to never actually get started. Hmm, that reminds me I have that original Aubergine car sitting at my dads for the last... um.. 12 years? Someday I'll get to it.

While it may be hard to believe, I am NOT one of the PM's trying to buy the car. If I wanted to buy it, I would just call him...I have his number!

After thinking about it I've changed my original thoughts and believe that right now would be a perfect time to put the car on ebay. Europeans (especially Germans) are taking advantage of the weak dollar and are paying crazy money (by our standards) for these cars. Like a few others on this board, I am now old enough to have seen and experience multiple car cycle boom/busts (Ferraris, Austin-Healey's, MOPARS, etc.). The early 911 and 914/6 cycle will bust soon...it's inevitable.

Take the money and put it away to buy a nicer one when the bubble bursts.

Or, take the money and pay cash for a nicely running 6 conversion that you can modify to your heart's content.

Best advice yet. Early Air cooled Porsches are cool but there is no way that they are $50k+ cool for a clean stock car, too many other option in that price range. 914-6s to the majority of collectors are like a 912. The only reason they want one is because they can't afford an early 911 or already have one so they will sell for less then the equivalent 911, pretty much like how it was when they were new.

It is a rare breed of buyer who prefers a 914-6s to early 911s and few of those guys are willing or able to pay big money for one.

To fix the car right, you are looking at easy $30k by the time it is painted unless you do a lot of the body work yourself and it will always be branded as a repaired car even if you do it in an indistinguishable from factory.

Sell the roller, that will pay for the conversion on the Yellow car and with the $20k+ you will save not fixing the -6 (in dollars or time) you can do or buy a lot of other cool things.

But maybe don't listen to me, my 914 was the only car I have owned and never regretted selling.

You'll have time and more money later...and it won't be worth any less as time marches on.